Willow (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8: After setting up many unresolved mysteries, the final episode of Disney’s “Willow” is now streaming. Director Jamie Childs takes us on a journey at exploring the insides of Tir Asleen, as we finally (somewhat) learn the Crone’s twisted motivations. At the end of the last episode, we saw Elora and Princess Kit finally put their differences aside in order to vow to work together to defeat the Crone.
Upon reaching the Immemorial city, they finally meet Airk. But will they be able to rescue the charismatic prince, who already appears to be under the dark spells of the Crone? Will the rest of the team also follow the two women by jumping off from the edge of the world, thus, truly believing a leap of faith would indeed be their final test to save the day? Let’s look at everything that went down in the series’ final episode, titled “Children of the Wyrm.”
Willow (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8:
Is Kit’s legacy to protect Elora?
After Elora and Kit’s leap into the unknown that eventually leads them to Airk, the rest of the team is left behind, forced to decide what to do next. In the end, everyone finally decides to follow her. Out of them, Jade is the first one to jump out of her natural feelings for Kit. As Willow rightfully reminds her, Kit’s fate is to protect Elora just like her father – Madmartigan – once did before her. However, Jade decides to jump as she believes she should be there to protect the young princess.
Graydon is the next one to follow since, as we had learned, he had confessed his love to Elora and wanted to embrace this personal calling of his. That leaves us with Boorman’s notoriously grey and fascinating character – the only one who hesitates to follow everyone else. But this changes when Willow tells him how loyal and brave he actually is. Thus, with even him jumping off, the only one left behind is Willow, shaken by visions of his daughter, Mims, dying.
Will Jade, Graydon, and Boorman take the giant leap?
Willow looks within and is reminded of the profoundly personal spot his family holds to him, enabling him to take note of what’s always been his strength. He heads on his way home. Meanwhile, after taking the giant leap of faith, Jade, Graydon, and Boorman find themselves in the middle of the Immemorial City but with no sight of Jade and Elora.
The three reach the core of the abandoned place, where the mysterious Temple of the Wyrm is sealed shut. Despite using brute force and magic, the trio is unable to open the door in time to escape a gigantic sandstorm. The very storm turns even deadlier when they realize it’s under a dark spell that allows it to turn every person it touches into stone. Who is now going to rescue them?
Who is Lili? What is the yellow liquid she offers Kit and Elora?
After the last episode’s cliffhanger, we finally see Kit and Elora take a bold step forward; the two head through a portal the Crone has and find themselves in a rather paradisiac world that holds Kit’s own mother. We clearly see how the prince has now become an ally to the Crone, who, in reality, is actually a sorceress named Lili. Airk tells both Elora and Kit how the many stories about the Crone being evil were all lies.
Airk delusionally believes that the Wyrm only wants to change the world for the better and even pleads to both Elora and Kit to talk to the Crone themselves. The two women part ways, and while Kit gets to hear from her mother how she was wrong in denying Kit her freedom, Airk lures Elora to the other side. Both Kit and Elora are offered a goblet glass of yellow water.
As explained by the prince himself, the liquid comes from the Wyrm and nourishes everyone who accepts it. It’s here when the Crone tells Elora and Kit that they should enter the light and be prepared to make a choice, as the Wyrm will soon show them how beautiful the world can be. To tempt Elora, the Wyrm even uses Airk to forge a promise of a fulfilled and loving life on the other end.
On the other hand, before Kit can drink the yellow liquid, she hears the voice of her father, Madmartigan, reaching out from wherever he is to tell her that she’s stronger than she thinks she is. He explains that protecting Elora was his way of making the world a safer place, and also how it’s going to be Kit who would now have to carry that legacy. By accepting her fate as Elora’s soulful protector, Kit dismisses the offer made by the Wyrm. But for this, the Crone turns her into stone. Will Elora be able to resist this temptation and save the day?
Will Elora manage to rescue Prince Airk?
