*A couple spoilers from episode 3.*
Now that the characters and the premise have been established, we’re settling into the day-to-day stories of 3Below, which offers up a mix of alien-hijinks-of-the-week plots and larger arcs. The main plot here is some fun standalone business, although we get also some ongoing development for the characters.
The Akiridions discover an infestation aboard the Mother Ship: skeltegs, alien insects that feed on electricity and replicate with alarming speed. While Varvatos tries to deal with the bugs on the ship, Aja and Krel have their hands full after one of the pests unwittingly gets brought to school with them.
Our character of the week is Stuart, voiced by Nick Frost. In episode 3, Krel’s mindreading device detected another alien presence in Arcadia. This led them to Stuart, who’s been on Earth disguising himself as human for the last 30 years. He’s a jack of all trades and a total intergalactic royals fanboy—he’s thrilled to meet Aja and Krel, and he’s more than eager to help our crew deal with the skelteg situation.
Speaking of the skeltegs, the alien bug plot is lightweight but entertaining. Thanks to Trollhunters, the kids at Arcadia Oaks High are accustomed to weird things going on, but since Aja and Krel are new in town and haven’t seen all that yet, they’re extra concerned about keeping the skeltegs contained and taking care of the situation as quickly as possible.
This episode starts to really cement Aja and Krel’s experiences at school, and in particular, the ways they diverge from each other. In the last episode, Aja beat up Steve, a popular jock, after he punched Krel, and a viral video of the incident has everyone in awe of the butt-kicking new girl. “Not wanting to be cool is so cool!” one kid sighs as Aja brushes off her newfound popularity. Meanwhile, nobody even knows Krel’s name yet, and they only pay attention to him to mock him, like when he shows up at school carrying an old boom box he picked up at Stuart’s electronics store.
Krel definitely doesn’t want to be popular, but this dynamic still bothers him. It’s frustrating to see Aja being celebrated and fawned over while he feels simultaneously overlooked and ridiculed. Not to mention, he doesn’t like the pervading attitude that his sister can do no wrong when he, who knows her better than anyone, can gladly list her faults. Dealing with the skeltegs has both Krel and Aja on edge, and they argue and blame each other as they frantically search for a solution to their problem. For Krel, the juxtaposition in how the other kids treat Aja vs. him is just one more stressor he doesn’t need.
I really like Krel’s characterization. He and Aja both align with certain tropes—while Aja might be considered a Manic Pixie Kickass-Action Dream Girl, Krel is undeniably a Socially Awkward Genius—but in both cases, they’re more complex than those generalized labels. I love Krel’s entertaining mix of unimpressed bluntness, enthusiastic curiosity, and fragile sensitivity. They’re traits that don’t necessarily feel like they should go together, but the writing, and Diego Luna’s performance, really makes it all work.
Some choice line readings from this episode:
· As Stuart enumerates his multiple livelihoods and side hustles, he explains that “you can be whoever to want to be” on Earth, and Krel matter-of-factly observes, “Except someone who can get off this planet, apparently.”
· When he discovers that his textbook makes for a handy bug-swatter, he delightedly exclaims, “Finally! Some use for these knowledge bricks.”
· When Aja starts to realize that Steve has developed a post-beatdown crush on her, I love the bafflement with which Krel cries, “But you kicked him in the face!” (Aja’s response, by the way? “Human boys are peculiar.” Hee!)
In Luna’s hands, Krel can be rude, endearing, and hilarious, often all at the same time, and I love it.
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