'Marvel's Runaways' finally gets its bearings in its finale season 3
Spoiler Free Review
'Marvel’s Runaways’ has always been a strange series, in terms of both subject matter and pacing. It took one of Marvel’s lesser known comics team -- with a dedicated cult following for all of its weirdness, ran with it, and made it its own.
The series found itself a happy middle ground between its unique take on the ‘Runaways’ comics and establishing its own story along the way, and negotiating that middle ground hasn’t always been smooth. In Season 3, 'Marvel’s Runaways’ seems to have established a more solid grounding. Much like its characters, Season 3 sees the show finally figure its own identity out. The show's storytelling is all the stronger for it, making it all the more tragic that the series has come to a close.
Season 2 left the Runaways broken up and scattered. Karolina Dean (Virginia Gardener) and Chase Stein (Gregg Sulkin) were captured by the Gibborim, Gert Yorkes (Ariela Barer) and Old Lace had been kidnapped by Dale (Kevin Weisman) and the remaining Runaways are left tired, confused, and a little hopeless back at the Hostel after having just battled the Pride. They have their work cut out for them to find their way back to each other - and once that’s done, there’s the much harder work of finding their way back to trusting each other.
The events of the past two seasons have really put the Runaways through the wringer. While they were never the most efficient team, they had come together as a family, but at the start of the season, trust is not an easy thing to come by for anyone but the ever-optimistic Molly Hernandez (Allegra Acosta). Xavin’s (Clarissa Thibeaux) revelation that any one of them might be a malevolent alien entity does not make things easier.
Speaking of malevolent alien entities, the Gibborim who have possessed the bodies of Pride members bring a delightfully fun family dynamic to the show. James Marsters channels his best Julian McMahon as a Victor Stein possessed by Jonah. Brittany Ishibashi gets to do a complete 180 from Tina Minoru, as Jonah’s young, indulgent, free-spirited daughter, while Brigid Brannagh gets a similar 180 as the family’s stern matriarch, radiating power in every moment. All traces of their former selves are gone, and the show has fun playing with the new dynamic as they plot their way home and search for the missing fourth member of their family.
With such a large cast, it’s hard to tell stories of all character relationships, and Marvel’s ‘Runaways’ thankfully chooses the relationships it wants to focus on and develops them across episodes. It makes for much tighter storytelling, and gives those relationships more room to breathe. One pairing to keep an eye out for is between Molly and Xavin, as they teach each other about dealing with complicated emotions, with one growing up and the other growing human.
Another highlight of the series is an intricate tangle of Nico, Alex Wilder (Rhenzy Feliz), Karolina and how they wrestle with themes of light vs. darkness. It’s not a love triangle by any means - the show acknowledges the trio’s romantic entanglement but moves on from it - instead focusing on the lengths to which each character is forced to go to, and where they draw the line and hold it.
The stakes this season make the darkness more pressing, and in the tradition of all the best comic book properties, the metaphor at times turns literal, between Karolina and Nico’s powers, and a trip to the Dark Dimension. The themes are set up well enough to make the ‘Cloak and Dagger’ crossover episode feel like a natural fit - the two characters fit seamlessly into the show when they appear.
If the show has one failing, it’s that the remaining members of the Pride have more or less been redeemed of their many crimes in ways that seem far too forgiving of serial killers who ran a criminal empire. The shift from them being evil to them just being, as Gert succinctly summarizes, “nefarious flawed people we’re awkward to be around” is surreal. There is a little too much focus placed on members of the Pride for a series that is ostensibly about runaway teenagers
The Gibborim and Morgan Le Fay (Elizabeth Hurley) make great seasonal villains. The show divides the two very different kinds of antagonists quite neatly. Morgan Le Fay makes a perfect evil stepmother kind of figure, offering comfort and support with such positivity that it’s a little unnerving. When her facade drops, however, and she leans into her evil side, it is glorious, and well worth the wait.
'Marvel’s Runaways’ Season 3 is a fun ride, with tight, almost self-contained story arcs. Fans of the original comics will find a lot to enjoy in the events of the show, and those just a fan of the series will find that ‘Runaways’ is at its best. The show has finally gotten its bearings, just in time for it all to come to a close. It will be missed.
Marvel's 'Runaways' Season 3 releases on Hulu on Friday, December 13.