Willow: Children of the Wyrm
January 11, 2023 6:41 PM - Season 1, Episode 8 - Subscribe
Finale time! AV Club review here.
In the Willow Finale, the Adventure Really Was the Friends We Made Along the Way
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:44 PM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:44 PM on January 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
I enjoyed the finale and yet, I still wonder, what is the worm's problem. Why does it want to do the bad things it wants to do.
Elora leveling up reminded me The Matrix in the conversation Morpheus has with Neo about dodging bullets. When he's ready, he won't need to. Applying that to the wand, when Elora is ready to full become who she was destined to be, she won't need a wand to be powerful and do magic.
This show has a big thing about the essence of something being drawn out through the mouth, be it the evil that was in Graydon, Elora's power (goodness?), and the transference of the Crone's power into Aric. I'm not sure what this means, but it has to be a thing.
I loved the clunky armor on Kit transforming into one of the coolest armor setups in recent fantasy. We had Elora power up, now Kit, as her protector.
I was a bit thrown off by Mad Martigan's dialogue, if only because I knew it had to be computer generated, which was something Kilmer was happy about (the technology, and presumably, its application here). The character, however, is somewhat of a question mark, too. The Mad Martigan at the end of Willow, was, granted, a fellow who went from not caring to putting his life on the line, but he wasn't a father yet. I hope we get to see some kind of flashback of Martigan in that role.
Graydon's blasting into the beyond has all types of questions, more so, is he in that alternate dimension where Elora was originally supposed to have been sent? Is the Dark Elora a real entity or just a manifestation of the Worm's? I need assurances that Graydon will remain on the side of the good through all of this. Argh. The landscape where he woke up looks like the landscape in Willow's vision, fwiw.
I'm looking forward to season two (ya got that LFL?).
posted by Atreides at 8:03 AM on January 12, 2023
Elora leveling up reminded me The Matrix in the conversation Morpheus has with Neo about dodging bullets. When he's ready, he won't need to. Applying that to the wand, when Elora is ready to full become who she was destined to be, she won't need a wand to be powerful and do magic.
This show has a big thing about the essence of something being drawn out through the mouth, be it the evil that was in Graydon, Elora's power (goodness?), and the transference of the Crone's power into Aric. I'm not sure what this means, but it has to be a thing.
I loved the clunky armor on Kit transforming into one of the coolest armor setups in recent fantasy. We had Elora power up, now Kit, as her protector.
I was a bit thrown off by Mad Martigan's dialogue, if only because I knew it had to be computer generated, which was something Kilmer was happy about (the technology, and presumably, its application here). The character, however, is somewhat of a question mark, too. The Mad Martigan at the end of Willow, was, granted, a fellow who went from not caring to putting his life on the line, but he wasn't a father yet. I hope we get to see some kind of flashback of Martigan in that role.
Graydon's blasting into the beyond has all types of questions, more so, is he in that alternate dimension where Elora was originally supposed to have been sent? Is the Dark Elora a real entity or just a manifestation of the Worm's? I need assurances that Graydon will remain on the side of the good through all of this. Argh. The landscape where he woke up looks like the landscape in Willow's vision, fwiw.
I'm looking forward to season two (ya got that LFL?).
posted by Atreides at 8:03 AM on January 12, 2023
I thought this season was pretty good. I never saw the original movie, so I have no frame of reference in terms of devotion to source material, but it was a nice romp. I enjoyed how it didn't take itself too seriously, which is a problem with a lot of high-fantasy dramas. It didn't blow my mind, but I enjoyed it.
posted by mrjohnmuller at 8:20 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by mrjohnmuller at 8:20 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I think it was said elsewhere that Val's son Jack has been doing the voiceovers for this show.
I don't get the logic of why awakening a giant worm is going to improve literally anything.
Forbes: ‘Willow’ Season 1 Finale Review: This Show Could Have Been Great
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:15 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I don't get the logic of why awakening a giant worm is going to improve literally anything.
