This ep. of Willow, “The Whispers of Nockmaar”, has taken a dark tone for the series. The title gives echoes of the H.P. Lovecraft novella, The Whisperer in Darkness (1931). Last ep. we had Boorman travel with Kit to the former site of the Slaughtered Lamb, now ruins, and finds down in a well, the Lux Arcana. It is the key to activating the Kymerian Cuirass. Kit has to fight off the were-rats. Willow, Silas, Jade, Elora, and Graydon arrive, but also joining them is Ballantine and his knights. We found out previously that Ballantine can’t be killed, the evil sorcery is sustaining him, but he is fought by Jade. Silas leaps onto a knight attacking Graydon, but is thrown against the rocky wall! Willow slams his staff down casting a powerful spell that tears apart the corrupted knights! He makes his way to Silas, his best friend is mortally wounded, and doesn’t want him to use his magic to heal him. Best friend?, I wonder what happened to Meegosh?
I sense there is a great loss of Nelwyn; Kiaya, Ranon, Meegosh, the High Aldwyn Junn, and Vohnkar in a battle. Ballantine survives, now restored, and wants Jade to protect Elora Danan. Also to kill him, and says raising her was the best thing he did, but he wants to be released. Jade tearfully strikes him down. Boorman has finished placing rocks for the graves of the two lost men. He says the horses ran off, but Elora points out steps, Boorman walks up them followed by the others. Graydon falls and they see he was wounded like Ballantine. They have reached the outlook of Nockmaar Castle! We see the opening, but there is a new book, made of skin like the Necronomicon from H.P. Lovecraft introduced in “The Call of Cthulhu” (1928) and popularly in the Evil Dead movies and series. The book opens and we see bloody streams like rain around the illustration of the group headed towards the castle.
Kit sees Nockmaar Castle and hears the words of her mother, Queen Sorsha. Inside the castle, Graydon is bound in chains, Boorman seals them with a fireplace poker. Elora tells him that he looks like a “vermithrax in a vestal faire.” A nod of the dragon of Dragonslayer (1981), Vermithrax Pejorative. Willow mentions the ritual Bavmorda was performing, Graydon knows of it, the Ritual of the Thirteenth Night, to banish Elora Danan! He also brings up the “Fibonacci Hex” to stop the ritual. This is named after the famous mathmatician who came up with the Fibonacci sequence, a number is the sum of two others; 1, 1, and then 2, 3, and 5. Kit blames Boorman, but Graydon is getting weaker. She says Graydon must be killed. Elora pleads for Willow to save him. Willow tells them that the young Bavmorda was promising, but taken by the Order of the Wyrm. The Crone gave her powers.
Elora asks what she did with her powers and Willow mentions the transformation of the Galladorans into pigs. Boorman asks if all of the pigs were transformed back, Willow says he thinks so, and Boorman lets the food fall out of his mouth! He says they might find an answer, Willow sets down the book we saw at the beginning, he calls The Malatrium. Willow describes it as made from “the skin of a satyr” and finds in the book, The Purgation of Namshub. He needs Elora to cast the spell and then begins gathering alchemy ingredients for a salve. Willow tells Boorman to get a dagger with “an ivory handle and selenium blade.” Elora grounds the mixture in a bowl as Graydon is fading. Willow says the Crone will send The Gales and needs to set a watch. He warns about Graydon’s infection spreading through others by a goo. Willow also tells them not too go to the High Tower so you know what will happen!
Kit catches up to Jade and tells her she did what she had to killing Ballantine. Jade brings up Boorman’s advice that Kit should never have to kill in that way. She wants to be alone on the battlements watching for The Gales. Boorman comes across a round portal, a door etched in a gold symbol, behind it he hears a party. He takes out his lockpicks and hears women call for him. Kit has not found “essence of nightshade”, Elora brings up that Red-throated possums eat nightshade, and they can be boiled down to the ingredient. Willow cuts open Graydon’s shirt and reveals strange scars on his chest. Elora warns him of the pain. Willow throws a bucket of scalding water on Graydon’s chest! Kit is searching through alchemy ingredients when Boorman appears. Since, Kit doesn’t react, not really a jump scare. He is looking for eel jelly to help open the vault. She suddenly appears with it, again no reaction, and Kit says the purgation will fail and she will have to kill Graydon.
Side profile of the costume of Willow, D23 Expo, author’s photo.
Boorman leaves saying Bavmorda would be proud. Kit finds the jug of brined possum and seems to think of Elora as a “spoiled princess” when it is really the pot not the kettle. Willow starts saying the words, Elora joins him, and Graydon corrects her pronunciation. Graydon, in a delusional state?, then sees King Hastur calling him a failure. His father wanted him to be heir to Tir Asleen and replace his brother, whose death, Hastur blames on his son. Then, he sees his brother, Dermot (Mario Revolori, Tony's real life brother). Graydon screams as Willow wonders about Kit. The princess is walking the halls and sees a tapestry where she hears The Crone and her grandmother, Bavmorda! She is asked to swear herself to the Eternal One and The Crone says she has the Blood of the Six. The tapestry sets on fire and Kit drops the jug with the essence as The Crone makes her Queen Bavmorda! Kit picks up the possum by the tail and walks down the corridor that was covered by the tapestry. Jade is standing watch, Boorman passes by still trying to work out how to open the door, he gives words of advice to her.
He says Ballantine would have said that to her and Jade hugs him in tears. Boorman says that everyone “deserves one good cry per quest”, very funny! Elora cuts into the possum, Kit is sickened, and then fries it. Willow applies the salve to his wound and then Graydon gets up and repeats Madmartigan’s words about wanting water! Elora gets him some water and then they hear Airk’s voice! Graydon as “Airk” says he is in a cell, but Willow says it is The Lich. Kit runs away. The magic words are strange like the Lovecraft entity, “Yog-Sothoth.” Then, Graydon speaks as Mims, Willow gags Graydon. Elora wonders about Willow’s village and Willow sends her away. He takes out a wicked polearm and then Boorman is working on opening the door. A woman’s voice tells him that the Lux Arcana was taken. A diversion for Boorman, but he is upbeat enough for the others. It is a horror movie trope to have individuals face past fears to separate and break them in a house of horror! This time it is evil visions from the first movie! Kit needs to finally have faith in Elora Danan to save Graydon. Still, The Gales are close! “The Whispers of Nockmaar” is a Willow ep filled horror, revealing some of the past mysteries, and Elora’s destiny!
Four Bracelets out of Five!
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