'Willow' Episode 7: "Beyond the Shattered Sea" Recap and Review
The Shattered Sea cuts the group down to their lowest points only so they can build themselves back up
WARNING: Contains Spoilers
One truth about writing is that you often have to drop your characters to their lowest points to get the biggest change in their character. This was the focus of this week’s episode, cutting down the characters so they can progress emotionally, well most of them anyway. We also get a glimpse of the twist that was slyly telegraphed for the season finale. Compared to the lows that plagued this season, this is another relative high.
The episode begins with Prince Arik (Dempsey Bryk) and his new companion Lili (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers) in the strange and mysterious ruins. Lili quickly shuts down any impure thought Arik might have, or potentially could have had. Arik tries to explain the futility of their situation before seeing somthing strange in the pool of water he desperately clings to. He sees Kit (Ruby Cruz) as she sinks deeper and deeper he dives in to reach her but is just out of reach. Suddenly Elora’s (Ellie Bamber) magic kicks in and pulls Kit from the certain doom. Quickly the group pick up the pace and escape the crumbling mountain. It doesn’t take long for the group to reach the beach where they stop and recover. Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel), now in possession of the Cuirass and Lux Arcana is hesitant to try and activate it in spite of Graydon’s (Tony Revolori) encouragement. Together, they stare out into the shattered sea as Willow (Warwick Davis) explains the danger that lies ahead. Kit is ready to cross but Jade (Erin Kellyman) warns against it. Kit takes a few steps before collapsing. They find an old cabin on the shoreline and an old man named Zeb (Julian Glover). The group spends some time recovering and hear of Zeb’s history as a Paladin of Cashmere and the dangers of the Shattered Sea. Kit tells the group how she saw Arik, who awakes to find himself alone and the pool of water closed. Arik wanders around and enters the door where the voice once called to him. He finds Lili staring into the bright void inside the room but can’t stay inside. Lili tells Arik about her home of Cashmere and the secret group called the Order of the Wyrm. In the cabin, the group wakes wanting to leave but Zeb discourages it. In a brash move, Graydon knocks out Zeb and suddenly members of the Gales appear. They steal Zebs water sled and the chase begins. Graydon blows one up using magic and Jade stabs the other and they manage to escape. They stop on a small island for a while to let their steed, a Mudmander whom he named Kenneth. rest. Willow was impressed by Graydon’s magic and Graydon shows Willow the flute he used to cast the spell. Willow and Elora take the moment to train. While they train, Kit and Jade spar. They travel and train for a long while, eventually allowing Graydon to train with Elora, and allowing Kit and Jade to grow closer as a couple. Willow pushes Elora too far and she uses a spell from a voice in her head that nearly kills Willow. Arik and Lili continue to bond over the expectations of them as royalty. Lili kisses Arik but he stops it. Lili tells Arik of a way out and explains that she was the one who brought him here and wants to take him somewhere but Arik resists.
At their next stop, the group all start to feel their fears. Under the stars, Kit and Elora finally hash things out between them, how they were both jealous of each other. Boorman summons the courage to activate the Cuirass but nothing happens. Using magic, Willow reaches out to his daughter Mims (Annabelle Davis) but it’s not her, the Crone is using a dark influence on them. Slowly they begin to turn against each other and continue on foot. Arik’s health is deteriorating, he finds himself inside the room with Lili where he finally gives in to her influence. The group continues and despair sets in. Graydon finally confesses his love for Elora and thanks her for allowing him to find his magic within. Suddenly they reach the edge of the Shattered Sea, but no city. They reach their breaking point, Elora breaks down, but Kit won’t let Elora quit. She puts all her faith in Elora and the two fall over the edge together. and land on the beach of the Immemorial City. The two wander into the city, they find the pool and the door but no Arik. The door opens and out walks Arik, with new hair and dressed in all black.
Arik has succumb to the mysterious evil of the Immemorial City. This is a nice twist that clouds the finale in mystery. The entire point of the quest was to save Arik and now he is a minion of the very evil that has been plaguing them the entire season. Not to mention the potential love triangle between Graydon, Elora, and Arik which has slowly blossomed throughout the season. Kit and Jade also progress their relationship a bit which is nice to see but leaves Jade in an awkward, potentially onenote dynamic. Kit and Elora finally bury the hatchet which honestly felt an episode too late but it’s still nice to finally have a resolution. Boorman’s story is still being stretched out. His insecurities are becoming clear and manifesting as an unworthiness to activate the Cuirass. Speaking of the Cuirass, it is dangerously close to being swept away as a mcguffin if it does not play a significant factor in the finale. Willow has a little bit of character development which was dangerously close to feeling shoved in. However, his self doubt is a classic case of imposter syndrome. By all accounts, he is a farmer that got lucky and lucked his way into gaining a reputation as a powerful sorcerer but in reality, he is a decently powerful sorcerer. He may not be capable of saving the world on his own but his teachings, skill, and knowledge has come in handy multiple times throughout the adventure and his training with Elora has highlighted that very skill.
The season finale is right around the corner and the series has found itself in a nice little situation rife with conflict. if the prince is actually turned to the more nefarious side of the spectrum then this is sure to cause all sorts of conflict. How is Jade and Kit going to react to having to potentially fight her brother. How is Elora and Graydon going to react to the object of her desire being seduced to the dark side. In the end the series managed to grow a little intrigue before the season finale. Whether or not this will all pay off in the end remains to be seen.