Friday, July 2, 2021

The Fifty-Year Night - (Hilda Season 2 Episode 8) - 'Toon Reviews 46

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The Fifty Year Night

After being privileged to go on so many adventures, Hilda is facing discipline for the first time as the events of the previous episode leave her grounded.  It’s a striking blow to a natural born adventurer which is why she doesn’t take it well.  However, even with limitations, this episode shows that adventure can still arise when you least expect it. 

As for the background of her punishment, it really shows that Hilda isn’t used to a lot of things.  She doesn’t seem to understand how harmful her lies were to her mother, so when Johanna says grounding her is for her own good, Hilda literally can’t believe it.  Technically, Hilda seems like a brat here, but at the same time, this behavior makes sense for someone so used to going on dangerous adventures without objections.  In addition, a claim that Hilda needs to learn that ‘actions have consequences’ plays right into the adventure she ends up having anyway. 

From her bedroom window, she sees her neighbor, a former background character Mr. Ostenfeld, suddenly disappearing into a void.  Her interests piqued, Hilda goes to his door to investigate, claiming to honor her punishment by not actually leaving the building.  The creative aspect of the episode unfolds as she finds a package of magazines which in turn causes her to violate postal regulations as she uncovers them by opening the package.  When opening the magazine though, Hilda is transported to her street 50 years ago with everything from the buildings, clothes, and transport demonstrating a retro class.  There’s also a big procession of Mr. Ostenfelds for her to follow, and in addition to raising intrigue and mystery, they lead Hilda to a memory that brings the ensuing action. 

At a local dance hall, the young Mr. Ostenfeld meets a charming young woman, and as most could guess, they dance and fall in love with each other.  Simple and predictable as it is, the execution makes it so endearing, especially with the retro class, mainly expressed through the background music.  Hilda, seeing the charm of dance, can easily tell they’re meant for each other.  Then come various catches for venturing to the past. 

After watching the memory, the many versions of Mr. Ostenfeld catch her and chase her. During the chase, she finds one of the magazines and gets back to her own time where she meets the real Mr. Ostenfeld.  She learns from him that the nature of these magazines are so he can go back in time and relive that memory.  The thing is, he loved that woman, but couldn’t get the courage to find her again, so watching the dance the way he’s been is the best alternative.  Hilda, wanting true love to happen, suggests he go back and do something different. 

She and Mr. Ostenfeld go back to that memory, only this time Hilda convinces the past Mr. Ostenfeld to go after that woman and say his true feelings.  It all seems harmless, helpful even, but then Hilda’s intercepted by different versions of herself that try to warn her of something.  It all relates to attacks from a giant worm that straight up devours the different incarnations of both Hilda and Mr. Ostenfeld.  Consider this another instance of the new season upping the stakes.  The moment also starts opening up Hilda’s eyes to the legit heavy effects of her adventures.  When both versions of her are left, one is very aggressive in getting the other to listen to her, her words mirroring the earlier message of actions having consequences. 

What’s more, when there’s only one Hilda left, she and Mr. Ostenfeld are transported back to their time with that worm still giving chase through Trolberg.  There, Hilda sees another eye-opener regarding the weight of her adventuring as Johanna laments with worry if her punishing her daughter is the right thing to do.  As this is before Hilda’s time traveling began, she technically isn’t back where she came from.  However, regarding what she sees of her mother and that echoing claim of actions to consequences, Hilda is certainly all set to learn a necessary lesson for development purposes. 

Investigations from the actions of that worm get her to realize that the identity of Mr. Ostenfeld’s lover is her neighbor, the old woman knowledgeable of witchcraft, Tildy.  It’s through her where the nature of the worm is revealed; it’s getting rid of all past incarnations of Hilda and Mr. Ostenfeld to fit the changes Hilda made to the timeline.  She also shows the effects of Hilda’s changes with a showing of versions of her and Mr. Ostenfeld meeting and following through with a relationship.  While it’s certainly charming and worth supporting, it’s clear that it’s not worth the destruction. 

So, for the greater good, these versions of them agree to take Hilda’s place as the worm’s target by destroying the original magazine that started everything.  They may be eaten by the worm, but through great maturity, they accept that this is how they’re meant to be together.  Ultimately, in spite of bittersweet if slightly morbid implications, there are some significant accomplishments.  Mr. Ostenfeld is content with finally knowing the identity of his past lover, and Hilda has a better understanding of where people in her life are coming from.  Some happiness is achieved and lessons are learned…even if the characters did have to see themselves die several times.

Through journeying into the past, much is done for developing the world of the series, allowing the characters to mature, and the adventures to broaden in tone.

A+

Series Ranking

1.      The House in the Woods

2.      The Nightmare Spirit

3.      The Tide Mice

4.      The Old Bells of Trolberg

5.      The Fifty Year Night

6.      The Witch

7.      The Bird Parade

8.      The Midnight Giant

9.      The Beast of Cauldron Island

10.  The Eternal Warriors

11.  The Windmill

12.  The Troll Circle

13.  The Hidden People

14.  The Storm

15.  The Draugen

16.  The Black Hound

17.  The Troll Rock

18.  The Lost Clan

19.  The Sparrow Scouts

20.  The Nisse

21.  The Ghost

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode, a moving look of where Twig the deerfox came from, and how he and Hilda met.
If you would like to check out other Hilda reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

1 comment:

  1. Ooh I'm looking forward to the next review! Best episode, no contest!

    ReplyDelete