Five Torches (Out of Five)
Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Hunger” episode of Legend of the Seeker.
This show is on a roll.
After last week’s brilliant double-Kahlan episode, which used a fantasy gimmick as a lens for a great character study, this episode does the same with Cara. And since Cara has such a dark past, this story understandably gets really grim.
When helping a woman who’s husband has been kidnapped, Cara is killed — yeah, actually killed, and in the first act, no less — and wakes up in the Underworld (or Naked Gooey Hell as I call it) where she immediately tells Darken Rahl she wants to come back as a Baneling. Her logic is clear and immediate: since she already kills so many evil people while protecting Richard, what’s the difference?
Cara returns to life, and she and the gang find the woman’s husband, who has been taken by a man who’s in business with the Banelings, providing them people to kill for a price. They bust up the place, and Cara is confronted by a Baneling woman who recognizes her for what she is. She keeps Cara’s secret, but tells her and the rest about a magic peddler who’s selling a potion that restores Banelings to life and frees them from the Keeper’s clutches.
It turns out the magic peddler is Sebastian (Ted Raimi), who we saw last season, and who’s assisted by Zedd’s brother Thaddicus. The cure for Baneling-itis is a substance called Shadow Water, and they’ve just about run out, so they’re selling watered down cures that only work for a few days.
The heroes arrive and discover the scheme, and Zedd is disappointed in his ne’er-do-well brother. They learn that there’s more Shadow Water to be found, but it’s three days’ journey. Cara, miserable, realizes that means she must kill at least three more people, not easy if you’re traveling in the middle of nowhere.
One night, Darken Rahl comes to her in a dream and encourages her to kill Thaddicus. She almost does, but can’t go through with it, so Thaddicus, surprisingly, grabs her hand and forces her to kill him.
They find the source of Shadow Water (but can only cure Cara before Darken Rahl destroys the rest) and she uses the Breath of Life on Thaddicus. All turns out well, and they go on their not so merry way.
Okay, so there’s your recap. Now what made this episode so stellar? In a word, metaphor.
I’ve really enjoyed Seeker so far, but last week was the first time I realized that beyond beautiful people, crazy awesome action sequences, and fun high fantasy adventure, the show was much, much smarter than it seemed. By splitting Kahlan into two people — one with just her intellect, one with just her emotions — it not only examined what makes her tick, but opened up a lot of questions about human beings in general.
Much of Cara’s arc so far has been about her regaining her humanity. This is someone who was abducted as a child, radicalized through torture and brainwashing, and turned into a lethal, remorseless killer. Though she has left the Mord-Sith, she is struggling to fit into a world that doesn’t want her, and she tries to be good when a lifetime of training so often tells her to be vicious.
Now, we all know that Mord-Sith don’t exist in real life. But the fact that people can be brainwashed to do terrible things is very real, and when these people attempt to be rehabilitated and re-integrated into society, the outcome is very often disastrous.
This episode uses the device of Cara becoming a Baneling perfectly. This fine-tunes her story, making it literally about her desperately trying to regain her humanity. No longer is it an emotional or philosophical battle — now the stakes are truly life or death.
Tabrett Bethell, the actress who plays Cara, is pitch-perfect in this role, and she really shines in this episode, even more than in the last Cara-centric episode from several months back. She makes you want good things to happen to Cara, and not feel bad about smiling when she kicks some dude’s ass.
She can also speak volumes without saying a word. I swear, if you guys tell anyone about this I’ll deny it, but I admit to getting a little choked up in the scene where she revives Thaddicus, and he tells her he sacrificed himself for her because what she does matters — she’s important, and a force for good. She didn’t respond, but the look in her eyes said it all.
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FANTASTIC episode. I love the Cara character. She is more interesting and more engaging then any character ever invented (Except maybe the White Wolf, good man driven by an evil greedy sword).
I only have one thing though. Isn’t Cara really the only true Mord Sith left? It is true that the order removed Cara and she isn’t a part of the actual order of Mord Sith, but isn’t the very existence of the Mord Sith to serve the Lord Rahl? With her being the only one truly serving her purpose she is actually the only TRUE Mord Sith alive. Their weapons would cease to function at all if Richard were to die without an heir.
Plus, here’s something to wrap your head around… If Richard is only devoted to Kahlan, and they cannot consumate their love until they eventually give in to one another, the heir to Mother Confessor, Lord Rahl, and the blood line of the first order of wizards would all come together in her child. Their child would pack one heck of a punch. She would be the most powerful character in their world.
Yes I completely agree with the earlier episode Broken you really get to see who Cara is and Tabrett Bethell who plays Cara is BEAUTIFUL. This episode Hunger really allows her to shine. And Yes here eyes are gorgeous. I cannot wait until this weeks episode Princess with Cara.
@Lynn:
LotS is a Live-Action Tv Show. Rules are:
1) 1 episode - 1 story;
2) simple plot;
3) stand-alone episodes;
That’s why they’re inventing so much. But that’s ok in my opinion. I just think they should use Richard in a “Kick-ass” way :D
Fives(torches) just keep coming this season arent they nice review!
I have read the book series multiple times and I do not feel the television series is true to the characters and the books. Apparently Terry Goodkind feels the same way, from his web page! There is so much rich material to draw upon from the books, I don’t understand why the t.v. series feels it has to invent so much.
Being a live-action series I liked this episode but since I’ve read the books I have to complain about something: Cara has a fantastic (positive) evolution of her personality in the TG’s story/plot and I’m happy they’re trying to do that in the tv show but in every book Cara regains some of her humanity thanks to Richard Rahl who basically teaches her how to do that showing her how he’s diffent from his father(book)/brother(tv) Darken Rahl but I feel that in this episode the writers lost a chance to show that.
I actually think they basically reduced Richard to be a fine swordsman in this second season and that’s all. He should be much more: a man, a friend and a freakin’ mage warrior.
But again, it’s just a live-action series, so maybe I’m just overthinking.
BTW about Tabrett Bethell: she’s beautiful and I thought that was the reason they use her but I’m glad I was proved wrong. She’s really good. Nice job Tab.
Another great episode of LOTS. All greatness aside, I’d really like to learn more about Banelings in the Seeker-verse. It appears as though they’re now wandering around like regular citizens, even going to town to show (either for Shadow Water or a masked civilian to kill). The fact that a “trade” in victims for Banelings has emerged really hints at the potential dark places this show could go. But I’m still surprised that the living people allow Banelings in their town at all, especially since anyone living is just a potential “life-saver” as it were.
Anyway, the acceptance of once-a-day killer zombies in the Seeker-verse aside, the episode was great and Cara had some great … everything this episode. I’m not sure whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that no-one could tell the difference between Baneling Cara and regular ex-Mord Sith Cara. Once again, looking forward to next week.
I love that we got a Cara centric episode. I’ve really enjoyed seeing her character evolve. The only problem I have is with the series as a whole and that is that there don’t ever seem to be any lasting consequences…everything gets cleared up by the end of the ep and everybody’s happy. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by Buffy and BSG. Still love the series though but I think this keeps it from being great.
I agree. This was a great episode. Very deserving of the 5-Torch rating.
I knew Cara wouldn’t kill Thaddicus, but I never expected him to sacrifice himself for her. I have to admit, that took me totally by surprise.
Oh, and as for your last paragraph, I won’t tell a soul. Shhhhhhh….
You better not tell!
I whole-heartedly agree! Cara totally ROCKS on so many levels.
Exactly what I think about this episode !!!!