[7.4/10] This is a nice breakthrough/character development episode. It’s very relatable in its concerns, both in Luz’s minor embarrassment of her parental caregiver while learning that there’s genuine wisdom behind the eccentricity, and in Amity struggling to make it to the next level, with concern that she won’t be able to do it without her proverbial training wheels.
The episode sets up the stakes nicely. Luz needs to learn a second spell to not be in Baby Classes (For Babies) when she goes to Hexside. She doesn’t want to seem remedial in front of Amity or Amity’s siblings so she pretends she’s already mastered some big deal stuff. That makes it extra embarrassing when Lzu and Eda run into Amiy and her brother and sister in a snowy zone that’s a time-honored witch training ground.
On the one hand, there’s a clockwork nature to what ensues. Da mentions the Slither Beast when they arrive, and sure enough, it becomes the environmental antagonist by the end of the episode. Luz needs to learn a new spell and sure enough, mother necessity helps her discover one when she needs it most. “The Knee” is supposed to be a source of natural magic where witches have trained for generations, and sure enough, both Luz and Amity have breakthroughs there.
(Speculation spoilers ahead: As an aside, I don’t know why it didn’t strike me until now, but the snowy hinterlands being called “The Knee” made me realize that the boiling isles are built on the carcass of some fallen giant. Seeing the skull and ribcage in the landscape confirmed it for me. And as an added bit of wild guessing on my part, I’ll bet that it’s the same giant who had a magic staff that the Bat Queen was a part of! Of course, we’ll have to wait and see.)
But I prefer the more personal elements of this one. Luz is a little ashamed of Eda and finds her “listen to the isles” and “get in touch with nature” lessons useless and silly. And yet, when push comes to shove, Luz gets the right glyphs and runes needed for her ice spell from the stars and from snowflakes and from the “code” underlying the natural world that she’s able to tune into in a way she wouldn't have without Eda’s advice. It’s a lovely little epiphany, both on a personal level, and one that cleverly connects the show’s lore and magic to some sort of natural source and implicit limitation.
Likewise, it’s less developed, but it’s nice to see Amity discovering her own ability to make magic without her training wand. There’s a lot of pressure on Amit, so seeing her too rise to the occasion when the time is right has a wholesome quality to it as well.
Not for nothing, I also appreciate the show developing the connection between Luz and Amity. I’ll stop apologizing for it eventually, but I’d written off Amity as a generic mean girl. Developing her into not just a budding friend for Luz, but as a potential mutual crush blossoming is an unexpected turn that’s developed organically, to where you’re excited to see them work together and work so hard with the prospect that they’ll be in the same class.
The B-story is pretty slight, but plenty amusing and even a little heartwarming. King wanting to start his own magical bootcamp and deciding to animate some stuffed animals as his minions is a goofy enough presence for laughs. But the stuffed animals turning on him because of his too harsh ways and propensity to play favorites is a laugh and a half. And I love that in the end, he bonds with the underused but hilarious Hooty, who commits unspeakable acts to protect King from his own creations, and leads to the two of them having a “moment.”
Overall, there’s a lot going on in the A_story, almost to the point that it feels a bit rushed, but also a very human story taking place within a fantastical setting and premise, with the comic relief of King’s tale as a nice chaser.
Review by Clobby ClobstersBlockedParentSpoilers2022-03-07T09:44:11Z