Shannara Chronicles, “Safehold”, Review!
Jondee here at Safehold,
The last episode had Eretria found by Wil and Amberle in the Human colony of Utopia. Also, Ander becomes king of Arborlon, under the watchful eye of Alannon. The trio used a map that led them to Safehold with a broken Golden Gate Bridge. They run up to a cliffside and see the collapsed bridge. Amberle looks around and finds an underground passage, the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Wil marks a sign with Sa (with the “n” lost), F (with “rancisco” gone), to make Safehold. Bandon has visions of Amberle at the Ellcrys. Alannon asks about his visions. The Ellcrys is about to lose its last leaf. Alannon warns Bandon about searching his mind. Torches will the tunnels as Amberle, Eretria, and Wil explore the passages. They split up worried about Trolls. Councilwoman Kael (Miranda Wilson) is angry at King Ander, she lost the crown to him. Amberle with her torch hears growling, a Troll is sleeping. Wil and Eretria explore, he apologizes to her, Wil tells her about his father, Shea Ohmsford, the hero of Sword of Shannara. Amberle runs up to them to show them the sleeping Trolls. A symbol on their wall is the same that is on Eretria’s back.
Safehold, the tunnels, Eretria says the tunnel with the three, sleeping Trolls leads to the Bloodfire. Amberle has them use the pipes to crawl overhead. Eretria and Amberle make it. The Elfstones pounch falls on a Troll. Wil dangles down and reaches out. He is able to retrieve the pouch and makes it to safety. Arborlon, Alannon says that Kael is plotting against King Ander. Commander Tilton wants to take out Kael. Ander sends Tilton, he calls her Diana, to Slanter with his seal. The tunnel, they reach a stairway and Eretria starts up it to the light. The Sentinels, the Elves are practicing with Ander. Bandon is there with Catania. Ander chooses Bandon for a demonstration. Bandon gets flashes of the Dagda Mor. They duel with the voice of Dagda Mor goading him on. Alannon blocks Bandon’s sword. Eretria enters a candle lit room. Wil and Amberle joins her and she says it is familiar. They see a book when Eretria’s eyes go all white and she collapses. She says a voice said her blood is the key. Eretria points to carving which Amberle says is the Bloodfire and patterns are carved on her skin. She says she knows how to get to the Bloodfire and renew the seed of the Ellcrys.
Eretria leads the way and says, “I can feel the map in my blood.” They reach some stairs with streaks of color. Arborlon, Catania is there with Bandon on his bed, yup, it’s lips and pulling off shirts. He is blocked by a vision of the Dagda Mor licking Catania. Bandon pulls her back and his eyes flare red. He is choking her and shatters a pitcher by looking at it, but Catania manages to run away. No means no even to Demons. Amberle arranges everyone and they see a pattern form on the floor. Demonic women appear. They float around the trio and hear their voices in their minds. They use their fears and the pale woman kisses Wil. Arborlon, King Ander sees Kael and the others conspiring against him. The beach, Commander Tilton is riding into a cave. She calls out into the cave and Slanter appears with his Gnomes. Tilton gives him the message with the seal. The demon women are tempting Eretria saying the others are making fun of her. Amberle is angry at Eretria. Wil breaks up the fight and Eretria is cut on her hand. Her blood floats up to a glowing sculpture. She pierces her hand on a point and this activates the Bloodfire.
Night at Arborlon, Alannon tells Bandon that Catania is safe. He is struggling over control by the Dagda Mor. Bandon seems to recover, a little Demon in him, and he tries to shake Alannon. He uses his power to knock him back, Alannon holds out his staff, he uses it to knock down Bandon. Ander is prisoner, he turns to see a Gnome knock out a guard with a blow dart. Slanter frees him with Tilton there. He says there are five thousand Gnomes to follow King Ander. The Bloodfire sculpture is red, the markings fade, and the demon women warn Amberle away. Will uses the Elfstones to shatter a demon woman. Amberle holds out the Ellcrys seed (this was never really seen so far unlike the Elfstones which get lost episode to episode) to the Bloodfire fountain. A demon woman knocks down Wil, but he blasts her with the Elfstones. Amberle collapses. Kael readies the council for war when King Ander enters with the Gnomes. Alannon backs him up. All of the Elves give their swords to King Ander. The Bloodfire, it’s dark now, Wil calls out to Amberle, and then sees Eretria fallen. She seems dead. The Ellcrys, the Elves, Slanter, and Alannon are there with candles to see the last leaf fall. The Demon War has begun! Hordes swarm as the Dagda Mor is freed. Three Elfstones out of Five!
