Media Essays: The Dragon Prince Season 5 Rewrite

Written by The Wandering Fox

Hello my fellow Dragons, Rayllum fellas, elf simps, and I’m back, yes, the Wandering Fox is back with another essay on The Dragon Prince, and yeah, you guessed it, it’s an essay of negativity….lol, not really.

The Dragon Prince’s 5th season was released a week early and I watched it. I thought it was better than Season 4, though I still have some gripes with it. I LOVED the Rayllum stuff going on, the flashbacks Viren had was done well, Callum is being a badass, Amaya is being a badass, and the Sea Legs was a ship I found myself enjoying. I didn’t like the humour, I mean, joking about poop? Poop?! C’mon. Or Claudia wiggling her bum in front of her dad, what!? Karim is still annoying, Kim’dael and Nyx didn’t have to be there, Ezran has still kept out of Katolis, and they finally tell us Harrow is in Pip!? Now!?

I had a lot of gripes with Season 5, and while it is much better than Season 4, there’s still lots of problems Through the Moon caused which didn’t need to happen. Callum and Rayla can work just fine if Through the Moon didn’t happen, we still don’t have any idea what’s happened to the other human kingdoms. And Finnegrin was introduced in a short story which made him quite a character to be fearful of, but he’s defeated after Soren manages to convince Deadwood to betray him? And said short story, though good, had Rayla give up looking for Viren because she didn’t want to be Rayla the Moonshadow elf anymore but Rayla the hero…

You might recall I did a rewrite of Season 4, and I did have an outline for my season 5, but after watching Season 5 I am editing it to include a few characters from Season 5, Finnegrin, Tidebound Tina, and Terry will be introduced here. Ibis was killed off in my Season 4, but I still think it was a dumb idea to kill him early so I am resurrecting him, just pretend he didn’t die in my old rewrite, Callum will learn the ocean arcanum bit it’s a bit better done.

Recap

My rewrite of Season 4 took place in December, Callum and Rayla are happily a couple, Callum is a apprentice to Ibis, Rayla is a Dragonguard, they both go to Katolis for a winter holiday with Ethari and reunite with Ezran, who has invited the other human rulers to come and make peace, Soren ran away to find Claudia. Callum has become interested in Aaravos, thinking he was a hero who wanted to bring hope to all races on Xadia, begins to think of what he can do with Ezran, then Soren returns, Amaya and Janai are ambushed by Dark Mages while travelling to Katolis, but thankfully get there. Claudia returns and has Soren brainwashed into trying to kill Ezran, she and the Dark Mages try killing him and Anya for “betraying” humanity. Claudia grabs the ingredients she needs to resurrect Viren, the Dark Mages are arrested, though Claudia escapes. The season ended with the trio of Soren, Cal and Rayla going back to the Storm Spire to tell Zubeia, and Viren is resurrected.

Obviously Ibis lives, he went with Zubeia and Zym to their winter holiday, here Claudia kills the Dragonguard left behind. I kept Ibis alive because I want to explore his fatherly relationship with Callum, given we were hoping he’d gain another father in him.

Book 5 is called Ocean.

I’ll break this into two sections, one is the plot, the other is the characters.

