Vagrant Queen Review: Nobody’s Queen (Season 1 Episode 3)
Elida comes up with a plan to rescue her mother while Amae and Issac are saved by the Winnipeg’s newest team member, Winniebot, on Vagrant Queen Season 1 Episode 3, “Nobody’s Queen.”
With their last mission to refuel a bust on account of cannibalistic karaoke fans (don’t you hate it when that happens?), team Winnipeg makes another refueling attempt on a new planet. They manage to get the gas but end up being kidnapped again, this time by the royal loyalists we met on Vagrant Queen Season 1 Episode 1, “A Royal Ass-Kicking.”
What’s most interesting about Elida’s storyline on “Nobody’s Queen” is the tension between who Elida was and who she is, or maybe more accurately, who she and the loyalists think she was and who she should be. Towards the end of the episode, Elida confides in Amae that the queen they all talk about seems like a different person.
To some extent that’s true. She’s not the same person she was when she left her kingdom. The scenes where Elida and Hath fly off-planet to meet with Clive are the perfect example of that tension.
She is in her element with these less than upright characters. Her “I got this” smirk and natural ease in the situation tell you all you need to know about what Elida’s life has been like since she last saw Hath.
In contrast, Hath is very much out of his element. His fish out of water energy next to Elida’s confident almost swagger are some of the funniest moments of the episode but also say a lot about who Elida has become when contrasted with the flashbacks of her childhood relationship with Hath.
As much as she’s changed since her time on the throne, those flashbacks also give viewers a chance to see that her rebellious nature and aptitude for leadership have always been there. She might not be as different from that little girl as she thinks she is.
Elida wrestles with the idea of being a leader. She keeps saying she doesn’t want to be a queen, and at the moment, that’s a rejection of any other kind of leadership too.
She rejects pleas for her to lead her people but keeps showing herself to be a capable leader, especially on “Nobody’s Queen” when it’s about saving her mother. She might not want a crown, but she might still be the leader people need once she figures out what that means for her.
From a plot perspective, the other big development on “Nobody’s Queen” is the introduction of Sterzaad and the revelation that the loyalists are trying to use this trip into Republic space, ostensibly to save Elida’s mother, to retrieve it.
A group of royal loyalists looking to possess a stone that controls people’s minds and was locked away because of it’s corrupting power? I’m going to go out on a limb and say that won’t end well.
I’m particularly anxious about the emotional blow to Elida when she finds out that Hath is in on the deception. I just hope Amae is there to help her pick up the pieces.
Even with all the important reveals and plot developments on “Nobody’s Queen,” my absolute favorite part of Elida’s story for this episode is watching how smitten she is with Amae, maybe without even realizing it yet. The way she keeps off-handedly wondering if she offended Amae is adorable and absolutely endearing.
I think when the series started I assumed that Elida would be the harder nut to crack in this ship but it might just be Amae. When Issac asks her about long term relationships, Amae’s response is simply that she loves people, but that rings a little incomplete.
Amae may, in fact, love people, but I think she also uses that idea as armor to keep people from getting too close and getting hurt. Amae suffered a lot of heartbreak as a child just like Elida and she protects herself much in the same way Elida does but her defenses might take longer to break down in the end.
While Elida is off with Hath, Issac and Amae have their own adventure.
The storyline with Issac and Amae almost feels like a different episode. The tone and the pacing are faster and more in line with the frenetic energy of the last episode, Vagrant Queen Season 1 Episode 2, “Yippie Ki Yay,” than the somewhat more serious tone of Elida’s story on this episode
Despite the truly creepy rodents that will haunt my dreams the same way the Rodents of Unusual Size from The Princess Bride did as a kid, Issac and Amae’s story is a fun excursion.
It’s great to see Amae and Issac spend some time together and bond. Even amongst all the running for their lives and gun batteries dying, we get some insights into both characters.
In the first two episodes, we are told bits and pieces about Issac and Amae’s past but mostly left to speculate about how that might inform who they are. On “Nobody’s Queen,” we see start to see little hints of the emotional toll their pasts have taken.
Amae’s rare fear when the town they are looking for parts in reminds her of the last days of her planet and Issac reminiscing about his wife and thinking about his child back on earth all start to show us their scars.
They don’t go too far down that road on “Nobody’s Queen,” but it’s nice to see those two bright, happy characters bring more vulnerable sides out of each other.
Let’s not forget the true hero of “Nobody’s Queen” though, Winniebot. After being rescued from the cannibals’ prison on “Yippie Ki Yay” the bot has gotten a few upgrades that include the ability to speak and a sassy new attitude that she uses when she comes to Issac and Amae’s rescue.
Perhaps my favorite comedic moment of Issac and Amae’s story is Winnie charging in only to be, temporarily, stopped by a log in the road. Who knew a prop could have such perfect comic timing.
Vagrant Queen hit the ground running with “A Royal Ass-Kicking,” and “Nobody’s Queen” continues that fast pace, moving the story along surprisingly quickly. Just three episodes in and the team are already on their way to rescue Elida’s mother.
There are still a full 7 weeks left in the season and a lot of secrets and twists yet to be revealed. I’m not sure where we’re headed after they get to Wix but I’m still excited to be on the ride.
What did you think of this episode of Vagrant Queen? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Vagrant Queen airs Fridays at 10/9c on SYFY.
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Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.