The Dragon Prince Rewatch 2.5, "Breaking the Seal"

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As the rewatch closes out a year, and what a year, the series itself conducts some retrospection and introspection.

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2.5, "Breaking the Seal"

Written by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond
Directed by Villads Spangsberg

Synopsis

Gracious, indeed.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Viren, accompanied by an honor guard, arrives at the summit of the Pentarchy he summoned. Upon entering, he confers with the already-arrived rulers of the other humans nations; the young Queen Aanya of Duren joins them shortly after. Following a brief, awkward interlude, Viren presents his case for war against the elves in Xadia.

The facepalm transcends time and media.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The summit of the Pentarchy continues, with most of the rules dither. Aanya rejects the call to war, occasioning anger from Viren. He centers himself and renews his attempts to persuade the summit to his cause of levying war; he recounts to her a story from several years past. Her kingdom, Duren, had suffered famine and her predecessors, Queens Annika and Neha, had pled for help from Katolis. Harrow proclaims that Katolis will aid them, but the only way for that help to arrive is via the machinations of dark magic. Harrow initially balks at the idea--and his wife, Sarai, does so more vehemently--but given the needs of the kingdoms, he accedes. The plan to retrieve materials to enact the necessary dark magic ritual proceeds reasonably well for a time, but only for a time.

Poor little guy...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

All the while, Ezran, Rayla, Callum, Azymondias, and Bait continue their voyage towards Xadia aboard the Ruthless. The continued trip proceeds smoothly enough, occasioning boredom in several of the passengers. Callum sadly considers Harrow's final message to him, and Ezran and Azymondias grow closer, to Bait's jealousy. Bait joins Callum, and Callum finally brings himself to open the last letter Harrow left him.

Discussion

In addition to focusing on the already-noted correspondence between the Pentarchy and the early English Heptarchy, the episode reinforces the series' medievalism by presenting imagery from a variety of "medieval" venues. One of the kings of the Pentarchy evokes Viking imagery, for example, and one of the queens evokes traditional depictions of the Celts. The King of Neolandia, Ahling, visually evokes the Middle Eastern sultans that often figure into medievalist narratives as exoticized Others (including the involved problems of Orientalism associated therewith). The gestures are perhaps more subtle than others the series makes, but they are present, and they do serve to enhance (sometimes unfortunately) the medievalist grounding of the series as a whole.

Notably, too, the episode features an extended (for the genre; it is a serial children's cartoon) rumination by Harrow about the natures of kingship and justice. Interestingly, he relates being told that "justice was more than fair decisions and fair consequences; true justice was a fair system" before musing on many of the ways in which he might be in a position to suffer due to the circumstances of his birth, rather than any of his own deeds. While the specific rumination is one very much in line with the likely inclinations of the series's presumed secondary audience (noted in previous episodes' discussions), the fact of the rumination itself is one very much in line with the medieval from which the series borrows. There are many, many works of medieval literature that purport to treat upright and correct governance, ranging from Malory (as presented in Caxton's preface) to Hoccleve and his Regiment of Princes and even to Machiavelli--as well as many others that do not necessarily spring quickly to my mind. Even in the medieval mind, insofar as such a thing can be said to exist as a single unit, there was question as to what made a ruler good, and the series does well to highlight that particular burden of governance.

The Dragon Prince Rewatch 2.4, "Voyage of the Ruthless"

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Intrigues deepen, both political and mystical.

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2.4, "Voyage of the Ruthless"

Written by Neil Mukhopadbyay
Directed by Villads Spangsberg

Synopsis

Honestly, I'm impressed by the bird.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Following their escape from Soren and Claudia, Ezran, Callum, and Rayla continue eastward, carried by a phoenix. Callum attempts to commune with nature en route; Rayla chides him for it. The phoenix begins to falter from flying for so long with such weight, and it falls to earth.

Elsewhere, Amaya surveils the separation of Xadia from the western, human lands. She suspects that a forward position has been compromised, and she orders a sortie to determine the truth of it.

Ginsu, it ain't.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Katolis, Viren continues to investigate the mirror. The figure within communicates with him via pantomime. Viren follows along with what seems to be a magical ritual, although not without his suspicions.

