How do you solve a problem like Cupid without his arrows?
That was the big question on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 4, the series’ strongest outing yet.
The addition of Cupid upped the humor, and his storyline was like an allegory for where the world is in 2025 in terms of dating.
Apps like Tinder have fundamentally changed the dating game, so it was nice that The Librarians: The Next Chapter addressed it comically.
The last thing I expected was for Cupid to have a “thing” with Elaine because they’re opposites, but as The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 2 taught us, she’s lived many lives in her hundreds of years in the land of the living.
There’s so much we don’t know about Elaine, but we’re learning these little bits and pieces that are enhancing her backstory and giving us a more unambiguous indication of how she’s the way she is in the present.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Is Proving to Subvert Expectations
Aside from the Elaine-Cupid relationship bombshell, the case of the week was also a lot of fun.
Marie had all the makings of being a villain initially, but it was pretty obvious there was far more going on with her than met the eye.
On the one hand, she was cold as ice as she attempted to complete her mission with little regard for anyone getting in her way.
But on the other hand, someone as horrible as Guy would push the sanest of people to the brink of madness.
He was easy on the eyes, sure, but he was the WORST. Had the rest of the team not picked up on his rude comments and worldview, they may not have been able to help Marie out in the end.
Vikram turning to the dark side, albeit temporarily, is something that the series has hinted at already in his quest to get answers about Anya.
At least he was forced to work with Marie on her mission and didn’t willingly help her, but still, Vikram always has a sunny outlook on situations, so the heel turn for him was welcome.
Vikram’s brush with the dark side also forced Charlie, Lysa, and Connor to solve an entire case on their own.
That’s not to say I’m undermining their capabilities as a team.
Instead, we’ve watched them solve three so far together, so adding some jeopardy in the form of Vikram helping the person they were tracking down added an unpredictable edge to the episode.
Vikram’s Brush With Evil Changed a Lot for Him
Vikram has been searching for meaning since The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 1, when he was transported into the present from the 1800s.
I’ve already delved into the mental toll that must have taken on him, but I can’t shake the feeling he’ll be forced to contend with the dark side again.
Thanks to him learning how different the world is, he’s become pretty gullible, and that’s only natural when you consider his circumstances.
Had the case not taken the gang to Paris, how would Charlie have broken the spell of the arrow? While Elaine’s admission to Charlie about Anya’s grave site made it pretty evident that Vikram would wind up there at some point, I never considered that it would happen the way it did.
Charlie has been trying to be a do-gooder all season because she’s desperate to break free from being declared a failure.
When people have low expectations of you, it can rub off and make you struggle to break free from it.
In her quest to become a Guardian, Charlie hasn’t given herself much grace and constantly feels like she’s letting everyone else down.
She’s become so accustomed to following the rules for fear that she strays too far in the wrong direction that she expected a stern telling off from Elaine when she returned to the library.
The truth is, the resolution of the case could have spelled bad news for the team and their mission to locate the wave of magic rippling across Europe.
Charlie is Quickly Becoming My Favorite Character
Hopefully, this much-needed win will allow Charlie to take more risks, as she has learned a hard lesson that they can sometimes lead to big rewards.
It seems that she’s resigned to the fact that Jacob will reappear when their time runs out and will deem the mission a failure, but I’m getting the impression he’ll be proud of her actions thus far.
“And the Thief of Love” showcased that the team’s wins so far haven’t been based on luck and have been deeply rooted in the fact that everyone trusts each other.
They’re all forming an undeniable bond, and it would be a shame for their work together to end anytime soon.
Of course, we know that there are still eight episodes of The Librarians: The Next Chapter left this season and that work is already underway on another, but there’s every reason to believe things will change within the team, especially when Gregor reappears.
What are your thoughts on the case and Vikram’s villainous turn?
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Watch The Librarians: The Next Chapter Online
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 4 Scales New Heights With Humor and an Appearance From Cupid
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 4 features another fun case that pushes one team member to the dark side. Read our review.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 3 Excels With Timeless Love Story and Ambiguous Ending
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 3 features a love story and a game-changing cliffhanger. Read our review.
The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 2 Conjures Up a Compelling Mystery With Quite the Pay Off
A witch is on the loose on The Librarians: The Next Chapter Season 1 Episode 2 as Vikram questions everything. Read on!
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