Wonderstorm’s Netflix series The Dragon Prince, Season 5 Episode 4, called “The Great Bookery,” continues the primary mission of Team Zym to stop Claudia (Racquel Belmonte), Terry (Benjamin Callins), and Viren (Jason Simpson) from releasing Archmage Aaravos (Erik Dellums), a powerful Startouch Elf, from his secret prison. The episode begins with Callum, Rayla (Paula Burrows), Amaya, Bait, Stella, Kazi (Ashleica Edmond), and Gren (Adrian Petriw) traveling to the Great Bookery of Lux Aurea. The Great Bookery may hold the information on how to kill a Startouch Elf just in case Aaravos escapes his prison. However, the group has to be cautious as the corrupted Sun Orb infects living beings and twists them into creatures of Dark Magic called shadow monsters. Due to the shadow monsters’ fear of sunlight, the group has only five hours until night to find the information and escape the city.

In the Great Bookery of Lux Aurea, Amaya and her group are in awe of the vast libraries in the Great Bookery, with Kazi excited to explain her time there during her time at her university. Before Kazi could go further, Amaya told everyone they needed to hurry and find the information within five hours. Callum and Kazi head to find the information in the Startouch Elf section of the library while the rest are on the lookout. 

While keeping guard, Amaya apologized to Rayla for how she treated her the last two years due to her past hatred for elves. Rayla accepts the apology, but the tone shifts when Amaya threatens Rayla with death if she hurts her nephew Callum again. Rayla is shocked by Amaya’s threat, but Amaya scolds Rayla for abandoning Callum for two years. Rayla argued she wanted to protect Callum during her hunt for Viren. Rayla’s response humored Amaya because the Moonshadow Elf sounded like Amaya herself because Amaya had the same behavior following her sister’s death. Amaya advises Rayla that she was wrong in behaving similarly to Rayla once in the past and tells her that it is important to keep love and trust strong with others. Rayla thanks Amaya for the advice and hugs her. 

After hours of research, Callum and Kazi find a Startouch Elf poem called “The Death of the Immortal.” The poem’s story was about Immortal Laurelion and her death at the hands of someone using the Novablade, an ivory draconic sword. Callum deduces the Novablade is the only weapon in Xadia that could harm and kill a Startouch Elf, like Aaravos. However, Kazi is skeptical if the Novablade killed Laurelion since the poem is vague about what happened. The Startouch Elf poem said Laurelion was “no more,” which could imply many things. Despite Kazi’s skepticism, they and Callum agree that the key to killing Aaravos is the Novablade. After the research, Rayla tells Callum that Viren trapped her parents and Runaan in magical coins. Rayla is devastated, but Callum wants to help Rayla, so he goes back to research information on “a spell that can restore bodies to separated spirits,” which could free Rayla’s parents and Runaan from the magical coins. 

Before sundown, Karim (Luc Roderique) and Pharos (Deven Mack) meet Sol Regem (Adrian Hough), the Archdragon of the Sun, at an unknown cave. Karim tells Sol Regem of the current situation of humanity returning to Xadia, and he asks the Archdragon to help bring the Elves and the rest of Xadia back to their former glory as the true “King of the Dragons.” Sol Regem refuses Karim’s request because he is blind, injured, deformed, and unworthy to lead Xadia again, much to Karim’s disappointment. However, Karim does not give up because he believes Sol Regem’s blindness caused the Archdragon’s behavior to become bitter and depressed. Therefore, Karim plans to heal Sol Regem’s eyes which might improve the Archdragon’s behavior and motivation to become King of the Dragons again. 

Before night, Amaya sends Gren and Kazi back to the Sunfire camp with the Novablade information. Callum also learned that Star Magic, using the three Quasar diamonds in the Corona of the Heavens, can free Rayla’s parents and Runaan from the magical coins. The location of The Corona of the Heavens is in the Starscraper, a tower guarded by an ancient sect of Skywing Elves called the Celestial Elves. The Starscraper is also where the Novablade is. Amaya, Callum, Ezran, Bait, and Stella attempt to leave the Great Bookery, but night has come, and the shadow monsters awaken from their slumber. The five fought the shadow monsters but could not find a way to escape the Great Bookery. Soon, Zubeia (Nicole Oliver), Ezran (Sasha Rojen), Azymondias, Soren (Jesse Inocalla), and Corvus (Omari Newton) rescue Amaya’s group. However, the shadow monsters were numerous and powerful. One shadow monster bit and infected Zubeia, while the others prevented Amaya and Corvus from escaping. To ensure everyone else’s safety, Corvus stays with Amaya, and Amaya (Sheila Ferguson) yells, “Go!” It was the first time Amaya spoke in all her life, much to the shock of Callum and Ezran because Amaya is deaf and had to use sign language to communicate all her life. Although Amaya and Corvus were left behind, they managed to escape into a book drop safe vault to hide and wait until morning. To his relief, Callum saw this and told the others of it.

The Starscraper: Xadia’s Star Nexus???

In Season 5 of The Dragon Prince, the fourth episode introduced the Great Bookery of Lux Aurea, more lore information, and Sol Regem’s bitter and depressed mindset. The Great Bookery of Lux Aurea is the grandest library in all of Xadia. It holds information regarding everything about the Human Kingdoms and Elven realms. The lore discovered was information about the Starscraper and the tower’s two artifacts: The Corona of the Heavens and the Novablade. The Corona of the Heavens is a powerful artifact holding three Quasar Diamonds, rare gems connected to the Star Primal Source. On the other hand, the Novablade is a draconic ivory sword that could kill immortal beings and Startouch Elves. 

The Corona of the Heavens is interesting because of the Quasar Diamonds. The Quasar Diamonds are purple magical gems, and there was a purple magical gem, similar to a Quasar Diamond, in Viren’s relic staff. Viren used his relic staff to trap Kpp’ar, Rayla’s parents, and Runaan in magical coins. If the magical gem in Viren’s relic staff is indeed a Quasar Diamond, then the diamonds are powerful gems that could manipulate the souls of living beings. Regarding the Novablade, it is unlikely a weapon that could kill a Startouch Elf since the humans, elves, and dragons had to stop Aaravos by imprisoning him, not killing him. There is a possibility the Novablade does not kill but rips the soul of a powerful victim from their physical form while the Quasar Diamonds in the Corona of the Heavens trap the soul of the victim in a prison of some sort. Perhaps the two artifacts are related to how Aaravos became imprisoned. 

Sol Regem was the most intriguing character of the episode. The Archdragon of the Sun told Karim, “I lost all hope before I lost my eyes.” Sol Regem’s statement would indicate he knew he was not a good ruler, and his blinding solidified his self-loathing. In addition, the idea Sol Regem would’ve allowed Callum to pass into Xadia if he did not use Dark Magic is unique because the broken Archdragon of the Sun hates humans. Finally, Sol Regem no longer guards the border but lives in a cave in darkness and isolation during the two-year time-skip, likely learning that the dragons and the elves accepted humans following the Battle of the Storm Spire. It is unknown what will happen if Karim heals Sol Regem’s eyes and returns the Archdragon of the Sun his sight again. 

Rating: 9/10