*Premise spoilers for the series, along with episode premise spoilers.*
While both Trollhunters and 3Below were multi-season shows with a mix of standalone and arc-based episodes, ramping up their arcs as they neared their respective finales, Wizards is a little different. It’s just one short season, ten episodes instead of thirteen, and each episode builds on what came before it. As such, it’s a little weird to be jumping in on episode 8 (since last week, I did just go ahead and rewatch the first seven episodes along with this one.) But here we go. It’s time for Wizards, people!
Before we get into the episode, a quick overview of what the series is about. Douxie, heretofore framed as an older teen occasionally seen around Arcadia Oaks, is in fact a 900-year-old wizard. He’s Merlin’s apprentice and still trying to prove himself to his legendary mentor. When a very dangerous new threat rolls into town, Douxie, Merlin, and the Trollhunters crew get separated in the melee: Douxie, Jim, Claire, and Steve get sent into the past, to Douxie’s old Arthurian stomping grounds. Our heroes navigate the growing conflict between Arthur and the trolls in the forest, frantically trying to keep their presence from disrupting established history.
Most of the series takes place in Arthur’s time, but this episode kicks off with the gang’s return to the present (cue Steve: “Ah, sweet, sweet pollution, how I’ve missed you!”) The Big Bad threat, the Arcane Order, is still very much a factor, but Douxie and co. are ready for it this time and are able to help their friends escape. Our heroes go to ground, and Merlin emphasizes what’s at stake as the others worry about a friend who was left behind.
There’s a lot going on here, but again, we’ve already had seven previous episodes leading up to this one. Jim was seriously wounded prior to the events of the series, and while the time travel stabilized him, returning to the present has restarted the clock on his injury. Douxie’s wizard staff can take the form of a Stratocaster, which is super fun, and at one point he utters the line, “Good evening, doers of evil and ancient terrors.” Side note: I really enjoy Douxie as the protagonist in Wizards. He’s eager and kindhearted, prone to good-intentioned mistakes but always desperate to fix them. Colin O’Donoghue does a great job in the role!
Our character of the week is Merlin, voiced by David Bradley, a.k.a. Walder Frey, a.k.a. First Doctor William Hartnell in An Adventure in Space and Time. Unsurprisingly, he’s good at playing an exasperated old crank, frequently lecturing Douxie over his fumbles but still having the tiniest shred of a soft spot for his apprentice. That’s especially apparent in this episode during a faceoff with the Arcane Order.
Since Krel doesn’t show up in the series until this episode, he didn’t get to take part in any adventures to the past, which I suppose is just as well. He thinks 21st century Earth technology is primitive enough; the boy was not built for the Middle Ages! Anyway, when the gang is looking for shelter in this episode, they run into him at the local electronics store. “Come on, Krel,” Toby urges, “we’re on a mission!” Krel trails after him, calling, “Wait! Seems I missed a lot.” Later, as Merlin is outlining the all-important MacGuffins that have to be kept safe from the Arcane Order, Krel groans, “Ugh, destroying the world, again??” Hee!
Placing these scenes at an electronics store adds some extra bits of fun. Krel is there because he has some repairs to do on Ricky Blank, so he awkwardly explains, “I need spare parts for, uh, my dad?” as a robot head falls out of his backpack. It’s also important, because it brings tech into play in the series. So far, it’s been a lot of magic, and Krel doesn’t know much about magic, but he’s obviously something of a wizard himself when it comes to tech.
Even though it’s only been eight episodes since the end of 3Below, it’s still a delight to see (well, hear) Diego Luna as Krel again. There’s something I just love so much about this character, and even though, again, Krel’s lack of adjacence to magic makes him kind of an odd man out in this group, he still automatically joins in and does what he can to help.
First impressions:
Recommend?
In General – I think so, though I’d start at the beginning of the series. It’s only ten episodes altogether and Diego Luna is in three of them. (Plus, Stephanie Beatriz voices one of the characters in the Arthurian episodes!) However, I’d add a caveat that this series is less liftable than 3Below—it definitely helps if you’ve seen Trollhunters too.
Diego Luna – Of course. I’ll never turn down a chance to watch more of Luna as Krel!
Warnings
Violence, scary moments for kids, a little gross-out humor, and thematic elements.
No comments:
Post a Comment