What I Thought About "Eda's Requiem" from The Owl House

Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons.

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...HOW IS SEASON TWO SO GOOD?! WE'VE HAD SEVEN EPISODES SO FAR, AND EACH ONE OF THEM WAS A HIT!

Take "Eda's Requiem," for example. It's yet another episode where I have NOTHING bad to say about it! That's two weeks in a row where that happened! HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!

HOW!

HOW!

...But anyways, "Eda's Requiem." It's another fantastic episode, and I'm about to dive into explaining how and why. Just keep in mind, it's gonna require spoilers to do so, so be wary of that as you keep reading.

Now, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Eda’s Checklist and Grom Photo: Within the first second, "Eda's Requiem" perfectly sets up Eda's central conflict in the episode. Despite spending years being on her own and looking after herself, she now has two kids that she's constantly caring over. Eda can try all she wants to say that she doesn't care, and I bet she has in the past. But given the hard work she's putting into getting King and Luz what they need and having a grom photo of the three of them together pinned in her mirror, it's pretty clear that those two knuckleheads wormed their way into her heart and are never getting out.

Eda’s Worried About King and Luz Leaving: And thus, that's precisely why something like this bothers her so much. Eda inadvertently adopted two rambunctious rapscallions (Yeah, I know. I'll get to it), so the idea of them not being around her anymore is going to be terrifying. That is a situation most parents, especially mothers, can identify with. It’s called empty nest syndrome and it proves just how much Eda loves Luz and King that she can't stand the thought of her babies leaving the nest. It's yet another well-made, wholesome, found-family moment that this series continues to excel at each week, making me extra excited for more like it to come...while also readying myself for heartbreak when one of them eventually does leave Eda.

Eda and Raine’s Music: Ok, I don't know the exact instruments that were played during this episode, but I also don't care because it was all (for lack of a better term) music to my ears. Every time Eda and Raine played resulted in melodies that are so beautiful and filled with so much emotion and feeling that I'm honestly tempted to listen to them again, multiple times, on repeat. Shows rarely do that for me, as background music doesn't always draw me in as much as lyrical songs do. Usually, it takes something so extraordinarily composed to give me the desire to listen again, and that's the case here. So huge congrats to Brad Breek for doing so. Seriously, the man's been killing it this season.

Eda’s Bard Magic Causing Things to Turn to Ash: This was assuredly a surprise side-effect of the curse. The fact that Eda can sort of do magic at all was its own shock. To then reveal that a specific type can do dangerous things to people and environments is...Well, it definitely brings up its own fair share of questions. Like, how can she do this? Will she do it again, one day? And are there other types of spells that can be negatively affected by Eda's curse? We don't get answers for any of these questions, and odds are, we never will. But that's alright with me. Because if a show makes me consider these many possibilities after a brief amount of time, it is a show that has to be doing something right. Even if I don't get the answers I want, the fact that it caused such a reaction makes me less willing to care.

Raine Whispers: Hey, would you look at that. Another fun, interesting, and compelling character added to the list of this shows' other fun, interesting, and compelling characters...how is this series so good at this!?

Joking aside, Raine's pretty good. I like Raine. They could have been this super serious leader who lost all their fun after years apart from Eda, but I'm glad that they're not. There are moments when Raine takes their job as leader of the BATs seriously, as one would, but I still prefer the fact that they kept a jovial nature despite how grim their situation is. It's an admirable trait to have, and it avoids the trope of making leader characters boring just because they're the ones who have to take things seriously.

Oh, and also, Raine's Disney's first non-binary character who has a stake in the plot. This is a tremendous deal, as you don't usually see that many non-binary characters in children's animation, let alone ones that hold importance to the story. So it's pretty cool for the writers to feature Raine, as it helps several kids feel as though they're finally seen and respected. And the fact that Disney of all companies gave the thumbs up is even more impressive. I hear people say that Dana Terrace should have pitched The Owl House to more progressive networks to avoid pushback, and while I absolutely see your point, I'll have to respectfully disagree. Disney is the largest entertainment industry of all time, so if you want to make LGBTQA+ representation normalized, you gotta stop making splashes and start making waves. Because if the same company that made three racist cats in the span of a few years manages to say that being gay is a-ok, then you know there's something wrong with you. Yes, Disney ended up screwing over the show anyway. But for that one moment, when kids felt pride after seeing a character like Raine, then, in the end, it's kind of worth it.

Also, if you're still having issues with more representation like this popping up in kids' shows, then allow me to redirect you to the complaint department.

...I made that post earlier today for this bit. YOU HAVE BETTER APPRECIATED IT!

Day of Unity is meant to be a Secret: At least, that's what I got when Raine stumbled over their own words. So if it's true, then I wonder why? Why does Belos want to keep the most critical change in the Boiling Isles a secret? Does he want to make it a surprise for his grateful subjects, or does he not want to spread worry and fear amongst the wild witches? It has to be something big if he doesn't want his followers to even say the words "Day of Unity." Whatever reason he has, we most likely won't know until the future. A future that I grow more and more afraid of each week.

