Legend of the Weeker: Confession

Synopsis: While deciding on where to take the Box of Orden, Kahlan gets word that members of the resistance are being killed. The gang splits up with Zedd going to his hometown to collect a key and Kahlan and Richard going to find out what is happening to the resistance.

Kahlan and Richard arrive to find Connor, Kahlan's old friend killed. Evidence that Richard finds points to a Niles, a highway robber who lives near a marsh with his sister Luna. Though he admits to being a robber he cannot explain his whereabouts during the time that Connor was killed. He has some of Connor's things and lies to Kahlan but they can't get a confession. The constable suggests Kahlan confessing him and she does this. He is found guilty and put to death.

Unfortunately a man shows up saying that Niles robbed him in the morning and could not have killed Connor. Though Kahlan is skeptical, Richard wants to get to the bottom of the situation. The man's story is proven true when Luna, Niles's sister has his bracelet. Richard thinks that magic is at hand.

They go see a sorcerer who lives by the town but are attacked and Kahlan is hit with an arrow. Richard follows the attacker to Niles's house. When Kahlan and the constable find him he claims that he killed a defenseless Luna who lies dead. Kahlan does not believe him, which yields them to believe that their memories are real.

They go see a sorcerer who is a hack, but he knows a lot about magic. He tells them of a magic orb that transfers your memories to someone else. The constable comes in with evidence that points to Nela, killing both Connor and Luna and using the orb to give memories of that to Niles and Richard. They confront her with this and she confesses. At her execution Kahlan notices scratches on the constable's neck that look like they came from Luna. They save Nela at the last second, and Kahlan confesses the constable. He admits his whole plot and Kahlan tells him to go die.

In the B subplot, Zedd goes to his family home and confronts his non-magical brother who is upset with him with never being around. His mother is dead, and his brother lives alone. Though at first he says that he sold the key that Zedd is looking for, he changes his mind when Zedd saves him from a debt collector. They make their peace and Zedd reunites with Kahlan and Richard. He removes Richard's memory of Luna's murder but Kahlan refuses to accept any memory wipe because she wants to remember that she is not infallible. The gang continues on their journey.

Commentary: This episode felt like an episode of CSI set in the Midlands. It was a pretty standard whodunit. The show didn't really hide the real killer very well. We had it narrowed down to the constable and Luna and when she got killed it was pretty clear who the real killer was. I also didn't buy Nela as the killer for a second. She was just too sweet.

The standard split in characters was par for the course. I guess it was a nice diversion to see Zedd dealing with family but I still like when the whole gang goes adventuring together. This plot did tie up some loose ends with Zedd's background and when they did reunite, the bond that the three of them share was apparent.

My wish for this show: that the wizard that lives in the cave becomes a recurring character. He was great. I like how his best wizard's spell is putting a piece of paper together. He was a human version of scotch tape. Well I guess that and mini Wikipedia of magic.

I really liked the question of morality that Kahlan dealt with in this episode. She was so quick to condemn that man to death and then deeply regretted it when she found out that she was wrong. Richard's gut instinct helped serve as the moral compass yet again. This is becoming a recurring theme in the series. There is a way things are done in the Midlands and Richard comes along and introduces his small rural way of life and it helps everyone out in the end.

Richard and Kahlan Romance Index: 6 out of 10. There were a lot of great friends who care about each other moments in this episode. From the start when he would not let Kahlan go alone, to the scene in the woods where he saves her life yet again. There are a lot of underlying feelings there that they can't act upon.

We were doing fine until the end. Richard responds to Zedd's suggestion that he go back to Westland with a long stare at Kahlan and an emphatic 'Not a chance.' Kahlan responds with that kind half smile that has become a trademark of her feelings for him.

Zedd's Creepiness Factor: 2 out of 10. Zedd definitely has a creepy look when he walks up to his family home. I had thought that he still had a woman back there. Other than that there was really nothing to hang a creepy hat on.

Notable Quotes:

Kahlan: "I can't bring Connor back, but I swear to you on my power as a confessor, I will bring whoever killed him to justice"

Richard: "I know you... and who you are is more than some magical power you have."

Richard: "Right now I don't trust myself. What if I do something like that again?"
Kahlan: "You won't. Because I'll be with you. Every second."

Richard: "Things were never this complicated in Westland.
Zedd: "You can always go back."
Richard: "Not a chance."