Welcome back to The Magicians where Fen (Brittany Curran) loves Hibachi, the pedophile eats moss, and Josh (Trevor Einhorn) is a fish.
RECAP
This week’s episode opens moments after last week’s ended. After kidnapping Julia (Stella Maeve), The Monster (Hale Appleman) transfers his Sister into her.
Remember when we thought the Monster was the worst thing ever? Turns out Sister is worse. She claims that Monster has developed a fondness for humans and judges his desire for a name. While the Monster was had been focused on getting his Sister back, she immediately wants to know where they come from. They go to the Library to retrieve a scroll – the key to the realm of the old gods. While there, they go on a killing spree.
Now in case you forgot, last we saw Kady (Jade Tailor) and Zelda (Mageina Tovah) they were trapped in the poison room. Want to know who’s with them? That’s right, Alice sent resident pedophile Christopher Plover to the poison room.
By this point, the poison has affected Kady and Zelda, and they don’t have much time to live. After she passes out, Zelda speaks to Everett telepathically. He explains that he hopes to become a God in order to take the Gods secrets for the library. He wants Zelda to run the library for him. Everett also tells Zelda that all the extra magic he has siphoned has gone to a reservoir in Fillory. Then, before they die, Dean Fogg (after escaping arrest), rescues Kady and Zelda. Plover tags along, because he knows the location of the reservoir. They leave before Monster and Sister arrive at the library, but not before Fogg is captured by Librarians.
When Kady, Plover, and Zelda arrive back at Quester Headquarters, they learn that Josh has been turned into a fish by a protection spell on the reservoir he and Fen discovered underneath the castle. He’s not a normal fish though, he’s a fish that dies whenever Margo (Summer Bishil) stops looking at him. Fun.
So, while the others head off to Fillory, Margo takes Josh to a vet magician. There’s not much he can do, but Margo can take out her fairy eye and keep it on him while she does her business. During this whole adventure, Margo realizes and admits that yeah maybe she is in love with Josh.
Speaking of love…Quentin (Jason Ralph) asks Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) if they should try again at their relationship and she agrees. Ugh. We don’t dwell too much on it though, because Q, Alice, and Penny (Arjun Gupta) head back to Fillory where Plover explains they’ll find a flower that will cure Josh.
Readers of Lev Grossman’s books upon that the series is based will know exactly which garden and flower Plover refers to. A garden that grows with flowers based on emotion. The flower they need is one that will only grow with pure love for Fillory. So naturally, Quentin is best for the job.
Quentin struggles, especially with Plover’s presence, to express this love in the garden. Learning the truth about Fillory tainted the place for Quentin. He goes on a tirade wondering why Fillory can’t make him happy. Finally, however, he seems to get through to the flower. He recognizes that Fillory saved his life. He realizes that, “people like me can somehow find an escape.”
The flower grows. Both Quentin and Alice eat a piece of the flower and drink from the reservoir, absorbing some of its power.
A message arrives from Sheila in the form of a rabbit as Q and Alice drink the power. Monster and Sister are at the library. Margo stays behind with Josh, who is still a fish, while Penny, Q, and Alice go to the library and come face-to-face with the Sister.
REVIEW
How are we already through the penultimate episode? This week’s episode was most definitely a great set up for next week’s finale. Our questers now have TWO monsters to deal with. Will they be able to save Eliot and Julia?
A lot of great things happened this week, but let’s start with the less-great. As much as I love Josh turning into a fish, and Margo admitting her feelings for him, I wish this came an episode earlier. If we’re gearing up for an epic showdown, I have a hard time believing that Margo would stay back instead of taking her axes and doing everything she can to save Eliot.
Next up on the dislike list: Qualice. I’m over Qualice. They’re just not in the same place anymore, and last week’s episode showed us that more than anything. They aren’t Brakebills first years anymore! I understand that they need a resolution, but I’m not sure them getting back together is it. I have hope, however, that this is just one step. Once Alice realizes that Quentin doesn’t love her (but rather loves Eliot), I’m hoping that she will let him go and they can form a strong friendship from it.
Now onto the good – also called Jason freakin’ Ralph. That scene where he rants at the flower? Epic. Any person who has ever found an alternate reality an escape from life, a piece of fiction that means more than anything else, knows exactly how Quentin feels. Jason’s acting, however, is what really clinched the scene. It was just so unbelievably perfect that it sold it more than anything. I’ve been frustrated by Quentin in the past (see: seasons 1-3), but this season I’ve formed a new appreciation for him. This scene, in particular, captured him in a way that was really quite beautiful.
Anything could happen next week! I just hope that Julia and Eliot survive and that Julia has the opportunity to make a choice for once in her life.