Hooty Eating Echo Mouse: My heart sank in that brief moment when I thought that Hooty intensely screwed Luz over in getting back home. But looking back...it is pretty funny.

Just the suddenness of Hooty eating the poor creature that Luz desperately tried to earn its trust is priceless in how shocking it was. And also, Luz's expression.

That was the look of a young girl who immediately shoved her hand down an owl demon's throat the second the scene cut away. The Owl House may not always be a hit in the comedy department, but scenes like this prove that when it's funny, it is hilarious.

Luz and King Entering the Grand Prix: Not much to discuss here. It's just a cute subplot that adds frivolity to the intensity of what's going on through Eda and Raine's story. But I will say that I love how both stories occasionally interconnect with each other through the many moments of Eda being worried about King wanting to leave to find his father and avoiding any conversation about it. It helps both plotlines feel like they belong together, without being something like "Through the Looking Glass Ruins," whereas both stories could have been in their own episode. Which is neat.

How Bard Magic Works: I really love how this season is diving into how the other magic types work. More specifically, the ones that seem a little vague. I mean, stuff like healing, potions, and plants are easy to figure out, but what does it mean when a witch's talents are construction, beast keeping, and bard magic? We've been getting a lot of clearing up lately, with bard magic looking like a witch can control their environments and enemies through the power of music. Which is fair. Music is pretty powerful in the metaphorical sense, and I actually love that it's powerful in the literal sense when in the Boiling Isles.

The BATs: Not much to comment on these three either. The BATs have the potential to have an entertaining dynamic, but they do very little in this episode that I can't say much other than I hope they make a return in the future. But I will make this claim: Amber is my favorite. I'm sorry, but her screaming "You're not our mom!" to then go, "Bye, mommy Eda" is just too precious for me not to love.

I'm a simple man who falls for cute s**t. Leave me alone.

Raeda (RainexEda): Well, EdaxCamila, you were a fun crack ship while it lasted, but I'm afraid that this is now goodbye. The current canon has provided an incredibly adorable and believable relationship that I would be a monster not to support with my whole bi-heart. It's been real.

Ok, back in serious mode: I love these two together. Eda and Raine are grown-ups, and they still act all flustered near each other as if they were still Luz and Amity's age. It's definitive proof that you're never too old to get flustered near a crush, and seeing them interact adds a sense of wholesomeness when seeing them together as well as heartbreak when they're forced apart. Plus, we get confirmation that Eda's LGBTQA+! Whether she's bi, pan, or whatever, now that we know Eda can catch feelings for someone like Raine, it's yet another case that The Owl House is the most important series to the community. Because having the main character be queer is fantastic in its own right. But having the same apply to the motherly mentor figure? That's is an extra bit of normalization that anybody would be willing to appreciate.

Unique Guard Designs: Not many fans are going to appreciate this, primarily compared to everything else this episode does perfectly. For me, I actually like that you see a few Coven Guards looking differently from the others, as it helps make them less like clones and makes it seem like anybody of any body type could be a part of the coven.

Gus Looking Uninterested when Presenting Grand Prix with his Dad: I am positive that you didn't notice this (I didn't even notice it until someone else pointed it out), but there's something to dissect here. It hints that perhaps Gus isn't as interested in his father's field of work as one might think. If he did, he would look a lot less bored and much more excited to be helping Perry Porter present the race. It could just be the race itself, but judging from Gus' expression, it really seems like the kid would prefer to be anywhere but there. And why would he have that reaction to a race that his best friend is competing in? To me, this seems like an inkling of what Gus' relationship with Perry could be, which may not actually get time to shine, what with how little wiggle room the series has now (Thanks Disney). Regardless, it is interesting to notice, and it will certainly have fans thinking for a while.

Bump Being Smug of Luz Being in the Lead: That's it. Principal Bump looking smug as his human student is beating the students of his rivals is yet another moment that proves why Bump is easily the best cartoon principal.

Darius: First of all, this guy is f**king fabulous, and I love him. *Snaps*

Second, he is definitive proof that you do NOT want to f**k around with Coven Leaders. Lilith may have had her intimidating moments, but none of them compare to the guy who can turn himself into an abomination monster where only magic that hasn't existed before can take him down. It's genuinely scary to see Darius lose control, and I fear for the day when Luz inevitably ends up in his crosshairs.

With that said, Darius' still a ton of fun! He may be threatening, but he's just a flamboyant guy that hates the idea of getting his outfit the tiniest bit dirty. And I love that. I love that these Coven Heads have actual personalities instead of being generically evil. I consider it preferable to make villains entertaining rather than blatantly scary as I'll remember the personalities first and the villainous acts last.

Eberwolf: But this one's my favorite. I told you: I'm a simple man who gets easily swayed by cute s**t. And Eber? I mean, just look at her:

She's just a cute widdle rascal! I just want to pinch her cheeks, give her a belly rub, and--

...Eberwolf is not a cute widdle rascal. She is a strong, independent woman, and I will respect her as such from this moment forward...lest I feel her wrath.

That is all. Let's move on.

