Legend of the Weeker: Puppeteer

Synopsis: With two of the three Boxes of Orden already his, Darken Rahl sets out to get the final box from Queen Milena. The Queen is a despot who takes great joy in beheading those who oppose her even slightly. Her daughter, Princess Violet is a little brat who has a playmate, Rachel, that she constantly beats. It's her birthday and she is auditioning entertainment. Zedd decides that seeing there is noone more entertaining than him he will go entertain. By pretending to be a puppeteer he earns his way into the princess's stay. He befriends Rachel and manages to get into the vault where the Box of Orden is held. He creates a copy and after it is almost discovered by Darken Rahl himself, Rachel escapes the castle with the Box.

Meanwhile Richard and Kahlan are on a mission to delay the arrival of Darken Rahl. They try to confess Rahl's scout team, but seeing a scout grab Kahlan Richard kills him. They do get Rahl's order book and try to spring a trap where Richard will kill Rahl with a crossbow. Darken Rahl sees through the trap and they run into Rachel and the box. She warns them that Zedd was captured but alas it was yet another trick of the shifty wizard and the three escape with the box in their possession. In his rage, Rahl kills Queen Milena and enslaves her daughter. The episode ends with Rahl's warning sent to Richard through the order book: "I will find you"

Commentary: Overall a pretty decent episode. A week after barely seeing any of Zedd we got an episode that centers around him. The split-up of characters works pretty well as long as it isn't done every single episode. I think I would like to see more of the three of them on adventures together. This show definitely has some dark moments and while not as dark as the previous episode, there was still plenty of moments to make you cringe. Darken Rahl showed some more of his evil side by brutally murdering Queen Milena and condemning her daughter to slavery.

Richard and Kahlan's plan seemed a little too farfetched to work. Just hide in the woods with a crossbow? Doesn't he have to kill Rahl with the Sword of Truth? Glad to see Richard didn't kill the poor decoy. It was also good to see Richard in the fight, as I think for the first time he handled two soldiers with ease. The Sword is supposed to give him the strength of a hundred men, and usually he can barely handle two. Queen Milena and Princess Violet are pretty despicable characters and it was nice to see them get theirs. There were some weird moments. How exactly did Zedd manage to trick Darken Rahl with such ease? Darken Rahl has a wizard working for him or is he the wizard?

Richard and Kahlan Romance Index: 4 out of 10. After Denna exposed Kahlan's secret to Richard there was definitely some tension. Kahlan thought it necessary to lecture Richard about not letting his feelings get in the way of their mission after he saved her.

There was quite an emotionally charged moment when Richard was going to snipe Rahl with the crossbow. After she tells him that he could find someone to start a family with, the look in his eyes says that there is only one person that he wants to start a family with. The ending scene around a campfire provided the classic Kahlan and Richard look at one another when they come to the realization that they can't go home yet.

Zedd's Creepiness Factor: 9 out of 10. Umm he pretends to be a children's entertainer so that he can hang out with a ten year old girl. Also this:

He also transmits some sort of weird disease to Princess Violet when she catches him creeping around the castle. Yeah I know he's trying to get the Box of Orden but people probably have a right to be suspicious of him. I think the most shocking moment came when he made fun of Darken Rahl and then this happened:

Of course it was all a ruse and we find out that Zedd can create completely lifelike decoys of himself. I really hope that this is used in future episodes because it seems like quite a useful skill.

Notable Quotes:

Kahlan: "We had a rare opportunity and we missed it because you were being overprotective."

Zedd: "Rachel, you are now the most important person in the world."

Richard: "I have no family left."
Kahlan: "You could find somebody to start one with."

Zedd: "The great Darken Rahl, Master of D'Hara was defeated not by the Seeker nor by the First Wizard, but by a ten year old girl."