The Ersatz Elevator review
The Vile Village review
The Hostile Hospital review
The Slippery Slope review
Dear Reader,
while the ending for the Baudelaires is drawing near, while they continue to suffer needlessly, there is no reason you need to suffer as well. I implore you to stop reading my reviews and to start imagining the Baudelaires living happily ever after. Ultimately, I do not know what fate befell the Baudelaires, but I like to think they had a happy ending. But in this evil, miserable world, is anything certain?
We are slowly building towards the end of A series of Unfortunate Events with this being the anteultimate episode. The end of the The Slippery Slope saw the Baudelaires hurtling down the Stricken Stream and being separated from new ally, and sweetheart of Violet Baudelaire, Quigley Quagmire. As they are cast off to sea and all hope seems lost, they are rescued by a VFD submarine called the Queequeg. To enter they must say a password which is their own name of Baudelaire.
They discover that the Queequeg is captained by the young Fiona Widdershins who Klaus instantly takes a liking to. Fiona is a well-read mycologist and is an obvious love interest for Klaus, which was why I found it a bit strange when Violet feuds with her. Violet is instantly distrustful of Fiona and is hostile toward her. Considering Klaus and Quigley had no such antagonism, I do find it odd that Violet and Fiona do. It seems like little more than a petty teenage drama to me.
Anyway, the Queequeg is crewed by Phil, who was the Baudelaires' relentlessly optimistic workmate in The Miserable Mill. His sheer enthusiasm for everything proved to be one of the episode's highlights. While he doesn't contribute too much to the story, he was some much needed light relief in a dark episode.
The feud between Violet and Fiona continues as they over their next steps. Violet wants to search for the Last Safe Place where VFD will be gathering, but Fiona wants to find the sugar bowl. She stresses that it is vital to VFD's plans, but refuses to explain why. Fiona wins and they locate the sugar bowl in a grotto underneath the ruins of a VFD laboratory. They set a course but are discovered by another submarine.
Meanwhile Count Olaf is having problems of his own. In the last episode, many of his henchmen left and he found himself cowering to new villains: The Man with a beard but not hair and the Woman with hair but no beard. Olaf's only allies include his gf Carmelita Spats and last-standing henchman the Hook-handed Man.
To continue their villainous deeds, they decide to rent a submarine using another tiresome ruse. They pretend they are a family with absolutely nothing to hide and with no villainous intentions. While this type of dialogue was funny at first, it has become tedious now. And it is also entirely pointless as it is revealed that the new villains have provided a submarine for Esme to captain. The fact they are favouring Esme over Olaf is just the first of the many fractures we are seeing in Olaf's plan. he is also very bitter towards the bratty Carmelita Spats and he continues to deride and bully the Hook-Handed man. Kitana Turnbull continues to shine as Carmelita, although her only role is that of an obnoxious brat, Turnbull plays her well. But most importantly while Esme is obsessed with finding the sugar bowl, Olaf wants the Baudelaire fortune.
The four of them crew the submarine where they encounter none other than the Baudelaires. They quickly catch them although Fiona stays hidden. But Esme discovers that the Baudelaires have found the location of the sugar bowl. They're sent into the grotto to retrieve the bowl. Meanwhile, the Hook-Handed man searches the Queequeg where he finds Fiona but keeps her whereabouts a secret.
The Baudelaires reach the grotto and see an imprint in the sand where the sugar bowl was. They see a staircase leading upwards and there is none other than Quigley Quagmire at the top, Having survived the end of the last book, he has retrieved the sugar bowl. But before the Baudelaires can reach him, the deadly Medusoid Mycelium mushroom waxes, cutting the two off. The friends are forced to separate. The Baudelaires return to the Queequeg, worried about what Olaf will say when he finds out they don't have the sugar bowl. But that proves to be the least of their worries, when they find out that Medusoid Mycelium has infiltrated the diving suit of the youngest Baudelaire.
Upon their return to Olaf's submarine, Olaf callously disregards Sunny's health and throws the Baudelaires in the brig. On the way, they find the Snow Scouts being forced to row. Although considering the last time we saw the Snow Scouts, they were being kidnapped from the top of Mount Fraught, so I'm not sure how they exactly got to the submarine. The Hook-Handed man arrives to torture the Baudelaires, but upon discovering Sunny's infection, he frees them and returns them to the Queequeg. When they become separated, the children create a distraction that frees the Snow Scouts and allows them to reach the Queequeg. They discover the cure is horseradish and while searching for the kitchen, they discover a birthday cake. Violet's birthday cake. This was a very nice reveal of a sweet moment.