Eda and Raine Attempting a Final Performance: This was the best scene of the episode. It looked gorgeous, it shows the dedication Eda and Raine have for stopping Belos, and it says so much through so little. Go back and look at how Eda and Raine regard one another when performing Eda's requiem. Through their expressions and a few short words, you know they understand that if they complete the song/spell, they probably won't make it in the end. And yet, they don't care. They both know bad stuff will happen if Belos wins, so Eda and Raine put everything to the side, both their feelings for one another and the people they leave behind if it means putting an end to a tyrant. That level of dedication...Words can't fully describe how powerful that is.

Raine Sacrificing Themselves Instead: But in the end, Raine can't do it. Not when they know the life that Eda has and the people she'll be leaving behind. It's an extra bit of nobleness to the character seeing that Raine refuses to take away a woman from two kids who need her the most. A tad bit selfish, sure, knowing what Belos has planned. But when it comes to love, the romantic, familial, or platonic, the best decisions aren't always the logical ones.

Eda Crying: Luz crying tears me up, but seeing Eda cry is a whole different level of heartbreak. Like Lilith, Eda has her emotions locked up tight, with the closest she came to weeping were those two tears in "Young Blood, Old Souls." In "Eda's Requiem," she cries but almost quickly stops herself. As if she knows that doing so isn't going to save Raine. That is...even worse than seeing Luz break down after losing Eda. The fact that Eda refuses to give herself time to mourn losing someone she loved is tragic because crying is the most natural way of showing grief. Turning that off isn't healthy, and seeing her do it with little resistance is sad to me. It's sad to see a character I love can easily shut off all emotions despite how badly she may want to embrace them. It's one of those moments that, again, by doing so little, it shows so much.

“No one watches Crystal Balls anymore. It’s all about streaming.”: Oof. Even I felt that burn towards cable.

King’s Message: King's message was the pick-me-up I needed after the heart-wrenching sadness this episode put me through a few minutes ago. Seeing King say who he is and listing all the things he loves is nothing short of adorable. On top of that, I adore that Eda willingly recorded the whole thing. She may not want King to leave, but that doesn't mean she'll sabotage the one thing he wants. Especially not after Raine gave up everything so Eda could be with her kids. The opening scene may prove how much Eda cares about a rascal like King, but this heartwarmingly sweet moment reveals just how far she'll go to make him happy.

King’s Dad Reveal: ...ok, I'll be honest, I did not think we'd get that reveal this soon. Dumb of me to say, considering the number of times I've said that these writers don't waste time getting to the s**t, I know. But still, it's pretty cool knowing that King's dad is alive and well, added with the fact that we've got a fair idea of what he looks like. At this point, it's only a matter of time before we see him figure out where the Clawthorne residence is and witness the tear-jerking moments that will follow.

King Changing his Name to King Clawthorne: Not the official adoption I was expecting Eda to make...but DANG IT, is it still diabetes-inducing levels of sweetness!

Personally, I feel like the main reason why Eda breaks down this time is not only because she shouldn't be worried about King leaving her life, but also because Raine's sacrifice wasn't in vain. Her kids really do need Eda because no matter how far apart they'll be, she will always be a part of their life...dang it, I'm going to cry too!

What those Coven patches really do: Well...that was horrifying to see.

...Writers, if you kill off the best non-binary character in animation (it's a short list, I know), we are going to have PROBLEMS!

IN CONCLUSION

"Eda's Requiem" is--surprise surprise--another A+. The emotions hit hard, the representation hits harder, Raine is a fantastic addition to the cast, and it was all surprisingly cute at times. Season Two is currently on a hot streak, constantly winning with every episode that's come out so far. When a bad episode does eventually show up (IT'S GONNA HAPPEN!), I'll be sure to sing my requiem then. For now, I'm just gonna enjoy the ride.

Kintsugi

A/N: Watch me write a dozen fics where Kuron survives and gets to be more than just ‘the evil clone’ purely out of spite. Baby Clone was precious and deserved better, so if the writers won’t give him a happy ending, I will.

“Transfer successful. Vital signs stabilizing.”

“So this is it? That’s the clone now?”

“Don’t call him that Lance.”

“Geez, sorry. I’m just telling it like I’m seeing it.”

Loud.

Why was everything so loud?

Sound usually didn’t travel that fast in the astral plane. He knew.

It just got swallowed by the all surrounding darkness, until merely faint echoes remained.

But those voices weren’t echoes.

They were as clear as could be.

Weird.

He groaned at the sound attacking his sensitive ears.

“Is he really alright?” someone asked. There was genuine concern in that one.

“His body and mind have been under a lot of stress. If all goes according to our calculations, he’ll awaken in a few ticks. Though it might take him some time to get used to the....circumstances.”

Allura.

The one who’d said that was Allura.

Slowly but steadily it came back to him.

The two voices he’d heard first were Keith and Lance.

And the one who had asked about him being alright was...

A feeling of dread and confusion washed over him.

That had been his voice.

How...?

“Let’s leave him to  come to for a while. There is nothing more we can do at the moment.” he heard Allura say.

“If you say so, princess.”

Again that voice that was his and wasn’t at the same time.

He was dreaming.

Or hallucinating.

It was the only explanation.

