The Shannara Chronicles new run on SpikeTV reaches the midpoint of the season with new twists and turns to set up the final five episodes. In an exciting move, Spike is now showing the remaining six episodes of the season in three batches of two. Reportedly, this is to appease viewers who prefer to watch on demand and binge a few hours at a time rather than just one hour a week. So, fans can rejoice! More Shannara is never a bad thing. And this two-part combo deals some vicious narrative blows.
Jax and Eretria split up. Soldiers attack Eretria, and after she kills most of them, Cogline shows up and finishes off the last few. Cogline changes Eretria’s quest and tells her that it’s more important to head back to Queen Tamlin.
Meanwhile, in Leah, King Ander and Princess Lyria form an alliance to go after the Crimson.
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Eretria and Cogline talk to Queen Tamlin, and we get some much-needed exposition about the Queen’s deal with the Warlock Lord. As per the genre, the Lord is after ultimate power by drinking from a source of magic which feeds the Four Lands.
“If the Warlock Lord drinks from the well he will be unstoppable.”
Famous last words in stories like these. We all know bad guys are going to lose in the end, so it begs to wonder why writers still use this sort of trope. Maybe a break of 10 years or so can make it feel fresh again.
Wil and Allanon lead Bandon to the Warlock Lord’s skull in order to rescue Flick. But the plan goes sideways when Allanon’s secret mission to trick Bandon goes wrong. Instead, Bandon and Allanon end up trapped in a magical cage while Flick is dying from a contagion placed on him by Bandon.
Cogline fires off another round of exposition when telling Eretria about her mother. This moment also reveals Eretria’s roots which has a lot of implications moving forward.
Jax reveals his deepest intention when he arrives at the home of his friend’s widow. Jax rewards the widow with the money earned from bounties. However, Jax isn’t alone, and he brings more pain to the widow. After putting his weapon skills on display, the widow exiles Jax and says that the bounty hunter is cursed.
Trapped together in a magical prison with no powers, Allanon and Bandon have no intention to hurt each other. Instead, it’s now a chess match of wills. Bandon begins by digging into Allanon’s connection to Mareth.
But what is destiny leading to …
Mareth and Wil seek the Warlock Lord’s skull to appease Bandon. But they end up in a place that’s familiar to Wil in many ways but different in some key ways. Not too soon after arriving, the pair finds out exactly where they are.
Lyria and Ander receive a special prize which can change the tied of the rising darkness. However, to get what they need, the young King and Princess must do some unthinkable things.
The episode ends when Wil sets destiny into motion. But what is destiny leading to and how many more sacrifices must be made? A few too many expository moments are minor speedbumps in an otherwise well-paced 45 minutes.
