Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Season 3
Warning: This review contains SPOILERS for the first two seasons. Please see my previous review if you haven’t finished those.
Recap: Princess Bean of Dreamland is an irresponsible drunkard who’d rather be out roistering and perhaps adventuring than in her royal duty of entering an arranged marriage. With her renegade half-elf companion Elfo and personal demon (literally) Luci, Bean has nevertheless become Dreamland’s closest thing to a hero. The trio has endured great personal trauma and uncovered dark secrets, but the kingdom is still in danger.
At the end of last season, Bean and her friends were being burned at the stake for witchcraft when they were “rescued” by a new group of underground dwellers called Trogs, led by Bean’s estranged mother Dagmar. Meanwhile, King Zog’s near death in more ways than one, and there’s a traitor in the court!
After escaping from the first set of cliffhanger resolutions, it’s time for a return to the science-ruled city of Steamland. There is much peril there, but a few more romantic possibilities for Bean and Elfo (Luci’s stayed in Dreamland to keep tabs on the king.) And once our protagonists return, the kingdom must be defended against an attacking army. But which of Dreamland’s many enemies is it?
While everyone in the story remains some sort of jerk, and there’s a lot of backsliding/having to learn the same lessons over again, the plotline does require Bean to step up and take more responsibility. She starts to grow into a leadership role whether she wants to or not.
This season has more coherence than the previous ones, with each episode following semi-logically from the last along a general plot arc. It doesn’t feel like it’s wandering off in the woods as much. And Steamland as a concept is interesting, with an aesthetic I like.
On the other hand, there are some “comedy” bits that go on way too long, stopping episodes dead in their tracks, such as Bean’s simulated conversation with herself, or the honking noises King Zog makes as his already unstable personality deteriorates due to trauma. The throwaway gags are still good quality.
Season 3 ends on yet another cliffhanger as each of the main trio faces what appears to be certain doom. Most likely, Season 4 will be the last. (Maybe a couple of short movies to explore side stories would be nice.)
If you liked the first two seasons, you should enjoy this one as well…but can the series stick the landing?