Plot

Taking place a few days after the end of season 4, Claudia is filling Viren in on what’s happened, he died, she was in hiding, with help from Aaravos she contacted the other Dark Mages to help her, she got the ingredients to resurrect him but it will only last for thirty days, but Aaravos’s caterpillar has cocooned with a being inside it. Viren is deeply disturbed, he’s distressed Claudia has been dabbling more and more Dark Magic, her brainwashing Soren, and recalls Callum growing wings before he died. Claudia tells him they have to find Aaravos and free him to fully bring Viren back. While this is going on, the trio of heroes have met up with Zubeia, Zym and Ibis, telling them of what Claudia has done. Zubeia is disturbed, but Iblis tells her the map to the location of Aaravos’s prison has been found by Claudia. Zubeia tells Ibis they have to stop Claudia from getting to Aaravos but doesn’t want the others to know, as she fears the temptation could make Callum team with him. Ibis is a bit iffy on lying to Callum, though he does decide to take a detour to Lux Aurea to get some books which could be helpful to stop Aaravos but hides the true nature from Callum and the others. Zubeia tells them Claudia will most likely go to Scumport as a lot of shady individuals go there. They agree to split up, with Soren going with Pyrrha to the outskirts of Scumport to keep an eye on stuff while Ibis will go to Lux Aurea with Callum and Rayla. Back in Katolis, Ezran and Aanya argue with the other rulers of the imprisonment of the Dark Mages, as they want to take them back to their own lands to imprison them but Aanya doesn’t trust them. They agree to let Ezran keep the prisoners but once December is gone, they will be wanting them back. Callum has a moment with Zubeia, for last season he didn’t talk to her much as while he sympathises with her for almost losing her baby, the Prince doesn’t know if he can forgive her. Zubeia tells him she gets it, and explains she thought Harrow’s death would bring her justice, but it didn’t and she realised it wasn’t worth it. She’s sorry for taking his dad from him and hopes they can be friendly. Understanding, he goes with her to Lux Aurea. Claudia takes Viren through the forest once the cocoon has hatched, the creature causing some shenanigans with them, Claudia ends up angry but Viren tells her to calm down. Claudia then stops for a bit, with Viren tiredly wondering if there’s any point, thinking of how there’s no more fighting and thinks it’d be best to let him die. Claudia tells him she’s not letting him die, he’s the only thing she has left, but once he mentions Soren, she says he stopped being their family. Viren then sleeps and has his nightmare. At the outskirts of Scumport, a tired Soren has a chat with Pyrrha, admitting he doesn’t know what to do if he meets Claudia again. He’s reminded he forgave Pyrrha for hospitalising him, but Soren explains it was different because she was trying to escape, Claudia had a chance to come home but she’s all crazy. In the outskirts of Lux Aurea, Callum, Ibis, and Rayla meet with Janai, who’s returned with Amaya, who tells them of what’s going on with Ezran. Callum promises once they catch Claudia he will go back to him, while Rayla asks if Ethari is being treated well, at which she’s grateful for. Janai lets Amaya go to the library with them but they have to be back before sundown. As Callum and Ibis find a few books, Amaya tells Rayla she’s sorry for hurting her though she says if she hurts Callum, she will kill her. Callum asks Ibis if he can take a few, finding the ocean arcanum book. Ibis agrees, with him begging him not to find an ocean Mage to be an apprentice too because he wants to be the master who taught him. Callum tells him he won’t, he couldn’t ask for a better mentor. Ibis ends up guilty at lying to him. Before he gets a chance to tell him of what’s going on, they’re faced by banthas who are corrupted. They fight them off until Zubeia arrives. Claudia is concerned for Viren, trying to hide him in the watery storm. The guy has nightmares of Soren dying as a kid, how he did Dark Magic to save him, Lissa walking out on him, and his guilt at how he treated Soren, fears the dark path Claudia is on. Harrow and Sarai meet him, both angered he tried killing their babies, Sarai angrily asking how he could repay her after she given up her life to help his. Viren’s body is then swept up in a river, Claudia goes to help but is not coping until she’s helped by Terry, who makes his debut here. Ezran, meanwhile, is talking to Ethari, who asks Ezran what he knows of Dark Magic, Ezran admitting he knows it’s bad yet it’s helped, but with all he’s looked at, he feels afraid of what this can lead to, with the Dark Mages trying to kill him. Ethari tells him the best thing to do is to try and understand, as while he hates it, he thinks Ezran should try to understand with his heart. Taking this in, Ezran goes to the Dark Mages and asks why they do Dark Magic, they tell him it’s the only way to help, to feel better than the Xadians. Ezran tells them Callum is a mage, but they think Callum is merely hiding a primal stone, but Ezran asks them if they were to meet him again and take in how he doesn’t even have a primal stone, would they rethink of their methods. Meeting with Pyrrha, the heroes haven’t