“Lesser Evils” is my favorite episode of season two. It falls into my top five favorite episodes of the show, overall. It had everything! Music, drama, a duel, and it tied up important loose ends. Who could ask for more?
The writers executed the dramatic and sad parts of this episode well. Quentin’s struggle with Alice is at an end. He will die if he does not release her or trap her. I loved everything about this plot this season. I especially loved when Jason Ralph, Quentin, had to imitate Alice. He did a great job.
Later in the episode, Julia decides to use Quentin as a weapon to defeat Raynard. Unfortunately, Quentin is too steadfast in his promise to keep Alice away from the world, and so Raynard almost kills Quentin. Will The Magicians will kill a main character like some other shows? I doubt it more now that Alice is still around well after her death.
I liked the final scene with her, it was unique and had me wondering if she was gone for good. Who else thinks she returns next week?
Penny, Katie, and Julia kidnap a senator and it was a great piece of this episode. The scheme was ridiculous, and it worked. My only problem was that they want us to believe that there were magicians guarding the bank, but not the United States capital? There’s no way! Someone just didn’t want to write that out. Also, I thought Raynard was going to kill his son, I cannot believe I got that wrong!
So, Julia has been wild ever since she lost her shade, which has made her character interesting. However, I’ve been mad that the other characters have let her do things without consequences. Margo put her in jail, but that didn’t last very long. I’m glad that Katie finally saw Julia for who she’s become, and I’m glad that the gang will look for a solution to help her, rather than lock her away forever.
Now to Fillory, my favorite chunk of “Lesser Evils.” First, it’s a week of musicals! The CW just aired a musical episode of The Flash, and now Syfy has done it, too? I was thrilled that they chose Les Mis, very appropriate. I really love the whole number, especially where they had Fen sing the parts of Cosette and Eponine. So confusing, so wonderful.
Fen plays a major role in the duel between Eliot and the king of Loria. She gives him a sword for lazy magicians that allows him to gain the power of a master swordsman. I’m glad the writers of The Magicians write their deus ex machina so plainly. They’re not trying to fool anyone. I love it.
Eliot must kill the king of Loria, but because he’s Eliot he can opt to sleep with him instead. Apparently, royalty can have a wife and a husband? They writers are just making things up at this point, but nothing feels out of place in this show.
Margo, charged with fixing the Wellspring, finds herself in a precarious situation with the fairies. Everyone, including the talking sloth, tells her not to do it, so what does she do? She contacts the fairies. Of course, they want Fen’s baby and Margo surprised me when she didn’t say yes immediately. She made Fen promise to do whatever she says if Eliot lives.
I have a feeling that Fen will betray Margo and Eliot later this season. Now that Eliot has a hansom husband I think he will take less interest in her, leaving her to feel abandoned.
“Lesser Evils” was a fun episode, it reminded me why I started to love The Magicians in the first season. “Lesser Evils” tied up a lot of loose ends, but also introduced several new challenges. I love this show, it’s so self-aware that it can’t do wrong in my book.
Some of my favorite lines from “Lesser Evils”
“Let’s call it arbicide,” from Margo and Eliot’s advisor about Julia’s attack last week.
“Sorry, I had to skip some verses. They don’t really apply to our situation,” Margo during “One Day More.”
“They have talking trees here?” “Not anymore.” Simple line, but the delivery was great.
The talking sloth gives me life! I hope they never drop it from the show.
I also loved that Raynard’s son, the demi-god senator, has been using his powers to pass boring bills in congress.
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