If you like this review and want to stay updated for what else I have in store, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter. Now on with today's review:
Sizing Up
Omi
This episode follows one of the most common plot threads in
family shows in which a short character longs to be bigger, but things go wrong
when the wish is granted. It’s as
formulaic as ever in execution, but that doesn’t mean it still has some charm
when mixing in the unique qualities of this show. Plus, there’s a legit reason for the featured
short character, Omi, to want to change size.
During a Shen Gong Wu hunt, the Xiaolin Warriors learn that Jack and
Wuya have recruited a new minion to help them along, the ancient one-eyed
monster Cyclops. He may be a total
infantile brute, but Cyclops’ size and strength really proves to be too much
for the Warriors to beat. Because of
him, they easily obtain a fascinating-sounding Shen Gong Wu, a pair of wings that
leave a rainbow trail called the Wings of Tinabi.
Realizing what’s at stake, Omi believes that
the only way he and his friends will have a chance against this beast is if he
were to grow a lot in size. The quickest
way to do this is with the older Shen Gong Wu, the Changing Chopsticks and the
Reversing Mirror. Together, they allow
Omi to grow a lot in size, but there are a lot of holes in this setup. First, Omi’s size is ridiculously big for
getting around in life when there’s no battle to be fought. There’s really no reason he has to be so
gigantic all the time. Second, he’s so
big, he can’t ride on Dojo to Shen Gong Wu with the others. This could have been avoided if he just
increased his size at the Shen Gong Wu sighting. There are ways this plan could have worked,
but dumb decisions in accordance of teaching that being bigger isn’t everything
are what really botch it up.
After
another Xiaolin Showdown is lost, Omi decides to return to normal, but just happens
to use the Changing Chopsticks a little too much. As a result, he ends up
becoming much smaller than normal which has even more points of concern. This also could have been avoided if Omi
didn’t use the Changing Chopsticks too much.
I mean, they’ve been used many times before. Also, it’s said that he’ll need the Reversing
Mirror which was lost in the showdown to grow since the Changing Chopsticks on
their own shrink. If that’s the case
then how were users able to grow back to normal before and after this
episode?
There are so many leaps in the
show’s logic, but the rest of the episode is enjoyable if you’re able to
overlook them. Stakes are legitimately
risen when Jack says he’ll give the Warriors the Reversing Mirror for all of
their Shen Gong Wu, and Omi must change back in a day or he’ll be small
forever. Omi also ends up being a big
hero during another Shen Gong Wu hunt as foreshadowed by scenes of him keeping
up his fight skills against usually small creatures like ants. Starting a Xiaolin Showdown, he grabs hold of
the Wings of Tinabi when no one’s looking, and puts them and his signature Orb
of Tornami to good use in the challenge proper.
Not only is this an exciting physical challenge we’re come to expect,
but it’s also an effective way of showing size really doesn’t matter. I mean, we have a rice-sized monk beating a
gigantic monster in a race and winning several Shen Gong Wu for the side of
justice.
So, everything goes back to
normal from here, though it’s still hard to shake off the contrivances and
boneheaded moves that start this whole conflict. Even so, what we have is still a nice little
episode so to speak.
B-
The Ranking
1. Citadel of Doom
2. Days Past
3. PandaTown
4. Crystal Glasses
5. The Shard of Lightning
6. Sizing Up Omi
The next Xiaolin Showdown review showcases what happens when Dojo turns out to be the source of destruction to the world.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is "Timberly Loves Arnold" and "Eugene, Eugene!" in Hey Arnold.
If you would like to check out other Xiaolin Showdown reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.
No comments:
Post a Comment