The isolation had finally caught up to him.

He felt so heavy all of a sudden. What little awareness he had of his surroundings was slowly drifting away.

The last thing he heard was Keiths voice saying “Don’t worry Shiro. He’ll pull through. You did, remember?”

And he was gone again.

The next time consciousness finds him, he actually manages to open his eyes.

There is glass above him and a grey-white ceiling.

It feels familiar and yet he can’t help the uneasiness the sight of it automatically brings up. It’s all still barely a blurr.

Something is wrong and he doesn’t know what.

He can hear voices again, coming from the under side of whatever the contraption he’s lying in is.

They sound light-hearted, yet stressed, relieved, yet on edge.

Having fought an intergalactic war can cause such interesting dualities, he muses.

Even when there’s no one to be fought, you still find yourself having one hand constantly hovering over the nearest weapon.

He’d always hoped he’d remain the only one out of the Paladins who’d know what that felt like.

His vision finally sets back into focus and he can see clearly. And it takes him roughly half a minute to realize he’s in the black lion again.

He shoots up, only to whack his head on the still closed glass panel of the pod he’s in and lets out a pained groan, clutching his forehead in his hand.

“What was that?”, comes the voice that should belong to him from where he presumes the cockpit is.

A couple of hurried footsteps.

“Shiro! He’s awake!”

He blinks, unsure whether that’s relief or fear he hears in Keith’s voice. And the next thing he knows Keith is standing right above him, bayard in one hand. The red bayard, he notices.

“How is he?” comes the voice from the cockpit again.

Keith frowns and it occurs to him he should probably say something, so they know he’s not brain damaged or anything like that.

“Where am I?” he croaks.

“He’s talking.” Keith answers the voice’s question, completely ignoring him. “What do we do with him?”

Silence. Hesitance? Or just thinking about how to get rid of him best?

“We’ll be on Olkari soon,” the voice finally says. “I....I think we should put him under until then. Just...just to be safe.”

“Wait-!”

But Keith has already pressed a button on the outside of the pod and he can feel his body shut down as it suddenly grows cold around him. The last thing he sees is a look of conflict and pity in Keith’s eyes.

He awakens in an Olkarian jail cell, a plate of food standing near the door. It takes time to get used to eating with one arm, but he manages.

After the meal, he just sits on the mattress and stares at the closed door for a while, not really seeing it. The longer he sits there in silence, the more comes back to him.

Excruciating, sudden pain. The witch’s voice in his head, telling him to give in. That he is hers. And then his body isn’t his anymore. More and more images keep flooding him, each one more horrifying than the last. He sees himself fighting Keith in a place he does not know but he does. Keith is a worthy opponent, but his arm has received a few upgrades and he’s not holding back.

He hears Keith screaming that he loves him and he stops mid-movement. A little bit of the old him manages to break through after that. It’s just enough for Keith to cut off his arm. He is finally in control again, looking up at Keith, trying to explain, voice pleading.

“Keith....”

I never wanted to, It wasn’t me, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry-

And then everything goes black.

His whole body is shaking. He whimpers and curls in on himself, as if that could protect him from the horror of realization.

He is not Takashi Shirogane.

He is not the Black Paladin.

Heck, he isn’t even a person. He’s a thing, an experiment, a walking talking puppet made by the Galra to tear Voltron apart from the inside. The strange voice that sounded so much like him was the real Shiro, returned to his team at last.

After he almost murdered them.

The tears start falling without him realizing it. He doesn’t have the strength or the will to stop them anymore.

Days go by without anyone coming to see him.

Apart from the guards who routinely shove a tray of food into his cell, he has no contact with the outside world. No way of knowing what they’re going to do to him. Once he makes the mistake of asking how the Paladins of Voltron are doing. All he gets are distrustful glares and silence.

He doesn’t blame them. It’s a miracle they even let him live after all he did.

Still, there is a tiny, stubborn part of him that thinks it’s just not....fair.

He never asked to be turned into a living weapon. He never wanted to attack everyone he knew and loved. He never asked to be made.

He knows thinking like this isn’t helpful in any way. But knowing that you deserve to die doesn’t make the thought of actual death easier.

It’s about noon he deduces, looking at the tiny strip of orange light coming from a small window in his jail cell. He isn’t really hungry for dinner. Constantly waiting for your date of execution to be announced will do that. He hears the tell-tale whirr of the prison tracts doors and stands up to receive his meal.

Only to freeze mid-motion.

He’s looking right into a mirror.

Shiro - the real one - is standing right in front of his cell, a tray of food in each hand.

“Um. Hey,” Shiro says, smiling awkwardly. “I,um...convinced the guards to let me bring your rations this time. Mind if I eat with you?”

Does he? He honestly has no idea. On one hand, having company that isn’t constantly giving him the evil eye could be nice. But on the other hand.....

His eyes wander down to the plate on the tray. Could it be poisoned? Is this some sort of mercy - last meal? He immediately dismisses the idea again. Shiro would never do that to someone who is in no position to fight back. He should know. He’s unknowingly pretended to be the guy for months, after all.