Forbes: ‘Willow’ Season 1 Finale Review: This Show Could Have Been Great
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:15 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Ah Jenfullmoon, thank you for that info! Jack did a great job in Val so it's cool they brought him in for this.
The Forbes review, meh. He hates on Jade, who he claims serves no purpose, but serves an important foil for Kit, as the draw away from her royal duties (i.e., marrying some stranger). The reviewer suggested just making Kit's love interest be Elora "if you still want queer romance" like it's an after thought, which it felt like to the reviewer. The gay romance here has been a significant part for a lot of the LGBTQ+ fans I follow on social media. Kit pining after Elora instead, in competition with Aric then becomes weird, with the reviewer's suggested love triangle being mostly a straight line for most of the show (the tension would have to be Elora not being interested, then it's creepy). Jade is also an interesting character in her own right.
This guy is also really overestimating how many "serious" scenes Mad Martigan had in the movie.
I'll happily admit that I felt this season did not quite live up to everything I was hoping for, but I enjoyed it, more so in the final episodes. I think there was a certain "rushed" or pandemic assisted cobbling feeling to the show that came out of it for me. Perhaps the scripts were not as polished as they could be, or perhaps the producers and directors didn't quite help the actors zero in perfectly on their characters from the immediate outset. I'm not sure.
Speaking of Mad Martigan and Kit, it was a nice homage to the climatic sword fight in the movie, when Martigan takes two swords to defeat General Kael, mirrored when Kit breaks out two blades (including her father's) to fight her brother.
posted by Atreides at 10:42 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Forbes review, meh. He hates on Jade, who he claims serves no purpose, but serves an important foil for Kit, as the draw away from her royal duties (i.e., marrying some stranger). The reviewer suggested just making Kit's love interest be Elora "if you still want queer romance" like it's an after thought, which it felt like to the reviewer. The gay romance here has been a significant part for a lot of the LGBTQ+ fans I follow on social media. Kit pining after Elora instead, in competition with Aric then becomes weird, with the reviewer's suggested love triangle being mostly a straight line for most of the show (the tension would have to be Elora not being interested, then it's creepy). Jade is also an interesting character in her own right.
This guy is also really overestimating how many "serious" scenes Mad Martigan had in the movie.
I'll happily admit that I felt this season did not quite live up to everything I was hoping for, but I enjoyed it, more so in the final episodes. I think there was a certain "rushed" or pandemic assisted cobbling feeling to the show that came out of it for me. Perhaps the scripts were not as polished as they could be, or perhaps the producers and directors didn't quite help the actors zero in perfectly on their characters from the immediate outset. I'm not sure.
Speaking of Mad Martigan and Kit, it was a nice homage to the climatic sword fight in the movie, when Martigan takes two swords to defeat General Kael, mirrored when Kit breaks out two blades (including her father's) to fight her brother.
posted by Atreides at 10:42 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I would have preferred Jade for Elora (said already in previous threads). That said, Kit and Elora were paired together enough at the end of the show that I started to wonder if the show wanted to hint at THAT as a romantic pairing, albeit most people wouldn't want to boff twins or at least that would be a lot of drama. I don't know if I thought Elora gave off too much romantic attraction to anyone after the first episode, though.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:30 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:30 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
The combat finale here was poorly choreographed, with a weird strobe effect in parts that made it harder to see the actual combat hits. Money For Nothing has a good guitar riff but thematically and lyrically made no sense as a closer. Maybe they were saving Everybody Wants to Rule the World for a later season but...
I'm looking forward to season two (ya got that LFL?).
With the Disney+ layoffs and executive shuffle, it seems less than certain to get greenlit. I hate to say it but this show was closer to Obi Wan than Andor in quality.
posted by pwnguin at 3:22 PM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm looking forward to season two (ya got that LFL?).
With the Disney+ layoffs and executive shuffle, it seems less than certain to get greenlit. I hate to say it but this show was closer to Obi Wan than Andor in quality.
posted by pwnguin at 3:22 PM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
In this house, Kit is known as FantaShane (for the L Word watchers in the audience).
