Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 Review!

 Michael Walsh has unearthed Frankenstein’s Monster from the perspective of a boy in Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1! The Universal Monsters titles are now bringing to life Frankenstein by Michael Walsh. Chapter one is “The Hands of a Father.” The writer and artist is Walsh, who was also the artist of the Image title, The Silver Coin. The first issue has a cover by Walsh that has Frankenstein’s Monster half-flesh with his head and the rest a skeleton, heart, acovered by flowers! We are at a cemetary with a young boy at the tombstone of his father. There is a somber pink sky with colors by Toni Marie Griffin. Walsh’s art has simple lines reminiscent of Mike Mignola, but also with shadows and facial details like Richard Corben. 

The boy has a wooden horse carved by his father which he places at the grave site. He is crying when he hears a loud sound of digging and voices. The boy runs over to see what is happening. He sees the shadowy figures of Fritz, his assistant in the 1931 film, and the doctor, pronounced, “Frank-en-steen!” The boy hides behind a gravestone as they dig up a body, the doctor finds the skull damaged, but the hands are usable. A two page spread has Doctor Frankenstein next to Fritz over the coffin with a hand to the side. There is an insert of the boy as he sees that they are taking his father’s hands!  

Lightning crackles in the sky as a horse takes away a wagon with the grave robbers. At the back underneath a cloth is the frightening eyes of the boy. They reach Castle Frankenstein and the stowaway leaps out as the duo take out the coffin. Then, down steps in greenish, almost unnatural light, to a splash page of the boy in the strange mechanisms of the laboratory! He accidentally turns a switch that causes a blast of electricity! He sees the shadows of Dr. Frankenstein and Fritz approach and hides under the cloth of the operating table. Dr. Frankenstein says that once they move the body to the table, Fritz will then go to the university, there to get a healthy brain, not one from Abby Normal. 

Lightning strikes down next to Castle Frankenstein. Dr. Frankenstein has prepared the body which is bandaged and leaves, the boy sees the hand of his father at the side of the table. He wants his father to return. He hears the doctor again and goes to hide by a corner table. I like the weaving in and out of the events of the film and this new narrative. It is raining at night when Fritz rides and we also find the carriage with Elizabeth reassured by Victor that they will get back her fiancee, Henry Frankenstein! This resolves to their argument at the lab. He tries to convince them tha the body is not dead which gets the interest of the boy. His eye is magnified by a beaker. Frankestein and Fritz turns the wheels to lift up the table that grinds upwards. 

The boy sees it rise and then thunder which turns his face colorless, nice effect! This goes to a two page spread of the body being struck by the lightning coursing through several globes, impressive! The body is lowered sizzling green smoke. Dr. Frankenstein looks at the moving hand and declares, “It’s alive!”, his face half-in shadow with white eyes like a madman! Closeup of the boy covering his mouth. The doctor is taken away still raving. The boy’s face starts to be covered in shadow. The tower is now in the blue of morning. The boy peeks out of a window to hear the doctor angry at Fritz who says the creature is an abomination. Dr. Frankenstein doesn’t want fear to take away from his discovery. He sends Fritz to find Waldman so he can have someone on his intellectual level that he can have a conversation. Arrogant and mad. 

The boy goes looking for his father around the tower. He finds a barrel of body parts! He recoils saying the doctor is a monster. True. He lifts a bar off a door and looks for his father, his shadow enters a room, then a shadow of Frankenstein’s monster! He turns, half-shadowed face, with a yellow eye! Frankenstein’s monster reaches out, the boy is frightened, until he takes the boy’s hand. He realizes that the creature is not his father, but that he is in pain. He is about to leave, but his hand is still in the grip of Frankenstein’s monster! The boy pulls free and falls, he feels pain in his hand, which is mimed by the creature. The boy resolves himself that the doctor has to be stopped. He looks at a table of knives and bone saws! There is a letter from Michael Walsh about the making of the comic and a hint of what is to come from “the little pieces that make a monster”! Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 gives a humanity of the monster through /he eyes of an orphan boy!  

Five Switches out of Five! 

#Frankenstein, #UniversalMonsters, #MichaelWalsh, #ToniMarieGriffin, #DoctorFrankenstein, #Fritz, #Elizabeth, #FrankensteinsMonster  

Agatha All Along, “Seekest Thou The Road”, Review!

Agatha All Along returns us to the town of Westview which has Agnes caught in a mystery!  We have found out that it was Agatha All Along with the clever reveal in WandaVision. The first MCU show was created by Jac Schaeffer. The distorted sitcom reality was Wanda Maximoff’s stages of grief dealing with the death of Vision and so many others. She had constructed that reality using a hex warping the town of Westview, New Jersey and its townspeople into a television supporting cast. We found out her neighbor, Agnes, was really Agatha Harkness in “Breaking the Fourth Wall” (2021). She was a witch from Salem back in 1693. Agatha has discovered that Wanda is the Scarlet Witch and uses chaos magic. Wanda in turn traps Agatha into Agnes and removes her magic in the finale. 