Noticing that Shiro is still waiting for an answer, he finally nods slowly. What other option does he have, if he wants clarity about his fate?

Shiro’s gives a relieved smile and hands him the plate through the little trap door-like installation in the cell door.

For a while they just sit there, eating in silence and occasionally throwing glances at each other.

He can’t help but note how different Shiro actually is from him. Not just because of the undercut and the clothing. It’s the way he slumps just a little when he scoops up another spoon of Olkarian porridge, or how relaxed he looks sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the person who basically replaced him, while said person himself is stiff as a rod. They really aren’t the same.

Inevitably, they both reach the bottom of their plates at almost the same time and if the situation was any different, he would have found that funny. It is not, so he doesn’t.

The silence is slowly getting unbearable.

Just as he’s about to say something, anything, Shiro speaks first.

“You know, it’s funny,” he says, looking down on his empty plate. “When I came down here, I had a whole speech laid out in my head. What I was gonna say to you, how I was gonna say it and in what tone....but right now? I can’t remember it at all. Weird, right?”

He supposes it is. Telling a guy you’re going to axe him off doesn’t take so many words, does it?

“I...I guess I’ll just make do then. What....what I wanted to say to you was...” Shiro stops for a second and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he opens them again, he lifts his head and looks him right in the eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He might as well have set off a bomb. He stares at him, blinking somewhat dumbfounded. That is...certainly not what he’d expected the guy who’s identity he stole to say to him at their first meeting.

“What are you sorry for?” he blurts out. He can’t stop himself.

Shiro shrugs and gives a lop-sided smirk that is filled to the brim with remorse.

“Everything, basically. You..you didn’t know what...who you were. You’re as much as a victim in this as all of us. And all I’ve been doing so far is treat you like you were the enemy. I....I called you “evil”, a ‘thing’!” At that Shiro looks honestly disgusted with himself for a moment. But he snaps out of it and looks at him with sad eyes. “I of all people should know what it’s like to be turned into a weapon by the Galra without knowing it. And yet here I am, blaming you for something you had absolutely no control over. Back there in the pod when you woke up for the first time, I should have just let you out, I should have talked to you or at least see if you were alright or something. Instead I just....” He sighs, rubbing his forehead. “So, yeah. I came here to tell you just how wrong I was to do that to you. And I hope you can forgive me, but if you can’t, that’s completely understandable.”

He doesn’t answer. He just sits there, staring, trying to digest what’s just happened.

“You’re asking me,” he finally says, “to forgive you? Are you quiznaking serious right now?” Shiro seems taken aback by this sudden outburst, but the floodgates have already been opened and he can’t hold himself back anymore. “It’s like you said: I’m a thing! A creature made by the Galra to destroy you and everyone you love! I infiltrated your team! I stole the Black Lion from you, I, I almost got them all killed on Narxela and let’s not forget the time when I almost blew them up! If anything, I should be apologizing to you! You shouldn’t even be here talking to me like, like I’m human or something. What do you get from that? Why haven’t you killed me yet? What do you want from me???”

He’s breathing heavily. During the time he’s talked he’s been getting closer and closer to the cell door and now Shiro and him are standing right in front of each other. There’s something in Shiro’s eyes he can’t quite place. Something like...shock? Pity? Understanding? All of that?

“Do you remember that time you had to defend a convoy of supply ships and Keith wasn’t there?”, Shiro says suddenly, taking him slightly aback.

“Y-yeah?”

“Well, it’s a little hard to explain, but...when you came to the Black Lion that day...I was there. Kinda.” Shiro pauses, looking hesitant, but then continues: “At first, I was...wary of you. I didn’t know who you were, what your plan was, what you wanted. But...then you actually talked to Black. You were asking her, no, begging her to help you. You sincerely wanted to get out there, you wanted to help the team save lives!” He shakes his head at that as if he still can’t believe it. “I was surprised to say the least. But I could feel you meant everything you said to Black. That’s why we let you pilot in the first place. And that’s why I’m here.” Shiro gives him a warm smile. “You’re not a thing, or a creature. You’re a person. And a pretty great one at that. You watched over them, when I couldn’t. You lead them to the best of your abilities, through good and bad. And you never stopped trying to protect them, even when that witch took over you. You deserve a second chance. Just like I did, when I was in your shoes. And I’m sorry it took me so long to realize that. So....if you still want to help us win this war...” Shiro puts his hand on a panel on the cell’s outside and the door deactivates.

He watches the door slowly retreat until there is nothing separating the two of them. He looks up again to see Shiro’s hand extended to him.

“I could really use a co-pilot. A lot of things have happened since we got to Olkari. Only if you want to, of course.”

He stares at Shiro’s hand, not saying a word. What is he supposed to say? Does he have to say anything? His head is a mess and he’s pretty sure Haggar has nothing to do with it this time. Here he was, expecting to be axed off soon and instead Shiro himself is standing right here, in front of him, giving him freedom and, if he wants to, so much more. And he definitely wants to. He wants to so bad. And yet.... “How do you know you can trust me?” he whispers. “What if the witch just...takes over and uses me to hurt you or he others again?”