"Hello, again, fellow humans, human fellas!"
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Ezran, Callum, and Rayla send the phoenix back to Lujanne and continue their journey. They purpose to take a boat across the bay that lies in their path, and they enter a port town to secure passage. Rayla resumes her "human disguise," entertaining Ezran immensely; Callum leaves Rayla behind as he and Ezran seek a captain. They find one in the blind Villads, and they arrange passage aboard his ship, the Ruthless. Despite the oncoming heavy weather, they proceed across the bay.

Villads proves an adept sailor, explaining seacraft to Callum in a way that suggests the possibility of his own connection to the skies and their magic. The coming storm approaches, and the Ruthless is obliged to put in on the lee side of an island by the wind and rain.

Viren follows the mirror-figure through the beginning of the ritual, mimicking its motions and channeling power between the pair of them. He hesitates at bloodletting, however, disappointing the mirror figure, whose identity remains unclear to him.

Quite the entrance.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Amaya leads her sortie to the forward outpost. She finds that it has been compromised, and a fracas ensues. Her forces are beset, and her earlier opponent returns. Amaya acquits herself well and secures her troops' escape, retreating with them back to a more fortified location.

Aboard the Ruthless, Callum purposes to connect to the skies. He remains out in the storm in an attempt to activate his message; Azymondias accompanies him, and the two leave the ship for the shore. Callum's efforts do not go well for him; his folly in enacting them does not help matters, though he does recognize his error.

Message for you, sir!
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Viren considers the ritual as he sees messages return. He finds that they are from the other human kingdoms, agreeing to a summit. The news pleases him. When he returns to his sanctum, he covers the mirror.

Callum returns to the Ruthless, abashed. Rayla welcomes him back.

Discussion

The episode engages in some anachronism (in addition to the repeated reference to Martin via crow-messenging), which is not uncommon in medievalist works. For one, the Ruthless and her captain partake greatly of stereotypical pirate trappings, common enough in otherwise medieval-styled milieux (as noted here and here, among others). For another, Callum makes note of lightning rods, using the term, and while it might well be thought that a medieval person would see lightning striking tall objects more frequently than short ones, it is not until the eighteenth century that the term and the device came into use; the lightning rod is at least as post-medieval as the "typical" pirate. As in other examples, though, the anachronism serves to make the episode more accessible to audiences that typically compress all but the most recent past into a single, monolithic concept, as well as to allow for some narrative motions that would otherwise be difficult to carry out.

Too, the anachronism serves a useful purpose in reinforcing the fiction of the series. Because things are not in it as they were in the audience's world, although they are similar in many ways, the series is insulated from a number of concerns with which its presumed secondary audience--parents of the children likely to be watching, that is, or people like me--would be familiar. I am not alone in remembering the Satanic panic of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the protestations of Pat Pulling and those who heeded her; among the "concerns" was that "the things in fantasy are too real." While such things are erroneous, clearly, worries about similar reactions persist--and they are, in some senses, allayed by introducing eminently inaccurate elements into the narrative. Such elements provide some cover--an unfortunately still-needed thing.

The Dragon Prince Rewatch 2.3, "Smoke and Mirrors"

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Magic done with mirrors is more real than that done without as the season progresses.

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2.3, "Smoke and Mirrors"

Written by Devon Giehl and Iain Hendry
Directed by Villads Spangsberg

Synopsis

Not a bad view.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Viren scries through the mirror whose magic he has begun to unravel, seeing a well-appointed study therein. He settles in to observe more intently.

At Cursed Caldera, Callum and Rayla confer regarding the death of Harrow. She tries to apologize to him, and he frets about how to break the news to Ezran; Callum cannot bring himself to do so swiftly. Claudia returns to her accommodations, weeping; Soren moves to comfort her, ineptly, and reminds her of their mission.

Try as he might, it doesn't work yet.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The next day sees Callum still trying to muster the courage to tell Ezran of their father. He still cannot do so, and their conversation wanders strangely instead of moving to its initial goal. At length, Callum returns to Rayla, commiserating with her about their common inability to broach the topic of Harrow's death. Callum allows himself to begin to grieve.

In Katolis, Viren falters in his vigil, only to be awakened by action within the mirror-shown chamber. He sees a strange figure stalk through it, one spangled with stars; it selects a book and withdraws whence Viren cannot see.