Schaeffer returns to the story of Agatha Harkness, and directs and writes the premiere, “Seekst Thou The Road.” We find Detective Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) humming as she drives. Hahn returns to the role and had voiced Doc Ock in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023). We see the woods of Westview, a piano softly plays the tune hummed by Agnes, as she pulls up her car to a crime scene. Agnes brings up a cup of coffee to Herb Feltman (David A Payton) who greets her, “Hey neighbor.” She was playing Candy Crush at home for displinary action, until the chief sent her in, for only a case she can solve. Herb debriefs her on the Jane Doe found by the water and hands her an evidence bag with a library book card. He says she was crushed by “something big, heavy.” An X-Files-type crime. The autumnal trees, fog, and a strange murder is intriguing. 

We see the victim in a dark sweat shirt and jeans, a closeup of dirty feet, running?, Agnes clutches her neck. She sees the victims’ black fingers. Agnes walks away looking around the woods. She finds a brooch in a dark pool and pulls it out. Herb asks if she found something, Agnes pockets the brooch, and he tells her that they are ready to “roll her.” The forensics team turn the body over, the face is blocked by Agnes, this led me to believe with being crushed that this might be Wanda. At the end of Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Wanda finally came to herself and brought down Mount Wundagore while destroying every copy of the corrupting Darkhold in the multiverse. It would be interesting if this series fixes what was broken in that film. Agnes kneels over the body and whispers, “What happened to you?” Herb asks if she is like herself, Agnes wipes away a tear, and she mentions the dead body in the creek. 

Then, we get a moody opening with a jazzy rendition of the title song, “Down the Road”, character credist, Agnes O’Connor, and scenes of Westview and the crime tape in the forest. The credit notes that the show, “Agnes of Westview” was “based on the Danish series, wandavisdysen”, funny!, like the opening credits to Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). Agnes cuts through the line of library patrons, line?, on “official police business.” The librarian, “Ms. D. Jones”, Dottie (Emma Caulfield), is also returning from WandaVision. Agnes shows her the book card, but Dottie says they only use digital now. Instead, she decides to shout about Dottie’s alibi. Dottie looks up the book that she discovers was stolen three years ago. She points out the Natural Sciences section. Agnes finds a section with a “Under Repair” sign.

It has a charred hole and the section is burned. She is startled by a whisper, “There was a fire.” A man (Paul Adelstein) stares at her from the next shelf over! Adelstein was in the psychological horror movie, The Menu (2022). Agnes arrives at the police department holding a chocolate donut in her mouth. She finishes it off while entering and is met by Chief Phil Jones (David Lengel). This also another Wandavision return with Lengel back as Jones. She walks into her office noting the fire. He tells her the soil samples under Jane Doe’s fingers and toes are not the same as the area. Chief Jones says that they are only found in Eastern Europe, say Transia, the location of Mount Wundagore? They are interrupted by Agent Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) who takes off her sunglasses. Plaza is in the upcoming sci fi epic, Megalopolis. She was also Lenny Busker in the superhero themed show, Legion. 

Agnes sends away the chief. Then, she thinks Rio is going to take over her case. Agnes says Jane Doe must have been carried, but Agent Vidal says there is no tracks. She counters saying that the answers to the case lie with the small town. Rio says it looks like Agnes lived in Westview her whole life. Agnes sends her out of her office. The brooch is examined under magnifying glass, it looks like the Three Witches out of Macbeth or even The Fates. Agnes asks Norm (Asif Ali) at his pawn shop about the brooch. Norm was also in WandaVision. He guesses that it is from New England, 17th century, about the time of Agatha in Salem? Norm says they are the Triple Goddess; Maiden, Mother, and Crone. This would be the Morrigna from Celtic myth. He opens a latch showing a locket of dark hair, red? Night, Agnes is working at her office, she looks at the title of the book, Dialogue and Rhetoric Known History Of Learning & Debate. She underlines the first letters of the title; Darkhold! She is startled by Chief Jones who tells her to go home. 

There is another pool outside of Agne’s house as she drives up to the curb. I love the imagery. Hahn playing a relentless cop. The supernatural just at the edge. Some somber music by Chistophe Beck. He also composed the music for Wandavision. It almost makes Agatha sympathetic. She opens a door to a room with a teddy bear, a medal for Nicholas Scratch!, son of Agatha, he was introduced in Fantastic Four #185 (1977). A knock at the door. She opens it to see Rio who has brought a pizza. Agnes tells her there was a car wreck at the time of death at Eastview. Rio asks her if she thinks that’s how they moved the body. Then, she asks why Agnes hates her, but she doesn’t know. Rio is the Maiden and Agatha is the Mother? Agnes hears something and goes upstairs to find a hooded man (Joe Locke) at her closet! Locke was in the teen drama, Heartstopper. He goes out the window and leaps down. Agnes awkwardly slips, falls, and then chases after him. 

The thief is hit by a white car and knocked unconscious. The driver is Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp)! She was a standout in Wandavision as the wife of Vision’s boss. Agnes uncovers the teen’s hood and arrests him. Later, he is in the interrogation room, watched through the observation mirror, Agnes tells Rio that he has no i.d. She enters the room to question him. He says he was looking for a “respected home life”, but she didn’t have it so she kicks him out of the chair! Rio bangs on the mirror. She whispers a warning to the teen and then gets back in her chair. He admits he was looking for The Road. Agnes is confused. She sees black fingers on the teen’s hand which he says is from fingerprinting. Agnes says she was on a road and found something. She asks where he was from 1 to 3 a.m. and the teen says he was asleep. She writes it down on her notepad and then screams at him. Agnes shows him the murder photos. He says it is flowers. 