“She won’t,” Shiro answers, holding his gaze. “We’ll do everything in our power to make sure she’ll never be able to do that to you again. I promise.”

He thinks about that for a while. Then he takes a deep breath-and takes Shiro’s hand, giving it a shake.

“I’m in.” He gives a smirk. “But don’t expect me to take over for you during long, boring political meetings again.”

Shiro laughs. “Noted.”

They walk through the prison’s corridors together and he can’t help but think how great the experience of being able to walk more than a few feet without running into a wall really is.

“Hey, I can’t believe I’m only asking this now,” Shiro says,” but what’s your name?”

“My name?”

He tries to remember a time when he wasn’t Shiro. He remembers having flash-backs of Galra scientists, speaking of “Operation Kuron” which he assumes is him, but he comes to the conclusion that that is not what he wants to be called. That’s not who he is anymore.

“If it’s not too forward,” Shiro’s says, tearing him out of his thoughts, “I’ve got an idea for one. Want to hear it?”

He shrugs. “Sure.”

“What do you think of Ryou?”

Absolutely feel free to skip this one because it’s very long and very spoiler-y.

How can I explain Farscape?  No, I'm not going to do the Mean Girls thing, it wouldn't do it justice. I think what makes Farscape so special was that it wholly embraced its scifi-ness and yet somehow managed to invert most of the tropes therein, in such a way that still managed to make it seem ground breaking and yet completely scifi.  One of the ways it does this is the fact there's only one human on this show.  John Crichton is our guide to the universe and the eyes through which everything is filtered (totally making him like the companion on DW, lol) but the show is a big melting pot of alien.  Even the aliens that are humanoid or look human have very specific cultures, physiology, mannerisms, and values that make them completely alien.  It's a bit shocking to get used to. Before I watched Farscape the only thing I knew about it was that it was extremely popular and made with Muppets in Australia.  In fact during the first episode I got all confused because all along I'm been assuming John Sheppard from Stargate Atlantis was Crichton, whoops. The first episode itself didn't immediately make me fall in love but it didn't take much more than the first half of a season to make me completely involved, in a good way or a bad way.  Like I said, this show doesn't play by humanity's rules.  Crichton may be the lead of the show and he may influence them all in huge ways, but these are incredibly different creatures with extremely different morals.  One of the very first episodes deals with three of the characters cutting off the arm of the Pilot in order to secure maps to their home worlds.  I was so pissed off and I kept on being pissed off through the whole episode and you know what...they don't apologize or realize it was wrong and they weren't influenced by the alien bad guy like I thought at first, in fact, in the end scene D'Argo even says he'd do it again.  He was attempting in his own way to make it up to Pilot, but he wasn't backing down.  I fretted and fumed about it for a while and then started writing fic in my head to fix it, but the episode brings home an important fact.  This isn't Star Trek, these aren't people, this show does things differently, and the main characters might not always be likeable.  John and Aeryn both bring up the incident later when they're being accused of something to remind everyone that that they were the ones who were a. psychotic about reaching home and b. not exactly careful about treating Pilot well, but that's all you get on that front. So, yeah, it's an interesting show to get used to.  The cute little Muppet is a dirty, greedy, rotten old man who betrays them countless times and constantly deserves to get spaced.  When Chiana joins the crew later she's like a little alien street rat who uses her body and whatever else she can to get by, but even though the only thing alien looking about her is makeup, her physicality is so incredible.  The actress just makes her move and stand and be alien, it's amazing, she's like a living puppet on strings. It's not the greatest budget on the planet and the special effects weren't amazing, but using the prosthetics and the puppets, actually made it really cool.  I love shows set in Australia, they just don't care if they reuse actors a bunch or if everyone speaks with an Aussie accent, they just focus on making their show and trust it to deliver what the budget can't.  It's very inspiring. And like I said, it turns things on their head.  Our lead John Crichton is so very Southern and he's all action hero and all, but he's also a scientist, an astronaut, incredibly smart, peculiarly fitted to understand space and learn to live with aliens.  His plans are insane and they always work even though they require a lot of improvisation along the way.  He's a pop culture machine, always spitting out references, which we get, but the aliens don't.  It's always a joy to wonder what he'll say next and what new nickname he'll give someone.  Now, he's got a reason to act crazy.   Literally just being shot to the other end of the universe and living among aliens would do that, but then he is hunted by Crais, Mr. Head Peacekeeper, and then gets the most wanted tech in the universe, wormhole knowledge, encoded in his brain.  So literally everyone wants to capture him and when he does get captured, he's tortured and then turned into Mr. Nosferatu Scorpius's pet science project, up to the point of having a chip in his head and then neural clones.  Imagine living with your worst enemy in your head.  I mean, it's no wonder Crichton is insane.  To be honest, I love Insane!Crichton, he's hilarious.  But...it's torture to watch at the same time.  At the end of S2, when they're desperately trying to get the chip out and each time it doesn't work out, I was audibly begging the invisible showmakers to please let him get the chip out. Of course the torture didn't end with the chip, why would it?  What is most torturous and most wondrous about the show is John and Aeryn's relationship.  I mean, talk about a romance for the ages.  