We take a trip to the dark side with our favorite squad in The Magicians Roundtable 3X06 “Do You Like Teeth?”

In this week’s The Magicians Roundtable, after learning that her magic was taken from Reynard (Mackenzie Astin), Julia (Stella Maeve) was determined to get rid of it.  Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) is quick to volunteer to take it on.  The two women attempt a hedge transfer spell, but Penny (Arjun Gupta) uses a singing bass to warn them.  Apparently, if done incorrectly, it will burn everyone alive.  They go to Dean Fogg (Rick Worthy), who reveals that it’s actually his spell.  He sends them to an incubus, who agrees to give them his tail as a conductor.  Unfortunately, as things do, there are unintended consequences.

RELATED | The Magicians Roundtable [3X05] “A Life In The Day”

Meanwhile, in Fillory, Margo (Summer Bishil) is being pushed to consummate her marriage to Fomar (Nicholas Coombe).  After the Stone Queen (Dina Meyer) shares that she is working on a weapon against the Fairy Queen (Candis Cayne), she locks Margo in with her son.  Eliot (Hale Appleman) arrives in time to be told to  “convince” Margo to do it.  He conjures up a lie about a land with aphrodisiac properties, and in the coach, he drugs the prince.  They arrive and realize the Fairy Queen is (literally) growing a fairy army.    

Quentin (Jason Ralph) continue the quest for the fourth key, traveling to the Abyss.  There, he rescues fellow Brakebills student Poppy (Felicia Day), who reveals she has it.  After a few drinks, he wakes up facing his depressed twin and discovers the key’s dark power.  Poppy admits it killed off 50% of her shipmates, and Quentin nearly becomes the latest casualty.  Benedict (Harvey Gillen) saves him, only to fall prey to it and diving into a dragon’s waiting mouth.  

We admit it…this episode nearly crushed us.  Let’s just get to it:

Diane (@Dianthrax) – Writer, Activist, Advocate, Auntie

Michelle (@CONtessa_966) – Writer for Three if By Space, Tweeter of live TV, Hockey Fanatic & Wiener Dog Mama!

Carol (@angelwow6970) – Writer, TV Nerd, Lover of all things magic

Katherine (@Shank35Shank) – fangirl, bookseller, and unrepentant dork

Lauralea (@DExHooker) – Writer, dog momma, Stitchers obsessive, Camsten addict.

[wp_ad_camp_2]

1. We’re seeing a pattern here.  Thoughts on highlighting Jason Ralph this week?

Diane (@Dianthrax): I feel like Quentin is so central to the show, and his insecurities are so much a part of who he is and why he behaves the way that he does.  What we saw this week was more an exploration of one of the show’s themes than the spotlighting of a specific character.

Michelle (@CONtessa_966): I loved that we got to see Quentin go on an adventure of his own this week.  Do I think it was the smartest choice to let Quentin have a journey of his own…probably not. But hey, it made for great TV!

Carol (@angelwow6970): The series started out as Q’s story. I believe they are getting back to the root of the show.

Katherine (@Shank35Shank): I like how each key is giving everyone a chance to show what emotional state they’re really in. Quentin has always fought some form of depression and anxiety, and Jason Ralph understands this in a spiritual way I wish I could put in words.

Lauralea (@DExHooker): I think I’m in love!! Dark Q was hella hot. HELLA.  HOT.  I’ve always had a soft spot for Q, but this week, they really drove it home.  What an intense performance from Jason Ralph.  I imagine Dark Q is something like Book Q was after the loss of Alice – I was very impressed.

[wp_ad_camp_2]

2. We finally had a chance to meet Felicia Day’s Poppy.  First impressions?

Diane: I freaking adore Felicia Day- she has been in so many of my favorite shows! That being said, I didn’t trust her character Poppy for a single moment! The lone survivor of a ship wreck left on a raft adrift alone in complete darkness in something called “The Abyss?” She should’ve been locked up right from the start!

Michelle: Hate and love her! She’s got a super strong personality that will clash with a lot of the group, but I love her attitude and how she just insists on joining the crew.

Carol: A total badass bitch with questionable morals. She has good intentions that go awry but who doesn’t? I believe she will be an asset to the quest. She is a draconologist, and we now have a dragon to contend with.

Katherine: Poppy is always full of surprises, scheming, and general toughness. Felicia Day came through in spades.

Lauralea: My girl!  Felicia Day is like a favorite blanket, always guaranteed to be comfortable and familiar no matter what she’s playing.  I had my pouty lip sticking out with each note of ominous music that played over top of her performance, but I was not disappointed.  Felicia Day rocks every role she’s given!

[wp_ad_camp_2]

3. While we felt like Prince Fomar got what he deserved, do you think the Fairy Queen will buy it?

Diane: I don’t think the Fairy Queen cares about whether or not Margo actually consummates her marriage; it’s more about settling the alliance with the floaty mountain people, who probably have something that she wants. I think if Prince Fratricide believes that he and Margo did it, that’s all that matters.

Michelle: Not for an instant! Nothing gets past that sneaky b***h it seems.

Carol: Yes Prince Fomar got what he deserved. Honestly he deserved worse. No, the Fairy Queen is not going to believe it.

Katherine: Oh Fomar who fears he will FOMO! I like frogs with fangs but the Fairy Queen is going to catch on sooner or later. Most likely sooner.

