Shannara Chronicles, “Pykon”, Review!

Jondee here at the Pykon,

The forest by dawn, Amberle is wakened by Wil, and runs off with him into the mist. She passes a broken swing set and has her eyes covered by him. He takes her to a spinning playground set, they kiss, and she pulls off his shirt. Then, she sees a vision of the Dagda Mor that shocks her awake. Wil is by her side. Crispin comes to warn them about a storm. Arborlon, the king (Changeling) sees his son, Arion, enter, to tell him about Ander’s quest. King Eventine tells him that they are betrayed by the Druid and shows him in a book, a picture of the Sword of Shannara. Arion says he will find it. Will worries about the Changeling at Arborlon. Cephelo tells them about Pykon, a fairy fortress that may offer them refuge from the snow storm. The Reaper emerges. The Elven city, Alannon watches over Bandon when Catania enters. She worries about him when Bandon suddenly wakens and grabs Alannon’s arm. He sees a vision of Bandon trapped and Dagda Mor tortures Alannon. The possessed Alannon grabs Catania and uses his powers to throw Arion. The elf prince takes Catania away and asks about the chamber to find the Sword.

Ander rides up to a group of slaughtered Gnomes killed by Demons. Slanter wants to give last rites to his people against the warnings of Commander Tilton. Slanter gives the rites and takes a dagger which he holds to Ander’s neck. The Gnome rides away. The Reaper roars as the group makes their way in a snowy mountainside. Cephelo stops at a pass while Wil uses his dagger to scrape away at a griffon statue. Cephelo makes the turn and they can see the mountain fortress. He says, “That’s a good fairy tale, isn’t it?” Entering the fortress door, they have torches, but there is no one inside. Then, a little girl with pointed ears (Anais Shand) appears from the shadows. They are surprised at the girl and follow her into a tunnel. At a table, a fire is lit, and there is a bald Elf who introduces himself as Remo (John Brazier) and the girl as Mag. Amberle seems to be enjoying a spa as Eretria joins her. This show rocks! Eretria moves in, she doesn’t just like guys, but Amberle knows her tricks. She sees on her back a strange mark. Cephelo is suspicious, but Crispin doesn’t believe him. The lower levels of Arborlon, Catania has a basket of glowing crystals along with Arion. He finds a symbol and they both touch the symbol. It lights up the writings on the wall and out of the stone comes swirling the fiery Sword of Shannara!

The snowy mountain with a fortress that at the end has a Demon is too Lord of the Rings, though this one has torture not goblins. Wil is lost in thought when Mag brings him food. The others are at a table and Cephelo trades dishes with Remo. Eretria should know a thing or two about tables with strange people hosting a meal.  They all start to eat. Cephelo asks about his parents who were tortured at the fort. Wil looks at Mag’s elven ears. She is amazed at a sea shell which Wil had from his mother and he tells her about the ocean. Wil’s vision starts to blur and again he passes out. He doesn’t learn. The others are also passed out. Wil wakes up to see a mobile, his arms are tied, he tries to convince Mag to help him. He hears his friend’s screaming. Remo throws a hook into an Elf’s head. The others are swinging from an iron ring, Remo has built a tolerance to the poison. He knocks out Amberle. Alannon is being judged by Arion and the king. Alannon sees that they are seeking the Sword of Shannara which he says it is a talisman of evil. Arion runs Alannon through with the sword and then stabs him until he dissolves to ash. The Changeling king thanks Arion.

Remo looks at some knives while Amberle is strapped to a torture device. The chief torturer tightens the collar around Amberle. He crushes her hand when Mag comes in with a bloody dagger. Eretria flips up to remove her bonds. Remo shows Amberle his torture tools. Mag opens the door and Wil rushes in to knock down the Elf. He stabs the crazy torturer, frees Amberle, and she kisses him. Mag leads them out. Ander is worried they are lost, but Commander Tilton reassures him. Slanter returns telling him that he saw the Demon army. They crawl to a hillside and look at the countless Demons swarming the hill. Ander lets Slanter go, though he already has left, and he wants to go back to rally his people. Slanter says he will tell his people about him as Ander rides away with Commander Tilton. Wil is stopped by a crossbow bolt fired by Remo. Mag steps in front of Wil and takes the bolt in her back! Amberle kills Remo with her sword. He finds his mother’s seashell in her hand and leaves Mag. They hears a roaring, it’s the Reaper, Crispin goes to face the Demon as the others reach a rope across a chasm. Cephelo finds a bar to swing across with his daughter. Crispin fights with the Reaper and is cut down. Cephelo starts cutting the rope. Eretria swings back across the chasm. Wil takes out the Elfstones. They are caught in the middle and Will unleashes the Elfstone, “Just die already!” he shouts. Cephelo cuts the rope and they all fall down!  Three Elfstones out of Five!