Friday, March 10, 2017

The Magicians, Season 2, Episode 7: Plan B



This episode is interesting because the different storylines finally come together as a whole.

Quentin is being haunted by Alice’s Nifflin who is still trapped in his tattoo (only Quentin can see her)  and really really wants to be set free. Quentin in his rather patronising style, doesn’t want to set her free because wizard society puts Nifflin in boxes. Of course she’s kind of imprisoned now

He’d also like to save Alice – despite Nifflin Alice insisting there’s nothing left of Alice to save. Oh he’d also rather not have the nifflin go on a rampage despite her insistence that she doesn’t want to kill people honest

Quentin won’t agree and this promises for lots of drama. She is willing to compromise and take over his body. He also says no.


In Fillory, the most inept monarchs of all time learn that wars cost money and cleaning up god shit takes money and the kingdom of Fillory doesn’t actually have money. And despite being monarchs this is the first time that they thought to check the royal treasury.


Over to Kady and Julia. Julia is still seeking an abortion so she turns to Kady’s scary contacts. Asian mages (mugongs? I’m unfamiliar with this mythology) who can exorcise her baby (yes we’re up to exorcism not abortion because monster baby). But they want a million dollars. In gold, to get it done.

And at the same time they’re attacked by an invisible monster. This turns out to be something summoned by the mugongs because one of them is super afraid of the evil demon child Julia is going to give birth to: better to kill them both.

Julia and Kady turn to the one place to be safe – Brakebills. Henry still isn’t a huge fan of offering asylum but when his teacher officially announces she’s screwed (which is never a good sign) he agrees to asylum. Which also gives Kady chance to run into Penny and have breakup-sex which recruits Penny.


Quentin runs into Julia to have this huge, emotionally complex moment where they confront that, yes Julia is at least somewhat responsible for Alice’s death at the same time what happened to Julia is awful and, ultimately she is a friend Quentin promised to help – and that still stands.

This is all overlaid with AliceNifflin quipping away and hating Julia which is kind of awesome

So collectively, everyone decides to rob a bank – Penny for Kady and because he’s always wanted one, Margot and Elliot for the money and, as Margot puts it: they may hate Julia but “it’s the 21st century and it shouldn’t be this hard for a girl to get an abortion.” I like this acknowledgement that you don’t have to like or forgive someone to realise what’s happening to them is wrong and that they deserve help. Kudos

Turns out Margot has bank robbing experience. Oh and all banks have magical protections (of course they do – or all banks would be robbed). So that requires a whole lot of careful planning, drawing on Penny’s travelling, levitation, bees, time travel, a magical dancing ball. It’s kind of fun. Also we have a lethal, terrifying battle mage who is an older woman and Kady proving, again, that while magic is powerful, a fist the jaw is really effective.

It’s all kind of shiny and they do succeed, but in the process Elliot’s golem is killed.


They do get the gold – and Julia gets her exorbortion. But there’s some ominous consequences we’ll find next episode