1. “You are a Pest. I Detest Pests”
I don’t remember if the Mugwhump character came from the original motion comic or not but I think there’s a sense of familiarity with it that’s been lacking from the other creatures so far. Like the spider/boar thing from the last episode, this one can jump and perform physics-defying acrobatics but the danger and the presence of this guy feels more tangible and defined. Director Michael Moloney gets a great deal of mileage of gags with the creature’s eyes, its heft, and its whippish tongue.
The episode takes place mostly between the Swamp of Sorrow and the inside of the Mugwhump’s guts. In true cartoon fashion, Niko finds himself devoured by the creature after accidentally stepping on its eye, prompting a very strong justice. Lyra and the rest are left in the swamps where they attempt to free Niko from its guts.
I’m not entirely sure if the show plans to do a monster-of-the-week format or if it will start telling its overarching story. At this point, I’m not sure which one would work best for it.
2. “Oh Havoc.”
Before we continue, can we just take a minute to admire the voice cast here? I mean, Niko and the Sword of Light is playing with Jeff Bezos money and has brought in names like Kari Wahlgren, Tom Kenny, Steve Blum, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Hale, and John DiMaggio. And, for the most part, they’re all doing their best to try to ground this world. Wahlgren, in particular, continually delivers a strong performance with Lyra, filled with exhaustion and disappointment, with peril and sadness and just that last little bit of hope.
3. “Champions are Not Supposed to Hide”
Niko becomes more and more enduring with each new episode. Unlike some other sidekick kids or Mandok, I never found Niko at annoying. He’s like a kid brother, overzealous and excited. Devoted to his mission, certainly, but also still loving life and still fascinated by every new thing he continually discovers. He’s not weighed down, like Lyra, by a string of constant failure, something we see during a montage covering the various Weapons of Light, including some girl Champion Lyra obviously harbors strong feelings toward. Andre Robinson’s enthusiastic performance is endearing and even if we feel all the same cynicism as Lyra, Robinson wants to make us as energetic and adventurous as Niko.
4. “The Right Way to Look at a Thing is to See It for What It Is”
Michael Moloney shows a stronger sense of action for his first outing. While previous director Sung Jun Ahn did well in setting the world and helping define the aesthetics but “From the Swamp of Sorrow to the Hills of Humiliation” is maybe the first time I’ve actually felt something during the battles. Moloney seems to realize the limits of Flash and relies more on clever cutting, dynamic compositions, and quicker back-and-fourths to help bring the show to life. Additionally, there’s a strong sense of escalating obstacles. For instance, the Mugwhump seems to be able to do one thing and then suddenly introduces a new ability, not out of nowhere but hidden nevertheless.
While the final confrontation with the Mugwhump is well done, the action takes off strongest during the middle section where Niko attempts to rescue his sword from the creature’s guts. Moloney jumps back and forth between the lava-like stomach acids, Niko making daring jumps, these cat helicopter things darting back and forth to give this wise turtle dude furniture to throw into the turmoil.
5. “As Long as There is Hope, There is a Way to Defeat the Darkness”
“From the Swamp of Sorrow to the Hills of Humiliation” ultimately explores why we cannot hide and allow things to pass over. The wise turtle creature has been lingering in the Mugwhump’s guts since it attacked. Lyra has been wanting to get Niko to safety, though all his instincts keep telling him to push forward to Nar Est, despite not being anywhere near ready to deal with the guy. “As long as there’s hope, there’s a way to defeat darkness,” Niko says to the delusional wise turtle creature.
However, one of the things I was interested in with this episode was how it showed some creatures not exactly happy they were taken from their dark form. The hyena monster turns out to be a bunch of opossums who now have to think of a way to return to form. When Niko finally defeats the Mugwhump, the teeny frog starts yelling about how it leveled cities with its insatiable appetite. I hope the show doesn’t shy away from exploring this more, of how not everyone’s like Flicker and ready to join their team.
