The travelers encounter a terrifying new demon, and Eventine becomes a new man
Didyousee that ending coming tonight?
Because I sure didnt.
Ten years ago
Once upon a time, Prince Ander and Commander Tilton were in love.
Credit: MTV
So what did we learn from this flashback?
We also learn that Amberles dad was an all-around awesome guy.
sneak into the Ellcrys sanctuary.
Hes also the first person who encouraged Amberle to become a Chosen.
These developments all wrap their tendrils around the events happening in the present this week, starting with…
The demons
The Dagda Mor screams at the Changeling for not killing Amberle.
Wait, didnt Allanon kill the Changeling?
It offers to go back undercover to turn the royal family against Allanon.
The Dagda Mor licks its cheek, which must mean this proposition is acceptable in demon.
Also, another leaf falls, and another demon is released.
This is bad news for the people on… Oooh, princess burn.
Your cowardice is noted, boy, Crispin snarls.
He also ignores Amberles suggestions about the safest place to stop for the night.
Be honest, you missed me, chuckles Cephelo, who thinks hes hilarious.
Cephelo then slices open Crispins leg and leaves them to become food for the marsh wolves.
Once theyre gone, Crispin promises that Eretria will burn for this.
But seriously, how is this her fault?
She had no say in where they went or when they stopped.
This feels like knee-jerk Rover blaming.
Come on,Shannara Chronicles,we were rooting for you!
We thought youd be the show that didnt resort to rape as a plot rig!
Look, Im not mad, Im disappoi actually, no.
Rape is the laziest way to emperil female characters, and this scene is no exception.
We know Cephelo is a horrible human being.
Nobody needed this character beat to prove it.
Not to sound bloodthirsty, but dont you kind of have to kill him for everyones sake?
Hes clearly not giving up on the Stones and is an all-around violent, awful person.
They should seriously consider it, at least.
Thats when Eretria and Amberle arrive, and somehow the wolves are gone.
Seriously, what happened here?
I guess the women took them all out?
The next day, Wil is bathing in a river, sans shirt.
Eretria heckles, Looking good!
What do they feed you boys in the Vale?
Hes not a piece of meat, woman!
(But yo keep one of these scenes in each episode, okay, MTV?)
Wil tells her hes not letting her screw him a third time.
She tosses him the Elfstones and smirks, Thats too bad.
Youre pretty good in bed.
They return to camp to find Crispin wailing on Cephelo.
Amberle puts a stop to it, finally asserting some authority with Crispin, and they set off again.
This time, Eretria rides behind Crispin while Cephelo walks in chains.
The scout that Crispin sends in is bucked off his horse and dies of gruesome radiation poisoning almost immediately.
Three-thousand years have passed, yet humankinds weapons are still claiming lives, Crispin sneers at Cephelo.
Okay, Crispin blaming Rovers for the actions of humans from three millennia ago is insane.
But its presumably the kind of reflexive loathing that the elves have dished out to the Rovers for centuries.
Are the Rovers a scourge on society?
This group certainly is, but how did they get that way?
Did the elves attitude drive them to this?
Discuss, and like show your work.
You know, there arent enough scenes with trebuchets on TV today.
Well played, show.
Then the doors of the fort open to reveal the most frightening demon yet: the Reaper.
Its enormous and horned and has actual fire burning in its chest.
It trails smoke in its wake and is pants-wettingly terrifying.
But when he hollers, Fire those stones up, kid, Wil cant get the Elfstones to produce.
Did he try turning them off and on again?
He and Cephelo are forced to fall back on plan B: Run!
Is that enough to kill the Reaper?
Its chest is made of fire!
So much for our road trippers.
Lets check in now at …
If used properly, Bandon should be able to contact Amberle through the Ellcrys.
The palace
Good news!
Prince Arion is slowly becoming not the worst!
However, for survive in the Breaklines, hell need a guide.
Like, say, Slanter, the gnome who killed their brother and has been locked up ever since.
Gotta say, Im digging the brotherly jealousy in this episode.
Next thing you know, Anders creeping into Slanters cell.
But when Ander tells him that the Dagda Mor is back, Slanter says, Then were all undone.
An exasperated Ander begs him to suggest an alternative plan.
If you have a better idea, Im all points, Ander says.
THIS IS MY FAVORITE THING EVER.
I insist you incorporate this into your daily conversations immediately.
I see you, clever script writer.
Its Anders turn to argue when Tilton says shes going with him on the Breakline mission.
They all finally agree to the plan, and Arion promises to handle the king himself.
Then he gives Tilton an enthusiastic kiss goodbye while Ander not-so-subtly cranes his neck to avoid watching.
I dig the way the brothers disagree but are still capable of working together.
Plus, theres a long-simmering romantic rivalry that could boil over soon.
Im eager to see what goes down.
Finally, Arion enters the throne room to talk with his father, who cant find Manx anywhere.
Long live the king, the Changentine croons.
This was certainly unexpected.
Bad for the kingdom; good for the audience.
The Brooks Nook:
DUUUUUUUDES.Thatsure doesnt happen in the book.
And I like the added depth that the shows bringing to the fraught relationship between Ander and Arion.
Also, can we talk about Crispin for a second?
But hey, at least Wil got performance anxiety the second time he tried to use the Stones.
I like my Wil Ohmsford with a little touch of self-doubt, dont you?