While they can't find horseradish, they find a substitute in Wasabi. Sunny is cured. Although this obstacle was quickly overcome, it still created some dramatic tension. After this they receive a telegram telling them that the Last Safe Place is the Hotel Denouement. The telegram is sent by a mysterious JS. Just when the Baudelaires are preparing to leave, Fiona categorically says they have to wait. Wait for what? The Hook-Handed man who is revealed to be Fiona's stepbrother Fernald.
From here, we witness an interesting moral debate concerning VFD and the different sides of the schism. The Baudelaires claim that Fernald is a villain who has taken part in numerous evil schemes. And on top of this, he also burned down Anwhistle Aquatics laboratory. He has taken part in arson and joined the wrong side of the VFD schism. But Fiona hits back saying that Fernald saved Sunny's life. Fernald explains that he worked at Anwhistle Aquatics while his superiors were working on a mushroom so powerful, it could wipe out everybody. He destroyed it for the greater good. This is an obvious metaphor for the samples of anthrax and smallpox that we have locked away. If these samples were ever to escape, it would be the end of humanity as we knew it.
Furthermore, Fernald explains that he did a bad thing for a good reason. He argues that good and bad are not black and white. You get people who are neither entirely noble or wicked - people are a mixture of both. Even the Baudelaires who helped to burn down Caligari Carnival. Before the debate gets any deeper, Olaf catches them. Olaf realises that the Hook-Handed man helped the Baudelaires to escape. He tries to kill him, but Fiona trades the Medusoid Mycelium for his life and invites her to join him. She agrees to join Olaf. For her first task, she is ordered to take the Baudelaires to the brig. But instead she helps them escape, but refuses to abandon her brother. She and Klaus share a tender moment before they separate.
Olaf confronts Fernald saying he knows he lied about helping the Baudelaires escape. He threatens to kill Fiona, but Fernald gives up the location of the Last Safe Place in exchange for her life. They set course for the Hotel Denouement.
While trying to escape Olaf, the Queequeg is forced to surface at the very location where a Series of Unfortunate Events began, Briny Beach. There they find none other than Mr Poe, but also Kit Snicket. She quickly gains their trust and promises to take them to VFD. She reveals that through the help of Fiona and Quigley she was able to find them. The episode ends with her driving them to the Last Safe Place. But knowing this show, it is unlikely they will find any semblance of safety there.
VFD and cultural references
1. When the Snow Scouts are escaping, one of them decries Viva La Revolution.
2. When Klaus is studying the tidal charts, he discovers the Mediocre Barrier Reef.
3. The Last Safe Place is the Hotel Denouement. Denouement is a French word which here means the ending of a book where loose ends are tied up and the reader reflects on what they have learnt. It is appropriate here as we're nearing the end of the series.
4. Volunteer Factual Dispatch.
5. Viciously Fraught Dilemma.
6. Very Fancy Doctors.
Meanwhile Count Olaf is having problems of his own. In the last episode, many of his henchmen left and he found himself cowering to new villains: The Man with a beard but not hair and the Woman with hair but no beard. Olaf's only allies include his gf Carmelita Spats and last-standing henchman the Hook-handed Man.
To continue their villainous deeds, they decide to rent a submarine using another tiresome ruse. They pretend they are a family with absolutely nothing to hide and with no villainous intentions. While this type of dialogue was funny at first, it has become tedious now. And it is also entirely pointless as it is revealed that the new villains have provided a submarine for Esme to captain. The fact they are favouring Esme over Olaf is just the first of the many fractures we are seeing in Olaf's plan. he is also very bitter towards the bratty Carmelita Spats and he continues to deride and bully the Hook-Handed man. Kitana Turnbull continues to shine as Carmelita, although her only role is that of an obnoxious brat, Turnbull plays her well. But most importantly while Esme is obsessed with finding the sugar bowl, Olaf wants the Baudelaire fortune.
The four of them crew the submarine where they encounter none other than the Baudelaires. They quickly catch them although Fiona stays hidden. But Esme discovers that the Baudelaires have found the location of the sugar bowl. They're sent into the grotto to retrieve the bowl. Meanwhile, the Hook-Handed man searches the Queequeg where he finds Fiona but keeps her whereabouts a secret.
