Spoilers Willow sequel series on Disney+

[Christopher]

I find it interesting that the show has given Kit and Airk the surname Tanthalos. Odd for a prince and princess to have a surname at all. Is it Madmartigan's surname? I would've figured Madmartigan was his surname, if he had more than one name.

Speaking of names, one thing that made me wonder when I watched the movie the other day was, how did Cherlindrea even know Elora Danan's name? She was taken from her mother immediately after her birth, so her mother never even had the chance to name her. So did Cherlindrea give her that name? Or maybe the midwife who rescued her did. (During the opening, I found myself thinking that that nameless midwife was one of the bravest, most heroic figures in the movie. Kind of a shame that her part in it gets glossed over in favor of Willow and Madmartigan.)

Another thought I have every time I see the film: While I do understand the intended "believe in yourself" point of the "finger test," I've always felt that the answer to "The power to control the world lies in which finger?" should have been the thumb. After all, opposable thumbs are what enabled humans to use tools, build civilization, and so forth. Sure sounds like controlling the world to me.

 

[valkyrie013]

@Christopher
Absolutely true, from the aging of the baby she took care of her for a few months atleast, getting food, avoiding soldiers, etc. Real hero.

Most surnames usually come from say a location, like a village, mike of detroit, or son/daughter of like Steve son of Bob. Or profession like Todd the Smith.

What's Tanthalos? Place?

 

[CaptainWacky]

I thought the first two episodes were okay. I started to find the first one tedious when it became apparent that Davis wasn't going to appear until the end. I liked Muffin Girl/Elora and the freed prisoner guy was decent silly comic relief, but the others were pretty meh and Kit got annoying constantly complaing about Elora in the second episode. I do remember liking the movie when I watched it over thirty years ago but I can't remember any specifices so the sequel aspect was mostly lost on me.

 

[Christopher]

I do remember liking the movie when I watched it over thirty years ago but I can't remember any specifices so the sequel aspect was mostly lost on me.

They have the movie on Disney+ if you want to refresh your memory. Although I think the show recapped the important bits well enough through flashbacks and dialogue.

 

[JD]

I watched both episodes this morning and I really liked it.
The main characters are pretty much all likeable, and what we got with Willow & Sorsha seemed to flow pretty well with where they were left at the end of the movie. I like how they handled the lack of Val Kilmer, it gives a solid reason for to not be around, but still leaves things open for a possible appearance later. I keep hoping that since the got him to come back for Top Gun: Maverick, they might get him to at least make a non-speaking cameo in this later.
I'm glad they didn't drag out the Elora reveal, just from the promotional stuff, it was pretty clear she was going to be one of the kids.
Did they say what happened to Willow's wife and son?

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

No, but the vibe I got, was some unspoken sadness between the two.
And considering some catastrophic event drove them permanently underground supports tragedy?

 

[Christopher]

And considering some catastrophic event drove them permanently underground supports tragedy?

It seems that the whole world is in chaos because of the Crone and the Gales or whatever. Tir Asleen has to be protected by a force field, refugees like Jade's family come to it from all over as a haven, and the Nelwyn have had to move underground. The party was attacked by those Bone whatever guys not long after leaving the kingdom.

So it seems they didn't get much "happily ever after" -- defeating Bavmorda didn't put an end to the troubles, and if anything, they've gotten worse over the past "200 moons." But so far, the show hasn't gone into depth about all that, just revealed bits and pieces.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Yeah, I mean. Bavmorda was supposed to be defeated by Elora, not Willow. So it never really was the end. Bavmorda didn't die, she got Red Skulled or Sauroned, but not vanquished.

 

[JD]

All three of the original Elora Danan babies have cameos in the series. The only one they specifically point out is that one of them is a woman carrying bread in the village in the opening scene.
I love that they did, it's always fun when manage to work in surprise cameos from unexpected original cast members.

 

[Christopher]

Yeah, I mean. Bavmorda was supposed to be defeated by Elora, not Willow.

No, that's just what Bavmorda assumed. The actual wording of the prophecy, both in the opening caption and in Cherlindrea's exposition, is that the child would "bring about the downfall of Queen Bavmorda." The prophecy never said Elora would personally defeat or kill Bavmorda, merely that her birth would lead to Bavmorda's downfall, i.e. her overthrow or ruination, in some unspecified way. And that's what happened, because Bavmorda's efforts to kill the child ended up backfiring on her. So yes, the prophecy was fulfilled. Elora was just the catalyst.

