WiC Watches: The Magicians season 4
Episode 407: “The Side Effect”
“The Side Effect” takes a step back from the main plot to show us what’s been happening off-screen with several characters who haven’t been the focus for several episodes.
We open with Penny 40 (the original Penny, who’s been serving out his eternal contract to the Library’s underworld branch since he died last season), who apparently has embraced his job and has been given several promotions. He’s now in charge of where people’s books are shelved, and even has his own office.
Penny calls a “new guy” into his office so he can scold him for shelving books based on the bias he had when he was alive. He’s got to retrain this guy, or people like Kady and Fen will have their books shelved in the “Sidekicks” section of the library, where they don’t belong. Even in death, a librarian’s work is never done.
Penny tells the new guy three stories:, one each about Kady, Fen and Zelda the Head Librarian. He starts with Kady, who has been solving cases from her past life as a detective. Even though the others were happy to have their identities back, Kady can’t let go of the open cases of abuse and violence she was tasked to solve before learning who she really was.
Kady gets visited by the landlord of the apartment building the gang has been living in since they had their identities given back to them. Apparently, the landlord is the ghost of a dead witch named the Babyaga. Rent is paid with magical items, one of which is a terrifying doll that cries magical healing tears. It’s due in two days, or the landlord will drop the magical spell that keeps them all safe and hidden from the Library and that evil family of Magicians named the McAllisters.
Kady runs into her old friend Pete, who helps her retrieve the needed items, only to find that the Library has been placing trackers on dewies (the magical currency that allows one to buy ambient magic in small quantities). The trackers have been making the Hedge Witches sick, which is why they’ve all been dying. Kady rallies them all together and says the classically trained Magicians and Hedge Witches need to put aside their beef and rise up against the Library. War’s brewing, folks.
Next up is Fen, who has been having prophetic dreams in Fillory…which is odd, because up until now, she’s never presented as having any magical abilities. Josh helps her slow them down so she can start to make sense of them, and she ends up seeing a mysterious hooded figure in her dreams.
Also, her dreams help save a few talking animals, including a lizard and some cute bunnies, so at least she’s doing good with her powers. Honestly, I love the character of Fen. She really shined in season 3, and I hope they continue to build on her comedic presence in season 4.
Finally, we have the Head Librarian, Zelda. Zelda’s not as bad as we originally thought. In fact, she lies to the Librarian council and tells them Alice has given up magic forever and decided to settle in Portland with a pet dog. In reality, Zelda knows Alice is still practicing magic and is using her powers to help Magicians and Hedge Witches wherever she goes.
Zelda has another problem. She’s beginning to hear echoes of her dead daughter’s voice, even though her daughter was killed in season 3, and despite the fact that she was deaf and mute. Zelda convinces the Library’s resident Traveler to make a portal into a mirror dimension (which is where her daughter died) only to find horrifying ghost versions of her daughter. Still, she’s convinced she’s alive in there somewhere, but has to escape before being killed by the ghost/demons.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that it was Zelda’s idea to put magical trackers in the dewies, which have been killing Hedge Witches. This resulted in the one Hedge Witch blowing up the Modesto branch of the Library in last week’s episode. What we didn’t see then is that Zelda blames herself and regrets putting the trackers in the dewies.
At the first chance she gets, Zelda approaches Brakebills and Dean Fogg and asks him for help. When they hear a knock on the door, Fogg opens it to see Alice asking for help. He reveals Zelda is there and she needs Alice’s help…it’s all connected, y’all.
Finally, Penny finishes his tale to the new guy who reveals himself to be Penny’s boss. After all those stories, he knows Penny is ready to be promoted once again. His new position is collecting secrets taken to the grave.
Penny heads to his new office and opens an elevator. Someone’s inside and he recognizes him. “Hello,” he says. “It’s been a while.” And that’s where the episode ends.
I didn’t think I was going to like this episode at first, but it really picked up steam. I very much enjoyed it and can’t wait to find out who Penny was talking to.