The Dragon Prince [Spoilers]

[Cikomyr2]

So I binged the entire series during January, and right as I was about to post about it, the forum was no longer available.

I have been itching to discuss this fantastic series for nearly 2 months now. I have so many aspects of the show I'd like to discuss. But let's start with one:

I think the most important point of this show, in my opinion, is its core moral themes.

The Dragon Prince keeps repeating, again and again, that the mantra of those who do evil is "You have no choice". And that to do good, you must strive against these "limitations" imposed upon you by the past and fear.

The King had no choice but to seek out and murder a Titan to save a hundred thousand people.
The Kingdoms had no choice but to go to war against Xadia
Humans have no choice but use Dark Magic if they want to do any sort of magic at all.
Viren has no choice but to assume the Crown.

And what the show keeps repeating, again and again and again, is that it is a lie. There is always a choice, and you should not let your illusions of necessity get in the way of doing what is right. Ultimately, doing evil for "the right reasons" is still doing evil.

I especially love how the entire Magic system, with Dark Magic specifically, is entirely centered around that moral choice.

The Arcanum of the Primal Sources is about being and feeling the universe around you. It's about understanding. Some have a closer natural relationship with the Arcanum of certain sources, but all can strive for the enlightenment and understanding of all sources.

Dark Magic is about taking. It's taking what you don't understand, and ripping it appart to shape it to your will. Dark Magic refuses understanding of the Arcanum, it rather use the Arcanum of others.

Claudia is, in my opinion, a perfect representation of the moral failings on display in the show. Even more so than Viren. Claudia is not your average maniacal megalomaniac villain. But she is a woman incapable of making a choice in her life because she has never healed from a trauma she suffered.

This leads to an individual who always feel driven by all necessities. Who is always willing to commit the additional atrocity because.. She has no choice. She can't let Sorin to his fate. She can't let her father die. She can't chose between Viren and Sorin. So she just.. Drifts in her life, motivated solely by her desire to pick everything appart with no regards for anything that she cannot personally relate to. A dragon is a creature meant to be cut in pieces and used for the power it gives you, not an intelligent creature with a family and loved ones.

It's a damn good show.

[Peelee]

I'm not exactly jumping to the defense of humans here, but I was gobsmacked at the sheer hypocrisy of Sol Regem. He outright claims he is superior to humans, so he's established a hierarchy. He has no qualms about killing those he considers inferior, regardless of how innocent those lives may be. Yet he objects to humans casting magic at the expense of innocent, inferior-to-humans lives.

Basically, I very much like that there is no "good" side. Both sides see themselves as justified despite both sides being oppressors.

[Cikomyr2]

I'm not exactly jumping to the defense of humans here, but I was gobsmacked at the sheer hypocrisy of Sol Regem. He outright claims he is superior to humans, so he's established a hierarchy. He has no qualms about killing those he considers inferior, regardless of how innocent those lives may be. Yet he objects to humans casting magic at the expense of innocent, inferior-to-humans lives.

Basically, I very much like that there is no "good" side. Both sides see themselves as justified despite both sides being oppressors.

Ah, please not that I am not saying that Xadia, elves or dragons are any more moral than men. There are good and evil people on both sides, and Sol Regem is one hell of an *******.

I am just saying that.. Unless Callum is some sort of Super Chosen One of Destiny.. He is proof that Humans can do Primal Magic. So it means humans didn't "had no choices"

[Peelee]

Ah, please not that I am not saying that Xadia, elves or dragons are any more moral than men. There are good and evil people on both sides, and Sol Regem is one hell of an *******.

I am just saying that.. Unless Callum is some sort of Super Chosen One of Destiny.. He is proof that Humans can do Primal Magic. So it means humans didn't "had no choices"

Oh, I totally agree. I also think there's a chance that humans' innate ability for primal magic might have been suppressed by someone/thing. Not great odds, but it is odd that they resorted to black magic and claimed they could not use primal, and nobody argued that point.

[DomaDoma]

Finished it, too!

If it turns out that elves learn to access multiple arcana in the same way, then I'm just gonna call "Avatar writers are not good at giving powers to people who aren't supposed to have powers."

My darkest prediction for season three - "Phoe-Phoe is so ending up as a dark magic component" - appears to have been exactly right. Eesh. For the past season plus an episode, Claudia has been a self-made factory of cruel moral dilemmas. Which state of affairs always does seem to lean toward evil-doing, doesn't it?

[Cikomyr2]

Finished it, too!

If it turns out that elves learn to access multiple arcana in the same way, then I'm just gonna call "Avatar writers are not good at giving powers to people who aren't supposed to have powers."

