*It’s the finale, people. I’ll avoid major spoilers, but there will be a few details that get mentioned.*
In a word, stunning. For a miniseries that, apart from the gorgeous design, I found to be good but unremarkable in the first episode, it does so much over the course of the story and brings everything home just beautifully. Let me put it this way: going through the episodes in preparation for Y tu Luna también was my third watch of Maya and the Three in less than a year. Masterful.
Although Maya tries to send her friends away for their own good, attempting to save them as the kingdom of Teca faces Lord Mictlan alone, they’ve instead rallied all four kingdoms to take on the gods together. The battle calls for contributions from everyone, but as the Little Eagle and the daughter of death, in the end, it has to come down to Maya.
Since this episode is almost entirely dedicated to this final battle, it could’ve been a Battle of the Five Armies-style slog fest (though less interminable.) And to be sure, it is a supersized episode compared to most in the series. But the finale works on pretty much every level. The action is cool and varied, leaning on the different abilities of all our heroes and their kingdoms, and everyone gets their moments—in the fight and on a personal level. After their tragic, lonely backstories, it’s so heartening to see characters like Rico and Chimi finally be embraced by their communities for who they are. Even more minor characters get a nice chance to shine, like the Widow Queen of the Jungle Lands facing off against the goddess of illusions and the barbarian king and princess of the Golden Mountains appreciating one another’s talents.
Maya remains at the center of the story, and the climax is all hers, but it’s her very character growth that makes space for everyone else to get their moment. Whereas in the pilot, she was out to prove herself in the fighting pits, she’s now grown into a true leader, delegating to the strengths of those around her and leading with love. The way she, her friends, and their kingdoms pull together is in sharp contrast to Lord Mictlan, who will do anything to stay ahead. He has lackeys and warriors, but not allies, because he ultimately doesn’t care about any of them. While Maya, Lady Micte, or Rico will pull back in order to save someone in trouble, everyone is expendable to Lord Mictlan.
And the final scenes. Oh god, the last ten minutes are simply exquisite. It gets me in every single feel. I won’t spoil anything, because it deserves to be seen. I’ll just tip my hat to Jorge R. Gutiérrez, along with Zoe Saldana and the rest of the voice cast for their wonderful work.
As for Zatz, he’s an absolute champ in this last episode. Considering that his first scene in the series is interrupting Maya’s quinceañera to announce that he’s taking her to Lord Mictlan, he’s a true hero here, brave and fierce. A real partner for Maya as well, worrying about her safety but trusting that she can handle herself.
Diego Luna gets run the gamut of emotions, which is really satisfying to watch. He gets humor—I love his deadpan delivery of, “The barbarian princess tried to bite me”—romance, heroics, and drama. There are moments of despair and moments of triumph, and of course, one more, “Be well, Princess Maya. I’ll see you soon.” It’s a great final outing for a strong character.
And that’s the excellent Maya and the Three! Last thoughts:
Recommend?
In General – 100%, yes. This is so good, so beautiful, so funny, so sophisticated. I need everyone with even the slightest inclination toward animation to watch this miniseries.
Diego Luna – For sure. I love Zatz, and Luna does a fantastic job in the role.
Warnings
Violence, scary moments for kids, some gross-out humor, mild sensuality (including references to cheating,) thematic elements, and characters with disabilities voiced by able-bodied actors.
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