The Witch - (Hilda Season 2 Episode 3) - 'Toon Reviews 46

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The Witch

Often in shows, certain characters make very memorable appearances even if they’re not necessarily the most important ones.  Some could argue that it makes for a major focal clash, but on the other hand, it broadens the world and makes for a unique change of pace for stories and adventures.  For that, we’re in for a great time in this story that follows one of the show’s most memorable side characters.  

In the previous season, there were several brief appearances of a mysterious librarian who always seemed to know what book was needed for Hilda’s many adventures.  Most of them merely showed off her appealing charisma and mystery while only one was heavy on information, but her charm and intrigue was still very present.  Now, that librarian, revealed to be named Kaisa, is the subject of an entire episode that does good for the world of the series as well as offer new beginnings for other characters.  

Hilda and Frida end up discovering huge secrets about her through exploring the library’s many secret passages.  One of them is a room filled with women getting by with magical spells; in other words, they’re witches, and Kaisa happens to be among them.  There’s always been notable speculation of Kaisa’s true nature and being a witch has been a big possibility, and now it’s basically confirmed.  Hilda and Frida follow her into a council of witches who berate her about an overdue library book and how it throws off the sense of order to their library.  Then when Hilda and Frida point out knowledge of who checked the book out from a card they found, they’re roped into the potential harsh repercussions of this action.  If the book isn’t found in two hours, they, along with Kaisa, will be sentenced to the Void of No Return.  

As a result, these three characters venture into hidden chambers of the library each with their own challenges.  All throughout, there are a few standout elements to the characters.  It should be expected that Hilda is up for adventurous spontaneity and Kaisa has the magical ability, but the most notable character is Frida.  No matter what they come across, the solutions Frida comes to are nothing but productive in moving everyone along, solid build up for what becomes of her character later.  

A lot can also be said about Kaisa herself throughout the quest.  As someone who’s mostly been defined by mystery and shadiness, it takes a task with potentially dark consequences to bring out genuine softness.  After Hilda and Frida find the owner of that book, an old woman named Tildy, Kaisa has a heart-to-heart conversation with said woman.  There’s talk of Kaisa’s insecurities about being a witch despite all her accomplishments, but Tildy, being her mentor, is there with endearing reassurance.  In addition to making Kaisa feel more human, this conversation also uncovers that book.  

However, it doesn’t matter because it’s returned too late, and Kaisa, Hilda, and Frida end up in the Void of No Return anyway, and it’s said it needs to be fed.  Out of this dire situation though is one last bit of solid character growth.  As Kaisa struggles to keep them all from falling, it’s Frida’s resourcefulness of the magic she picks up that saves them as well as leave something for the void to feed off of.  In fact, there’s legitimately satisfying conclusions that twist what’s expected with Frida showing potential as a witch while Hilda is seen as a good familiar to her.  

Ultimately, in giving a major starring role to a memorable side character, the episode turns out to be a creative endeavor that unleashes new potential for all its major players.

A+

Series Ranking

1.      The House in the Woods

2.      The Nightmare Spirit

3.      The Tide Mice

4.      The Witch

5.      The Bird Parade

6.      The Midnight Giant

7.      The Troll Circle

8.      The Hidden People

9.      The Storm

10.  The Draugen

11.  The Black Hound

12.  The Troll Rock

13.  The Lost Clan

14.  The Sparrow Scouts

15.  The Nisse

16.  The Ghost

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where David picks up major bravery from hanging out with ghostly warriors who live to fight and die.

If you would like to check out other Hilda reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.