'Willow' Episode 6: "Prisoners Of Skellin" Recap and Review
Danger, perill, truth, and treasure await the group as they explore the troll cave looking for more than just their friends
WARNING: Contains Spoilers
This series has seen some ups and downs but this weeks episode can be placed under the ‘Ups’ category. What starts as a simple rescue mission evolves into a treasure hunt which ends in an emotional moment and a perilous cliffhanger. This episode also puts two characters in the spotlight for some deep development. While the others may exist for support in this episode, they managed to further a couple of their storylines thanks to a very fun guest star appearance. Along with the guest star there were a few subversions that thoroughly improved the quality of the series but it doesn’t bode well for the rest of the series seeing as these seem to be one-offs made for this episode alone.
Our episode begins back in the mysterious ruins with Prince Airk (Dempsey Byrk) as he wanders among the ruins he hears a whisper calling to him from a mysterious door. He of course turns and walks the other way. He reaches the edge of the ruins and looks out into the desert where he must journey if he wants to escape. In the mountain region of Skellin, Kit (Ruby Cruz) and Willow (Warwick Davis) are caged up together with only one living prisoner to keep them company. The strange prisoner scoffs at their hopes for escape and introduces himself as Madmartigan. Just then, they are joined by a very affluent Troll by the name of Lord Sarris (Tom Wilton) and his less affluent brother Falken (Dee Tails). Outside of Skellin Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel), Elora (Ellie Bamber), Jade (Erin Kellyman), Graydon (Tony Revolori), and Scorpia (Adwoa Aboah) try to psych themselves up mount a rescue. This is when Boorman reveals how he actually escaped, sneaking through the sewers. In the prison, Sarris prepares to torture Kit for answers on Elora’s whereabouts. The group find themselves in the middle of the Troll cave and this is where Graydon decides it is a good idea to smooth things out with Elora. They are interrupted when Elora’s wand causes tremor that reverberates through the cave. Sarris and the other Trolls leave the prison to investigate giving Willow and Kit the opportunity to call out the stranger for claiming to be Madmartigan. Truth is he is Allagash (Christian Slater), a companion of Madmartigan. He tells the two that Madmartigan is alive and it was actually Boorman who betrayed Madmartigan for the Kymerian Cuirass. The group formulate a plan as the Trolls search for them. They split up, Scorpia leaves to try and free the slaves as the others use disguises to roam the cave. Kit helps Allagash escape with a promise to help find her father. As the group searches, Elora’s health is deteriorating. They run into a group of Trolls along the way and one orders Graydon to come with him to clean a mess. To keep up the charade, Graydon complies. Willow, Kit and Allagash escape the prison and start searching for Madmartigan Just as the Trolls find the prison empty. As Boorman Jade and Elora search Jade has a close call but Elora drops the wand into the abyss deep in the cave. Kit, WIllow and Allagash make their way to the last known location of the Cuirass while Boorman reveals to Elora and Jade that he is really taking them there too. Boorman starts acting desperate as he searches for the door to the hidden tomb when the two groups meet and Boorman and Allagash are reunited and immediately start fighting. They both start blaming each other for the botched quest but the imminent threat of trolls hasteners their search for an escape route. After opening a secret door they find the tomb and a statue asking them riddles to open another door. After answering the riddles the door opens and both Allagash and Boorman rush the room wildly in search of the Cuirass.
As they fight, Kit enters and finds the sword of Madmartigan, his voice calls to kit to another door but the room begins to collapse. Jade and Elora drag Kit out just in time to find that Allagash has escaped with the Lux and what seems to be the Cuirass. Outside the door, Sarris and a group of Trolls wait for them. Graydon is there too and gives willow his staff just as Allagash returns wearing the Cuirass and brandishing weapons. A fight breaks out. They defeat the Trolls. Allagash gets hit in the process and claims the Cuirass doesn’t work so he gives it to Boorman. They try to escape, but Allagash is too injured and stays back to buy them moor time to escape. The group find themselves at the bottom of the cave where they see a way out. but the way to it is dangerous due to the collapsing cave. Kit is dejected and Elora pleads with her to continue. Kit demands that Elora stop the collapse, she blames her father’s absence on Elora. Suddenly a rock falls at Kit’s feet and she falls under the floor unable to get out. The group paniks and try to rescue her but nothing works. Elora then stumbles onto the Wand and tries herself to save Kit. In the Desert Arik’s wandering brings him back to the same ruins from which he came from. Exhausted, he hears another voice calling for help. he finds a woman locked in a cage.
We finally understand why Kit seems to hate Elora so much and it revolves around her relationship with her father. She doesn’t understand why Madmartigan cared more about Elora than he did her. She sees Elora as a person and not as the saviour of the world that the prophecy states. The real issue is that Elora doesn’t see this in herself either. Her self-doubt manifests itself in the lack of control in her powers and as the journey continues she sees little to no improvement. This conflict is the most interesting but the biggest mystery is what really happened with Boorman and Madmartigan. It’s clear that Boorman is desperately trying to redeem himself by finding the Cuirass but the reasoning is not yet clear. What furthers the mystery is the presence of another of Madmartigan’s crew, Allagash played by Christian Slater. Along with providing a well needed comedic presence, he adds to the development of Kit and the mystery of Boorman by revealing his own truth about what happened to Madmartigan. Slater’s presence was thoroughly enjoyable but we last see him being tackled by Trolls so him appearing in more episodes is doubtful. There is a small chance that we see him again though, Scorpia leaves the group very early to try to release the prisoners of the Troll Cave so he could get rescued by her and join the group in the future. Speaking of Trolls, they are presented as stereotypical beastly warriors at first, with very noticeable nods to Lord of the Rings, but they speak normally and some with a very affluent nature. This subversion is the funniest aspect of the series thus far and restore faith that the series could have one or two surprises up it’s sleeve. As for the fate of Kit, it is hard to believe that she won’t survive the cliffhanger but the nature of the liquid she is trapped in may point to an evil turn for someone who was presented as the series lead. The liquid was described as being evil and similar to the infection that plagued Ballentine and Graydon. If she comes back as an evil presence much like her grandmother it could end up as a wonderful twist later on in the series.
Overall, this is one of the better episodes of the series. It is not without its problems though. Kit and Willow’s escape seemed a tad too convenient and easy. Jade, Willow and Graydon have nothing really to do in the episode with the latter disappearing for most of the episode only to appear later randomly. The convenience of losing the wand and then recovering it at the perfect moment felt strange and merely there for plot convenience. Despite all these issues, the fun inclusion of Christian Slater, character moments, and hilarious depiction of the Trolls saved what could have been another dull episode.