When Julia made a deal with The Beast, she thought that she would be able to get revenge on Reynard and go back to the life she knew. She would utilize The Beast’s power to destroy the symbol of the most traumatic moment in her life, drawing him in with his thirst for the blade she carries, and hope that the memories of her ordeal would die right along with him. However, as the two couldn’t immediately find Reynard, him being a trickster god and all, they’ve gotten to spend more time with one another, thereby complicating the cut-and-dry terms on which they were initially drawn together. Though The Beast alternates between being amused by Julia and curious about her potential for greatness, Julia has already been faced with the possibility of removing her Shade and, with it, losing her ability to feel the pain she still harbors from her encounter with Reynard.
On the next episode of The Magicians, The Beast continues trying to manipulate Julia’s psyche with the intention of turning her into a carbon copy of himself. He knows how powerful she can be and given how alone he’s been for decades, there has to be part of him that wouldn’t mind the company, especially if it’s with someone no longer burdened by a conscience or feelings of empathy. This time, he sets about planting seeds in Julia’s mind that the friends she’s working so hard to get back to aren’t hers anymore, that they’ve turned their backs on her as a result of her betrayal. Though Margo won’t exactly be giving Julia a warm welcome when they reunite, the group isn’t necessarily anti-Julia right now, not with Quentin as her staunch advocate and not when they know about what she’s been through. She could very easily work her way back into the group once her trauma becomes a more distant memory, but given how much physical and emotional distance there is between herself and the group, and given the type of influence that a motivated Beast can have, it might be difficult for her to resist the thought of removing her Shade and letting go of her trauma once and for all.
Elsewhere on The Magicians, Eliot struggles with the demands of being Fillory’s High King, while Quentin, Alice, Penny, and Margo return to Brakebills on a quest for a weapon.
The Magicians airs Wednesdays at 9:00 on Syfy.
Will The Beast succeed in getting Julia to destroy her Shade? What will it take for Eliot to adjust to his new life? Is the weapon, Quentin, Alice, Penny, and Margo are going after going to be the key to defeating The Beast?