I'm still hoping for them to cut loose and give us a Kit/Elora/Jade triad... give us some poly representation in our fantasy stories.
Agreed that Money for Nothing was an absolutely terrible choice of song. No thematic connection. Black Magic Woman was right there. Or, they already had a Metallica connection, Harvester of Sorrows. Maybe Fugazi would take some dirty Disney dosh for Waiting Room (if we're going for thematically relevant humor).
posted by kokaku at 3:19 AM on January 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm still hoping for them to cut loose and give us a Kit/Elora/Jade triad... give us some poly representation in our fantasy stories.
Agreed that Money for Nothing was an absolutely terrible choice of song. No thematic connection. Black Magic Woman was right there. Or, they already had a Metallica connection, Harvester of Sorrows. Maybe Fugazi would take some dirty Disney dosh for Waiting Room (if we're going for thematically relevant humor).
posted by kokaku at 3:19 AM on January 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
With the Disney+ layoffs and executive shuffle, it seems less than certain to get greenlit. I hate to say it but this show was closer to Obi Wan than Andor in quality.
This is a pretty accurate analogy.
posted by Atreides at 11:14 AM on January 13, 2023
This is a pretty accurate analogy.
posted by Atreides at 11:14 AM on January 13, 2023
Forbes, same guy again: Willow’ Has Some Of The Worst Costumes In The History Of Fantasy Television
The Willow Finale Brought It All Together and We Still Want More
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:49 PM on January 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Willow Finale Brought It All Together and We Still Want More
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:49 PM on January 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
I dread to think what Bernadette Banner would say about the costumes. She loved the Wheel of Time ones.
posted by fiercekitten at 5:34 PM on January 13, 2023
posted by fiercekitten at 5:34 PM on January 13, 2023
I presume she'll rank them the next time she does a costume accuracy video. I haven't gotten through the 2022 one yet (where is that link?) to know if she covered it or not already.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:25 PM on January 13, 2023
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:25 PM on January 13, 2023
The Willow costumes were perfect for a cheesy and completely unrealistic 80s fantasy movie.
I particularly liked Elora Danan's scarf cloak thing and her weird gathered dangly-string undershirt. It was A Look, and I'll be disappointed if I don't see cosplayers reconstruct it.
posted by confluency at 7:21 AM on January 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
I particularly liked Elora Danan's scarf cloak thing and her weird gathered dangly-string undershirt. It was A Look, and I'll be disappointed if I don't see cosplayers reconstruct it.
posted by confluency at 7:21 AM on January 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
Yeah... they clearly were not going for Game of Thrones high fantasy. I liked that they didn't take themselves at all seriously. Although I did keep cringing when Elora's long dangly scarf cloak thingy kept dragging along the wet ground.
posted by kokaku at 11:58 AM on January 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 11:58 AM on January 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
I found it a lot of fun, taking it for what it is and what it was trying to be. I hope it is renewed!
For my personal ranking, I'd go (from highest to lowest) Rings of Power > Willow > Wheel of Time > House of the Dragon, based purely on my enjoyment factor.
posted by Pryde at 2:53 PM on January 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
For my personal ranking, I'd go (from highest to lowest) Rings of Power > Willow > Wheel of Time > House of the Dragon, based purely on my enjoyment factor.
posted by Pryde at 2:53 PM on January 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
I liked the Cuirass reveal; and Boorman's accompanying realization that he's a side character not a hero.
With the Disney+ layoffs and executive shuffle, it seems less than certain to get greenlit. I hate to say it but this show was closer to Obi Wan than Andor in quality.
Ooof, but: comparing to Andor is setting the bar very high.
I liked it ... okay? It's fun; it's silly; it's a little forgettable; Warwick Davis's acting really quite wobbly but grew on me towards the end; it put a queer relationship at the center of the show and that was great.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 12:56 PM on January 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
With the Disney+ layoffs and executive shuffle, it seems less than certain to get greenlit. I hate to say it but this show was closer to Obi Wan than Andor in quality.
