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My Homey Omi
Our heroes travelling to different places for
Shen Gong Wu is an appealing factor of the series. It keeps the show fresh and exciting with
different things to see. This entire
episode covers a Shen Gong Wu quest in one of the most popular locations in the
world, New York City. I’ve been there a
few times myself, so I’m used to getting around.
The episode is a reminder that not everyone has been to New York, and captures
the feel of being there for the first time.
Omi, the most sheltered of the group, especially feels out of place
taking the most pleasure in everything he sees, even the insignificant things. He also doesn’t know how to navigate the city
as he rushes after a speeding Shen Gong Wu, the Serpent’s Tail, a
literal tail that has the user go through solid objects. It’s a creative Shen Gong Wu for sure, but
it’s an inconsistent one, appearing much larger than it does for the rest of
the series. Also, it moving at will feels contrived because it never does that anywhere else in the series.
Anyway, Omi's rush
causes havoc through traffic. It is a really fun and
energetic sequence though, and it’s appropriate that he gets lost because of this act. He ends up in a poor part
of New York characterized by less attractive buildings and eccentric civilians
too crazy to help Omi or say anything meaningful. In fact, given their ratty clothes, some
might say these people are homeless, which could possibly explain their
attitude.
Out of Omi feeling out of
place in New York comes his most effective impression to New York. He sees a gang of teens playing basketball. It’s intriguing for Omi to see what most
people view as a common sport as a new martial art. The teens turn out to be generic bullies
belittling Omi for his size. However,
he's helped by Jermaine, a street-smart kid with a good attitude and the right
skills to take on the thugs. His bond
with Omi is refreshing after so much of him wandering around without meeting a friendly
face, even as he lacks understanding of what Omi is trying to do.
Eventually, the Serpent’s Tail pops up, as do
Omi’s friends hounded by Jack and his robot
army on the streets and in an abandoned subway tunnel. When he arrives too, the Xiaolin Showdown for
the episode occurs as a basketball game. It also becomes a Shen Yi Bu Dare so Omi can get help from a skilled basketball player like
Jermaine. The showdown
itself is a standard basketball game, but still stands out for taking place in
space, and the players needing to balance on white lines. It’s a fun, fast-paced showdown where with
Jermaine’s help, Omi finally adjusts to New York customs. Their teamwork
wins them all the wagered Shen Gong Wu
beneficial to our heroes’ mission, and a good concluding point for
Omi getting by in such a big city.
It
may lack some consistency with the rest of the series, and may try too hard to
be cool a couple of times, but this is still a fun and believable
look of a first experience in New York City.
Here’s hoping you’ve got game enough to enjoy it.
A
The Ranking
- Night of the Sapphire Dragon
- Shen Yi Bu
- Chameleon
- Katnappe
- The Journey of a Thousand Miles
- My Homey Omi
- Like a Rock
- Ring of the Nine Dragons
- Tangled Web
The next Xiaolin Showdown brings background to Clay's family life where his father uses a Shen Gong Wu as a family heirloom.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is the half-hour OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, "T.K.O."
If you would like to check out other Xiaolin Showdown reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.
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