They're never fully together it seems, they're never actually apart, but it doesn't feel like a 'will they, won't they' type of deal.  They are bound by astonishingly amazing chemistry and it just builds and builds until their UST is enough to make you explode.   But even that's all backwards because they have sex like first thing in the first season, and then it's never a thing really.  But they talk and talk and talk and work well together and protect each other and look at each other and sometimes even cuddle in Pilot's den.   Now Aeryn is stiff and bred for war and was taught love was a weakness.  She is an outcast from her people and adrift amongst the very people she was born to kill and hate.  It's difficult, oh yeah.  All through S2 she's just fighting it like crazy.  There's this whole 3 parter where John actually gets married to and has a baby with some Princess but he'll never live long enough to see his child and Aeryn is off freaking out while he's being held hostage in this situation.  At the end...do we get a beautiful reunion?  Nope, we get them both knowing that they're compatible and smiling.  Finally, finally when she does admit she loves him, he's being taken over by the evil clone in his head and he ends up killing her. Oh, and then when she's brought back to life by Zhaan (so sad Zhaan died like that.  I mean, it was beautiful, but I hated that she was gone) Aeryn admits to John she loves him but she won't be with him because Zhaan gave her life for Aeryn and Aeryn won't risk feelings because it would get people hurt.  Trope annoyance alert! I hate the whole 'I love you but I won't be with you because I would lose focus and it would hurt more if one of us died' bits.  You're gonna be worried about him anyway, honey, you might as well enjoy the fun part of love. Anyway...S3 was all sorts of fun and angst.   Because they twin John so now there's a copy and an original.  As soon as they didn't resolve that by the end of that episode I knew there was going to be angst about it, I spent like 10 episodes analyzing everything they each did and trying to figure out who was the copy and who I should root for to live and be with Aeryn.  By the way, they never reveal who the copy is.  So I will never know if John Crichton actually died in the Uncharted Territories.  This show, this show. But what they did was actually really clever and interesting.  They split the crew up for most of the season on two ships.  One Crichton on each. So they got to develop some interesting storylines that way.  Of course, as soon as Aeryn ended up with one of the Crichtons on Talyn, you kind of felt he was doomed.  Red shirt alert!  Another trope not inverted but held for maximum angst.  Because of course she and that John got together and it was beautiful and perfect and wonderful.  Then in a dramatic two parter, that John finally unlocks the wormhole tech in his brain and gets rid of the Scorpius clone living in his head while with Aeryn in beautiful, tangible love so...naturally he dies of radiation poisoning. It wrecks Aeryn, she finally opened up and then she had to grieve so she clams right the hell back up.  I mean, I knew it would happen, but I was so sad for the other Crichton because he's been on Moya missing her like hell and the saddest moment in all of Farscape (apart from Zhaan and D'Argo's deaths) is when he runs up to the transport pod with the cutest love struck look on his face, so anxious to see her again, and she just cuts him.  Oh, it breaks my heart to think about it. Of course, then they have to work together and it's obvious they both still care.  I get it with her, but I'm just like 'girl, you have the best opportunity in the world, to watch the one you die and still be able to have exactly him.'  They've both had to watch each other die at this point.  At the end of the season she leaves and he tries to stop her but she can't deal and he lets her go because they freaking toss a coin to see who wins that argument.  Wow.  Of course, magically (this whole bit is kind of silly) he finds out she's pregnant after she goes!  (Neranti is just weird but again, a delightfully non human element of the show that they just stick in.) So next season when they get reunited and she's finally figured things out a bit, but she still can't tell him the whole truth or if the baby is even his (weird alien gestation alert) and so he decides he can't trust his heart to her.  Ack!  Then she's working on building his trust back up and he's taking drugs to dull his feelings for her.  I am usually with Crichton on their relationship stuff cause she's so bad at (unused to) it but this time I was about ready to smack that boy.  I was clutching a pillow and yelling at the screen for him to say no to drugs for so much of that season.  Turns out it was all a ploy to protect her and the baby from Scorpius (which is also silly) but then as soon as she called him on it they started a secret relationship and it's going to be fine but she gets kidnapped and tortured and he breaks all hell and makes a deal with the devil to save her and they accidentally start an interstellar war and the Scarrans are going to attack Earth and Crichton collapses the wormhole that would let him go home again and then the baby is his and he proposes and they kiss and are happy and happy and happy and then they get shot and turned into crystals and the series ends... Yeah, this show ends every season on a cliffhanger and they got canceled.  I actually only found that out at the start of S4 when I started to question if it would be okay.  I freaked out and googled it and found out they had a miniseries to wrap things up.  Heart quieted at that point, maybe it was knowing that the story would continue on, but actually the ending wasn't so bad if it had ended there.  I could have happily pretended the last two bits didn't exist and that it ended with them getting engaged and having a baby and defeating the Scarrans.  I don't know. What I do know is that there was a miniseries that wrapped things up really well, completing the arcs and wrapping up the wormholes and the Peacekeeper/Scarran war and resolving John and Aeryn perfectly, giving them the happy ending they deserved with marriage and baby. Not to say that everything ended happily because D'Argo died and I don't like that at all.  