#the villain scene got me okay i didn't see it coming and honestly we stan a deceptive girlboss - a 10/10 performance

[bifairywife]

plot twist executed so good it might as well have come to life from my screen and reached out to violently grab me by my neck then twisted it

[nuclear-satan]

Final Space Season 3 Episode 1 Review **SPOILER WARNING!!**

...And Into The Fire we go!

I really have wanted to do a Final Space review for a while, so now - I'm going to do it, fuck it. Starting a couple episodes late, but after [insert shenanigans] I needed to let it cool off before getting back into it.

One last warning: THESE ARE NOT SPOILER FREE REVIEWS. DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT SPOILED AND DO NOT WANT TO BE. THESE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME SUMMARIZATION INVOLVED.

With the disclaimer out of the way, let's get into it.

So, first of all, I have to acknowledge that this cold open? Fucking toasty. The entire first five or six minutes of this episode is flat out amazing and some of the best that Final Space is. Really intense - I love the dramatic cold open to a space chase.

Also, however, brief, the Quinnary reunion was nice. Quinnary is a ship that I enjoy subjectively more than objectively, but considering it really hits now even if S1 had issues... I can look past it yo.

Invictus proves his power and intimidation incredibly well this episode, between the Gary Zombies and even this first incredibly terrifying matchup - even Mooncake, who in any other situation has been able to zap it away, couldn't touch it. Really setting the villain well.

Small thing I want to acknowledge because there was some discourse on it -- Sheryl saying "I'm his mother; where do you think he got it from?" Was really nice to me. Obviously not all is forgiven, nor should it be, but it's just a nice bit of character development.

Then, Ava gets Yeeted by Bolo and breaks.

I could have taken a better screencap probably, but I will not.

Anyways, considering the cast of characters was way too fucking big in S2, I'm not... particularly aggrieved by this, especially since I didn't really like AVA anyways, but it is pretty unfortunate that one of the only female characters just got the ax without basically any development other than the obligatory robot comphet stuff. Whatever, I think this is setting the stage for HUE AI, so I'll bite my tongue.

That said, the conversation that HUE and AVA had before she died? Sweet.

And then they're in Final Space. Goddamn, they really went the extra mile animating and illustrating this episode. Gotta acknowledge it.

Also, quick note: New OP is a banger.

...And this is when the review's going to start getting a bit more negative, because we jump straight into everyone's favorite trope: a time skip.

I. I really have issues with this timeskip. This episode was fucking ballistic in the pacing, and I really, really wish that I could have spent some more time within Final Space just trying to survive. I get it. It was a premiere, so you wanted to go all out, but... I really wish we could have savored it. There's just suddenly a timeskip! We don't get to see how they've been surviving. We don't get to see shit. Quinn just suddenly appears in a new outfit, and then we're off the races.

I dunno man, I really had issues with the pacing of this episode, and this is the backbone of it. It's okay to take a breather, even in your opening episode. You have to know when to take a breather. This episode sorely needed it, and it didn't get it.

Also, obligatory Danger Groins mention. Yeah, I know that's not what he says. It's what he says in my heart, tho.

From here, the Gary zombies show up, which are... admittedly intimidating.

They get attacked, and - okay, can we fucking mention the titan fights for a moment? No matter what happens this season, I'm here for this. This is Gurren Lagann levels of ridiculous, and I fucking love it. Smash that planet, yo.

lThey get separated, and Avocato and Gary have a bit unfitting but fucking hilarious moment that has to be acknowledged. This shit ain't straight, yo. There's no fucking way you tell me this shit is straight.

And... *sigh* I really have some goddamn issues with the next... I don't know, I wasn't watching, six minutes?

"There's no more grossout scenes," we were told. "Season 2 gross out is done. No more weird fetishes."

Okay.

Okay, sure.

I'm sparing you the images, because I don't want to post grossout on my blog, but... holy shit, Quatronostro's birth scene. First of all, which of the fuckers on the blog keeps putting their fetishes in this show? Clarence is gone, so you're making Mpreg Tribore (I realize Tribore is canonically genderfluid, but he's male presenting at the time of this birth... and at every time... I don't have faith in two cishet men to actually make good on that, sorry. I hope I'm wrong.) Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

The scene is gross, uncomfortable grossout. This isn't the 90s anymore!

Also, the other thing I have to acknowledge - that motherfucking robot. It's season 3 - haven't we moved past the screaming = funny leftover humor from Olan's YouTube days? Clearly fucking not.

Also, Ash did a really out of character thing this episode by shooting the robot. I... what is Ash's character, exactly? Ash is an inconsistent enigma. Someone define that poor girl's character, already.

After that... mess.... though, we do end up with a very solid ending. Bolo headbutts the planet, Quinn and Gary get swept up in the blast, and we end up with a very beautiful but quick scene of Gary and Quinn embracing one last time - it's very reminiscent of chapter 9, and I did thoroughly enjoy it.

iAlso, the shot of Mooncake saying "Gar" while looking for Gary, presuming he's dead? Oh, that just hurts.

And then we end with HUE saying, "We are alone, Gary." Honestly, genuinely was a little disappointed to find it wasn't just HUE and Gary. I thought this line was going to come later in the season, and it was just going to be HUE and Gary in a callback from season one. It wasn't, and I'm genuinely very disappointed as someone who's favorite dynamic in the entire show is S1 HUE and Gary. Of course, as a result, I'm not unbiased, and... well, I do stan Quinn too.

