The Magicians Season 1 Episode 8 Of particular note was the reference to magic being the tools of creation the gods left behind. This eye-opening concept fits well with the danger and potential for hubris involved in the art of spellcasting and gives Julia a nice avenue towards a new chapter in her pursuit of learning. It was nice to hear the head of the support group communicate the drug dealer aspects of the safehouse system Julia had been dealing with. The prayer to a local harvest deity brought more majesty to what had been a very unpalatable quest for Julia. Fillory similarly brings more depth to the mythology of the series, and it’s exciting to see the tendrils of that other world reaching into the increasingly less complacent center of academia. The realization that spells rely on circumstances like star position adds a level of complexity to the learning of magic, which would have been enough for an earlier episode. The addition of an attempt on Quentin’s life at the behest of the Beast expertly wove several disparate storylines together. The interactions build on some great individual character development as well. The same close examination that came from the Trials in an earlier episode is now visited upon Eliot, who along with Margo has inhabited a more superficial sphere up until now. The unexpected level of insecurity in his relationship with Mike was clarified when he mentioned his farm boy upbringing, and the fact that the resulting intimacy led to his ultimate betrayal and even having to kill the object of his adoration was a hammer blow to this character’s lighthearted story thus far. Now only Margo’s depths remain unplumbed. Even Penny’s feelings were laid bare as it was determined that his curse could only be lifted by sacrificing something equally as dear to him as his heart. Although he made clear his love for Kady during the Trials, its reaffirmation was a suitable contrast both to his gruffness with Quentin and to his attempted seduction of Professor Sunderland, who tried to stop him from practicing his traveling magic. And seeing the healing students learning from Quentin and Alice, the latter of whom has now read up on Fillory, was a good way to acknowledge the involvement of the storybook world. All of this creates not only a tightly-written episode, one of the best of the season; it also shows the amazing potential for a myriad of storylines for the future of The Magicians. Will Quentin and his friends eventually make it to Fillory, perhaps assisted by Penny’s traveling skills? It seems inevitable but still far outside their current abilities. The logical progression of learning, both for the Brakebills contingent and for Julia raises the stakes both for the final episodes of this season and for future seasons. Which, thankfully, there will be.
