Second Citadel - The World to Come (Part 2) is an episode of the Penumbra Podcast in the Second Citadel series. It is the 13th Second Citadel episode of season 5 and the 25th overall episode.
Overview[]
Above, a cataclysmic war to determine the fate of the Universe; below, an adventure deep into the bowels beneath an undersea palace; all while a traitor leads the enemy onward... and forces our heroes to make a terrible choice.
Trigger Warnings[]
- Military action
- Gunfire and weaponry
- Sudden loud noises
- Death and injury
- Violence and threats of violence
- Violence and significant harm towards children
- Deception
- Abuse of authority
- Body horror
- Self-harm/self-destruction
- Fire
- Sexism and xenophobia
Episode Summary[]
Olala and Caroline must journey to the undersea palace in order to retrieve Saint Ferdinand's slingshot. To do this they must make it across a raging battlefield with the Off-Worlders fighting against the human and monster armies. Marc and Talfryn arrive on Dampierre to help them get through, saying that Sir Lamorak had changed his plan. They also tell them of the new weapons the Off-Worlders have, including smaller faster aeroplanes, and metal carts with cannons on them. Olala transforms into a deer with the injured Caroline on her back. They only have half an hour before the climate changes to one with an ocean, blocking off their entrance. They travel past many fighters, like Queen Mira commanding her troops, fire eater bulls, and Lord Arum riding a wyvern. They bump into Angelo and Ale on the way, and Ale helps them out with his dryads. Angelo and Caroline share a heartfelt conversation where Angelo swears not to die. Angelo instructs Olala to transform into an albatross, and he tosses her and Caroline as hard as he can toward the Undersea Palace, where Lam is waiting for them
They enter the palace, remarking that it seems to have been abandonded for centuries. They retrieve Saint Damien's spear and Saint Aaron's hammer from their hiding space. Olala suddenly gets a feeling like she's been here before, and her gut points her toward a random wall. The Thoughtstream also activates and points her at the wall. They dig it out and see that behind it is another corridor with ankle deep water in it. They hear the Off-Worlders coming down the hallway they entered through. They hurry down the corridor, with Olala taking the form of a giant heron with Lam and Caroline on her back.
They reach a crawlspace, and shove the Saints' weapons ahead of them before starting to crawl through themselves- before they can, however, the Off-World army catches up to them, with The Hand leading them and Captain Absolon in tow. The Hand points a gun at them, and nicks Lam's ear with a bullet. Lam remarks that Absolon looks pretty banged up, and has his hands bound. Lam manages to egg on The Hand enough to demonstrate what their weapons can do, and he orders his men to untie Absolon and gets him to run before he shoots him dead. While this happens, Lam talks to Caroline and Olala and tells them to hurry through the crawlspace no matter what happens. Olala can tell what is about to happen, and pleads with him not to. Lam looks to Caroline, who agrees to take care of Olala.
As The Hand turns his attention back to them, he sees Lam crouched over Absolon's body, where he takes out his sword. This summons Reaper Kestrel, who promptly wins her and Lam's duel and slowly begins to transform into a more monstrous form. Before she does, Lam asks her a question and makes a request, which she agrees to indulge. His question is of whether she recognized Olala on the mountaintop, which she confirms to be the case. She recognized Olala from an age before the Saints, and possibly an age older than that. His request is that she give the Off-World soldiers hell, which she laughs and agrees to. Before he is torn to pieces, he says to Posidonia's pearl that he'll see her soon.
Cast and Crew[]
Cast[]
- Stewart Evan Smith as Sir Lamorak
- Marge Dunn as Olala
- Anjimile as Ale
- M Stuherland as Angelo
- Stefano Perti as Marc
- Noah Simes as Lord Arum
- Jason Mellin as Talfryn
- Leslie Drescher as Caroline
- Melissa Ennulat as Rilla
- Kat Buckingham as Queen Mira
- Alexander Stravinski as Captain Absolon
- Matthew Zahnzinger as Damien
- Benny W. Farr IV as The Hand
- Eleanore Cho Fellerhoff as Reaper Kestrel
Crew[]
- Ginny D'Angelo as Head of Merchandise and Outreach
- Melissa DeJesus as Script editing team
- Harley Takagi Kaner as Co-creator, Head of Episode Development, Director and Sound designer
- Joelle Kross as Transcriptionist
- Noah Simes as Production manager
- Grahame Turner as Script editing team
- Kevin Vibert as Co-creator, Head of Operations, Lead writer
- Ryan Vibert as Composer and performer of original music
- Jeff Wright as Graphic designer
Quotes[]
MARC: You, uh, said you had a plan? But that was less a plan and more, y’know, a series of theological revelations that should probably shake our society down to its core. So, y’know, useful, but not exactly what we’re looking for right before a battle to save the Universe.
CAROLINE: This is war, Olala. You’ll have to let go of the fantasy that every one of us is going to make it through this alive. OLALA: But... it’s so horrible. They didn’t do anything wrong. And now they could just... die? CAROLINE: You grew up in a garden of death. You know that death is a natural extension of life. OLALA: There’s nothing natural about those machines. I...
... I hate them. I’ve never wished death on anyone but Galahad, but every human that holds one of those weapons or drives one of those machines, I hate them for what they’re doing to us.
CAROLINE: You are not alone in that, Olala. I do not hold the lofty ideals of Damien, or even Angelo. If Sir Lamorak did not have such a compelling argument to the contrary, I would take those Saints’ relics myself and reduce every one of their machines to scrap.
CAROLINE: We’ve already discussed this. You are needed on the battlefield, Angelo. And I will not leave Olala’s side. OLALA: Caroline... CAROLINE: Don’t you start. For years now I have promised to protect you, and that is just what I plan to do.
This injury is not so terrible. And even if it were, I would never give Absolon the satisfaction of killing me.
(PANTING)
LAMORAK: Did you... just shapeshift into yourself, but with muscles? OLALA: Yeah. So? LAMORAK: Nothing, it’s just... wild how you can get used to anything, I guess.
LAMORAK: When we were on your mountain... you kept staring at Olala. It was almost like... TENGU: I recognized her? I do. From an age long past. Before even your Saints. And perhaps another age earlier still. I do not remember. Even my memory grows hazy with time. If I said nothing it is because I did not see how it would help you. But she is very impressive — and she has never done so well as she does now. Not that I can recall. LAMORAK: That’s good to hear. TENGU: And your favor? Speak quickly. I hunger. LAMORAK: Those soldiers over there. Just... give ‘em hell for me before you go. TENGU: It would be my great pleasure. LAMORAK: Hang on, Posidonia. I’m coming.