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raayllum · 10 months

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Now that we have the trailer, episode titles, and added context from the TDP shorts this season, I thought I’d take a stab at doing another season breakdown since there’s been so much updated information. Let’s dig in!

5x01 — Domina Profundis

The most likely episode to begin with a deep lore flashback, if any are going to, a la 3x01′s introduction with Sol Regem. This will probably involve Domina Profundis and perhaps her last goodbye to Zubeia after the death of the Empress broke her heart and she disappeared into the oceans. The scene of Ezran retrieving the Siren Stone from Zubeia’s antechambers at the Storm Spire are presumably a ‘missing’ scene from this episode as well, given that he’s with Soren and Corvus, so the group must have gone back to Katolis to pick up the later.

The first 4ish tracks from the soundtrack also likely belong to this episode.

29. The Beacon (1:44) — Ez, Corvus, and Soren lighting the Beacon to try and summon Domina Profundis. 30. Consequences of Magic (1:32) — Catching us up that Viren passed out for the general audience (hi end credits) and Terry and Clauda thinking about their next move. 31. I Haven’t Forgotten (3:41) — Could be Rayla going down to the dungeons for answers about her family and finding Runaan’s bow, as this is likely the only episode the whole gang will be remotely in Katolis for a while. It could also be inklings of Viren or Karim (Janai being very aware that her brother, while banished/exiled/jailed for now, is still out there.) This could also easily tie into Zubeia. 32. Seeking Answers (3:05) — Could possibly also be Rayla going down to the dungeons in Katolis and/or the kids having their “We need more info on Startouch elves” talk, and making a plan for Callum and Rayla to go to the Great Bookery of Lux Aurea.

While we know Ezran meets Domina Profundis, I would not be surprised if she says no to helping them and/or provides a dead end (her piece of the puzzle was given to the Empress, and has gone ‘missing’ since) and she retreats back into the waves, forcing Ez and Zubeia to consider other avenues.

5x02 — Old Wounds

Callum and Rayla, if they haven’t already, set out for Lux Aurea. Claudia reluctantly realizes that they can’t spend anymore time waiting for Viren to wake up, and that they have get moving, adjacent to these soundtrack titles.

33. Early Mornings (0:52) 34. My Most Eager Student (4:58) 35. Keep Moving (3:01)

Viren could be having this initial talks with Aaravos (in which case the student is Claudia) or it could be about him and Kpp’Ar in dream flashbacks. Early mornings / here could also easily be where Janai gives Amaya the sunforge blade as a gift.

Last but not least, this is almost definitely where Sol Regem and Karim meet / start to conspire, thanks to Sol Regem’s literal old wounds. Ez and Zubeia shortly travel to where the dragons congregate for his speech.

5x03 — Nightmares and Revelations

Almost definitively a big episode for Viren with his dark magic induced dreams, as well as Callum possibly having a nightmare while he and Rayla are on the road to Lux Aurea, resulting in the banther chase (threat in the forest). Terry and Claudia literally carrying Viren either has to come from this episode or the prior one, as it seems they make their ‘dream raft’ sooner rather than later in the season.

36. Threat in the Forest (2:30) 37. Dream Raft (2:43) 38. Calling the Dragons of Xadia (3:09) 39. In Your Dreams (1:55)

This is where the Rayla and Callum “Stargazing” clip would fit as well, before they get attacked by the Banther and have to flee into the night.

Last but not least, Ezran and Zubeia - likely fearing that without Domina’s help, they won’t be able to successfully beat Claudia to the prison - call upon the dragons of Xadia to instead help hunt her down and stop her along the way, resulting in the water dragon we see pictured a few times attacking her in the trailer (probably in the next episode).

5x04 — The Great Bookery

Callum and Rayla arrive in New Aurea and are taken to the Great Bookery with one less mount, aided by Amaya and Kazi, the latter of whom stays to do research with Callum (and possibly with Rayla, but unknown).

We also know thanks to the trailer and its backgrounds that Rayla tells Callum about the coins as well while they’re with the Sunfire elves, backed up by the according soundtrack titles:

41. To the Library (2:15) 42. Stay Safe (2:17) 43. Father and Daughter (1:37) 44. Like Aunt, Like Nephew (2:46) 45. We Can Help Them (2:26) 46. We Fight (2:59) - the Big Fight scene that’s featured in the numerous trailers, with Amaya, Callum, and Rayla 47. Rescue at the Great Bookery (4:04)

Zubeia saves Callum, Rayla, and Amaya from the corrupted banthers at the Great Bookery. (If you look closely, you can see the banthers actually falling down to the right of the screencap.)

5x05 — Archmage Akiyu

The gang reunites and pools together what they’ve found, resulting in the location of the prison and knowing who to find next (and where) in Archmage Akiyu, who is probably masquerading around as Tidebound Tina to be left the fuck alone (and to gauge anyone who may come calling for the information she has). This is when they have to go under the shells and follow the old Tidebound lady further. If Zubeia is having a dragon political plot line, this would be a good time to develop it, as well as Janai and Amaya dealing with the aftermath of whatever the hell’s happening in Lux Aurea.

Tina, either this episode or the next, leads to the kids to some kind of bioluminescent cave (maybe they passed some kind of ‘good intentions’ test) and unveils her staff and true identity as Akiyu.

The kids either stay here for an ep or one of the ending scenes is where Callum and Rayla have a bit of ‘pool date’ (for lack of a better term - take note of the bucket in the background, and Rayla is smiling briefly before hand, so it certainly seems safe) even if it doesn’t end well.