She looks again and sees flowers on a lawn. This is a strange interrogation like Neo in The Matrix (1999). Agnes turns to look at the empty interrogation room. He asks why she is looking at a painting. She turns to see a classical painting mounted on a red wall. The teen has unlocked the truth that has broken the reality like in Wandavision. He starts to chant words that frustrate Agnes. She handcuffs the teen to take him to the cell. In her car, Agnes whispers about seeing the body before walking to the morgue. She enters and finds it empty! Chills. Agnes repeats Jane Doe’s description, “late 20s, green eyes, 5’7”, then the body appears under cloth. Dirty feet. A tangle of hair which Agnes describes as “scarlet”! The library book card is on her toe tag! She looks at it, the last date, Oct. 13, and then the red letters appear, “W. Maximoff”!! A tear falls. Rio is suddenly there. She says that witch is gone along with all copies of the Darkhold trapping her. Agnes takes off her scarf, jacket, and then finds in the mirror she is in a blue gym outfit out of Wandavision! 

Agnes falls over the body and then picks herself up in the black and white sitcom Agnes! Rio says there are two Jane Does and then asks her name. Right above Oct. 13, Jan. 21, the words form, “A. Harkness”! The sitcom Agnes unbuttons her dress, the music swells up, and the overhead lamp blazes with light! Agnes returns to her house, nude, and screams! The nudity, tastefully done with hedges and careful camerawork, is like the bacchanalia tradition, wild, back to nature such as what was seen in The Witch (2015). Herb is clipping his hedge when Agatha walks over to him. She asks how long she has been there. He says three years. Dottie, her husband, Phil, shocked at Agatha undressed, and daughter. Norm is jogging, sees Agatha, and starts to run back. Herb says she seems “powerful.” Agatha returns to her house. She starts to form a hex, but has no magic. Agatha throws on a bathrobe and walks down to her basement. She finds pet rabbit, Señor Scratchy, and confesses that Wanda took all of her power. There is a thump upstairs. The thumping continues and Agatha picks up a wooden spoon. This is Agatha Harkness’ return to power after her fall in Wandavision!

Five Lockets out of Five! 

#AgathaAllAlong, #SeekestThouTheRoad, #JacShaeffer, #KathrynHahn, #JoeLocke, #AubreyPlaza,  #EmmaCaufield, #DebraJoRupp, #DavidAPayton, #DavidLengel, #AsifAli 

The Ark, “It Should Have Been You”, Review!

This episode of The Ark has the aftermath of last episode, but also a reality that could last a lifetime! Re:cap - “Cycle of Violence”;  The Ark-1’s encounter with the Eastern Federation ship is a tense stand off. Eva is questioned about the Eastern Federation. She reveals that the GSA was developing a biological weapon on the lunar colony. We find that both sides are complicated. Captain Avega demands the return of Bojan, Eva’s brother who had previously died. Captain Garnet arranges “peace talks” with Avega and his lieutenant, Ristic. This is in exchange for Felix and Jelena. She says that Avega will face more ships at Trappist-B. Her offers of alliance if the EF ship disarms, but he refuses. Garnet has his hands on her throat and will be the first casualty in this battle. It is really Garnet's strength to put her life on the line to show her conviction. 

Avega agrees to the peace plan. Angus has been getting confusing visions of Kelly. He enters the medbay and she hasn’t been able to recover with her nanites. Angus gives her the Nanite Kiss and she revives. Avega thanks Garnet, but Lt. Ristic takes out a knife and stabs the captain! Lane fights with Ristic and afterwards, Garnet sees cuts on his torso, he collapses! The two patients are rushed to medbay. Garnet enters the bridge and tries to calm herself with Lane’s blood on her hands. Second lieutenant Ana Vujik asks her for an update. Garnet tells her about Ristic’s action which of course needs confirmation. Vujik orders Felix and Jelena brought forward. She says one of them will die unless Ristic is returned. Wait, he kills the captain, and it is more important that he is brought back to the EF ship? Vujik gives them an hour. Kabir is operating on Lane and Marsh is working on Avega’s damaged liver. Garnet rushes in to check on the patients. 

Dr. Kabir says that Lane is also dying with both kidneys and his spleen damaged, the knife took out two people! Garnet brings up Kelly’s nanites and Marsh replies that they can’t repair entire organs. Maybe a clone who was engineered for replacement organs? Brice says that they have crossed the hour mark. He says to Vujik that Garnet is not there. Garnet panics. Ian says that the clones are organ donors and points out Lane. He seems resolved to being used for his organs, this is a heroic sacrifice, but instead he says his dying brother should be harvested for organs? Ian has all functioning organs! Sharon Garnet cries and Kabir says Lane still has a working liver. Ian says saving another is what he would have wanted. Garnet has Marsh promise to save Avega and makes the decision. She looks at her bloody hands. Alicia can’t believe what is happening, Brice hugs her, and Vujik says the time is up. Eva runs in after being updated by Kimi, this took some time. 

