Willow gets darker in Episode 3 but retains its fun sense of humor

The third episode of Lucasfilm’s new fantasy show Willow dropped on Disney+ today. Set decades after the cult classic 1988 film of the same name, Willow follows an ensemble group of adventurers on a quest to rescue the kidnapped crown prince of Tir Asleen.

But all is not as it seems: after the prophesied sorceress Elora Danon’s identity was revealed in the season premiere, the journey has taken on another dimension. Now, in addition to rescuing Prince Airk, the teenage Elora (Ellie Bamber) must learn to harness her magic to save the realm. If she can escape from her newfound predicament as a captive to the corrupted Commander Ballantine (Ralph Ineson), that is.

SPOILERS below for the latest episode of Willow.

Willow Episode 3 review: “The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb”

The third episode of Willow picks up right where Episode 2 left off, with Elora Danon the prisoner of Commander Ballantine. His escape is cut short as our group of heroes confront him while he’s still securing the unconscious Elora to his horse. It leads to a pitched skirmish which is cut short when an evil fog descends, giving the bad guys time to escape with Elora and setting in motion a quest to get her back.

Willow has been a fascinating show so far. It’s been consistently funny, perfectly matching the often tongue-in-cheek tone of the original film. Especial props must go to Amar Chadha-Patel’s Thraxus Boorman, who is a total scene stealer. At the same time, the plot is fairly straightforward: Elora is the prophesied one, whose great power can bring peace to the realm. It’s not doing anything we haven’t seen before, but it’s doing it really well.

It’s also very accessible. Unlike many other fantasy shows that have come out this year, Willow is clearly made to be enjoyed by the whole family. But it never dumbs things down. It strikes the perfect balance of fun, depth and accessibility.

Following Ballantine’s escape with Elora, the episode turns into a chase to recover her. The party splits into two groups, with Boorman and Kit (Ruby Cruz) going their own way. Boorman reveals that he was once a squire for Kit’s father Madmartigan, the swashbuckling rogue played by Val Kilmer in the original film. This understandably gets Kit’s attention; Madmartigan has been missing for a number of years, a plotline added once it became apparent Kilmer wouldn’t be able to join the series due to health issues.

Boorman finally gives Kit (and the audience) the first real clue about where Madmartigan went: the last quest he went on was to find a magical, indestructible piece of armor called the Kymerian Cuirass. “The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb” starts with Boorman expositing about how this armor was crafted to keep the crown prince of Kymerian Empire safe from a coup. The armor is activated by a device called the Lux Aeterna. Boorman and Madmartigan may have shared the location of that device with the owner of an inn called the Slaughtered Lamb.

However, when Kit and Boorman arrive at the inn they find it a ruin. Despite Kit’s impatience, Boorman unearths what appears to be the Lux Aeterna from the basement. Then the pair flee a group of evil-looking wererats just in time for the final battle.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. “The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb” is Willow’s most sprawling episode yet, focusing on a few different groups of characters who all come together by the end. While Kit and Boorman are off trying to track down Madmartigan, Elora tries her best to escape her captors. She ends up stumbling across a woodland hut where none other than Hannah Waddingham makes a surprise guest appearance as “Hubert,” a plucky woodswoman who seems none too concerned about the pursuers. Things turn tragic when Ballantine, axe in back, catches up and kills her. Elora begs for Ballantine to spare Hubert’s partner Anne (Caiomhe Farren), but he kills her as well.

It’s a shame that Waddingham’s character died so suddenly, but that scene was a delight right up until the fighting started. Good thing there are so many other good performances on thie show to make up for her loss.

The battle that closes out the episode is another prime example of how, despite being a show that feels very family-friendly, Willow can still feel weighty and intense. Both Ballantine and Willow’s (Warwick Davis) friend Silas (Graham Hughes) are slain, and each receives a tearful sendoff. Hughes is another legacy actor whose character appeared in the 1988 film, which makes the loss hit even harder.

For Ballantine, the death is a blessing. He’d been possessed by the Crone, and now he’s free. His final moments are spent reassuring Erin (Jade Claymore) about her path as a knight, saying that she has the mettle to see her quest through.

When the dust settles, the fellowship that set out with Willow is a little bit smaller and more worn, but they’ve rejoined with Elora and continue their search for Prince Airk.

Willow Bullet Points

• Elora started to show more of her magic in this episode, which feels well-earned since the show has let us know how difficult it’s been for her to regain it. “The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb” begins with the plant Elora had been trying to nurture blooming, but the more intriguing bit of magic comes when she touches one of the possessed soldiers. Their skin bursts into flames and they scream in agony. No doubt this will become an important detail as Elora comes more into her power.
• Another really interesting thread running through the show is how Willow isn’t actually a master magician. How much magic he can actually do is an open question; most of the time he’s relied more on tricks than actual magic. But as his friends are on the verge of death, he finally whips out some real magic and blasts away the bad guys with his staff. Perhaps the show will be just as much about Willow becoming truly powerful as it is about Elora regaining her own strength.
• Graydon (Tony Revolori) was hit with the same possession spell as Ballantine during the battle. His fate hangs in the balance as the credits role.
• The music is pretty fun! It’s kind of refreshing how well the show combines modern music with whimsical fantasy tones.
• Erin reveals that she’d been letting Kit win all their training bouts. Kit’s pride has become a real sore point among the group; it’s kind of fun how she embodies that side of her father, while Airk seems to embody his air-headedness.
• The effects for the wererats was very cool. They felt like a callback to the practical effects of the 1988 film.

Verdict

“The Battle of the Slaughtered Lamb” was darker than the previous two episodes, and featured far more death and combat. But it also kept the show’s light tone and had plenty of humor. The show has been a really fun so far and shows no signs of slowing down.

Episode Grade: B+

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