A Throne of Our Own owes its prominence to the new reigning couple in Gallwood, since to a large extent this episode focuses on them and their personal setbacks when establishing an effective government tailored to their needs. Falista tries to maintain her composure and present herself as a non-bloody but firm queen, while Tobin, whose brain hasn't been sucked into death, doubts the position of power they occupy and the means used to sit on the throne. So we have a queen who wants to rule at all costs, and a king who would rather give her place to someone more capable. Understanding is not guaranteed, much less if we consider who the real advisers are. Tobin refuses to accept the co-governance of Two and Three with Falista, insofar as they are inferior in rank, although equal in possession of their kinjs. Thus, Tobin and Falista must not only deal with themselves in making decisions, but also with the two theocrats who discreetly try to manipulate them, as well as with a mob that only kneels out of fear and is actually loyal to Talon and Garret.
For those who have been brought up in the culture of honor, loyalty, and service to the greater good, magic and the supernatural belong to another world, so Falista and Tobin's ascension to the throne is more than illegitimate in the eyes of Garret, who, unable to contain himself, decides to take advantage of the physical proximity to the newly crowned sovereign to rise up and incite rebellion, although he fails trying to put the sword around her neck, since the powerful red kinj almost causes her vital organs to explode. Falista takes the opportunity to illustrate how insubordination is punished and the impulsive and naive captain soon kisses the cell bars again.
But the story doesn't end there. Tobin and Falista's new dilemma is now called Garret Spears, since the poor prisoner is recriminated even more faults than those actually he committed and even Two and Three try to convince Falista of how beneficial it would be for all of them to execute him. From there, king and queen trembl on a tightrope, given that the power of one kinj doesn't affect others who already have one. Falista is unable to coerce her magicians and, although her plans haven't been revealed for now, it's likely that in subsequent chapters we will know more about what these two are up to since, obviously, they're aware that the queen is very fickle. The interests of the four highest authorities of Gallwood don't pursue the same objectives and this will have consequences later.
What is clear is that this episode the central theme is loyalty. Who is loyal to whom, for what reasons and if loyalty means agreeing that the good justifies the means, questions on which many of the thoughts of our protagonists spin over. For Garret everything is summed up in that concept, in loyalty. Loyalty brings power, and he relies on Tobin's former loyalty to the late Gwynn and all that she symbolized to him, so he believes Falista and Tobin would never order his execution, and for that very reason he also advises Talon she gathers those who are still faithful to both of them. However, Talon is much more pessimistic, as she knows from experience that loyalty is a fragile glass vase, very easy to break when subjected to continuous external pressure. If she hasn't been arrested, it's just because she had no intention of claiming the crown herself, but a single misstep would mean facing the gallows again. Her friends are in serious danger too, and given the situation, she tries not to visit Garret too often who, on the other hand, seems comfortable with Luna as a fellow roommate, at least until this troublesome girlie is forgiven and released due to the unlikely fact she was sent precisely by Garret in order to kill Falista.
But the power of the new queen shouldn't be underrated, since the closure of the Nightshade tavern where Janzo, Munt and Warlita work means the prelude to the persecution of Talon's allies, who decides to concentrate on solving another of the season riddles: the strange behavior of the Lu Qiri and the divine visions of the newly awakened gods, as Wren reveals to Janzo that they are going to be parents.
Both plots become fleeting compared to the political goings-on and the Garret Spears affair. Janzo, who in the previous seasons lived his golden age as a doctor and scientist in charge of investigating the plaguelings and the contagious kinjs of the blackblood priestess, is now relegated to a very background, with fatherhood as a possible final horizon. Both he and Talon, who had always been such good friends, are now fighting on separate frontiers. Janzo has lost prominence and although he continues to be an essential character as Talon's support and continues to give us funny scenes and humorous moments, these lack of special importance for the main storylines, which now slide more towards Garret, Tobin, Falista, Talon and Zed , in that order. The first episode emphasized Talon's problem with the crown and Gallwood's interregnum, showing us the weaknesses of the stubborn warrior, who is no longer as unbeatable as she was presented to us. The series strives now more than ever to reflect her more human side and hints that her Asterkinj's powers aren't infinite when she tries to help her friends and do the right thing, which in the current situation consists of staying away from Garret to don't hint at a hypothetical conspiracy. Her position relative to Luna is identical. She can act as her supervisor and check out she doesn't get into trouble, but in secret.