THE ARK -- “It Should Have Been You” -- CHRISTIE BURKE -- Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY.

She asks about “little Sofija”, could this be Felix Strickland’s daughter?, Brice transmits the conversation to Garnet. Eva says the Ark-1 crew is like family. She says Felix saved her life and has a daughter Sofija’s age! Vujik agrees to wait. Ian sits next to Garnet as Marsh announces that the operation is successful. He says it will take 15 minutes before he can communicate with his crew. Garnet stands up to see Lane’s body. Tears fall as she kisses his forehead. Powerful stuff for a sci fi show. The aftermath, teh weapons are floating from EF-2, at the observation deck, Captain Sharon Garnet addresses the crew about Lt. Spencer Lane. Captain Ian watches. Alicia cries. “He’s a hero who gave his life for peace.” Kimi and Felix load Lane’s body into space. Avegea gives the signal to have a colorful explosion. 

Afterwards, Avega thanks Garnet, it must have been some time after his surgery. Angus wonders about Garnet to Alicia. Kabir feels the emptiness at the conference table. Garnet offers a toast to Lane. She names Brice as her second in command. Brice never wanted command and was happy that Garnet took charge. Ian joins Garnet in the corridor, she doesn’t want to talk to him, and wants him to bother Brice. Dr. Marsh goes to talk to Garnet saying Kabir blames herself for Lane’s death. Garnet goes to engineering by Sasha. Eva and Trust argue until Garnet puts her back in charge and Trust can advise her. Avega announces to Garnet that they going to FTL. Eva has everyone prepare for FTL, but it fails! She has Ian help with engineering, but a shock from the FTL device hits her, Ian, and Marsh! They are taken on gurneys, Kabir follows them to medbay, Brice worries, but Eva doesn’t want him in engineering. 

Brice worries and almost puts the blame on Kabir! In bed, Alicia is next to Angus, they seem unenthusiastic, she says she should get to engineering. She kisses him and leaves. At medbay, they waken, Marsh says their heart rate seems good. The medbay is empty and as Garnet finds out from her communicator, they are alone on the ship! Another dimension? No one is on the bridge. Ian sees a power surge. Garnet is working on the problem when Marsh and Ian join her with Ian’s casserole for a dinner. Then, Marsh suddenly disappears, he wakes from his coma, and finds out from Kabir he has been out for an hour and twenty minutes! Brice sees scars slices on his back. He reveals he volunteered as a young med student for post-human implants, but they failed. He has a central processing unit for post-humans. His augmentation has been activated! He wants his brain implant removed! Marsh screams in pain and falls back in the bed! 

THE ARK -- “It Should Have Been You” -- CHRISTIE BURKE, JADRAN MALKOVICH, REECE RITCHIE -- Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY.

Kabir realizes he has had a seizure. His brain is swelling! She sends Brice to get Felix and Jelena. Ian is now bearded in a sweat suit. He points out to Garnet a wormhole at the observation deck. She realizes that Ian wants to travel into the wormhole! She smiles at him. It has been a few years. Garnet kisses him. I think Christie Burke has kissed just about every actor on the show, she's the Captain Kirk of The Ark! There was a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, "Unnatural Selection" (1989) that had crew rapdily age, but this is more original in having a state where the duo live like "Time in a Bottle." A little Jim Croce. Eternity in moments. The operation. A chip is removed by Felix. He checks on Eva and Alicia at engineering. Again, Eva sends him away. At the other Ark, Garnet is about to pilot into the wormhole, it compresses, and then they enter space with stars. Ian realizes that they haven’t moved. Kabir has Marsh move his toes and then follow her finger. She saved his life. Garnet and Ian’s readings are high and Kabir finds that their brainwaves are in synch. 

Marsh thinks it is sharing the same dream! Kabir checks Marsh’s brainwaves in the coma, the same, she says that this may lead to cranial swelling. It will be permanent damage unless they are revived! There is some flowers as the older Ian sees Garnet walk down in her white dress. He takes a flower as a ring. There is a nebula outside the observation deck. She says it has been ten years. A lifetime together in a dream! Kabir is injecting Garnet and Jelena with Ian hoping to pull them from the coma. They kiss in their wedding ceremony and the light grows bright and they fall. Garnet and Ian pick themselves up. They saw Jelena and Kabir. She says that Kabir is trying to bring them out of the dream. She wonders how they can help. Angus has prepared Mango pineapple daquiri and offers it to Brice. He says it is excellent. Brice says his best friend died, his captain is in a coma, and he says he is a “terrible leader.” Angus says a good leader puts together the right people and backs away. Then, he shouts for Brice about sex. Angus confidently walks into Alicia's room and says Brice taught him a few things. In a few minutes? 

