The Outpost Review: Someone Has To Rule (Season 4 Episode 1)

As The Outpost Season 4 Episode 1, “Someone Has To Rule,” begins, we find the village still mourning the loss of their wonderful queen. With Gwynn’s brave and selfless act, she has left them all with a hole in their hearts and an empty throne. 

Janzo and Talon are shown with the most somber of looks, but Garret’s sadness appears more convoluted. He is preoccupied with the question of who should rule in Gwynn’s place. He thinks he knows the answer, but things aren’t as simple as he believes.

When Season 3 ended, the people of The Outpost asked for Talon to become their new leader. No immediate answer was given, so we had to wait several months in anticipation of the answer. While it seemed like an eternity for us, the decision seems to have weighed even more heavily on Talon.

Talon is a great warrior, a trusted friend, and a respected colleague. But is that all it takes to become queen? Talon doesn’t seem to think so.

When Talon thinks back to her best friend, she remembers all the wonderful things she did. Gwynn united the people in ways very few rulers can. She gave them hope at their bleakest moments, and she knew exactly how to rally the troops in times when they were most needed. 

Talon doesn’t see herself as very similar to Gwynn at all. Talon looks at her faults while comparing them to Gwynn’s strengths. 

Wow, how often do each of us do this to ourselves?

We see somebody with better hair, a more excellent fashion sense, and a smooth demeanor playing the part of Joe Cool in every way. We believe that they got it all together, while we have nothing going for us. My hair is greasy, my jeans are ripped, and I stutter during awkward conversations. 

Just like Talon, we are doing a disservice to ourselves. We are comparing someone’s outside appearance with how we feel internally. The truth is, we have no clue about the doubts this other person is harboring.

Their well-shellacked appearance might just be a costume to cover up all their shortcomings.

Talon is forgetting the several times that Gwynn lacked decisiveness. The occasions when Gwynn acted on emotion, rather than justice. Even the instance when she threw Janzo into prison.

Of course, Gwynn typically saw the light in each of these situations and corrected herself, but Talon also has that ability. Even though she doesn’t see it herself, Talon would make a great and just queen over The Outpost.

Repeatedly, Garret tries to coerce Talon into taking the position, but each time he is outwitted through Talon’s use of logic and plain old stubbornness. 

It isn’t until an off-topic conversation with Wren does Talon see the truth about herself. Talon, although different from Gwynn in many ways, shares her selflessness. 

How many countless times has Talon run into a battle without any thought for her safety? How often has she put her feelings aside to better all the people of The Outpost? The answer is apparent in nearly every episode for the last three seasons.

Talon simply puts other people first. Gwynn did this as the queen, but Talon does it out of the kindness of her own heart — without authority. This alone would make her a great ruler. 

Once she sees this truth, she decides to take the crown and all of its responsibilities. Unfortunately by then, it is too little, too late.

Wren finds herself in a very similar situation to Talon.

After her mother’s death, the Blackbloods are now left without a high priestess. Unlike Talon, Wren is the next of kin for this position, and her people seem unwilling to take no for an answer. 

Wren being a pursuer of science feels less than adequate to follow in her mother’s footprints. She has little to no interest in the mystic powers or gods her mother spoke of.

Although very similar to Talon’s dilemma, this side of the story is approached with a lighter touch. Adding in humor, where Talon included seriousness, is a nice contrast.

Zed: You don’t have a choice, it is in your blood.

If the laughs weren’t included, I feel the similarities would be annoying and too coincidental. Simply sharing the two sides of the same coin, but through different lenses makes everything more digestible without being too preachy.

As a season opener, this episode works great!

We have all of our favorite characters on-screen, giving us little tidbits of where they have been since we have last seen them. Each one of them sticks to their personas, including Janzo’s lovable awkwardness and Talon’s passion for the people of The Outpost.  

It is quite believable that the main cast has lost a great friend and leader, especially Garret who seems hellbent on honoring Gwynn’s sacrifice. 

Besides just catching up with a group of friends, we also get a slew of newly unraveling drama with The Three, Falista, and the newly awakened gods. 

The tension is already thicker than oil, and I have a feeling we are just getting warmed up. Deciphering which problem will boil over first is nearly impossible, but it doesn’t matter all that much since each predicament has a sense of urgency. 

New viewers may be a little lost in some of the situations, but I feel there is enough here to entice them to either continue watching or play catchup. 

No matter who you are, these 42 minutes are a delectable treat fulfilling your sense of adventure with battles, humor, and villainy. What isn’t there to love about The Outpost?

What did you think of this episode of The Outpost? Which story arc do you find most exciting? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Outpost airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.

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