“I was born here,” Elora says confidently as she and the rest of the crew attempt to find their way around Nockmaar’s labyrinthine castle.

That one line pretty much sums up the promise and problems of the show. Our intrepid warriors go to the castle to find a cure for Graydon, afflicted by evil magic at the end of the previous episode. The writers apparently intend to employ the tried-and-true trope of having each character face their deepest, darkest fear and secrets from their past.

The execution falls well short of the intent. The fears fail to scare and the secrets, with the possible exception of one which may or may not be true, fail to surprise. Not that they’re bad per se, they’re just awkward. They make as much sense as a grown woman – albeit, yes, a young one – knowing the entire floor plan of a castle where she spent a few hours as a baby.

I’m wondering more and more if the writing or the acting is keeping Kit so one-note. She showed more of a spark in the opening scene of the series. It can’t help that the one note is petulance. That said, there are some nice touches that add detail and depth to the character’s history, such as reminding the audience that Bavmorda is Kit’s grandmother.

An example of the execution not falling short of the intent – or at least, not nearly as much – is the use of the original movie. The episode shows several clips, with Willow and company seeing the events as if watching through a window in time. An amusing sidenote: evidently few if any people known how Willow actually defeated Bavmorda and saved Elora.

The episode wraps as expected and does give us our first glimpse of Airk since the pilot. Sorely missed: Queen Sorsha. Her gravitas would greatly benefit the show. If/when she reappears, hopefully we’ll see more of the warrior queen, and less of the clichéd overbearing mother.

Verdict: Slight uptick for the clever inclusion of scenes from the original film. 6/10

Rigel Ailur