After a short break, Legend of the Seeker returns with another story of our band of adventurers. In one of the slower paced episodes so far this season, most of the action is contained to the opening scene where we find Richard and company ambushed by another squadron of Dalaran soldiers. After another quick confession by Kahlan, we find that the generals of Rahl’s army have started to fight amongst themselves in an attempt to seize the thrown on their own, despite recognizing that Richard is the true heir. Killing Richard would obviously make it easier to assume the throne, whether they believe he is the next heir or not.
It seems that we might not be seeing any more legions swearing loyalty to Richard anytime soon. I had hoped that some of the commanders would have been more willing to pledge allegiance, or at least become tired of fighting a pointless battle. So far, it seems they have shown only two officers with any sense of humanity, and only one of which would actually follow Richard. I’m not sure what their motivation is for killing civilians and the like, but one would think there would be more defections by now.
Richard and Cara track Geneal Gricks back to a local brothel run by non other than Denna, the Mord’Sith who nearly broke Richard last season. In the time since Richard let her go last season, it seems Denna has taken up residence as the mistress of the house, training the local women and providing services to the nearby army. I’m not sure if it was Jessica Marais’s real hair (which I doubt), but when it’s not tied up it is quite a sight to see. Richard, along with the viewers, was obviously nervous to see her again. Of all of his foes, she was the closest to defeating him.
Of course Richard sends Cara off alone, and he ends up getting captured again. In fact, Denna actually kills Richard…again. Using dark magics, she places the soul of the “trained” General Gricks into Richard’s body and now has a completely obedient “Richard Rahl” to command the armies. For a hero, Richard sure seems to get himself captured, mind-controled, or flat out killed fairly often.
Before sticking the General’s soul into Richard, Denna puts Dennee, Kahlan’s sister, into the body of a poor young mother Lucinda who was trying to escape the house. As the resurrected confessor Dennee, she naturally goes after Cara, nearly killing her before Kahlan stop’s her.
Of course to get Richard back, they have to capture him, kill him, and stick is soul back into his body. This is one of the few episodes where instead of trying to get them together though some convoluted way, the writers have Kahlan sticking her knifes in Richard (not a euphemism). After one last bit of magic, Richard is to his old self again.
Overall, it was just an ok episode, but it does setup a lot of story arcs for the future.
Interesting Observations
- Richard goes off with Cara again, though there wasn’t much action in the Team Cara vs Team Kahlan battle
- Denna has the compass now, though she can’t use it.
- Seems everyone ends up in the soul pit of the underworld. No Elysian Fields it seems.
- With Dennee’s resurrection, we have another way to have new confessors for future story arcs.
- The war may be over, but there are still several generals out there, and most of the armies so far have standing orders to kill Richard.
- We get yet another batch of shirtless Richard scenes, but there’s no jumping overhead downward strike move this time. There are a couple of in air sideward slashes.
- Kahlan’s living confessed count is now up to two.
- Cara still feels that Richard should claim the throne…a possible point of betrayal down the line?
- Cara trusts Kahlan as a woman of honor.