He kind of asked for it, resolving things with Chiana and Jothee like that. Now, bits of the show that were weird and involve all of that.  D'Argo and Chiana get together in S2.  It was a bit weird and out of the blue if you ask me.  Not that they couldn't be together, but I feel like it was fairly obvious that D'Argo and Zhaan were really heading somewhere and then it just...stopped.  D'Argo and Chiana were not an obvious couple and she's all innocence and sensuality and little girl (D'Argo always felt a bit like her dad to me).  D'Argo is all honor and loyalty and commitment.  Now...D'Argo has been searching for his son Jothee for the last two seasons and they finally reunite at the end of S2 and it's so beautiful and gorgeous, but all hell breaks loose and they have to fight a war and all that and in the chaos Chiana and Jothee sleep together.   WHAT?  Chiana's been freaking out about D'Argo preparing to ask her to marry him, but geez.  It's another example of how the show is not afraid to make its characters do things that aren't likeable and aren't human, but still, that one threw me.  I feel like there were so many other ways they could have gone with that.  I would have really liked to have had Jothee join the show and have him and D'Argo really struggle with getting to know each other again and, if they weren't meant to be, Chiana and D'Argo could have plenty of relationship issues without that huge betrayal.  Maybe Jothee and Chiana could even end up together but only after proper development.  But instead, they did that.  Jothee leaves and we don't see him again until the miniseries.  D'Argo forgives Chiana but they don't get back together until the end of S4 and then things get all good between them in the miniseries and then, naturally, D'Argo dies. John and Aeryn name their baby after him!  Sob! But like I said, the show wrapped everything up pretty well and they were extremely good about pacing, really, about telling a deliberate story with plenty of room for natural development along the way and making sure every character and relationship and story arc got fulfilled.  The only thing I felt like got dangled and forgotten was from S3.  Stark, I have a special place in my heart for Stark, not sure why.  Boy is legit crazy and sane at the same time.  Him and Zhaan could have been nice.   But they do this whole thing with him being on Talyn while the crew is split up where he finds out what Crais and Talyn are up to and there's this whole menacing threat to Crais and then when he leaves, he encodes a message for Crichton on his mask and when John starts to listen to it, it gets interrupted and we never hear what Stark wanted to say.  Even when Stark comes back, it's never referred to ever again.  It might have become a moot point because Crais and Talyn sacrifice themselves for everyone at the end of that season, but I still feel like it was a pretty big thing to just leave hanging like that. So...I can't describe Farscape and what it means to me.  The show completely wrapped itself in my insides and won't let go.  I just want to watch it over and over again and I wish there was more and yet I'm so glad it ended the way it did.  This show lived and breathed naturally and it wasn't afraid to make bold choices, assuming its audience's intelligence, and yet it entertained.  The episodes Crackers Don't Matter and John Quixote are so hilarious.  Every bit where John interacts with Harvey in his brain is so amazing and funny.  The acting is flawless, the writing brilliant, the creativity boundless.  This show is submersive, you can't help but be drawn in and caught up in the plight of the living ship Moya and her crew.  Found family is one of my favorite things and this absolutely encapsulates that.  I remember reflecting in S1 that I didn't think they could ever all be a cohesive whole because everyone was so different.   That never changed but even the unlikable characters (Jool started out so so annoying but I actually really grew to like her) and the people who did things that made you angry, somehow they're still a vital and amazing part of a family and they fight for each other, they're trying to survive.  They're caught up in a galaxy's machinations and politics and wars, and mostly what they want to do is go home and protect each other.  They have to do horrible things along the way.  They don't always win.  There's a truly awful episode where they go back in time and end up causing the slaughter of a bunch of nuns!  I mean, wow.  But in the end, you root for them and you will die rooting for them.  All the different interactions are important.  Obviously John and Aeryn are the heart and soul, but Aeryn's relationship with Pilot is so touching and tender.  Crichton and Chiana have this slightly sexual but yet not, brother and sister relationship that could be weird yet never is.  John and D'Argo's epic, bickering bromance is a thing for the ages.  It's just beautiful.  It's like Crichton, a plague that has ruined my life.

I watched 4 seasons and 1 mini series in 14 days.  It was perfect because I was on vacation for the first 10 days and I actually really took my time, feeling like I had the time. I started it casually, but it quickly consumed everything.  I lived and breathed Farscape for those days even when I was doing other things and I made sure I did other things.  My hands were shaking, my heart was racing, I clutched pillows and yelled at the screen, and I did happy squee flailing and monkey dancing around my living room on more than one occasion.  This show is not casual, it is a lifestyle.  I am so glad I was not watching it while it was on air because having to wait even a microt for between seasons would have been horrible and too much.  It is such a blessing though, the perfect sci fi show.  It's not a perfect show like Leverage is literally perfect and I would never change a thing about it and it's not fluff and happiness and comedy like Parks and Rec is perfect, but it is everything a scifi show should be and it has all the ingredients necessary to make it absolutely one of the best shows I have ever seen. 10 out of 10 recommend.  Make sure you have some time because binge watching is so necessary with this one but do it, do it, do it.