Felix shows a MX chip to Kimi, Maddox, and wants Kimi’s help. She shows him data that shocks him. Felix debriefs Brice, Kabir, and Trust about mind control, Trust says Maddox took over the project. A mind control, telepathy, like Professor Xavier and Andy McGee, Charlie's father in Firestarter (1984).  It uses electromagnetic waves. Brice says Parkinson’s disease that probes were entered into him and Kabir knows that it is a solution! Trust is surprised that he has a good idea. Kabir asks Brice his opinion. Brice thanks Trust for his help with the implants. He says engineering needs help. It is not just knowing who can help, but being able to talk to the person to take the position. At the bio-dome, the elderly Ian sees Sharon, who pulls down an orange. At medbay, the probes are inserted. The elderly Sharon feels something strange, and falls into Ian’s arms. Alarms, she starts to fade, Sharon gasps in Ian’s arms. When she wakens, she knows how to help them, they have to allow themselves to die in the dream! Great work by Christie Burke and Reece Ritchie! This episode of The Ark has another strange reality before we continue to Trappist-B, but this story gives time to explore the characters of Sharon Garnet and by proxy, Spencer Lane! 

Five Compression Suits out of Five! 

#TheArk, #ItShouldHaveBeenYou, #SandraMtrovic, #MadelineHendricksLewen, #ChristieBurke, #ReeceRitchie, #JadranMalkovich, #RichardFleeshman, #ShaliniPeiris, #RyanAdams, #StaceyRead, #PaulLeonardMurray, #PavleJerinic, #TamaraRadovanovic, #DanielFathers 

 

Dedication of the Disney Bros Studio Square!

Today was the dedication of the Disney Bros Cartoon Studio Square in Los Feliz!  It is a block that is located on N. Vermont Avenue and Kingswell Avenue. The Kingswell skate shop currently occupies the space which has photos in tribute to the studio. Check out their Disney themed merch; t-shirts, fanzine, and of course board with the Disney Brothers at the store or at: https://www.kingswell.tv/.  The Disney Bros. Cartoon Studio was formed in October 16, 1923. It was founded by Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney. The first short film completed by the new studio was Alice’s Wonderland which had the first Disney star, Virginia Davis. 

Disney Bros Studio Square photo op, author’s photo. 

This was covered in Waltward Walt (2023), the documentary directed by Don Hahn, who attended the ceremony. It was screened in a room up some stairs. I spoke to Hahn about the release which he hopes will be on Disney+ or youtube. Next to Kingswell was a sign about the Disney Bros. Studio and a photo op of the studio and two standees of Roy and Walt Disney. There were also stamped footprints of Walt and Roy. Across from them were two D23 photo ops, one of “The Skeleton Dance”, the b&w short from 1929, and another with Walt Disney sitting surrounded by cartoon creations from “Disney Bros. Studio, 4649 Kingswell, Hollywood, Cal.” The D23 booth was next to it with free magnets for members. 

  Disney Bros. Studio information on the Kingswell wall, photo by the author. 

The other booths include the L.A. Breakfast Club, one of their upcoming events is Terri Hardin: Monster Maker. She built the stillsuits for Dune (1984), played the demon dogs in Ghostbusters (1984), and also the Jim Henson Company. Hardin also was an Imagineer working on several attractions including pupeteering Idee and Odee in Captain EO and also Muppet*Vision 3D. Check out her presentaton on October 2nd. On October 9th is 30 Years of the The Lion King with Producer Don Hahn. Check out the website for information and tickets: https://www.labreakfastclub.com/ The ceremony was at about 2 p.m. with Justin Arthur, at D23 Creative & Programming, introducing Don Hahn. 

Disney Bros Studio Square dedication with Justin Arthur, Roy Patrick Disney, and Don Hahn, author’s photo.  

Hahn noted the Charlotte and Robert Disney House down the street. It was where Walt Disney stayed at when he first arrived in Los Angeles. It was designated a historic-cultural monument in 2016. Hahn also introduced Roy P Disney, Walt Disney great grandnephew, who said this was the first time that he visited the Disney Bros. Studio. City Councilmember for the 4th District, Nithya Raman, was next talking about helping to preserve the Disney Bros Studio Square. Disney and Raman pulled off the covering for the new Disney Bros. Cartoon Studio Square sign. Hahn and Disney were presented mini versions of the sign. There were many Disney fans, dressed up in their 1920’s finest, and the DJ also had some great retro tunes. The Disney Bros Cartoon Studio Square dedication was a fun experience! 

#DisneyBrosStudioSquare, #LosFeliz, #Kingswell, #DisneyBrosCartoonStudio, #WaltDisney, #RoyPDisney, #AlicesWonderland, #VirginiaDavis, #WaltwardWalt, #DonHahn, #D23,#LABreakfastClub, #TerriHardin, #30YearsOfTheLionKing, #JustinArthur, #NithyaRaman 

Rings of Power, “Where the Stars are Strange”, Review!

