Wu Got the Power
It may not always be the case with this show, but when circumstances are right, it can turn out a pretty impressive episode. Helping matters is how much of an impact it can have on the overall scheme of the season.
Now, despite spending several episodes at another temple to be better prepared for evil, the Xiaolin Warriors find that they’re still majorly bested by their foes now that they’ve returned. As this matter questions what the point of them even going to another temple was in the first place, precautions are taken to equip them for any other big threat. As companion pieces to their Wudai Weapons, they’re given their own Elemental Shen Gong Wu to enhance their elemental powers. The promise for such power should be enough to boost Omi’s ego, though he seems surprisingly unsure of his capabilities. However, his worries seem to be all for naught, as he gets an easy handle on the enhancements to his natural water powers and pulls off some impressive moves.
It’s after this though when Omi becomes a pawn in the diabolical plan of Hannibal Bean. He goes into Omi’s head, and mentions the idea of him taking his friends’ Elemental Shen Gong Wu to become all powerful. The idea planted, Omi goes through with it, and just as quick as the first time, he becomes a master of all four elements, including Raimundo’s wind, Kimiko’s fire, and Clay’s earth. In most instances, this would be a dumb move just waiting to backfire, but care taken to make all of it under influence of a villain makes everything tolerable.
As to the inevitable backfiring, it makes itself known fairly quickly. All the elemental powers cause Omi to exert all kinds of powerful energy that cause many inconveniences to the world around him. He can’t even sit still without causing some sort of earthquake or flood. It’s soon decided that he should leave the Xiaolin Temple for the sake of everyone, though the clear reluctance to this idea does showcase good heart. Plus, they even talk about plans to try and get Omi to come back. While trying to pull one of them off, his friends uncover a lot of hidden depths to what’s happened to Omi. Hannibal influenced Omi to use all those Elemental Shen Gong Wu so he’d get all that energy that he can transfer to himself. He even got other Shen Gong Wu to carry the plan out by making an army of zombie Jacks, and changing the weather to power a machine with lightning.
The details of what’s happened uncovered, the stages are set for a grand-scale climax of Hannibal attempting to get all of Omi’s energy. As a storm rages, his friends come to Omi’s aid to try and get him out of the bean’s grasp.
Their efforts lead to an ultimate battle for the world that isn’t even your average showdown. Omi and Hannibal are transferred into energy and take their fight to the mercy of the elements. The whole moment is one of the biggest spectacles of the series, and you feel like the fate of the world is at stake. It's a clear instance of the series really tapping into its fullest potential. Even with all the elemental power Omi has, it’s Hannibal who gains the advantage. Only when his friends encourage him to stick with what he knows best does Omi turn the tables. Through going from clouds to lightning, he brings the fight to an exciting end, albeit a somewhat somber one until he’s found alive.
Ultimately, the episode
still comes together as one of the stronger efforts of the season with great
staging, good heart, and well-imagined big stake scenarios.
A+
The Ranking
1. Bird of Paradise
2. Wu Got the Power
3. Oil in the Family
4. The Treasure of the Blind Swordsman
5. The Dream Stalker
6. Finding Omi
7. Omi Town
8. The Life and Times of Hannibal Roy
Bean
9. Chucky Choo
10. The Return of Master Monk Guan
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where the heroes get creative with handling their enemies, while the enemies mostly backstab each other.
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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