Season 6, Episode 5 of the Netflix series The Dragon Prince, titled “Moonless Night,” is directed by George Samilski and penned by Devon Giehl and Iain Hendry. The episode focuses on Callum (Jack DeSena) and Rayla (Paula Burrows) fulfilling the prophecy of the Chosen Two and Soren (Jesse Inocalla) confronting his father Viren (Jason Simpson) for his past crimes and how horrible he was as a father and as a person.
Callum and Rayla’s Plan
In the Starscraper, Kosmo (Ethan Farrell) and Astrid (Boone Williams) bring Callum and Rayla to the Starlooms to settle in a guest room. The Chosen Two need to rest before they fulfill the prophecy the next day and it is a great time at this point to start planning how they are going to defeat the Ice Behemoth and end the storm she brings.
After the two Celestial Elf twins leave, Rayla asks Callum if they should sneak out of the starscraper today or the next day. Callum states that they should stay and help out when he realizes that part of the prophecy indicates that they will be given the Corona of the Heavens once they accomplish their future task. Also, it will be nice to help out others again for once.
Callum works on finding a way to defeat the ice behemoth by practicing a spell that can melt the frozen heart of the creature: Terminus ad glacium. It took multiple tries but the young prince of Katolis realizes that the rune must be engraved in the ice for the spell to work. Thus, Rayla has to carve the Terminus ad glacium rune on the behemoth’s heart before Callum recites the spell. Rayla is disturbed at having to kill an ice behemoth but she joins the mission anyways.
Esmeray: The Ice Behemoth
Soon, Callum and Rayla leave the Starscraper and find the Ice Behemoth. The creature is angry and in pain as if it is mourning the loss of someone so much, that it is affecting the surroundings with its ice magic and aura, thus the ice storm. The Chosen Two fight the ice behemoth with Callum distracting the beast with lightning as Rayla uses her butterfly blades to climb up the creature to his heart. Once Rayla sees the behemoth’s heart, she realizes that the ice behemoth is a sentient being named Esmeray, beloved and loyal companion of Luna Tenebris, the Archdragon of the Moon and the former Dragon Queen who went missing. By loyal companion standard, Esmeray is basically a beloved pet of Luna Tenebris as a dog, cat, or any other animal companion is a beloved pet to people in the real world today.
Rayla sings to Esmeray
Rayla explains to Callum that Esmeray is a sad and lonely pet who misses her master. Callum refutes saying that the ice behemoth is crazy with a personality of a monster and a killer. However, Rayla convinces her boyfriend to follow her way in calming Esmeray down. Callum accepts his girlfriend’s plan and she attempts to form a dialogue with the Ice Behemoth of how she understands Esmeray’s pain. Esmeray ignores Rayla, so she takes a different approach by singing a loving Moonshadow lullaby and song written by Luna Tenebris herself. This is indicated by the wording of the lyrics and how Esmeray calmly responds to the song.
Luna Tenebris’ Song
Though the sky is dark tonight, I still shine for you my dear. The moon is more than just her light, I am near; my love is here.
Though you feel so much alone, Oh, my darling, do not fear. Hold to what you’ve always known, I am near; my love is here.
Though my face cannot be seen, The answer in your heart is clear. I am the moon, the Silver Queen, I am near; my love is here.
After the song, Esmeray calms down with her raging purple eyes returning to its natural calm yellow color. Rayla explains to the Ice Behemoth about the stories she heard in the past of how the Archdragon Luna Tenebris had a loyal companion named Esmeray. When the Archdragon of the Moon disappeared, Esmeray was left alone, angry and bitter, which drove her to the Frozen Sea where she lamented which resulted in the ice storms. Rayla interprets that moonless nights are when she grieves the most. The ice storm is not Esmeray’s rage but her grief and loneliness. With the help of Stella, Rayla gives Esmeray a moon opal which cheers the Ice Behemoth up leading to the ice storms dispersing, ending the centuries-long storm that prevented the Celestial Elves from gaining access to the stars. Rayla gives her final kind words to Esmeray that Luna’s love will always be with her even though the moon is not.
After Esmeray leaves and is finally at peace with Luna’s death, Callum congratulates Rayla. He realizes that it isn’t a blade or a spell needed to pierce and melt Esmeray’s heart, but some words of kindness. The prophecy is not literal but metaphorical as are most prophecies when it comes to different genres like the Targaryen prophecies in The Song of Ice and Fire. Sometimes prophecies are misinterpreted due to the biases of those who read it since their pride makes them interpret the prophecy based on what they believe or desire. Callum misinterpreted the Prophecy of the Chosen Two by taking it literally until Rayla realized the prophecy’s words are really just metaphorical which must be carefully understood before taking action.
The Corona of the Heavens
The Chosen Two return to the Starscraper where they are thanked by the Elder (Mark Gibbon) and the Celestial Elves for giving them back the stars. After many centuries, the Celestial Elves can finally remove their blindfolds and finally see their surroundings under the light of the stars. As a result, the Celestial Elves give Callum and Rayla the Corona of the Heavens, a crown adorned with three quasar diamonds. The three quasar diamonds are star magic gems that can be used to free Rayla’s parents and Runaan from their imprisonment inside Viren’s coins. Unknown to everyone, only one is fake based on how only two glimmer. The third one is the purple gem in Viren’s staff. It’s always been theorized and confirmed for a long time.