Given the context of Ezran’s short story and his complicated feelings about Runaan, I wonder if it’s some kind of disagreement surrounding the situation of Ez, Runaan, and the coins.

Soundtrack:

48. A Magical Prison (2:14)

5x06 — Bait and Switch

Akiyu, perhaps, has the location of the prison, and clues to where the final piece they need is: some sort of treasure taken from the Empress by the motley pirates who slayed her, and currently in Captain Finnegrin’s grasp in Scumport.

I can also see this being another big episode for Viren, realizing that Claudia is now the one Aaravos is after rather than himself, and it’s been “a bait and switch” if you will. Viren possibly finally wakes up after being passed out for 2/3rds of the season, his dream visions to an end.

Also Bait possibly being used as Bait, and Scumport being a place where Rayla can act as a quasi guide.

5x07 — Sea Legs

The kids make their way to Scumport after Rayla leads them to the ferry with a Charon-like figure and her Finnegrin’s Favour coin to prove it.

49. Welcome to Scumport (1:00) 50. Times Are Changing (2:21) 51. Blood Moon Rises (1:30)

It could also have a double meaning if the kids have already been doing some sailing between places and thanks to the promo poster with the octopus/squid (sea legs indeed).

Karim has either enlisted Kim’Dael (if Zubeia put an end to Sol Regem’s involvement) as another attempt to wedge dissent in his sister’s kingdom, or hearing of the unrest, Kim’Dael has come to make herself known. This may also tie into Claudia’s ‘blood moon’ quasi-vision (symbol?) scene that an awakened Viren seems to witness.

52. If You Kill Me Now (1:59) - Kim’Dael and Karim or a Callum and Rayla conversation? 53. The Wounded Return (2:13) - the survivors of Kim’Dael’s attack going back to Janai and Amaya with grave news

While in Scumport, the kids steal whatever they need from Finnegrin’s tower, complete with Ezran finally getting to go down another zippy-line-thingy.

They’ve either teamed up with Nyx (who seems to be comandeering her own ship) before as an exit strategy, or as a spur of a moment thing. The pirates pursue.

5x08 — Finnegrin’s Wake

The pirates catch up to them, even with sky magic speed boosts, and Callum possibly gets in a brawl with Finnegrin’s ‘first mate’ (?) Deadwood, who we see in Ch2 of Chasing Shadows is basically unbeatable. This leads to his injuries (the black eye and scrape on his face) although how and why we don’t know. Fingers crossed it’s fucked up and for Rayla (who has possibly stolen from him in the past) bc I can dream. Callum is seemingly made to summon lighting per Finnegrin’s command (notice the sleeve and the fulminus rune) to maybe lure in Domina Profundis, since it seems she has a male Tidebound rival, and Finnegrin is the one male Tidebound elf we’ve been introduced to (and if he benefitted from the Empress’ death, that’d certainly fit).

54. To Kill an Archdragon (3:03) 55. Not Yours to Give (4:50) - Aaravos magic related flashback? Kim’Dael, Karim, and Janai standoff because Karim can’t free her and Janai is still the rightful heir? 56. Deadwood Deserves Dignity (3:03) 57. Captain of a Crustacean (2:04)

Captain of a Crustacean seems like another reference to Finnegrin, although why it’s being emphasized now, I have no clue. Deadwood Deserves Dignity seems like a funeral, to me (as well as ‘wake’ meaning like in the wake of waves you’re leaving, or a funeral wake) so it’s possible that whatever Callum does here also kills some people. If the pirates were trying to kill Domina, ‘to kill an archdragon’ would fit in nicely, even if she will most likely come in and save the kids when all their boats get blown to splinters.

5x09 — Infantis Sanguine

Means “Blood of a Child” with a lot of possible options and primal/deep magic implications (“the lost child” referring to both Claudia and my little man, Sir Sparklepuff; Ezran and Zym being literal children; Aaravos deriding the whole dragang as “pathetic children”; Elarion being labelled “a black-eyed child” after Aaravos ‘gave’ magic to it/her). None of it’s good.

58. Zubeia’s Dream (2:54) 59. The Sea of the Castout (4:00) 60. The Prison Should Be Here (3:25) 61. Underwater Showdown (1:41) - hopeful mage fight between Callum and Claudia + everyone else 62. Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise (3:07) - is not a good thing, for reasons I will reaffirm below

S5 will likely end with Aaravos out, the Moon possibly but probably not freed, Janai’s kingdom in shambles and handed over to her brother, and a good deal of extra angst (Viren defecting and alive against his will? Claudia snapping? Other injuries for the main kids) for good measure, because

1) Nothing good in this show ever happens at dawn (Sarai and the queens of Duren’s deaths, Callum’s possession, the moonstone path disappearing, etc). 2) Love you season long Karim’s metaphor hold out

3) The humans huddled together, scarcely daring to breathe, awaiting the rise of the sun. And when the long, dark night had finally passed—for the sun must always rise, mustn’t it?—they gazed out upon an unfamiliar landscape. —TDP Reflections: Ripples

Conclusion

As always some of this is inevitably wrong / going to be shuffled around further, and while it may feel like a lot has been revealed, it only just makes me more curious for everything we don’t know as there are still plenty of gaps and all sorts of ways things could go horribly, terribly wrong for our favourite characters in the best of ways. And I cannot wait to see how the season turns out and what’s wrong and what’s right in just under a week!

#tdp #tdp meta #the dragon prince #tdp spoilers #s5 spoilers #arc 2 #s5 #s5 speculation #predictions #analysis series #analysis #trailer #tdp shorts

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