The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Finale Review: Merlin’s Rock Bottom

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

It’s both delightful and somewhat galling to realize that a series can pull a deliberate con on the audience, using our suspension of disbelief to lead us down a false — but beautifully laid-out — path.

Because there was an actual time travel episode in The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1, it was easy to believe that Merlin could will Reverie’s Torque to do the same, taking him back to before Arthur pulled the sword from the stone.

Well played, team. Bravo. I happily swallowed your story, hook, line, and sinker. Just like Merlin did.

The Librarians: The Next Chapter “And the Camelot Conundrum”

As a finale, The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 12, “And the Camelot Conundrum,” fulfills the promise of the season.

To recap briefly: From the very beginning, Camelot has been a cornerstone mythology of The Librarians and their mission.

To wit, in 2014, the OG series premiere was The Librarians Season 1 Episode 1, “And the Crown of King Arthur.”

Over the four seasons of The Librarians, we learned the Annex’s caretaker, Jenkins, was, in fact, the immortal Galahad. The Big Bad organization, The Serpent Brotherhood, was the brainchild of his father, Lancelot, now known as Dulaque.

Morgan Le Fay appears on The Librarians Season 1 Episode 7, “And the Rule of Three,” and the sword Excalibur features as a sentient artifact bonded to Librarian Flynn Carsen that saves both generations of Librarians on occasion.

So, when The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 10, “And Going Medieval,” revealed that Mrs. Astolat, Vikram’s Annex’s Caretaker, was, in fact, Elaine of Astolat, the legendary Lady of Shalott, we were surprised but not shocked.

Furthermore, making her one of the Round Table’s greatest knights made me love Mrs. A. even more.

At that point, it only made sense for Merlin to join the melee on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2.

Proto-Camelot

On “And the Camelot Conundrum,” he transports them all back to the formative moments of Camelot.

Only now, he’s given up on playing the power behind the throne and plans to shape the future directly as a magic-wielding King Merlin.

It’s all imminently believable.

Every ensuing encounter with Merlin in Season 2 served to build an impression of an intelligent, ambitious, but frustrated schemer, desperate to set the world right with magic.

Although it’s unclear why he reverses course in the final moments of The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 11, “And What Dreams May Come,” we completely buy that his need overcomes his troth.

And he even plants the idea that Reverie’s Torque could transcend space-time with its power over dreams while he and Vikram were partnered up in Melk.

It’s a wonderfully immersive red herring of a tale that both teaches Merlin a lesson on how badly things could go if his wish came true and allows the production team to involve an actual dragon.

Yeah, they really pulled out all the stops to show how ubiquitous magic is in the time before Camelot compared to the modern day.

Fun Times Except For All The Dying

As serious as the issues The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 has dealt with are, it has been as fun as the first season and — I’ll go ahead and say — the original series.

Sure, there’s been fan service in bringing back Jacob Stone and Cassandra Cillian for visits, but the Belgrade team has developed their own vibe and approach to adventures.

To conclude the season with an adventure where each team member demonstrates their expertise and bravery in the face of insurmountable odds is a grand hurrah deserving of fanfare.

But that body count!

When Connor gets crushed in the cave, I immediately figured that the Holy Grail would be used to bring him back. I mean, WTH, Merlin?

Then Lysa blows up, and there had to be a fail-safe magical shield around her, right? Nope.

By the time Charlie and Mrs. Astolat met their fiery demise, my theory had shifted to a do-over deus ex machina built into the script. A reset button. Maybe a reversal spell.

Dream Logic

Usually, the “It Was All A Dream” trope makes me roll my eyes. But it actually works here because they set it up so well.

From Merlin’s first interaction with the team, various people described his need for magic as undeniable and compulsive. In short, an addiction.

Using Reverie’s Torque to, in effect, simulate rock bottom as a form of intervention is pretty ingenious.

However, putting Merlin to work as the Library’s Archivist feels a lot like employing an alcoholic at a bar. Hopefully, Excalibur is a better deterrent than Mrs. Astolat’s persecution.

Employing him is also a better solution than incarceration. I wonder if the Genie from The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 2, “And the Tethered Wish,” could’ve benefited from some similar restorative justice or work release?

The Stuff of Dreams and Wishes

Thematically, The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 explored the ideas of wishes and fears.

Recurrently, the team members — and sometimes those they interacted with — faced their fears or contended with thoughtless yet genuine desires that were actualized through magic.

As a team, these experiences provided insights into each other’s needs and how they could support one another. Ultimately, the team grew stronger as the individuals trusted each other more. One wonders what challenges they’ll face next.

Your turn, Fanatics! What grade would you give The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2? Rate it in the poll below!

How could they improve? What was your favorite adventure? Who developed the most as a character? Which guest star entertained you most?

Where will Season 3 (fingers crossed) take them? Hit our comments with your thoughts and theories!

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