found Claudia yet so they decide to rent an inn in Scumport to keep an eye out, Ibis has a coin to get in. Leaving them, the dragons go back to the Storm Spire. Disguising themselves, they go into the town and rent a room in an inn. They aren’t aware they’re being watched by Deadwood, who tells Finnegrin they have a Prince in their midst. Claudia is helped by Terry, who helps her find a boat she can take to Scumport. Terry explains the Earthblood elves aren’t fond of what the dragons did to the humans, they are a lot more friendly with them. Claudia is thankful before leaving, thoigh Viren continued to have his nightmare. He watched Callum fly, and he begins thinking how. Then he’s met by him. Callum tells him humans can do magic, Viren just has to try. A younger Viren then appears and tells him he can still make the right path in life. In Scumport, Callum researches on the ocean arcanum. From what he can tell, to understand the ocean arcanum is to accept there are things you cannot stop from changing, and you mustn’t try to control the things which change, though he’s not sure if he’d connect to it. They then begin going out to scout and find Claudia. Callum and Soren go one way, while Ibis goes with Rayla another. Deadwood then takes both Callum and Soren to Finnegrin, who hopes to cut a deal with Callum. Nyx greets Rayla and Ibis, she has turned to captaining a ship, revealing the treasure she’s found, including a star cuddle monkey. Letting the Star Cuddle monkey go, Rayla calls Nyx out for being the same, though Nyx admits she got her to give to Finnegrin. A Nyx explains who Finnegrin is, leaving Rayla a bit frightened. They then notice Claudia coming into port, so they go to find the others and grab Claudia. Finnegrin tells Callum he wants full independence from Xadia and the human kingdoms but is up for trading, though Callum tells him he’s not here to talk business, he wants to find Claudia. Finnegrin is curious, letting him go. Soren is annoyed at how Finnegrin talks to Deadwood. Freed, they reunite with their friends. With Claudia in Scumport, the group track her to a houseboat she’s sneaked onto. They open it but find Viren in there. They tie him up and Ibis suggests they lure Claudia out of Scumport to apprehend her. Finnegrin looks on through the telescope and has Claudia captured. Telling her of Viren’s abduction, Finnegrin offers to help her as long as she lets Callum live to negotiate with him. On Nyx’s ship, Rayla finds the coins Viren had. Callum promises he’ll help her. Soren has a tough talk with his dad, calling him out for all he’s done. Viren begs Soren to forgive him. They are then chased by Finnegrin. After a fight, they are captured. Ezran ends up talking with Aanya, he thinks if he can get Callum back, they can ban Dark Magic. Claudia has made a deal with Finnegrin. He helps her find the treasure she’s after, he will take her back home, and with Callum he tried to negotiate with him, asking him if he is a mage. While he admits it, Callum is then given a different offer by Finnegrin, if he joins him in Scumport and be his hitman, he will let his girlfriend and friends go. Callum refuses, at which Finnegrin tries to break him by hurting Rayla. This only angers Callum, who punches Finnegrin and tries to strangle him with his own Sky magic, but ends up injured by Deadwood. Callum and Soren argue with Deadwood, Callum tells him Finnegrin doesn’t want him anymore, with Soren telling him he’s being treated like how his dad treats him, angering Claudia, though Viren admits he’s right. Finnegrin tries to strangle Callum, but Callum finally understands the ocean arcanum and understands there are things around you and yourself you can’t even control. He angrily tells his crew to kill them, but upon realising Callum has gone up against Finnegrin, they Chuck him overboard. Claudia and Viren are stuck in the brig. Despite capturing them, Ibis wants to find the treasure Claudia was after, both ships going to find it. Once they get there, Callum tattoos markings on their necks to breathe underwater. Watching this, Claudia escapes and tries to take the treasure, but Rayla cuts off one of her legs, causing her to swim away. Soren begs her to come back, but she tells him she will to free dad. Ibis is relieved they have the treasure, for its Aaravos’s prison. Claudia ends up on shore and is met by Finnegrin, who offers to help avenge her. Rayla is emotional, it’s almost over, kissing Callum as they are going to free her family. I was originally gonna include Tina, but because I was writing it, and Ibis and Zubeia knows Aaravos than lot more, Tina wasn’t needed. I didn’t have Zubeia corrupted as I want to wait until we know what Muhko does with her in season 6. I also wanted to give Ibisba deep struggle as he tries to stop Aaravos but hates lying to everyone, and Callum continues to be the Harry Potter of the series with him becoming a ideal of Hope, for Ezran, for Viren, for Amaya, for his girlfriend. I introduced Stella here to replace the Baitlings storyline from the canon season 5, Nyx has more of a case to be here as she owns a ship, Soren and Viren talk, Claudia meets Terry. This was going to end with Callum freeing Aaravos, but the more I wrote it the more I realised there’d be a lot of stuff going on, hence I cut it out. I hope I did alright.