Rings of Power returns us to Khazad-dûm with Durin and Disa, Galadriel deals with Elrond, while a new evil is in Rhûn! Re:cap - “Elven Kings Under the Sky”; Sauron was killed by Adar and his Orcs, but rose again in human form as Halbrand! Elrond has returned to Lindon and High King Gil-galad wants him to turn over the Three Rings. Instead, he leaps over a cliff into the sea! Elrond goes to the shipwright, Cirdan, to find a way to destroy the Rings. He takes a boat out to a point where the Three Rings can be lost. Adar has spared Halbrand and his human servant, Waldreg, has him swear allegiance to Adar. Halbrand kneels, Adar wants him to vow with his head next to his feet!, and he does so. He says he will serve the “Lord of Mordor”, himself!, not Adar. Halbrand rides out of the Orc camp and Adar sends Glug to follow him. Waldreg mocks Halbrand’s vow to kill him, returning to the prison cell, he finds the giant collar. 

Then, the Warg leaps at him, Waldreg screams! The best end to a traitor! Sauron rides away. At Lindon, there is a stirring Elvish song by Gil-galad, it is like Sam’s song, “In Western Lands Beneath the Sun” in Return of the King, a farewell. Impressive singing by Benjamin Walker as the Elves including Galadriel and Elrond prepare to leave Middle-Earth. Cirdan walks up to Gil-galad and says perfection is not just in Valinor. He shows him Narya, the Ring of Fire, that he wears, and opens his hand to show the other two Rings, Nenya and Vilya! Gil-galad picks them up, Elrond shouts, “No!”, and this startles the high king dropping the Rings. One, diamond-like, falls down steps to Galadriel! This is Nenya, the Ring of Water!, it has chosen her. Galadriel picks it up, Elrond tries to warn her, but she slips it on her finger. Gil-galad puts on Vilya, the Ring of Air. It seems that there is a autumn sun on them, a beautiful shot out of what was a solemn occasion. 

The bare Great Tree of Lindon begins blooming flowers that turn autumnal and then white. Galadriel smiles. Elrond goes to Galadriel, looks at her, and then walks off. She stands next to Gil-Galad and Cirdan and they hold out their Rings. The fires of the Eregion forge is lit. The Elven smiths prepare the forge and an anvil is lowered. Lord Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) watches as Mirdania (Amelia Kenworthy) compliments the new forge. This is Kenworthy’s first series. She is there to announce a messager from the Southlands. The gate is raised and Halbrand rides in! Celebrimbor sees him from a tower and Mirdania asks if he should be allowed in. Galadriel had warned him about Halbrand before she left. Then, we see the city of Eregion, Ost-in-Edhil, next to the River Greyflood as we fade to black. 

I really like the concentration on Sauron and Adar, Galadriel, Elrond, and Gil-galad, then The Stranger, Nori, and now Poppy. The show has a number of leads in different places so this is a good way of breaking up the groups across different episodes. Charlotte Brändström directs “Where the Stars are Strange” along with Louise Hooper who also directed episodes of The Sandman. The writer is Jason Cahill who also wrote episodes seven, “The Eye”, last season. There is the fiery cauldron of Mount Doom like the Eye of Sauron which erupts, this was one of the images that The Stranger had seen. We move to the map as Sauron’s darkness spreads west. It heads towards Khazad-dûm! This is the kingdom of the Dwarves under the Misty Mountains which we saw as Moria (a later name for it) in Fellowship of the Rings (2001). This is in its glory days with Prince Durin IV. Elrond goes there to meet with his friend to get help with the building of Celebrimbor’s forge. He is invited over by Durin’s wife, Disa, and sees at their home, the sapling from the Great Tree. 

Durin agrees to Elrond’s plan, but has a more difficult time discussing it with his father, King Durin III. Elrond catches Disa talking about a mine with Durin and then finds that the has discovered mithril! The cave collapses and it is sealed by the king. Durin IV sends his son to Lindon. There Elrond recounts to Gil-galad “The Story of the Roots of Hithaeglir.” A tree held a Silmaril, the light sacred to Elves, a warrior defended it against a Balrog. Lightning strikes the tree and it’s power goes into the earth. Gil-galad says that the mithril has the light of the Silmaril. Elrond meets with King Durin III to negotiate for the mithril. There are two other Dwarf lords with four more that still need to appear. Still, the king does not want to endanger Dwarves with the mining. Elrond is about to leave Durin and Disa, but finds the corrupted Great Tree leaf being healed by a piece of mithril! In secret, Durin is mining with Elrond and finds a vein of mithril! 

Below, the vein, a Balrog stirs in the darkness! Still, he gets into an argument with his father he rips off his crest, no longer heir to the kingdom! Elrond returned to Eregion. Halbrand suggests to Celebrimbor an alloy to amplify the piece of mithril. We move into Khazad-dûm, which uses mirrors to reflect sun deep into the kingdom. There is the market of Dwarves, Disa (Sophia Nomvete) is shopping with Durin (Owain Arthur) for mole-tail stew. He says she married a prince and now he is an outcast. She says she married the one she loves. Their relationship is the best romance in the show. Disa asks if he talked to his father. Durin is stubborn and starts to complain, but it is drowned out as Disa hears something. She tells him to brace himself and then yells for everyone to brace themselves as the ground rumbles! A large stone shatters a bridge and Durin holds Disa. They walk to see the mirror light start to wink out! 

