The Shannara Chronicles Season 1 Episode Guide
1.01. Chosen - Part One - Review
1.02. Chosen - Part Two - Review
1.03. Fury - Review
1.04. Changeling - Review
1.05. Reaper - Review
1.06. Pykon - Review
1.07. Breakline - Review
1.08. Utopia - Review Coming Soon
1.09. Safehold - Review Coming Soon
The Shannara Chronicle 1.07 "Breakline"
Directed by Jessie Warn and Teleplay by Deanna Kizis
There was, as usual with The Shannara Chronicles, a lot going on in Breakline. There were several things to like about the episode as well, particularly the stuff that was focused on Arbolon. For the first time I got the sense that I was actually more interested in this then what was happening elsewhere, because though the main quest should probably get our biggest attention considering that Wil, Amberle and Eretria are meant to be our main characters. However that was not the case this time out, as it's also quickly becoming apparent that whenever Allanon's involved, things get a lot more interesting, as he's easily the best addition to this show.
And speaking of Allanon, it's great to have him back on this series. I was almost worried for a second there that they would have taken care of Manu Bennett this easily but apparently not - Breakline looks to be one of the few moments in the series so far where the good guys actually do something that has a fairly positive result, because even though it is at great cost, he Changeling is dead and there's not going to be a manipulating Elven leader anymore. Rather than looking at the enemies within their walls they can finally start looking out, because the Dagda Mor made a big statement of intent this episode and it'll be interesting to see what the consequences of the big death are going forward. However, I'll get onto that a bit later, let's get Wil and company out of the way first
Their story takes them through a green river valley and Wil eventually finds the dead reaper, and learns that the Elfstones have been burned into his hand, which naturally, although painful, does make them harder to steal. However Eretria and Amberle aren't with him and he stumbles into the forest following rocks with blood on them, but instead is attacked by an elf who has lost his left ear and is convinced that Wil is the part of the group that took it. However, he manages to convince him otherwise and ends up stopping the young Elf from bleeding. It's then that we learn his name, Perk, and tells him that gnomes think that elf ears have abilities to heal medicine, so that's why he became targeted by a group of elf-hating humans who want to act as their supplier. This makes Wil worried that Amberle would be in danger, and she is - she and Eretria are on the run from hunters in their own crisis, and to make matters worse, she ends up dropping her father's sword, and doesn't immediately head back for it given the danger that they are in.
And to make matters worse the ground gives way beneath their feet whilst they're running and both Amberle and Eretria find themselves in a school that seemed to have survived the decay of time, which is quite hard to believe given just how long it's been since civilization fell. However, this seems to be how the world works around here and apparently the school managed to remain perfectly intact throughout the generations. Recovering from the fall, Eretria asks Amberle if she's hurt.
Back at the camp, The Elf-Hunter with Amberle's sword discovers that she's royalty and therefore if they get her ears they will be sorted for many years to come, so naturally time is against them now, and they leave behind only one hunter to safeguard Perk's captured friend. Perk however becomes enraged and loses his cool completely when the Elf-Hunter takes out his ear and starts playing with it, cuasing the Elf to run forward and attack him leaving Wil behind. He's easily beaten and has to rely on Wil to save the day, and eventually learn from the Elf-Hunter of Amberle and Eretria's last known location. Perk then surprises Wil by killing the hunter, and making sure that he won't be able to take any more ears from other Elves.
Meanwhile, Eretria and Amberle stumble across the underground school, and find themselves in an incredibly creepy, atmospheric location. After wandering through the school they start to get more and more convinced that Wil is alive and safe and is out looking for both of them, and Amberle wonders briefly if the Elves deserve to be loathed by the rest of the races for how badly they've treated them. However she and Eretria finally begin to bond over their shared love for the same guy, but that's cut short by the Elf Hunters attacking them. They're slowly dispatched and eventually they're able to escape, but Amberle notices something on the way, a newspaper article about a San Francisco building that survived an earthquake, and the photo on the newspaper showed the picture of the stained glass
Their meaningful gaze is interrupted when the elf hunters crash in. Amberle and Eretria pick them off one by one, but Amberle stops mid-escape when she sees a map and a newspaper article behind glass. It’s a clipping from our world about a San Francisco building that survived an earthquake, and the photo shows the stained glass from her vision, prompting Amberle to declare that they didn't end up here by accident and now they know how to find the Bloodfire. However before they can continue they're interrupted by an old acquaintance of Eretria, named Zora. Both of them grew up together however eventually Eretria left Zora behind, and needless to say, she isn't exactly happy to meet her former friend and lover. No matter what Amberle can do to try and convince Zora to let them go, trying to tell her that they're on a quest to save the world, she doesn't listen.
Luckily for Wil and Amberle however they're rescued by Perk and Wil, on Perk's partner, a flying bird named Roc. However Eretria is captured by Zora and Wil and Amberle team up together to rescue her, with Perk heading out before giving Wil a whistle and telling him to blow it if he ever needs help from Perk again.
There was plenty of time spent in Arbolon this chapter, something that I've already mentioned was actually more interesting than the main quest. We begin with Ander's return from the Breaklines with news of the demon army being too big for the Elves to stop alone and he doesn't hold out much hope because even if the entire federation of races were to put aside their hatred for Elves and agree to send all of their warriors he still doesn't think that they can win. Arion makes matters worse by telling him that Allanon has died after being in league with the demons, and has sent Amberle into danger. However, their father (who remember, is secretly the Changeling), organizes a way to assassinate the Dagda Mor with the Warlock Blade which was designed to combat dark magic. He convinces Ander and Arion to go together with the blade to take him out and do what one army could not, on essentially a suicide mission, and both princes know that their odds of survival aren't good. Arion wants to prove himself worthy to his father and doesn't disobey him, wanting to give his people hope knowing that he has a sword strong enough to defeat demons.
However, this was all a ruse by the Changeling to get the sword to the Dagda Mor as it turns out, surprise surprise, the sword is actually useless against the fallen druid and The Dagda Mor explains all his villainous plans to Arion, explaining how he was tricked. (Side note - anyone notice how Arion's journey was kind of similar to Boromir's in Lord of the Rings and his eventual corruption by the Ring? Then again - this isn't the only LOTR influence on this show and the source material, for that matter.) To make matters worse, Arion is promptly killed. I don't know whether this is going to be a permanent move given that the show isn't afraid to be bringing characters back from the dead but still it's an interesting twist. And of course at this point Allanon shows up, having been resurrected, and although he's too late to save Arion he's just in time to save Ander, using his staff to see Ander protected by a forcefield. The resurrection of Allanon also sees Bandon brought back to life as well, back in Arbolon, which is now where Ander and Allanon are headed. Once they get there they take care of the Changeling, rendering Eventine dead and Ander in charge of the Elven Kingdom with Allanon at his side.
It's an end to a pretty interesting episode that's not without its flaws, such as the high school plot being the biggest problem of all, but it worked as a means to an end to improve the relationship and flesh out the characters of Amberle and Eretria. However Breakline was still a fairly entertaining episode, and we're well into the second half of the first season now, as things are getting more and more intense. We'll probably end up seeing Perk again to, after his introduction this episode.
What did you think of Breakline? Apologies for the delay in getting this review up once again but hopefully I'll try and put up the review for tomorrow's episode a little closer to its airdate. Its title promises that we'll meet a "Utopia" next, and that'll air at 10pm on MTV. In the meantime let me know your reactions to the most recent episode in the comments below.
Overall Episode Verdict: B
Positives:
+Allanon lives!
+Development of Eretira/Amberle's characters.
+Perk
Negatives:
-Seriously, how is that school still intact?