And goddamn, look at the Earth. She got fucked uuuuuup. I think I remember hearing next episode that there's only one survivor left, which I do NOT buy as a concept, but it's very cool to see a show that does not shy away from full apocalypse scale destruction of the earth. It like, never happens, so it's a nice subversion. Get fucked, earth.

Overall Thoughts:

This episode is the definition of a mixed bag. The beginning is fantastic and the ending is solid (even if personally disappointing), but the middle is genuinely kind of bad. The pacing is rough, there's season 2 tier grossout that I did NOT need to see, and that robot deserved a punt in the face.

The animation is fantastic though. Everyone point and stare at the animation.

I still think the good outweighed the bad, though - if only because of my personal attachment to the characters. I think this was a decent episode - probably on par with the other openers... actually, I don't know.

My disappointment with this episode was more than with the Toro Regatta, but that was more due to my own expectations and thus not fair to rank it that way. I don't know - all the first episodes of the seasons are meh at best, and this unfortunately due to the lackluster middle fit that mold as well.

If you asked me to give it a ranking, I'd probably say if we assume a 5 out of 10 is average, I'd give it a 6. Decent, fantastic when it's good, but the entire middle section really brought me out of it and because of that I can't give it anything more than that.

I've heard episodes two and three are good, though - excited to see the Ventrexian for myself after all the fuss, so let's see how it holds up!

I'm scared for Biskit tho.

[purplerose244]

THOUGHTS ON EPISODE 95!!!

SPOILERS ALERT!!!

Okay, exactly how many fans are in New Zeland? I REALLY wanna know, because apparently enough to let the new season air there 😅

No way to tell, Possession aired in Italy and apart from me there aren't a lot of fans

But since some good heart from the other side of the world still uploaded the episode, here I am! SO excited for the new season!! 😍😍

HERE WE GO!!

First of all

I know I should be happy, but after seeing the trailer I'm terrified 😰 But yeah, Cole telling the title was pretty cool 👍

It always makes me laugh seeing people rebuild Ninjago everytime for some reason, I don't know, maybe it's because they're gonna have to start all over again after next season? 😂

But good work citizens

I can't deal with these two, it's too much for my heart 😭 I wish there was a way to turn him back good, but maybe Garmy would go nuts over the horrible things he has done...

BACK TO NICE THINGS!!

I love Pixal, she has gotten so strong and confident! And honestly, getting all parkour style while there's traffic? MOOD

Cole having sleepy feet? ALSO MOOD

I missed clumsy Cole 😂

And I missed Mother Doomsday! (who apparently has a full name, holy Garmadon)

I always get chills when the bounty is shown, it feels like so much time has passed since Zane found it in the desert! Memories 😭

The officer complaining about the mayor 🤣 Who is a she, apparently? Monarchy didn't last long at Ninjago, not after our last princess...

Also spotting randomly the postman is a good sign, the truest ruler of Ninjago 😎

Back at the monastery(SO HAPPY TO HAVE IT AGAIN, SO MANY MEMORIES, AND THAT'S BESIDES THE MURALS 💜), the scene we already saw at SDCC, which is still super cute and definitely made many plasma shippers go wild

THEN THERE'S HER

Am I the only one that heard that lovely music that played back when Kai looked at Skylor at the balcony scene?... just me?

WHATEVS, WE STAN A QUEEN ❤💙❤💙

Dareth should've been in the mural of season 2 honestly, poor dear 😅 Keep it up brown ninja, we know you are valid! 👍

The Firstborne caught me off guard, I knew we were gonna see it again, just not in this realm. Poor Faith, just got free from a tyrant in her realm, and now troubles are back ☹

Now... let me just say this

I know it's about darkness, I know the oni are super duper evil, I know Tommy gave us a lot of hints for a pretty hardcore season

BUT

WHAT IS THIS NIGHTMARE??? 😱😱😱

That's some level of trauma for a Lego show, I gotta say 😅 Now I'm really curious about the oni behind this, because all the villains we had came with a defined backstory. All we know about this is that it's dark and cold 😨

Also having it coming out of the Realm Crystal, that's a really nice touch 👌

Moving forward, the city in troubles AGAIN, citizens running and screaming in terror AGAIN, the police doesn't have real weapons because it's a kid show

We can traumatize, we can try to stab, we can sing creepy lullabies, but NO GUNS 😶

AND GASP

THE REAL VILLAIN! THE LADDER!

... I'm scared for Cole okay? Especially after seeing what really happens when the darkness gets you! I swear I'm gonna have a heart attack if they show us his cold gray body 😰😰😰

So yeah, I almost lost it here

THANKS LLOYD YOU'RE DOING GREAT SWEETIE KEEP PROTECTING YOUR FRIENDS AND YOURSELF 💚💚💚

Aaaaand Garmy is back in business! I can see how long this alliance will last 😅 Besides, only an oni can defeat another oni? Wu is part oni (even if he's more dragon I think), and so is Lloyd... epic Garmadons showdown part 2?

Last but definitely not least, Jay being unnecessary

If he wasn't here, I could barely take all the drama of this show 😂 Love ya Bluebell

That was it! Pretty good start, I just really don't know where we're heading. This oni must be important somehow, otherwise we wouldn't have much story to begin with

I'm really curious about what's coming!

JAY YOU CAN DO IT, GO ASK YOUR QUEEN, I BELIEVE IN YOU! POSITIVE THINKING!!! 💙💙💙

Thanks for listening to my blabbering, I really need this to chill out 😅 So you'll see me again next time!!

Bye everyoneeee!! 💜