Lauralea: I don’t know to be honest.  I don’t even know that his mother will buy it.  At some point he really has to mention the bites on his bits.  I honestly think he’s going to give everything away.  They’re playing with fire with this scam, and I think we’ll find they get burned.  Good thing they have a little collateral to fall back on.

[wp_ad_camp_2]

4. The Stone Queen…do we trust her?

Diane: Oh Hell no I don’t trust The Stone Queen! She locked Margo in the dungeon with her creepy kid to try and force her to have sex with him! She’s lucky Margo didn’t do more than just scare the little sociopath with tales of vagina dentada!  

Michelle: NOPE! She might be being manipulated by the Fairy Queen too, or pretending to be, but there is something off about her and this entire situation.

Carol: Absolutely NOT! I haven’t trusted her since the first time I laid eyes on her. She’s up to something.

Katherine: The Stone Queen is playing both sides, this will not end well.

Lauralea: I’m very very biased.  I love Dina Meyer!  I want to trust her, but seriously, how can she let the kid get away with murdering her eldest like that??  She’s out for herself and I think she’ll do  whatever it takes to get  to where she wants to be.  If that means throwing Margo under the bus, well, her son already has a claim on Fillory, so I don’t think she’ll pause in betraying them.

[wp_ad_camp_2]

5. We had no idea that fairies were harvested from mushrooms.  If you had come across this, what would you have done?

Diane:  If it had been me, I would have considered burning the entire field. They don’t seem to be able to handle hot and arid climates, so I would want to make Fillory as uninviting as possible. Of course I’d have to consider the genocidal implications later, after I had time to collect myself.

Michelle: Exactly what Margo did, though I would have NOT brought Eliot in on the plan.  They also should have made a backup plan (like burning the entire field down).

Carol: I’d burn them all. Eliot and Margo have figured out fairies need moisture to survive so why not burn the moisture right out of them.

Katherine: Fairy zygotes! Just more crazy on that cupcake of crazy. I’m with Margo, get hostages for leverage or raise them as humans like what the Queen did to Fray.

Lauralea: With these particular faires?  Fairy-cide comes to mind.  I’d burn the fields and not shed a tear.

[wp_ad_camp_2]

6. Let’s take a moment to mourn Benedict Pickwick.  Now, which of you think he’s actually dead?

Diane: Well considering Poppy said that she could smell barbecue I’m thinking that he got eaten all up.

Michelle: Pickwick will be okay! I don’t think that the dragon actually ate him.  Penny will probably find him living the high life in the underworld with that terrible key.

Carol: Benedict lives! He’s smart and has seen what the key can do, create doorways. If what Poppy said is true about “dragons don’t shit” it’s possible Benedict was swallowed whole.

Katherine: I just adored Pickwick. I think he’s waiting for Eliot and Quentin with the key.

Lauralea:  I say yes… I mean, he was swallowed by a dragon!  My hubby says nope, we’ll find him with the key, a little less sane.  Coin toss!

[wp_ad_camp_2]

7. What do you think is happening to Julia and Alice?

Diane: I think what’s happening to Julia and Alice is exactly what EVERYONE warned them would happen: fire, death, destruction, bad things! There is a reason that Julia has magic and I think when you deliberately turn your back on what you know to be a gift from a god there is going to be consequences.

Michelle: Alice is not supposed to have that magic, and just because Julia doesn’t want it doesn’t mean she can give it away. It’s a strong magic at that, so Julia needs to realize that the gift (or curse) is hers to bear – she can either sit around and mope about it or she can do something productive with it. But of course transferring it is going to cause unforeseen side effects.

Carol: The transfer had unforeseen side effects. No one has ever done this ritual successfully – not even Dean Fogg.

Katherine: I think Alice is not allowed to have Julia’s magic, it’s  to connected to Reynard. They need to do another transfer and reset the balance. PTSD is horrible and I wish it on no one but remember what Eliot said about magic, it comes from pain.

Lauralea: I think Alice’s body is rejecting the gift as it wasn’t meant for her.  As for Julia, I think part of what the seed was doing for her was blocking out the influence of her negative memories.  Without that barrier, we might see her driven down the rabbit hole by spirit-Reynard.  What Alice and Julia have done is crossed a god’s wishes…that will always come with consequences.  Honestly, I don’t care a fig what happens to Julia – but I’m not happy about Alice suffering.

[wp_ad_camp_2]

Final Verdict: The plot darkens in The Magicians 3X06 “Do You Like Teeth?” and we’re feeling as depressed as Quentin

We were waiting for Felicia Day to show up all season, and her entrance was nothing short of mischievous fun.  However, that was a tiny spark in an otherwise depressing episode, but we mean it in the best way.  We suppose this was the direction we were headed after all the silliness, joy, and downright terror we’d already seen.  Jason Ralph was spectacular in this week’s episode, and we were ready to jump through the screen to hug our poor little Q.  

Were we quite upset about losing Benedict in such an abrupt manner?  Hell yes.  We were just warming up to the poor guy, and now he’s gone!  We’re also rather disappointed in the way Penny seemed so unwilling to accept Julia’s words but quick to believe Alice’s.  

Speaking of those two ladies, we’re crazy worried about what’s going on with them!  Is this a transfer spell gone wrong?  Is there something else going on?  What about the fourth key?  What will the Fairy Queen do when she finds out Margo and Eliot have some of her babies?  We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait for next week to come!

The Magicians returns Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 at 9/8C on SyFy.