Galadriel places her hand with Nenya on the ground before the carving of Finrod, her brother. Celebrimbor surprises her walking in and says he had a visitor. It becomes dark like night and Galadriel wonders about his return. Roots start to snake towards her and bind her. This turns blood red. Celebrimbor begins to say in Black Speech the inscription of the One Ring! He rises with the roots in this nightmare then is lashed against a tree and his body pierced! Galadriel is a council, but the voices are muffled. Gil-galad is planning with an attack on Adar’s forces and the Commander of the South (Jeany Spark) reports that Sauron was seen going to Mordor. Gil-galad asks the Commander of the Northern Armies and Galadriel finally turns and says ships on the River Anduin could attack from the west. Gil-galad agrees, the council leaves, and he asks what troubles Galadriel. She says that Sauron may have gone to Mordor, but wants to take all of Middle-Earth. 

Galadriel tells Gil-galad that Sauron wants to take the will of the people and needs the Rings and Celebrimbor for his plans. The high king covers his ring hand. Gil-galad says that the defenses of Eregion will keep him safe. She touches Nenya and sees a stormy vision of Halbrand. Galadriel goes to Gil-galad’s side and says there is some hidden evil moving towards Celebrimbor. He asks how she knows and Galadriel says she can sense the Unseen World with Nenya. Gil-galad doesn’t want Galadriel to face Sauron by herself. She asks if she wasn’t alone in her encounter. A bell tolls as we move to Eregion, “Realm of the Elven-smiths”, there is beautiful cupolas with the Misty Mountains in the distance. Mirdania delivers to Halbrand that he is denied entry by Lord Celebrimbor. He is asked to leave, but Sauron, I mean Halbrand lashes his horse’s reins to a pillar. Mirdania sees the bloody slashes on his back.    

Celebrimbor walks down to the forge and finds that Halbrand will not leave. He holds to his promise to Galadriel and doesn’t care that Halbrand is injured. The fallen and bloody messenger, Calenwe, is dragged back past his dead horse and the body of another Elf. Her body is also dragged leaving behind the crushed message cylinder. A rider races the setting sun, he has a skull mask, and dismounts at Caras Gaer, “Western Rhûn.” It is several curved, stone buildings. Inside, it is a dark hall, an acolyte (Bryony Miller) appears before the throne of a Dark Wizard (Ciarin Hinds), dressed in white robes, with a guru beard, and staff. Mance Rayder was played by Hinds in Game of Thrones. He seems like a wicked version of Saruman. She releases yellow butterflies from a jar, they flitter around her, as he holds up his hand. Her hands are open and her palms are cut!, the blood drops to the floor. The acolyte is dismissed as the Dark Wizard parts the swirl of butterflies. 

The butterflies swirl into strange and then finally form into a robed figure. This is the Dweller (Bridie Sisson) who was banished by the Stranger! She reports that Sauron has taken a new form. Then, the Dark Wizard asks about the Istar who was said to travel with two halflings! A Dark Wizard who has three Mystics? Rhûn is not well known besides the Easterling soldiers. It looks like they are watching Sauron and may be defeated before joining forces with him! A messenger, Brank (Yasen Zates Atour) offers to capture The Stranger if he heals his flesh curse. The masked man says the Istar will surrender or he will kill the halflings! Nori and Poppy are walking along thinking up names for The Stranger. He says he can’t be given a name, it is already part of the person, he just has to hear it. Say Saruman. Poppy has discovered a short cut. She rushes over to a rocky cliffside that overlooks the desert. They can’t cross it without water. Some tents are set up and Nori returns with some cactus. She says he will need a gand to use his magic. 

The Stranger hears distant horses, then Nori and Poppy hear them, three riders are searching for them. They decamp and The Stranger finds the Harfoots are gone. They have used the tent to hide themselves. A guard sees a snake and kicks it away, next to Nori and Poppy!, it is killed by the knife of Kilta (Arkie Reece). Their hiding is like Frodo and Sam at the Black Gates. Kilta orders the others to search the area on their horses. The Stranger says they have been following them. Nori says that there only way is across the desert! The trio, together, descend to the sands, In the dark caverns of Khazad-dum, two Dwarf women, Revna (Laura Jane Matthewson), and Brenna (Rachel Payne) whisper about the crops withering without the sun shields. They talk about rumors, but they are stopped by Disa. She takes them to see King Durin III (Peter Mulan). He acknowledges Disa and asks for the report from Narvi (Kevin Eldon) who talks about a fire-mountain, Mount Doom. 

The shock waves flowed all the way to their kingdom and destroyed the sun shafts. The king is looking to open new shafts. Disa says the Stonespeakers have not found a safe passageway. Disa offers to look for one and the king gives his approval. They go to start singing, but the last sun-shaft crumbles. The king says the Stone-singers have provided for the kingdom for nine centuries!, but now their bond is broken. He gives permission to Narva to dig. Durin III asks to talk with Disa, he says he spoke to his son in anger, she says he should say that to her husband. Disa says they are both being stubborn to apologize. He says it is a strength. Disa defiantly tells him the mountain is not listening, because the king can’t hear his son’s sadness. She tells him to be strong and ask for his son to see him. The miners including Durin IV are working tirelessly to reach the sunlight. One miner, Barduk (Stuart Bowman), mocks him for getting blisters, “palace hands.” Barduk puts the blame on Durin IV and his father. Durin IV warns him, but Barduk pushes him down. A commoner messing with Dwarf royalty? They are lucky that the prince is even there. 