And the seal seems intact, too!
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Rayla and Callum confer about their path forward. Soren and Claudia join them, and they announce their intent to continue into Xadia. Claudia returns to Callum the letter from Harrow he had dropped in his escape from Katolis. Callum demurs opening it and thanks Claudia for returning the letter to him. She conveys an offer to assist them that Rayla perceives as a trap; Callum considers the matter, and Rayla consults with Lujanne regarding how to determine Soren and Claudia's intent.

Admittedly, escape takes some doing.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The group makes to set out, departing Cursed Caldera and heading east. Soren and Claudia trail behind, the two conferring about their plans to take the princes by force. As they act upon it, melee ensues, with Soren assailing Rayla and Claudia seeking to capture Azymondias. The deception enacted by the group on Soren and Claudia is revealed, and Ezran, Callum, and Rayla effect escape on the back of a phoenix--aided by the hunter General Amaya had sent after the boys, Corvis. Soren and Claudia restrain him.

Meanwhile, Viren's observations continue. The figure in the mirror-shown chamber becomes aware of Viren, to the latter's surprise.

Discussion

There is less new medievalism in the present episode than in previous ones, which is to be expected; as has been noted before (here and here, for example), a series cannot always be bringing in new things, but has to spend some time with what it has already introduced if it is going to do well. Something might be made of the figure Viren observes in the mirror, perhaps; a seeming captive associated with stars brings to mind the kind of devils upon which other evocations of the medieval have frequently fixated, but I am not up enough on visual culture (anymore, if I ever was) to be able to follow those implications further at present. Too, the perspective of rewatching may be affecting how I am parsing the image, which is not necessarily fair...

The Dragon Prince Rewatch 2.2, "Half Moon Lies"

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It is an episode of revelations, things showing up under the pale moonlight...

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2.2, "Half Moon Lies"

Written by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond
Directed by Villads Spangsberg

Synopsis

The best part of waking up...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Soren makes to attacks the seemingly ensorcelled Rayla, though he hesitates to assail a sleeping opponent. She is not as entranced as might be thought, however, and defends herself ably. Callum intercedes, halting hostilities and explaining some of the situation and ushering everyone off to rest.

Who's the fairest?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In Katolis, Viren again considers the plundered mirror. He plies his magical skills, at some risk and pain to himself, and only in his extravagance does he uncover information; there is a chamber on the other side of the mirror.

The next morning, Callum and Ezran confer about Claudia, while Soren and Claudia confer about the princes and Rayla. They purpose to persuade them back to Katolis, and the princes reveal that the egg has hatched into Azymondias. Claudia is immediately enamored, although she is still held in suspicion; Soren's lie about Harrow does not help matters.

The two groups--Soren and Claudia; Ezran, Callum, and Rayla--confer internally about how to proceed until Claudia intervenes and takes Callum on a walk. He reveals more than he ought, and Claudia offers him a tome of dark magic, which he refuses. Soren watches the younger ones play and purposes to set up an "accident" to eliminate Ezran; Rayla interdicts his plans.

Such nuggets of insight...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Rayla consults with Lujanne about the current situation. What she offers is not of much help to Rayla, and the erstwhile assassin makes to confess to Callum and Ezran. She happens upon Callum after he is with Claudia and learns of Harrow's death.

Discussion

Soren's complaint early in the episode that attacking a sleeping opponent "doesn't seem...sporting" may appear to be a caricature of chivalry as commonly understood to apply to medieval knighthood; the parsing that follows certainly pushes it in that direction. That said, there is a decided sense in such chivalric romances as Malory's or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight that chivalry is a game, or at least a gamification of combat. Indeed, a number of scholars have attested to such ideas already--JJ Anderson's 1990 "The Three Judgments and the Ethos of Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," Victoria L. Weiss's 1993 "The Play World and the Real World: Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," René Moelker and Gerhard Kümmel's 2007 "Chivalry and Codes of Conduct: Can the Virtue of Chivalry Epitomize Guidelines for Interpersonal Conduct?" and Joshua David Maldonado's 2020 "The Game at the Green Chapel: A Game-Oriented Perspective on Chivalry in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight," among many others, speak thereto. (Some are even outside paywalls.) Even a causal reading of such works shows the knights commonly approaching fighting as much akin to a sport, both in tournaments (where such might be expected) and in open conflict (where it generally should not). There are rules, don't you know, and concepts of parity between combatants--which are sometimes abusive and sometimes abused; Lancelot's fight with Maleagant in Malory comes to mind as a prominent example. If it is a caricature, it is a knowing one, and more accurate than many such pieces are, even if perhaps unintentionally.