Despite this, the Celestial Elves and the two protagonists head to the Zenith, the top of the Starscraper, to see the stars for the first time. Only the Elder, who was but a child, was the last to truly behold the light of the heavens with his own two eyes. Since he is timeblind, the Elder can be considered a prodigy of his time, someone who quickly became enlightened at a very young age. Due to the constant ice storms, it seems that the Celestial Elves and their numbers have dwindled as there are only fourteen Celestial elves, plus the Elder, on the Zenith. Either that or there are more Celestial Elves seeing the stars for the first time elsewhere.
Kosmo becomes Timeblind
When Kosmo removes his blindfold, as do the others, he sees his sister with his own eyes for the first time. Kosmo then sees the stars in which his eyes glow with light and he levitates, revealing that the stars touched him as he has become timeblind. This makes the other Celestial Elves, including Astrid, really proud as Kosmo has become the first Timeblind in centuries ever since the Elder became one since childhood. Kosmo is now seeing the world and the universe from a big picture as the Startouch Elves do: “I see everything. I see a thousand stars, a thousand eyes. Worlds one and myriad, all of us nothing, and all of us infinite.”
From Kosmo’s enlightened statement, it could indicate that the number of Startouch Elves as of the modern era is around a thousand and that there are more worlds than just Xadia. Also, his words could also mean that everyone, including humans, elves, and dragons, are insignificant to the grand nature of the cosmos and that all life is infinite no matter what form it takes: Fauna, flora, worlds, stars, or living beings.
Kosmo then turns to his sister Astrid stating how her “star was hidden” and that “[she has] become who [she was] always meant to be.” Astrid replies that her star was never hidden just because other people couldn’t see it and that she always knew who she was. What Astrid and Kosmo are talking about is the former’s status as a trans female.
Next, Kosmo talks about Rayla and how she has a wondrous spirit whose drop of empathy sends ripples into the ocean of time. Ripples that have not yet stilled. Kosmo is likely talking about how Rayla’s empathy towards Esmeray and to others will have a positive effect in the long run and that it will continue to have an effect. Despite Rayla’s empathy, it would be nice if she apologized to Callum for leaving him alone for two years. That would be nice.
Kosmo then turns to Callum and the situation takes a dark turn. Kosmo tries to see Callum’s star, the light in him, but he only sees darkness. The reason is that Callum performed dark magic twice in his life and using dark magic creates a void of emptiness within the soul, the light in a living being. The young Timeblind was not prepared to handle seeing such darkness, even if it is just a tiny one, which causes him to go unconscious. This shocked and horrified everyone present, Callum most of all as he feels uncertain what Kosmo is warning about.
Soren Confronts Viren
King Ezran (Sasha Rojen) talks with Soren about the upcoming wedding between his aunt General Amaya and Queen Janai of the Sunfire Eles. He is conflicted if he should leave his kingdom to attend the wedding since so much is happening: Callum and Rayla aren’t back yet, Zubeia is still not in a good condition to be active again, and Viren is locked in the dungeons. Soren tells his king and friend not to worry and that he will handle the king’s concerns in his absence, especially with the imprisonment of his father Viren.
Soren then heads down to the dungeons to give his father his meal. Viren looks in a really poor state with his clothes worn and his beard growing, showing some time past since his imprisonment. Also, the former dark mage looks mournful enough that he wants to reconnect with the son he neglected and apologize for what he had done. However, Soren does not give his guilty father the time to talk and instead ignores him, since Viren’s crimes are immense and irredeemable due to how many were hurt and killed.
The process of Soren giving Viren his meals and ignoring his father happens daily. However, one time, Viren asks his son why he, a crownsguard, volunteers to bring him food when he could have another guard do it. The former dark mage believes there is more to Soren just volunteering to bring him food. Perhaps Soren wants to talk with his father but doesn’t have the strength nor the mercy to do so. Soren himself doesn’t know the reason but he assumes he just wants to see his “evil” father suffer. Viren admits he was a horrible father and an evil person who should not be redeemed for his crimes, and he admits he is proud that his own son is a better person. This somewhat warms Viren’s heart. Soren angrily does not accept his father’s kind words and just sees it as another form of manipulation. Viren is saddened by this and regrets the dark path he had chosen which tore his family apart.
A Fly Trapped in a Spider’s Web
Later, Viren has a nightmare of Aaravos’ quote of how Callum is a human mage, already tainted by darkness and destined to play right into his hand. However, Viren thought Aaravos was referencing him, not Callum. The former dark mage shouts and cries that he is free of the fallen Startouch Elf’s influence and that he will never be used in the future. However, it is too late as Viren is merely a fly trapped in the web of a spider, the web of Aaravos and his many schemes and deceptions. Anyone who meets, talks, or earns the trust of Aaravos is instantly part of his grand plan of escaping his prison, destroying the Startouch Elves, and creating chaos in Xadia. A plan for power, blood, and vengeance. Vengeance for what Aaravos had lost.
Rating: 9/10