I thought this was going to be a Lord of the Rings spin-off.
A week before MTV debuted its new show The Shannara Chronicles, based on The Sword of Shannara trilogy books written by Terry Brooks, it aired a series of trailers which I assumed were for an upcoming movie.
This is most likely due to the stunning special effects and intriguing storyline presented by The Shannara Chronicles. While MTV does produce shows that use a lot of special effects, the quality of this new show was surprising for the network.
Think Lord of the Rings plus Game of Thrones without as much blood.
The ten-episode series is set in a post-apocalyptic world that is home to a spectrum of creatures ranging from elves to the last Druid in the Four Lands. The series premiere featured a few of my favorite things: girl power, elves, Austin Butler, and a giant dog.
Be warned, the following may contain spoilers.
Within the first few minutes, an elf princess named Amberle becomes the first girl to run in a competition called the Gauntlet, where blindfolded elves must run through the woods in hopes of being the first seven to finish the race.
Much like in real life, Amberle is faced with what her friend described as “sweaty elf boy hate” due to her gender. However, their misogynist atittude is no match for Amberle’s determination and wit.
A half-elf farm boy named Wil is given magical elf rocks by his dying mother, who instructs him to find a man named Allanon. A little naive, Wil is robbed by a Rover girl along his travels and is later found by Allanon.
As it turns out, Allanon is the last Druid in the Four Lands. He was summoned from a 300-year slumber by a dying tree known as the Ellcrys, which holds the souls of dead demons. The Ellcrys calls out to Amberle on many occasions, which is why Allanon and Wil must protect her and save the Four Lands.
All in all, the series offered a promising start which I hope will continue. As a fan of fantasy and all things elves, this show has captivated me and will most likely break my heart later on.
But it would be a privilege to have my heart broken by The Shannara Chronicles (shout out to my dad John Green).
