Monday, February 4, 2019

The Lost Clan (Hilda Season 1 Episode 7) - 'Toon Reviews 26


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The Lost Clan
The concept of elves is interesting, but also a tad overly complex.  It’s creative that people have to sign paperwork to see them. However, they often bring up the details of paperwork so much it doesn’t fit the optimistic fantasy tone of the series.  At least the details are explained through a cute supporting character like Alfur.  This adventure develops elf culture, and by extension the lore of the series, but the aforementioned complexities and other issues don’t make it the most investing watch. 
It all begins with Hilda, Frida, and David going for a Sparrow Scout badge on picking plants.  Initially picking up weeds, David recalls a rare flower near a place where he heard ghosts.  Hilda recognizes these “ghosts” as elves which neither Frida nor David can see without signing the proper contracts.  Like the clan of elves in the series premiere, this clan attacks the larger people for intruding and stepping on their houses.  It’s somewhat humorous that they do so with small weapons that are more of a nuisance than an immediate threat, and charge in on rabbits.  Still, they show they mean business when they capture David. 
Their friend in trouble, Hilda and Frida learn about the situation from Alfur.  While the backstory of the clan he shares has some complex details, the point is still easy to get.  His own clan and the hidden clan formed a real estate contract about what to do about a plot of land that would become the present elf village.  The hidden clan isn’t a part of it because they enraged the king by not showing enough signatures.  The section of the plot they would have gotten was later named “no elf’s land” just to mark their shame.  This is very harsh, but Alfur charmingly states that the rules are much fairer now.  This issue can be easily fixed since the lost clan is found and someone from there can sign the needed signature.  However, the hidden clan is too enraged by the past to do anything with paperwork.  Their feelings are a bit justified, but with things improving and promise for a better life in front of them, there’s no real reason to not play along. 
To be fair, if not for this direction, we wouldn’t get creative additions to this world as Hilda, Frida, and Alfur set off to find a loophole in the contract.  Hilda finds one saying that contracts will be null and void if burned by a lindworm.  It’s said that lindworms are too rare, but it’s hard to believe because they find out where one lives with a quick trip to the library and get there with an easily summoned water spirit.  Nevertheless, it’s a nice creative occurrence when they do meet the spirit, as well as the lindworm itself. 
Its debut appearance is handled cleverly looking like part of a garden before catching the audience by surprise.  Also, while Hilda and the others plan to have it unknowingly burn the contract, it backfires when she wakes up enraged of being used in her sleep. However, they make good use of the weeds by exchanging them for the burn.  The lindworm itself is also an entertaining character with an understandable frustration of people using her services and being easily swayed by plants. 
Thanks to this creature, the hidden elf clan is now free to own its section. However, in a believable turn of events, they’re so comfortable in where they settled that they don’t want no elf's land anymore.  This can make their problems with the elf culture unwarranted, but they do let David go and seem to be on better terms with Alfur’s clan anyway, so it’s all good.  This episode isn’t perfect with a few complexities, irrational moments, and confusing lore. Ultimately though, it’s successful through the undeniably strong creativity and character moments.
A-

The Ranking
  1. The Nightmare Spirit
  2. The Bird Parade
  3. The Midnight Giant
  4. The Hidden People
  5. The Troll Rock
  6. The Lost Clan
  7. The Sparrow Scouts
The next Hilda review covers a supernatural endeavor where Hilda makes her friends dreams come true with a frightening cost.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews, you'll meet "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. McDuck" in DuckTales.
If you would like to check out other Hilda reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

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