✨m a r i✨

Even at the end when they defeat the crone there was no " how on EARTH are we supposed to explain this to King Hastur"

Kit: Thanks. Her name is Jade.

willow (2022) headers

(also, I’m lying, this is gonna be a very long post, strap in)

We meet Kit in episode 1 at the hight of her privilege. This is where she is the princess, outranking everyone except her mother (arguably even Airk, since she is to be married the very next day). At this point she also thinks she bests Jade in every fight and the world revolves around her.

Visually we don’t just meet her in her place of power and privilege but also in nature (locus amoenus) and quite literally on top of the world: on a cliff. Heck, the very opening shot of the first episode is Kit in her power, looking down on the viewer. Shortly thereafter followed by a shot of her (and Jade) looking over the kingdom.

In episode 2, after Elora Danan’s identity is revealed to the group, Willow leads them underground. A place where everyone feels relatively comfortable except Kit, wanting to leave the place as fast as she can. The underground of the Nelwyn is a place where no one cares that she is the princess, but instead they’re only interested in Elora Danan.

In other words: As Kit takes the first blow and starts to fall, the story also moves her down visually.

Then there are two big moments in episode 3 that stand out:

The first one is when Kit realizes that Jade let her win whenever they sparred. The scene takes place away from the group, down at a river. Although the camera-work usually lets Kit have the highground, here it is the other way around. Kit is visually placed beneathe Jade as she learns that Jade has been a better fighter than her her whole life.

The second moment is when Kit is looking for the Lux with Boorman. Boorman rightfully calls Kit out for being too hard on Elora and tells Kit she might be blaming Elora for her dad leaving – a sentiment that will prove painfully true later on.

Kit takes this blow not only underground again but at the bottom of a vale; a clear step down from the harmless underground of the Nelwyn.

In episode 4, the Fall of Kit™ takes a retarding moment when she puts her own pride away and helps encourage Elora in the final scene. This is the first time since the beginning that Kit is actively making a step towards Elora, standing with her instead of against her and furthermore enabling her to save Graydon’s life.

Fittingly, this scene takes place in the high tower of Nockmaar, indicating a slight climb and possible rise.

(Aside: Narratively, this could have been the turning point for Kit. She could’ve set her pride away here and – seeing what Elora is capable of – buried the hatchet. But she didn’t. Because Kit’s anger at Elora never was about Elora, it was about her dad and Kit not feeling loved, not feeling enough. And not letting her rise just yet emphasizes that perfectly.)

Episode 6 is where Kit reaches her lowest of points. It’s where she learns that her father isn’t dead. It’s where she learns that Boorman didn’t go with him. And most importantly, it’s where she learns that for her dad, Elora Danan was what mattered most. In a way, her fears of not being loved and not being enough, come true (at least in her mind). And she also feels proven right in the thought, that Elora Danan was always picked over her. By everyone.

Visually, Kit reaches this lowest point not only in the Troll-Mines (again, lower underground than the Nelwyn and also much lower than in the vale). But after Alagash tells her, that Elora Danan is what matters most, she literally falls to the very bottom of these endlessly deep mines. And as if that wasn’t enough, the mines literally collapse in on themselves (as Kit is) because of Elora – with Elora seemingly unable to do or even knowing anything about it.

(Aside: One could literally dissect episode 6 and how with every blow to Kit they reach a deeper level of the mines. Also, how Elora hears Kit’s voice echo from the bottom of the mines a few times before it actually happens is chef’s kiss.)

And then, eventually, Kit lashes out at Elora. Saying out loud what she has been thinking all this time. Having had everything taken from her.

And at her lowest moment, at the lowest point of these deep mines, after she lashes out, the fall is completed by her literally falling into the goo underground. Narratively and visually, Kit has fallen as low as possible and is at a point of no return.

At the start of episode 7 then, Elora saves Kit’s life. And here, the camerawork is impeccable: As Kit sees Airk and tries to reach for him, the camera is turning, visualizing a myriad of things, one amongst them is showing us the turn in Kit’s character motivation to come. It also signals that there is no way for Kit going forward, but that she must change her course.

Moreover, Kit and Airk reaching for one another is a reference to The Creation of Adam, in which God gives life to Adam. Here, Kit at her lowest, is being saved by Elora, making Elora give life to Kit.

This end to Kit’s Dramatic Fall™ is a wonderful subversion (because usually the hero then either dies or becomes a villain). Having Elora quite literally giving new life to Kit is just so beautiful.

(Aside: I have many, many more thoughts on this but this is already a novel as is.)

Bonus: Kit having had such a huge falling-arc and then finding a true trusted and loved one in Elora, makes the final scene of episode 7 all the more beautiful. In her lowest moment, Elora saved her. So, Kit can save Elora at her lowest moment. And they can fall together. Because they have each other. Each one of them giving life to the other.

♥Crows couples #HELNIK & #WESPER & #KANEJ soldier & poet & king♥

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