It's the way prophecies usually work in mythology and fantasy: Someone hears a prophecy, tries to avoid it, and thereby brings it about because they misunderstood what it was really predicting. Willow's story is very similar to the Oedipus myth -- Oedipus's father got a prophecy that his newborn son would kill him, so he ordered a servant to abandon the child to die, but the servant couldn't do it and gave the baby to a family that raised him, and he ended up killing his father and marrying his mother because he didn't know he was their son. Basically, any time a tyrant tries to kill a child prophesied to kill them, the tyrant's efforts will backfire and lead to their own destruction, because fate can't be avoided and storytellers love irony.

Anyway, Willow didn't defeat Bavmorda either. He just confused and angered her with his "disappearing pig" trick. That led to Bavmorda carelessly knocking over her banishment potion and banishing herself. Ultimately, Bavmorda defeated herself by trying to avert the prophecy of her defeat, in keeping with how prophecy stories traditionally work.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

The most interesting thing I found with the show is for better or worse how much it feels like an 80s fantasy despite being a new show. To me at least it feels more like an old show than something like House of the Dragon or Rings of Power. I like the ragtag crew they've assembled for the most part and it seems genial if a bit lightweight and inconsequential, a little nice Sunday walk of a show.

About half-way thru the first episode. Visually it looks good, but the choice for 'accents' is kind of strange. Not sure why some people have some and some people sound like they just came off the street in LA when they all are ostensibly supposed to be grown up in this same kingdom.

Came to say the same thing, I haven't heard someone that modern in a fantasy show since Monique Gabrielle did Deathstalker 2.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Pretty sure the Brownies will show up at least briefly

 

[Christopher]

Pretty sure the Brownies will show up at least briefly

Yes, we've seen them in the trailer and publicity photos.

 

[Booji]

I've added a spoiler tag to the thread title.

It gets a bit corndoggish in some parts, but so far so good

 

[Nerys Myk]

Every time they say "Sorsha" I think this bit from SNL with Saorise Ronan

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[Vasquez Rocks]

I'm a huge fan of the original movie and so far I like what I see. Warwick Davis slips back into the role effortlessly as does Joanne Whalley as Sorsha. The new cast is fun and has a lot of charm to them. Regarding Willow's friend Silas, I thought he was Vohnkar from the original movie at first. He looked so much like him, but looking at the actor Phil Fondacaro's IMDB, he hasn't acted in a few years.

The tone of the series fits the movie pretty perfectly with some of the same kind of humor. My only real complaint is Sorsha's daughter is a little annoying and bratty at times but still these first two episodes were fun.

 

[FPAlpha]

Not really impressed i have to say. It is a bit too light for me and my current taste but maybe i have also grown out of light Fantasy since i saw Willow back when i was a Teenager. Ever since Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones set the benchmark so high i have problems accepting something that may be intentionally lighter.

I will watch the next 1-2 episodes when they come out but i don't have high hopes i'll be sticking around.

 

[valkyrie013]

I like it because it is light.
Really to few adventure sword and sorcery stuff that is kid freindly. Can't have 7 year old watch Game of Chairs.
Things don't have to be serious.

Plus, it's Diverse! Not in a race or gender way, but.. IT HAS SMALL PEOPLE!
To few opportunities for non standard looking people in tv/movies. Plus... Small people keep getting hosed by regular people playing them (hobbit, LofR) or complete Cgi. Should have people of every size shown!

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Yeah, it seems content like Willow is pretty much always done in animation these days.

 

[Christopher]

Not really impressed i have to say. It is a bit too light for me and my current taste but maybe i have also grown out of light Fantasy since i saw Willow back when i was a Teenager. Ever since Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones set the benchmark so high i have problems accepting something that may be intentionally lighter.

Whereas I welcome something that takes a light tone, rather than being self-consciously Dark and Gritty like so much else insists on being these days. I'm currently slogging my way through Titans season 3, and it's a classic example of the mistake of confusing darkness for quality. It's wallowing in relentless, gratuitous darkness under the belief that somehow makes it adult and sophisticated, but it's really dumb and badly written.

The weird thing is that the trend of dark, serious TV being more sophisticated began more than 30 years ago. You'd think by now, people would've caught on that it's not edgy and innovative anymore to go dark, just formulaic and cliched. If anything, it's the lighter, more optimistic stuff that's the fresh change of pace.