After we cut back to Elora, we see her giving in to the temptations as she behaves more leniently towards the choice offered by the Crone. We then see her at a fake wedding with prince Airk and soon begin to realize that it’s through the prince’s kiss that the Wyrm intends to steal Elora’s power and, thus, turn it against her in conquering the world.
Fortunately, right there at the altar, Elora realizes she doesn’t want that fake life anymore. She doesn’t want to do what anyone tells her, and in choosing so, she realizes the true potential of her powers. Of course, the Crone is infuriated at this and even threatens to take Elora’s life. But right before that could happen, Willow comes to everyone’s rescue for one final time. As the entire place gets drenched in a fiery storm, the hidden stone walls open to unleash an army of deformed creatures. Willow successfully dispels the Wyrm’s illusion, wakes Elora up, and turns everyone else back to normal.
As things go awfully haywire for Lili, she finally shapeshifts into the Crone and summons the Gales to her side. Will this be how the final fate of Tir Asleen would look like? We see Elora vehemently use Cherlindrea’s Wand in order to attack the Crone. Airk, on the other hand, is still kept under the Wyrm’s twisted spell. He jumps in front of the Crone to protect the princess, which makes Elora drop her wand. It’s now Graydon who takes the final hold of the magic weapon. He tries to attack the witch, but the attempt costs him his own life as we see the villain defeat him instantly. On top of that, the Crone even grabs Cherlindrea’s Wand and breaks it in two.
Willow (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Ending, Explained:
Seeing her supposed former love Graydon die in front of her own eyes, Elora manages to look within and channel most of her magic potential. She might’ve lost Graydon and her magic wand, but we shouldn’t forget that she was also capable of shooting lightning bolts out of thin air. Well, that’s what Elora does here, and she is even joined by Boorman, who hands the ancient Kymerian Cuirass to Kit.
By passing that, he somewhere finally realizes that he’s not truly worthy of keeping the magic armor, and what better person to use it than the one who’s chosen to protect Elora? Kit finally puts on the Cuirass, which marks her most crucial moment in the show.
Right outside the Temple of the Wyrm, Jade, and Kit, both engage in combat with Airk. While Willow fights off the army of creatures, it’s Elora who fights the Crone. Through a telepathic pep talk that the two had established way earlier during the run of the show, Willow yet again manages to convince Elora of her potential, allowing her to defeat the Crone for now. With this, she also gets rid of Wyrm’s main weapon against the world. In the end, however, the Crone transfers her power to Airk using her last breath.
On the other hand, Kit adroitly uses the Lux to activate the Kymerian Cuirass, allowing her to repel all the evil. But before Kit could land the final blow, Elora stops her in one last keen hope. Even though Kit is ready to sacrifice her own brother for a better world, Elora reminds her of her own words – love is the most powerful force in the universe, the only thing that sets them apart from villains. With this, Willow breaks his staff, hands his powerful magic stone to Kit, and tells her to use it to reach out to brother Airk.
Apparently, through the stone, Kit can expel all the evil energy away from Airk’s body. He’s finally brought back to normal.
Will Graydon become the new Harbinger of evil? Will there be a Willow Season 2?
After these events, the entire team finally reunites and walks up to the horizon, determined to find a way back to Tir Asleen. In the episode’s last scene, as we part ways with the main characters, we see Graydon on what appears to be the dark side.
He’s survived the blow that was inflicted upon him and is dragged by the Wyrm into a vision of a battlefield where he finds none other than Elora standing. As the camera hovers on top of her, the large army of monsters behind them is unveiled.
Will the Wyrm use Elora’s personal image and position to tempt Graydon? For now, it seems like the young sorcerer might become the very Harbinger of the evil entity in the second season of the show. Let’s see how soon the people at Disney+ decide to renew the series, as all these setups warrant a further expansion of the story.
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Trailer
Willow (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Links: IMDB
Willow (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Cast: Ruby Cruz, Ellie Bamber, Erin Kellyman, Tony Revolori
Where to watch Willow