Luna is an interesting character who is destined both to justify the existence of the order of the dragman women and to fit loose pieces of the puzzle of The Outpost. Luna is very much like Talon. The two girls have much in common, especially to the extent that Luna has traveled to the outpost for the same reasons that brought Talon to that place: revenge for the death of her sister Ilyin. However, Ilyin's murder was a blackblood, Rebb, while the ones who killed Talon's family were humans. What unites them is as different as what separates them, and although the two of them get along, their perspective of Gallwood society and culture is quite different. Luna is also a survivor, but, unlike Talon, she's willing to lie, steal, and kill.
Luna's idiosyncrasy fascinates Garret, who finds the tricky tavern girl amusing but lacking in honor and scruples. She doesn't care at all what others think about her, even if they misjudge her. Spears is a knight who has sworn vows of fidelity and loyalty, whose life has revolved around honor, the defense of truth and justice. Lying is for him a sin as ignominious as a crime against the majesty.
That's why Luna is such a curious character, because she's emerged to challenge the ideals of other important characters such as Garret, Tobin or Falista, who represent the nobility of the realm. Words or loyalty are worthless to Luna. It's just that, words. Even to Tobin Spears' mere oath of allegiance would be nothing more than a formalism, but to Garret the words must always have meaning.
The beginnings of the new dynastic stage in Gallwood begin between doubts and political ups and downs, with Garret Spears as the turning point between Tobin and Falista. The scene in which he goes to the dungeon to beg him to pledge allegiance to them is one of the most powerful and outstanding of this second episode, because to understand the relationship between them you have to go back two seasons. Garret cannot swear allegiance to a friend who is being manipulated by the traitors who murdered the royal family he had served, who were also responsible for kidnapping him and forcing him to being brainwashed, and murder his own father as a means of break all his family ties with the outpost.
Garret was once the Sword of the Three and he, better than anyone, is aware of the extent of the subtle manipulative tactics employed by The Three. Garret's story, his youth and his childhood, are intrinsically linked to the dictatorship of The Three. For his part, Tobin still owes his life to Spears, since if he and Talon hadn't infiltrated the capital, he would never have gotten rid of Yavalla's control. However, he also feels committed to Falista, since it is by her will that he's managed to return from hell. His dialogue with Spears affects him, and it shows in his doubts when he and Falista sit down for the first time in the new royal seatings she ordered. That may help ward off Gwynn's ghost, but the cloud of her memory is harder to eradicate. For Tobin, Garret and Gwynn are a lukewarm reflection of the past, echoing a memorable page of their existence, and that explains why he harbors doubts, doubts that Captain Spears has known how to sow and drive like tares into his guts: who is actually ruling Gallwood? Who is loyal to whom? Is his life really worth that of twenty servants loyal to his person? Is it legitimate to get the throne through magic and maintain it by instilling fear and imposing military force in the streets? Did Gwynn need to resort to such tricks to become a queen loved by her people?
Tobin frowns: the murder attempt last night reveals a possible conspiracy hatching in the recesses of Gallwood against the monarchy, but his architect cannot be Garret. His discussion has taken a toll on him and somehow protects him. For the first time, he realizes that Falista ends up giving ground to his two advisers. She complies with their proposals, and not the other way around, which makes him wonder if Garret was right. The red kinj has strengthened Falista morally but hasn't worked a miraculous transformation, as she's still an indecisive young woman, used to being dressed, served and escorted. It was always others who made the important decisions, and her inability means that, with each passing day, it's the magicians who gain more power for themselves. The matter takes an unexpected turn when Tobin is already in possession of Three's kinj, as his narrative evolution becomes unpredictable ... what will Tobin do? Will he remain loyal to Falista or will he think about the words Spears spoke to him? How will yellow kinj affect him as king? Only the time can answer that question.
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