The Dragon Prince Rewatch 2.1, "A Secret and a Spark"

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As the second season of the series starts, it becomes clear that war is coming.

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2.1, "A Secret and a Spark"

Written by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond
Directed by Villads Spangsberg

Synopsis

Hospitable, yes?
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

General Amaya scouts across the Breach, a dangerous passage through the boundary between Xadia and the human kingdoms. She encounters a small party of Sunfire Elves, and a melee ensues; she repels them at some material cost, making an enemy of their leader and withdrawing.

Callum briefly recapitulates the events of the first season, as if in a letter to Harrow. He, Ezran, Rayla, Bait, Ellis, and Ava are at the magical nexus at the top of Cursed Caldera with Lujanne.

Fancy people saying fancy things.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

In council at the castle of Katolis, Viren warns of draconic encroachments as presaging war. He presses for a retaliatory strike, one involving all the human kingdoms; the council resists the idea, partly on procedural grounds, calling for retrieval of Ezran and Callum.

There are worse things, though the time is not opportune.
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The group at the magical nexus confers regarding next steps to take. Rayla exults in her restored dexterity before pressing to depart in haste; Lujanne confirms that they are pursued. Some delay is approved, and Rayla makes to reconnoiter the area. Lujanne takes the opportunity to teasingly instruct Callum in some arcane information--although not practice, given his disconnectedness from prevailing magical forces. Ezran works with Azymondias to develop the latter's ability to fly; it does not go well.

Viren muses over the death of Harrow as he returns to the royal suite. It remains in disarray, and Viren retrieves the royal seal, illicitly. He uses it to forge messages which he sends to the other kingdoms.

Danger, Will Robinson...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

Rayla frets as she patrols. She encounters one of Lujanne's illusions on her first patrol; on her second, she runs into Soren and Claudia.

Discussion

For example...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

The Orientalism identified earlier as at work in the series's depictions of elves remains at work in the present episode; the exoticized Sunfire Elf leader whom Amaya fights wears armor and bears weapons with markings reminiscent of Arabic and Chinese styles and ideograms. As in earlier instances, there seem to be some essentialization and reduction at work, even as the motion to be more inclusive is more commendable. (That it speaks to concerns eloquently addressed in a piece on The Public Medievalist, Christina Warmbrunn's "Dear Tolkien Fans: Black People Exist," also helps.) At present, though, the issue is and remains problematic, particularly given the orientation of the series at children--for reasons Paul Sturtevant discusses (attested here and here, among others)--even as there is overt movement towards the idea of stereotypes being wrong.

Such Orientalism is not wholly out of keeping with ideas typically attributed to the people of the European Middle Ages, however. Nor is the reference to the Pentarchy Viren makes, the explicit naming of the construct foreshadowed in the second episode of the series. As before, the name evokes the Early English Heptarchy, calling back once again to the medieval/ist underpinnings of the series. And the Pentarchy seems quite concerned with matters of precedence and protocol--quite in line with common medievalist understandings, although perhaps less so in practice.

A river doesn't run through it, though...
Image taken from the episode, used for commentary.

And, as is perhaps unavoidable, there is a fairly open visual reference to Peter Jackson's Middle-earth movies. The warding statues at the magical nexus clearly call to mind Tolkien's Argonath. Given the prevalence of Tolkienian reference in fantasy fiction and medieval/ist work, more generally, it is not to be wondered at--nor yet because of the series's presumed primary audience of children whose parents grew up around Jackson's films and reading their literary antecedents. But it does mark the series, once again, as being more medievalist than medieval, as does the crow-messaging introduced in the episode, which rings of Martin. The series's underpinnings are more in what is built upon the medieval than in the medieval itself, as such, though the foundations remain in place.