My darkest prediction for season three - "Phoe-Phoe is so ending up as a dark magic component" - appears to have been exactly right. Eesh. For the past season plus an episode, Claudia has been a self-made factory of cruel moral dilemmas. Which state of affairs always does seem to lean toward evil-doing, doesn't it?

Wait, when is Phoe Phoe consumed by Dark Magic?!

[Cikomyr2]

All right. Let's discuss about Aarevos.

I feel he's... Sauron.

Not Sauron the Emperor of Mordor, super ominous armored evil overlord. But Sauron the seductive deceiver who managed to get the King of Numenor to rebel against Valinor.

He's the Evil of Old sealed in a place meant to be inescapable, but oh so pleasing to hear.

[DomaDoma]

Wait, when is Phoe Phoe consumed by Dark Magic?!

I assume Viren could be resurrected by nothing less.

Aaravos. He absolutely gets to unfurl the opening credits. Human motives for vengeance may be a central theme in this show, but Hearts of Cinder shows he gets that right regardless.

Speaking of: some of the stormformed troops seem to be under arrest. Will it be curable, then? How?

(Meanwhile, the Weakest Link - mostly Harrow's guards, for any who missed it! - walk away with noooothing. Definitely the grand prize here.)

[Lord Torath]

I assume Viren could be resurrected by nothing less.

I seriously doubt this. When Viren revives, you can see at least one soldier lying dead on the ground. There's no reason for him to be there, as the fighting all took place outside, except as a source of power.

[Cikomyr2]

Speaking of: some of the stormformed troops seem to be under arrest. Will it be curable, then? How?

I would call them Sunformed, since they were powered by the Sun Primal.

Yes, they were arrested. I don't know if it can be cured, or if they can be depowered. I hope so anyway.

I think the big question is, will Ezran regain his crown? He qualifies as a kingly successor, as he's an Orphan.

Also, would a wedding between Queen Aanya and King Ezran make political sense?

[Lord Vukodlak]

All right. Let's discuss about Aarevos.

I feel he's... Sauron.

Not Sauron the Emperor of Mordor, super ominous armored evil overlord. But Sauron the seductive deceiver who managed to get the King of Numenor to rebel against Valinor.

He's the Evil of Old sealed in a place meant to be inescapable, but oh so pleasing to hear.

Oh he is so Sauron, I bet he's the one who originally taught human's Dark Magic.

Also, would a wedding between Queen Aanya and King Ezran make political sense?

No they're both heirs to their own Kingdom, but I've rarely seen that as a hindrance in other works.

Callum and Rayla however makes great political sense, give Rayla some Elvish noble title and you have a rather traditional medieval style political marriage and a VERY strong symbol of peace and unity between Elves and Humans.

I think the big question is, will Ezran regain his crown?

Not for awhile he needs to be around for the adventures after all. They'll probably put Soren in-charge as a figurehead(his father was briefly King) with Opell actually running things.

[Clertar]

No they're both heirs to their own Kingdom, but I've rarely seen that as a hindrance in other works.

That would be the point. A dynastic union.

[Cikomyr2]

.

Callum and Rayla however makes great political sense, give Rayla some Elvish noble title and you have a rather traditional medieval style political marriage and a VERY strong symbol of peace and unity between Elves and Humans.

Amaya/Janai makes even more sense. Both are part of a royal line.

[Lord Vukodlak]

That would be the point. A dynastic union.

Those were quite rare, half the time it happened not from a marriage but because the most direct heir to two thrones was one person. Its been five Kingdoms for centuries, and each kingdom has its own cultures and traditions so merging them further doesn't make sense.

Amaya/Janai makes even more sense. Both are part of a royal line.

They didn't return the Dragon Prince to her mother.

Callum and Rayla would hold a lot more symbolism and epic tale of adventure and romance.... like the one we've been watching for three seasons.

[Morty]

I assume Viren could be resurrected by nothing less.

How about the sun elf scepter that we see right next to him when he wakes up? I don't see where Phoe-Phoe even enters the picture.

[Cikomyr2]

Oh. This reminds me. I finished rewatching Season 3 yesterday, and I have to confirm that "Dark Messiah Viren who just stole the Sun" is probably one of my favourite visual of the series.

[MarkVIIIMarc]

My kid got me watching this. For those who haven't I say give it a try. For those writing the next D&D movie I say, "we have this". Dragons, warlocks, rogues, elves, sorcerors, all that.

Oh, and was anyone else wondering what their lunar cycle was? I wanted to see more battles under the full moon.

[Peelee]

The Mod on the Silver Mountain: Xadia is not a land for necromancy.