Season 7, Episode 4, titled “Unfinished Business,” directed by George Samilski and written by Devon Giehl & Iain Hendry, continues the Netflix series The Dragon Prince. This episode follows Rayla as she confronts her past mistakes from Season 1, while Aaravos imparts a dark lesson to Terry, illustrating the moral complexities of a world filled with shades of gray.

The central theme of this episode revolves around regret. Regret stems from the choices we wish we had or had not made, creating an emptiness within our souls that can only be healed by finding peace with our past. However, this is never easy, as the scars of past decisions keep our regrets alive until we muster the strength to overcome them. This theme applies to both Rayla and Aaravos: Rayla faces her guilt over the deaths of her fellow Moonshadow Elf assassins in Season 1 and seeks redemption, while Aaravos demonstrates a darker form of regret, using a mother bird’s sacrifice to teach Terry a cruel lesson about the lingering impact of unfinished business.

The Family Hug

Callum (Jack DeSena), Rayla (Paula Burrows), and Runaan (Jonathan Holmes) arrive at the Silvergrove, where Runaan joyfully reunites with his husband Ethari (Vincent Gale). However, their tender moment is interrupted when Ethari reveals that Rayla is ghosted by the Moonshadow Elves. This revelation becomes more painful as Rayla admits she has not tried to regain acceptance due to her regrets. She blames herself for the mission’s failure to assassinate King Harrow, which resulted in Runaan’s capture and the deaths of the other Moonshadow assassins.

Despite Rayla’s self-blame, Runaan and Ethari convince her to participate in the Ritual of the New Moon, a challenging rite overseen by Moonshadow Elf mage Keeper Lyrennus (Lee Majdoub). They journey to the Well of the Forgotten, where Rayla confronts her past by making peace with her fallen comrades and Runaan. However, one final reconciliation remains: Keeper Lyrennus himself.

Lyrennus, the father of Ram—one of the assassins who died during the mission—holds Rayla responsible for his son’s death. Although he initially refuses to forgive her, Rayla’s heartfelt plea leads him to confront his own grief and find peace. In the end, Lyrennus forgives Rayla, allowing her to rejoin the Silvergrove as one of its people once more, no longer a ghost.

Aaravos’ Dark Deed

Aaravos (Erik Dellums) and Terry (Benjamin Callins) discover a magical mother bird connected to the star primal. Aaravos sees the bird as a key to opening a doorway to the In-Between, a realm for souls with unfinished business. In a chilling demonstration, Aaravos kills the mother bird, explaining that her final thoughts will be of her hatchlings, whom she believes she failed to protect. Her regret over leaving her young alone ensures her spirit remains tied to the mortal plane, allowing Aaravos to use her as a vessel in a sacrificial ritual to access the In-Between.

Terry is horrified by Aaravos’ cruelty and accuses him of deception through half-truths. Aaravos dismisses Terry’s concerns, revealing that Claudia (Racquel Belmonte) has been deeply manipulated, both by Aaravos and herself, without fully understanding the darkness of her actions. Aaravos recounts the truths they have concealed from Terry, such as their inability to read the magical map due to a lack of purity and the grim reality that the Garden of Innocents is a graveyard for unicorns.

Determined to break free, Terry decides to leave the group and confronts Claudia about his decision. Aaravos, having anticipated this, manipulates the situation so Claudia becomes entirely dependent on him. Secretly, Aaravos prefers that someone as innocent as Terry does not endure the vile missions ahead. In a final act of defiance, Terry rescues the two bird hatchlings, vowing to raise and protect them in place of their lost mother.

Rating: 9/10