The Shannara Chronicles “Graymark” gave us the reunion we’ve been waiting for, a daring rescue, and our first glimpse of Wil, Eretria, Mareth, and Garet teaming up. (Spoiler alert: we already love that last bit there and want more!) We also saw the Queen of Leah finally showing her true colors while King Ander’s trusted guard lied about Catania’s whereabouts.
While I’m still bitter about Catania’s fate I’m excited to see what’s next now that Allanon is free. Wil isn’t dark hearted enough to give up the druid for his family nor will Mareth give up the one person who could teach her about her powers. They will find another way to defeat their enemies. And when they do, it’ll be together.
Let’s talk The Shannara Chronicles “Graymark.”
The Reunion We’ve Been Waiting For
There’s really no delicate way to put this, but this episode reminded me of why I shipped Eretria and Wil so much last season. (Amberle was in this ship for me but since she’s a tree now she doesn’t count. And yes you can ship three people in one relationship. I know, crazy.) I’m still on the Eritrea and Lyria train. That bad boy hasn’t been derailed. But it was nice remembering how they were before and seeing how they are now after a year apart.
The chemistry is real. The looks are real. And the playful banter between them is real. Combine all this with the fact that they can be brutally honest with each other and you’ve got an unbreakable bond that is going to get them through a lot. In “Graymark” Eritrea opened up about where she was, seeing Amberle, and the life she was starting with Lyria. And Wil opened up about the person he was traveling with and the lengths that he was willing to go to find Eritrea and see Amberle one last time. Believe it or not this is only the start.
What comes next for these two isn’t going to be easy. They’re going to lose a lot of ground before they gain any against Bandon and the Warlock Lord. But at each others side, I believe these two can succeed against anything. Because they’re not just friends. They are each other’s found family. And that’s more valuable and stronger than anything their enemies have waiting for them.
An Unlikely Team Up at Graymark
Like every great superhero group it seems like an unlikely team up at the very start. They’re so different and you expect them to clash 75% of the time. And most of the times they do clash. But then there’s that 25%. That’s when you realize that this team is going to save the day and get shit done because their differences complement each other.
Wil is the one with a good heart that inspires and pushes those present to get into the good fight. Eritrea is the vicious and sneaky one just looking for a place to belong. Mareth is willing to take risks that no one else is. And Garet is a brash man cut off from his emotions but not the use of a blade. Bring them all together and they provide what the other doesn’t have.
While we’re talking about this team up, can we gush about that rescue? Wil, the white male lead, and his male mentor, were saved by 3 minorities. I know this isn’t a big deal for some people, but it is for me. Wil and Allanon didn’t just suddenly get the strength to kick ass and save the day like other cliched shows. (Allanon barely could walk and only pulled off a door opening move at the end so that doesn’t really count.)
Instead we had two women and a man of color coordinating a dangerous rescue. They were the ones who found them, broke them out of that dungeon, and kicked ass in the “Graymark” courtyard. They weren’t cliches that trip at the last moment and have to be rescued by the guy they just rescued, wear sexy clothes while they’re fighting because they’re girls, or fade into the background because they’re a side character. They were the weapons that The Crimson soldiers feared and lost against. They were the ones who started fires, kicked soldiers in the face, and used their weapons to end their enemies.
They weren’t cliches and for that I love them and can’t wait to see what they’ll do next in their fight to save the world and survive those working against them.
The Crimson & Queen of Leah? You Sneaky Bastards
Allanon’s warning about the Queen was spot-on. She’s working with the Crimson or at least looking to work with them no matter the lives lost. Well, as long as their lives are those of her people. Because that’s what this is all about, saving her people and making sure that they survive to Live Another Day. But how are you going to defeat the evil coming your way without these magic users?
General Rigan is under the delusion that the four lands doesn’t need magic users while having some magic AKA poison running through his veins. It’s hypocritical and a cliched turn of events that stop off with his family being murdered and his need for Revenge. He’s letting that guide him against the Warlock Lord and Magic users alike.
Eventually their beliefs and this partnership between The Crimson and the Queen will end up destroying them. The Crimson will turn on the Queen at the drop of a dime if they’re harboring someone with magic. And The Crimson will be destroyed by the Warlock Lord and the demons under Brandon control.
Neither can see that their destruction is already set in stone because they are too busy fighting amongst themselves and being selfish.
The Shannara Chronicles airs Wednesdays on Spike at 10/9c.