At their dinner table, Durin quietly sits as Disa brings her meal, he asks about the kids, but she says they are not hungry. Durin says that the rye of the bread tastes like it was from last year, which it is, and Disa notes that they could trade for fresh bread if the king permits it. This is a disaster, pettiness should not get in the way of helping his people, a weak king. She asks him to apologize and Durin says he is in the right since his father threw out Elrond. Disa says they can’t hear the mountain and she’s afraid. An argument turns into revealing a fear, incredible acting by Sophia Nomvete! He quietly tells her, “We’re Dwarves. We’ll find a way.” Elrond is sanding a boat when Galadriel enters the workshop. She tells him the message may not have reached Eregion and fears that Sauron is there. She has permission from the king to go with a “small party” and invites Elrond to go with them. Galadriel admits that he will only allow her to go if Elrond joins her. 

He forces her to reveal that Gil-galad thinks she will be decieved by Sauron. Elrond says she was played by the Enemy, he knew that she wanted a “Lost King”, and says that taking the Three Rings is falling into Sauron’s plans. She pleads that she cannot have Sauron in again.  Elrond is hurt that what he believes, the Three Rings are corrupt, even after Cirdan took one, is just turning away that the threat of Sauron still exists in Eregion. The forge that made the Rings could be still used and there is danger to Celebrimbor. He is the most stubborn. Galadriel brings up his promise of a “whisper of a rumor” of Sauron that he made, but he counters with saying that she should leave for their friendship. By the shore, Cirdan says the Rings are beautiful, Elrond doesn’t see it as beautiful. Cirdan continues saying would he toss away the work of the poet Ramiel if Elrond knew he was a drunkard. Judge the work, not the way it was made (or the flaws of the maker). 

He says it takes humility to do so. Elrond says he wish he knew Cirdan’s peace. Cirdan reaches into the water, fish swim about his Ring, he pulls one out. It flops on a rock and he says the Rings would dominate everyone, but not to let his fear blind him to his friends. Cirdan says he should open his eyes even if his friends are mistaken before the darkness of Sauron blinds him. I’m impressed by Ben Daniels’ acting, a gentle voice of compassion, needed when things get complex. It really shows the wisdom of this character who was only hinted at in Lord of the Rings. The blindness dissolves to the sun, nice shot!, with The Stranger watching Nori and Poppy staggering across the desert. He ends up dragging the both of them on the tents! The Stranger stops and then collapses. Nori rushes over to use the last of her flask of water to give him a drink. Poppy rushes to a hill, she is excited to see water!, but The Stranger is not breathing. In a sand pit, there is a well, and the two friends drag The Stranger to the well. Poppy goes to pull up a bucket from the well throwing off the stick that locks the rope.  

She picks up the barrel, but unhitching it, the rope sets off a bell! It clangs faster and faster. Nori splashes water on The Stranger, the bell stops, and he is able to revive. Then, everyone scoops water from the bucket. His attention is drawn to the stick, it resembles the staff from his dreams. Poppy notices the riders, one of their horses neigh, there are five of them! Their black flag has a white symbol that looks like the Eye of Sauron. Kilta orders the attack, Poppy and Nori take over by the well, The Stranger says the Elvish words and slams his staff down. A dust storm sweeps them back. Then, this turns into a sandstorm that tears into the riders and the well! Nori and Poppy hold onto the well’s stones as the sandstorm pulls at them! The Stranger’s staff disentegrates! He struggles to reach Nori and Poppy, but they are pulled into the storm! Celebrimbor has pulled out a stone from the forge, Mirdania remarks that the mithril has gone. He smiles and takes the stone to a balcony. Celebrimbor says it is ithildin, the stone glows with the symbols in the moonlight. 

He wonders about his visitor, Halbrand stares at him from below the tower! It starts to rain and Celebrimbor with guards meets with Halbrand. He says he can’t deal with him and Halbrand hints that he saw Galadriel. He mentions the Rings. Celebrimbor is too interested and asks if they work. Halbrand says the High King hasn’t contacted him. He says the creators work hard, but their work is taken by others. Sauron, that is Halbrand, is about to leave, but stopped by Celebrimbor. By a fireplace, Halbrand is again asked if the Rings work, he says, “they worked wonders.” He continues manipulating Celebrimbor saying the Elves and Lindon are saved. Celebrimbor sniffles and then laughs, overjoyed at finally making something successful after centuries. He wants to celebrate and gets a wine bottle from the First Age. Halbrand asks him if he is his friend. Celebrimbor sees Halbrand as troubled and this false king says he should make Rings for Men. The Elf master smith says that Men are “covetous.” He refuses especially since they don’t have the mithril. Halbrand says the Dwarves have their own problems. The greatest evil is corrupting the greatest crafts person! Sauron’s evil is spreading with Galadriel and Elrond at odds, Durin and Disa losing their kingdom, and to the east there is more evil to overwhelm Middle-Earth! 

 Five Rings of Power out of Five! 

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