When I asked for more scenes with Mrs. Astolat, I was hoping that she’d be actively participating in the mission.
Nevertheless, her hunt for Merlin leads to Melk, where real-life television presenter Josh Gates opens the seal on the demon Alû’s prison, which causes everyone within the town’s borders to fall asleep and share a dreamscape.
So she spends most of “And What Dreams May Come” asleep, a state in which the centuries she’s been immortal might catch up and kill her. Not cool.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter “And What Dreams May Come”
The overarching theme of The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 has been facing one’s fears, specifically naming them, sharing them, and, thus, disarming them.
The season premiere, The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 1, “And the Burning Heart,” introduced the idea that each team member struggles with their own deep-rooted fear.
And here, the first scene in the Annex on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 11, “And What Dreams May Come,” summarizes each of their fears, tying them to specific adventures.
Fear Itself
Charlie’s fear of being unable to save the people she is meant to protect was realized in The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 9, “And the Toy Phone.”
On The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 7, “And the Monkey’s Paw,” Lysa had to relive the trauma of losing her parents when the artifact granted her wish to see them again. (Yes, it was so that she could find closure, but it was still triggering.)
Connor’s greatest fear is to have his intelligence and mental stability called into question. Much of that stems from his academic background and former life as a university lecturer and professor.
On The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 6, “And Descartes’ Dilemma,” he came face-to-face with his ex, Dr. Simone Newman, who resented him for ruining her career with his obsessive pursuit of occult theories.
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In addition, on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 4, “And the Recipe for Disaster,” his fear of being considered crazy made him a target for a pair of angst-hungry demons.
Finally, sharing a correspondence-based adventure with Anya via the Library’s copy of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre turned Vikram’s fear of always being alone and never belonging up to 11.
That tenuous communication with Anya on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 10, “And the Heart of a Librarian,” served to sharpen the pain of their space-time separation.
(Keep in mind that pain nearly destroyed history altogether on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 10, “And Going Medieval,” when he tried to time travel back to be with her.)
Merlin’s Machinations
So when Merlin summons them to a town in a magical sleep — allegedly to save Mrs. Astolat — of course they go running, only to be trapped in fear-fuelled nightmares.
But should they have? Really? I mean, it’s Merlin.
As it turns out, no, they shouldn’t have.
Yes, Alû is crazy dangerous and no small threat to humanity, but Merlin manipulated it all to place a powerful magical artifact, Reverie’s Torque, in Vikram’s hands, one step towards making him Merlin’s new Arthur.
He knew that Vikram would use it to bind Alû again. Knowing that, he planted the idea that the power of the torque over dreams would allow Vikram to “fix” what was wrong with the world.
Furthermore, he tempts Vikram with the theory that dream logic transcends time and space, sparking the image of Anya once again in Vikram’s mind.
Making the Dream Work
“And What Dreams May Come” is very much a Vikram hero story.
The other team members do their best to overcome their nightmare challenges, but it’s Vikram who solves the puzzle, realizes that they’ve all been asleep the whole time, and identifies Merlin as the real antagonist.
Vikram dreamwalks into the others’ nightmares, learning, to comedic effect, how each of them perceives him, and pulling them together geographically to win the encounter with Alû.
He also extends a hand of forgiveness and offers Merlin a chance to redeem himself when the others still view the former wizard with suspicion.
And Merlin just can’t resist pushing his luck, can he?
Making Predictions
Where will Merlin and Vikram take their conflict to next? Will Reverie’s Torque provide the power Merlin needs to realize his own dreams, or will it be another nightmare scenario?
While I haven’t necessarily loved the Sunday-Monday drops of new episodes because it feels like we’ve rushed through the season, I’m happy not to have to wait a week to see how this finale event concludes.
In the meantime, Fanatics, let’s give Callum McGowan props for taking on the various Vikrams as he dream-hopped among his teammates’ nightmares.
Vote in the poll below for which version you enjoyed most! And please pop your most outrageous thoughts and theories into the comments before the season finale! Let’s chat!
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The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 11 Review: How The Dream Begins
On The Librarians: The Next Chapter “And What Dreams May Come,” Merlin summons the team to fight a literal nightmare demon. Read our review!
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The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 10 Review: And the Heart of a Librarian
Space and time make way for love when Anya discovers a plot in her era and sends a message to Vikram and the team for help. Read our review!
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The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 2 Episode 9 Review: And the Toy Phone
Jacob & Cassie have Charlie’s back when she takes on a Boogeyman on The Librarians: The Next Chapter “And the Toy Phone.” Read our review!
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