Lower Decks

Legend of the Seeker
“Conversion”
Originally Broadcast the Weekend of Saturday, March 14th, 2009

At the end of my review for last week’s episode, “Hartland,” I wondered if Legend of the Seeker would be able to go two weeks in a row with episodes that I enjoyed and found fun.  Well, “Conversion” was a fun episode and I enjoyed it.  Has the show turned a corner and finally found its footing?  It’s too early to say for sure, of course, but for the first time I’m actually hopeful.  Of note, however, is the fact that the character of Zedd has been absent these past two episodes.  He’s my least favorite character and I’m sure he’ll be back before long.

“Conversion” saw Kahlan and Richard, along with Chase, attempting to free Chase’s family from the clutches of Wizard Giller, who works for Darken Rahl and has been trying to replicate the power of a Confessor. So far, he’s failed, and Rahl has decided to visit Giller in person. Meanwhile, a mutiny is brewing amongst Giller’s contingent of D’Haran soldiers. Unfortunately, during a battle the D’Haran charged with killing Rahl is himself killed. Captain Ericon, his uncle and the leader of the mutiny, is understandably upset.

Things get even more complicated after Chase’s family is rescued along with other captives. When his wife kisses him, Chase collapses. It turns out Giller was experimenting on her. So, Kahlan goes undercover alongside Chase’s wife and daughter so she get close to Giller and confess him. Meanwhile, Captain Ericon’s men are filling Giller’s fortress with dragon’s breath (an explosive powder) so they can destroy it once Kahlan escapes with Giller. If all goes according to plan, Darken Rahl will be killed in the explosion.

But all doesn’t go to plan. Giller has devised a potion that makes him immune to the power of a Confessor. Kahlan is captured. Richard, unwilling to let her die in the explosion, sneaks into the fortress and stops the dragon’s breath from going off. He then comes face to face with Darken Rahl for the first time. Until now, Rahl has been a bit of a disappointing villain. We haven’t seen all that much of him and what we have seen hasn’t depicted him as a decidedly powerful man. The battle between Richard and Rahl proves that Rahl can more than hold his own against the Seeker.

In fact, Rahl manages to beat Richard and chains him up in Giller’s laboratory. Richard is forced to watch as Giller uses the shurkia (magical tools that were used to create the first Confessor) to experiment on Kahlan. It is here that the episode takes a turn for the unexpected. Rather than Richard somehow escaping and saving the day, Kahlan is suddenly overtaken by the “blood rage” and becomes incredibly powerful. She kills Giller and in one fell swoop confesses two D’Haran guards and two Mord’Sith.

They attack Darken Rahl but he is able to kill most of them and escape. Richard is freed and rushes after Rahl. Sadly, Rahl manages to teleport away just as Richard strikes with the sword of truth. When he returns to Kahlan, she grabs him by the throat before the blood rage dissipates. They do manage to find a potion that will keep Chase from being injured by his wife. They give it to him rather than using themselves (it would keep Richard from being confessed by Kahlan should they take their relationship to the next level).

Bridget Regan did a wonderful job depicting Kahlan in the throes of the blood lust. I was a bit worried she was going to confess me through the television. Then again, I’ve always felt Regan was the strongest member of the cast (and I’m not saying that just because I think she’s gorgeous). Kahlan is also the most intriguing character on the series; at the end of “Conversion” we learn that she may be even more powerful than she imagined. The blood rage, or Con Dar, only pops up in a select few Confessors.

As the episode concludes, Zedd has sent a communication to Richard and Kahlan, asking them to meet him in the Morrow Woods, which just so happen to be located in Rahlia, where Darken Rahl has his headquarters. Rahl, meanwhile, is told that his wizard’s believe they are close to finding Zedd. So, future episodes will see Richard and Kahlan making their way deeper and deeper into territory strongly under the control of Darken Rahl. Whether they’ll be reunited with Zedd or forced to rescue him remains to be seen.

I really enjoyed “Conversion” and was glad to finally see Richard confront Darken Rahl in person. Plus, it was nice to have the character of Rahl fleshed out a bit. He’s a powerful magician in his own right and a talented swordsman. He also seems to have an affection for wearing skirts (or kilts or something like that) but that’s neither here nor there. I wonder who’ll claim victory when Richard and Rahl meet again.