Within this episode, one of the sociological challenges that we’re exploring – a huge cultural and human problem: substance abuse, and more importantly, addiction issues. Kady, who has been sober for a whole year – not without her difficulties – now faces an epic dilemma (one that no human addict would likely find themselves in). She is now the one that hedges are coming to – asking for her to help them remove the Reedes Mark that the Library put on them – the only problem is the information about how to go about doing this was hidden in a book depository that has now disappeared. The only way to find out where it is – is to go to the Etheric Realm – but the problem.. being… there’s only one way into the realm…
I think we can all safely say that Kady teaming up with Dean Fogg on an acid trip is an experience that we were not expecting. Upon first glance, and when the nice lady offers you free candy….floss – my first thought was to the Greek Classics & the Joycean chapters of the Land of the Lotus Eaters. When you begin to drink their drinks or eat their foods – you forget everything about your life or your purpose for being there in the first place – this goes on for unimaginable lengths of time, and then you end up trapped without even knowing it.
Elliot’s interaction with the Dark King continues – and takes up a position at court: “Official Court Magician in Defense of the Kingdom” Margo scolds him for being too trusting of the self-titled “Dark King”. When Elliot responds that she herself was “Margo: The Destroyer”…
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Alice breaking into the Library to find any books on the Harmonic Convergence & bumping into Zelda just in time for an attack on the Library by… wait for it… Visigoths* – safe to say I wasn’t the only one confused as to what exactly those were. (apparently, they’re Germanic barbarians.. who only show up at the absolute worst points in history) with their goal being to sack and raid all of the Library’s on earth, and then move to the Multiverse – again tweaking fun with history.. but to be candid, this felt like a fairly unnecessary addition to the episode and the general storyline. Perhaps in the next few episode’s something will come to light or be revealed, and it’ll slot in better but for now, it just seems a bit superfluous.
Julia winds up praying to a God in order to find some help to deal with the Harmonic Convergence and winds up with the Goddess of Harmony AKA ‘Clarion’ – who promptly tells her how much worse the whole ordeal is going to be – to quote “Earthquakes, fire, drought, starvation, plague… and then comes cannibalism.” Despite knowing this, she wouldn’t have had any intention of stopping it – but should Julia request this, like any God the mortal Magicians have come into contact with… she wants something in return. Plot twist – she also wants to be human. Having known about Julia’s jump rope approach to immortality, she was a mortal then became a Goddess, then became a mortal again. Bringing up the age-old dilemma of the Gods and Mortals. The God’s soon loses interest in anything because nothing seems to truly matter when you have eternity. Actual eternity. A mortal’s life, fleeting though it maybe – has more substance, knowing that at any minute, any week, any year you could – and will eventually die, ups the ante considerably in life.
During a hunting trip where the Dark King’s best warriors set out to take down small groups of The Takers – which Margo and the King himself are a part of – is so graciously broadcast into every room and home in the kingdom – a live feed stream courtesy of the King – showing his underlings all the “good” that he is supposedly doing for them and their kingdom. Performative propaganda in the highest order. There’s some glorious comparisons of the Dark King’s propaganda and constructed ‘news’ to America’s good ol’ “FOX News”. A nice little dig at that shambles of a Media company – always appreciated.
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And our old friend The Binder makes his return – still speaking in his surprisingly un-irritating constant speaking of himself in the third person. Lightly scolds Julia for failing in her endeavors and also for trapping him in the book.. * There’s also a glorious switcheroo – Penny winds up in serious trouble with the signal that is assaulting his mind – and the only way to save him is to remove his psychic ability. And Julia’s the one that makes the call. As Penny comments: “You gotta appreciate the balance of it – the irony? I had to make a choice for you. You had to make a choice for me. It is fucking radiant.” Referencing last seasons plot twist where Julia went from being a God to being mortal and for a time – not a Magician. It looks like chickens come home to roost. But that isn’t the biggest plot twist of the episode. As per usual Syfy’s series leaves us on one hell of a cliff hanger – In order to prevent the Harmonic Convergence…. The group simply needs to move… the Moon. The girl that Penny was trying to help with the nefarious signal comes forward to illuminate everyone as to why that has happened… She’s a Chatwin. Ba-BAM!
