Sunday, September 29, 2019

Sizing Up Omi (Xiaolin Showdown Season 2 Episode 6) - 'Toon Reviews 25

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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.

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