Eyes of Wakanda Season 1 Review – A realm of possibilities, but little time to develop them
Episode Guide
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
In recent years, Marvel have given birth to a series of animated projects, such as What If…? and X-Men '97, creating a new pool of possibilities and stories. The latest one of this batch is Eyes of Wakanda, created by Todd Harris, a storyboard artist for the company. And it feels exactly like that: a breath of fresh air filled with possibilities.
The show follows special warriors responsible for secret missions rescuing Wakandan artifacts from outside their nation. While the first episode explains this concept, the rest center almost exclusively on the hunt for these objects. What makes the episodes even more interesting is that all of them happen in different periods.
Eyes of Wakanda's first advantage is that it can be part of the MCU, but also a standalone project. The necessity of every Marvel movie having to be connected and address continuity has been a constant critique of fans for a few years now. So, it's great getting to watch something without worrying about how it relates to past events or how it'll change the future of the universe.
We can see how this change is important to fans because Fantastic Four: First Steps is being praised for the same reason. Let's hope this indicates that Marvel is understanding what viewers want to see.
As each Eyes of Wakanda episode focuses on a different person and artifact, the characters aren't all that interesting. But that isn't what the show is about. It's much more about what being a War Dog means and the sacrifices they make for their country, and it excels at that.
Even though you hardly care about B'kai, it's hard not to relate to his struggle at the end of episode 2. After being away from Wakanda for so long, the place he longed to return to, he feels like an immigrant. As a War Dog, he can't see any place as his home anymore.
Nonetheless, there's one character who steals the scene with her charisma and skills. She's Jorani, the Iron Fist. Episode 3 has an incredible introduction to the character's myth, and Jorani easily proves she's worthy of the mantle.
The fight scenes in episode 3 surpass all expectations. They're fluid, intense, smart, and, most of all, fun. It features a fight in an artifact room, which will constantly keep you with the silliest smile on your face. The characters use all kinds of weapons to get an upper hand, and I just wish it could have gone on for longer.
The last episode is the only one that's significantly weaker, as it lacks stakes and feels somewhat rushed. Still, it's nice how it connects the sacrifices the War Dogs make to an important character growth instead of something bad or sad as usual.
But the series's biggest problem is its length. It's easy to imagine how it could have had way more episodes featuring recurring characters and more artifacts. However, when you're getting more excited about the plot, it ends abruptly.
It does tie its story nicely, but it lacks the impact that only a longer length could give it. You don't have enough time to get attached to the characters or the beautiful visuals of Wakanda. Characters, such as B'kai, could easily be in two or more episode arcs, which would also make them deeper and more likable.
Eyes of Wakanda proves in only 4 episodes that it has the potential to be much more and grow into something even better. But don't let that take you away from the great story it tells in that short time.
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