'The Magicians' Episode 4 sees propaganda machine work overtime to project the Dark King as the only savior
In Episode 4, quite a bit happened. From Penny (Arjun Gupta) almost losing his life to the mysterious Signal, to the Visgoth's attack on the library, Kady's (Jade Tailor) hunt for the book depository that leads to Dean Fogg (Rick Worthy) being trapped forever, voluntarily, in the Happy High alternate reality, to Zelda's "solution" to the Harmonic Convergence by moving the moon.
The episode throws up two moments of striking contemporary relevance in what is essentially a fantasy show. One when Dean Fogg says that his entrapment is in a way a relief. He finally gets to get off the 'save the world' bandwagon that he has been on across multiple timelines. He is tired and essentially burnt out.
This is something that 'The Magicians' touched upon earlier as well with Dani (Sola Bamis) who is compelled to become involved in the fight to stop the Harmonic Convergence. Despite Dani taking on another apocalypse, her sister's reticence is obvious when she tells Julia, "we get to be done", having saved the world earlier and having lost one sister because of it.
Activism is hard. The fight for a better future is exhausting, especially when it's the same people who turn up to battle every time. When is it time to "be done" and hang up your boots? The Dark King seems to be grappling with burn out, as well after his fight with the Takers. He tells Eliot, he is "holding the line".
This could be the show's commentary on IRL activists who have to continue to "save the world" despite burnout and despite the odds that have to be faced.
The other moment comes after Margo and Eliot have infiltrated the Dark King's palace -- Margo as a centurion and Eliot as the palace's official magician. When the Dark King goes out to battle with his centurion guards, he likes his subjects to know he is battling the Takers for them.
So his exploits are projected via magic to water receptacles that are there in every room and tavern to give what is essentially live TV coverage. Margo, who is deeply suspicious of the Dark King, says it is like Fox News, comparing the Dark King's self-aggrandizing populist coverage to propaganda.
The writers get in a quick, savage dig about the news channel obliquely, when another of Margo's fellow centurion says, "Foxes all lie," prompting Margo to roll her eyes.
But soon after, she sees, firsthand, the Dark King expend his powers to kill a whole bunch of the Takers in one power move that leaves him tired and drained. He collapses in Margo's arms just after his attack succeeds.
So now we know that the Dark King, while immortal, is not invulnerable. However, as soon as the Dark King has vanquished the Takers, the broadcast is abruptly cut short, making Eliot wonder what else is happening. He is especially worried when Margo and a few other centurions don't return with the Dark King.
Meanwhile, we see Margo and some other centurions charge into the shack that supposedly held the trapped mapmakers they had set out to rescue with the order to find "something". However, the shack is empty and only Margo (with her Fairy Eye) spies a fairy crouching under the floorboards who motions her to stay silent.
But the centurions hear the fairy move under the floorboards and they capture her alive -- she was the object of the hunt. So now we know that while the Dark King is "holding the line" by fighting the Takers, he is definitely not telling the subjects the whole truth. He might also be powering his magic by using fairies like the McAllisters once did.
All we know is that the fairy was genuinely terrified at being captured by the centurions. She recognizes Margo but, of course, Margo being undercover herself pretends not to see the appeal for help in the fairy's eyes. While Eliot seems smitten by the Dark King, all might not be as it seems.
The next episode of 'The Magicians' airs on February 12 on Syfy.
Editorial note: A dialogue was misquoted and has now been corrected.