The way he's been all season about his daughter being a witch is sketchy to me. "He's actually a pretty good guy" my ass — if you have to say that about a character, it's almost guaranteed to backfire eventually...
Something about how he acted while he was saying goodbye to his daughter struck me as driven by more than the day and the moment (even as much as that day had been), and it was one of the first things that came back to mind after that witch plague burst... I've kinda wanted to like the guy so far, but... I have a baaad feeling about this.
Review by Ahys STBlockedParentSpoilers2021-08-18T04:55:17Z
Wow. There's a lot to unpack here. What a penultimate episode! Season 3 renewal announcement, come through!
First off...
• LOL at whoever wanted to use their super soldier (Raelle) for a recruitment tour... our very own witch Captain America, love it :joy:
• Goosebumps at the mycelium origin story scene! Way to turn things around, and I think anyone still questioning Alder's intentions especially after the doubts planted by this season would be swayed back into her corner after that (very Season 1 finale feels, actually, so I guess she will always be a complex character); Raelle, of all people, sympathized with her!
• Morrigan's whisper, holy sh---!!!
• And the Rite of Proxy scene. God damn, that was intense!
• No offense to Victor Webster (guy who plays the VP), but I have seen him on a couple of other shows as the bad guy or an unlikeable one, or so I can't help but think that his character here is shady lmao (he has been to me since day 1 lolol). The way he's been all season about his daughter being a witch is sketchy to me. "He's actually a pretty good guy" my ass — if you have to say that about a character, it's almost guaranteed to backfire eventually lol. If the guy that stays behind turns out to be a means to distract or keep tabs from within the Fort, I wouldn't be surprised.
I've seen some reactions where people are genuinely worried that Alder is getting killed off in the next episode but I really don't think so, because if they stick with the decision made here (Petra replacing Alder), I think it would definitely be interesting to see Alder as a "regular" witch/soldier who isn't the Army General (and if there's one thing I've gleaned from Eliot's interviews, this seems right up his alley (hopefully).
In Petra and Alder's words, Alder has lived as the General for so long she's forgotten how to deal with consequences like a human and has made some... questionable decisions to protect the witches (and to some extent, her position). After her dismissal, she would be watching the new General eventually make similar big decisions, and possibly similar mistakes, like she did, but this time as a spectator... either making her introspective and see what she could do differently, or just smug and satisfied like "I told you it wasn't easy" (I wouldn't mind her being petty like that, I probably would be too lol).
I don't doubt that she would eventually try to scramble back into the seat of power (and that she might succeed at one point), but this should be a good arc for her... if she survives. This whole comment would be for naught if she ends up actually dying like people think and I'm a fool lol.