Ooof, but: comparing to Andor is setting the bar very high.
I liked it ... okay? It's fun; it's silly; it's a little forgettable; Warwick Davis's acting really quite wobbly but grew on me towards the end; it put a queer relationship at the center of the show and that was great.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 12:56 PM on January 16, 2023 [1 favorite]
I love this show. It hit cheesy 80s D&D-inspired fantasy perfectly, complete with totally metal bad guys and fight scenes.
posted by fimbulvetr at 1:49 PM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by fimbulvetr at 1:49 PM on January 17, 2023 [1 favorite]
I particularly liked Elora Danan's scarf cloak thing and her weird gathered dangly-string undershirt. It was A Look, and I'll be disappointed if I don't see cosplayers reconstruct it.
Without, god please, the superfluous boob window that you mostly couldn't see because the actress is paler than paper.
And yeah, for what it's worth, I think it managed to walk the right line between a more typically Disney channel's Kit and Elora's Magical Funtime Adventures! and like, Serious Tolkien Fantasy For Teens.
posted by Kyol at 6:59 AM on January 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
Without, god please, the superfluous boob window that you mostly couldn't see because the actress is paler than paper.
And yeah, for what it's worth, I think it managed to walk the right line between a more typically Disney channel's Kit and Elora's Magical Funtime Adventures! and like, Serious Tolkien Fantasy For Teens.
posted by Kyol at 6:59 AM on January 23, 2023 [1 favorite]
You were the chosen one, Arik!
What in the WORLD was that ending song????? Did someone press the wrong button and nobody caught it? Was it drugs???
I'm disappointed there was no magic acorns.
EBORISK! EBORISK!
Overall..... B, I guess? Popcorn fantasy. I'm super bummed my subtitles didn't work on the last episode, since they whispered a whoooooooollllllleeeeeeeeeeeee lot there, and the magical firework duel was way LOUDER THAN THE TALKING AND I HATE THIS TREND
posted by Jacen at 9:10 PM on May 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
What in the WORLD was that ending song????? Did someone press the wrong button and nobody caught it? Was it drugs???
I'm disappointed there was no magic acorns.
EBORISK! EBORISK!
Overall..... B, I guess? Popcorn fantasy. I'm super bummed my subtitles didn't work on the last episode, since they whispered a whoooooooollllllleeeeeeeeeeeee lot there, and the magical firework duel was way LOUDER THAN THE TALKING AND I HATE THIS TREND
posted by Jacen at 9:10 PM on May 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
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"Maybe we stop off at the finer brothels."
"Will you shut up and let me finish?" "Too late!" (runs off cliff to avoid manly tears conversation)
"Her body makes milk for the child-" "PLEASE STOP." Thinking same, girl.
Yup, that's one suspiciously hot crone.
"You know, I once convinced him he had pukefenhangen's disease and all of his fingers and toes would like, rot off if he didn't drink large amounts of vinegar."
"Is that a thing?"
"No, I made it up."
"I guess what I'm saying is, if either you don't want to make out real quick, I'd be up for it." ?????
"Great strategic minds of all time here."
"Well, what do YOU suggest?"
"Well, I suggested that we all kiss, but you blew me off."
"What's it like to do magic?" "It's okay...I guess..." WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT.
"You know what? I don't think I'm into you any more." LOLOLOLOL.
"my dove--"
"I'm not your dove! You're being gross and creepy."
"I'm not being creepy."
"You're being SO creepy. If the old you could see the new you, you'd gag."
"He's eternal, bitch." I think the modern language has gotten a bit much at this point.
"I want my mum."
"I'm going to take it off." "When?" "...As soon as I figure out how."
What the hell was the creepy weird shit at the end? Way to buzzkill a guy's romantic urges, when you have your entire creepy death army of fire behind you.
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:29 PM on January 11, 2023 [2 favorites]