The Baudelaires reach the grotto and see an imprint in the sand where the sugar bowl was. They see a staircase leading upwards and there is none other than Quigley Quagmire at the top, Having survived the end of the last book, he has retrieved the sugar bowl. But before the Baudelaires can reach him, the deadly Medusoid Mycelium mushroom waxes, cutting the two off. The friends are forced to separate. The Baudelaires return to the Queequeg, worried about what Olaf will say when he finds out they don't have the sugar bowl. But that proves to be the least of their worries, when they find out that Medusoid Mycelium has infiltrated the diving suit of the youngest Baudelaire.
Upon their return to Olaf's submarine, Olaf callously disregards Sunny's health and throws the Baudelaires in the brig. On the way, they find the Snow Scouts being forced to row. Although considering the last time we saw the Snow Scouts, they were being kidnapped from the top of Mount Fraught, so I'm not sure how they exactly got to the submarine. The Hook-Handed man arrives to torture the Baudelaires, but upon discovering Sunny's infection, he frees them and returns them to the Queequeg. When they become separated, the children create a distraction that frees the Snow Scouts and allows them to reach the Queequeg. They discover the cure is horseradish and while searching for the kitchen, they discover a birthday cake. Violet's birthday cake. This was a very nice reveal of a sweet moment.
While they can't find horseradish, they find a substitute in Wasabi. Sunny is cured. Although this obstacle was quickly overcome, it still created some dramatic tension. After this they receive a telegram telling them that the Last Safe Place is the Hotel Denouement. The telegram is sent by a mysterious JS. Just when the Baudelaires are preparing to leave, Fiona categorically says they have to wait. Wait for what? The Hook-Handed man who is revealed to be Fiona's stepbrother Fernald.
From here, we witness an interesting moral debate concerning VFD and the different sides of the schism. The Baudelaires claim that Fernald is a villain who has taken part in numerous evil schemes. And on top of this, he also burned down Anwhistle Aquatics laboratory. He has taken part in arson and joined the wrong side of the VFD schism. But Fiona hits back saying that Fernald saved Sunny's life. Fernald explains that he worked at Anwhistle Aquatics while his superiors were working on a mushroom so powerful, it could wipe out everybody. He destroyed it for the greater good. This is an obvious metaphor for the samples of anthrax and smallpox that we have locked away. If these samples were ever to escape, it would be the end of humanity as we knew it.
Furthermore, Fernald explains that he did a bad thing for a good reason. He argues that good and bad are not black and white. You get people who are neither entirely noble or wicked - people are a mixture of both. Even the Baudelaires who helped to burn down Caligari Carnival. Before the debate gets any deeper, Olaf catches them. Olaf realises that the Hook-Handed man helped the Baudelaires to escape. He tries to kill him, but Fiona trades the Medusoid Mycelium for his life and invites her to join him. She agrees to join Olaf. For her first task, she is ordered to take the Baudelaires to the brig. But instead she helps them escape, but refuses to abandon her brother. She and Klaus share a tender moment before they separate.
Olaf confronts Fernald saying he knows he lied about helping the Baudelaires escape. He threatens to kill Fiona, but Fernald gives up the location of the Last Safe Place in exchange for her life. They set course for the Hotel Denouement.
While trying to escape Olaf, the Queequeg is forced to surface at the very location where a Series of Unfortunate Events began, Briny Beach. There they find none other than Mr Poe, but also Kit Snicket. She quickly gains their trust and promises to take them to VFD. She reveals that through the help of Fiona and Quigley she was able to find them. The episode ends with her driving them to the Last Safe Place. But knowing this show, it is unlikely they will find any semblance of safety there.
VFD and cultural references
1. When the Snow Scouts are escaping, one of them decries Viva La Revolution.
2. When Klaus is studying the tidal charts, he discovers the Mediocre Barrier Reef.
3. The Last Safe Place is the Hotel Denouement. Denouement is a French word which here means the ending of a book where loose ends are tied up and the reader reflects on what they have learnt. It is appropriate here as we're nearing the end of the series.
4. Volunteer Factual Dispatch.
5. Viciously Fraught Dilemma.
6. Very Fancy Doctors.
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