2.09 – Dark – Legend of the Seeker Review

Posted by Samuel Walters

“Dark” continues The Legend of the Seeker‘s subtle reinvention of the series, putting characters is separate and unfamiliar circumstances. For the most part, the episode is a success, building off of mystery and intrigue — and quite a bit of subterfuge. These elements really drive the narrative forward. Along with some new plot developments, there’s plenty to like about this installment. There are a few pacing issues — the episode drags a bit through its middle paces — but otherwise, it’s a classic offering.

The episode begins with Richard finally reach the Temple of the Prophets. But he very quickly learns that all is not right at the Temple. Within minutes, he witnesses one of the Sisters dying from a poison. He’s told that she committed suicide, but as the Seeker, he’s pretty sure that’s not the right answer. And when Sister Nicci (Jolene Blaylock) offers Richard a tantalizing conspiracy theory about the true nature of the Sisters of Light and the Temple of Prophecy, it’s easy to see why he might begin to question his decision to go to the Old World in the first place.

Sister Nicci offers Richard a hope to change his circumstances. And what makes her arguments so powerful is that she couches them in truths. It is true that for every day Richard spends in the Temple, several days pass in the outside world. It is true that the Sisters of Light have a hidden agenda where Richard is concerned — they have prophecies that tell them Richard will give the Stone of Tears to the Keeper of the Underworld. And so Richard must sort through all of the misinformation and hidden motives to find his true path.

Much of these scenes are handled very well, giving the audience a couple of different possible “truths.” But it’s clear pretty early on that Sister Nicci is not at all who she claims to be and, as such, the amount of time Richard gives to her arguments begins to wear a little thin through the middle portions of the episode. And while it slightly derails the narrative it is, fortunately, it’s not enough to bring the entire episode to a halt.

In the end, Richard manages to manipulate circumstances on his own, playing both the Sisters of Light and Dark against one another to affect his own release from the Temple of Prophets. The moment is well-earned for the episode . All of the intrigue and mystery builds to a payoff which rings true. The Sisters of Light weren’t about to let Richard go free and the Sisters of Dark simply wanted to consume his magic. Most importantly, though, his is reaffirmation in his belief in himself and, more importantly, his friends. And as the episode draws to a close there is a new prophecy — one that reinforces Richard’s faith: As long as Kahlan survives, Richard will not fail.

As for his friends, they go off in search of a new Seeker. They need one to continue their quest. And so Zedd visits Shota who points them in the direction of Leo, a simple blacksmith. To their pleasant surprise, Leo fits the bill and, in short order, is named the new Seeker of Truth (in an enjoyable scene). This subplot isn’t bad, but it does feature a “Chipmunk Joke” from Leo as he tries to ingratiate himself with Cara. The pairing seems just a bit too forced and is a slight detriment to the episode.

Otherwise, it’s interesting to watch Zedd, Kahlan and Cara do battle (against banelings) with the new Seeker. And after an encounter with an assassin sent by the Sisters of Light, they realize they must do all they can to save Richard. To that end, Kahlan and Cara head off to find Richard while Zedd and Leo search for the Stone of Tears. But in a fascinating twist, the compass, now being used by Leo, leads Zedd and Leo straight to Cara and Kahlan — it would seem that they need Richard to find the stone of tears.

Our heroes will be together again … soon.

Overall Grade: B

“Dark” is a classic episode of Legend of the Seeker. It successfully builds upon the groundwork from previous episodes and puts our characters into some very different situations. Despite its few missteps, it’s entertaining and, as far as the characters are concerned, enlightening.

Topics: Fantasy, TV Reviews
Filed under: Legend of the Seeker