The Characters

There’s more characters to focus on here unlike last time, though given Ezran isn’t in this season much, all you have to know is he’s negotiating with the other kingdoms to keep the Dark Mages imprisoned, he’s taking his job as a king incredibly deeply, but we understand he’s a kid and looks up to Callum with him knowing he needs him a lot. Terry is here for a little bit and we learn he’s as kind as always and gives Claudia much about the Earthblood elves. Amaya and Janai have some ship teasing here. Finnegrin is the same as he was. For Stella, she’s the same as always but doesn’t have her warp hole magic as it’s a big game breaker in the tv series.

Callum

Gotta keep warm, and Callum’s name is “Dove King”, hence being called Captain Dove.

Callum is a lot more serious as a character here but retains his light hearted, hopeful and mushy side, the latter of which he has a lot with Rayla on, and is interested in knowing more about the Ocean Arcanum and Aaravos. Callum has a darker side this season with regards to fighting the corrupted banthas, Finnegrin Claudia, as he’s fighting to keep his loved ones safe, not just his beloved girlfriend, but his aunt and his mentor, we have him fearful of losing anyone else as he can’t handle the idea of losing them after losing his mum and dad, with him angrily punching, freezing banthas. With Claudia and Finnegrin, Callum becomes more sarcy and blunt with Claudia as he and her talk, with her asking how he could “betray” humanity, at which he responds “Awww, look who’s talking, the girl who would’ve been fine if Soren was turned into a fire monster!” Finnegrin, Callum talks to him as if he were a kid, calling him out for his control for the ocean, before fighting him. Callum’s anger manifests in the form of him fighting Finnegrin and strangles him like he’s a certain Sith Lord, he is so angry he wants to kill him, his anger is enough to actually scare Claudia, but the trauma of being strangled by Viren, Dark Magic and Kasef and the agony he’s causing makes him stop. He does understand how he has anger in him he hates and with him fearing it but understands he’s got trauma and anger he doesn’t get and with it he connects to it. Callum greatly admires Ibis, happy he’s coming along, and talks to him on advice for knowing more about the arcanums, as Ibis jokingly tells him he doesn’t want him to find another master. Callum does though think he has to do better for Ibis, thinking he’s not impressed him enough, but with Ibis having confidence in him he begins to let go, Ibis reminding him he has to feel free from his doubts and ease his temper for losing your temper will only make a storm inside of you. Callum does have worry for Ezran while he’s gone, as he wonders about the stress he’s going through, as he hopes to be there to nurture him to being a man, and is protective of Soren thanks to his corruption by Claudia, and trying to bottle his fear of the others almost dying. These lessons, more with the fight against Finnegrin, has Callum remember though he’s stronger now, everyone he loves can make their choices with their freedom, with him finally connecting to the Ocean Arcanum for he has faith in his team. He and Rayla are as happily in love as always, he and her nickname each other, he wraps his wings around her to ease her as they go on the ship, all the while trusting her with his fears of Ezran, but he loses his temper if she’s in danger, punching Finnegrin for torturing her. He’s ever devoted to Rayla he is gonna try to free her family. With Soren, the crow guard understands Callum’s desire to impress Ibis and tells him to stop thinking lowly of himself and be who he is, telling him he tried it with his own dad and it didn’t help. Callum is concerned for Soren, though Soren tells him he understands.

Rayla

Deeply unnerved by the thought of Claudia resurrecting Viren, Rayla is more blunt in focussing on the mission, fearing Claudia will take away everything she’s got, her home, her boyfriend and the many friends she’s made on the way, though she does cool off a little thanks to Amaya talking with her, urging her not to try and be alone, to let others in. She does apologise to Callum for being grumpy though he doesn’t hold any anger to her.

Though she does become concerned for his well-being with how he’s struggling to control his temper in the Great Bookery. She does gently urge him to be open with her about his fears and he admits he doesn’t want to lose anyone else, he lost his mum and dad, he can’t lose her, Ezran, Amaya or Soren. Of course, she takes this in and understands why he’s fearful and tells him she isn’t going to leave him.

Rayla does have a hunch Ibis isn’t telling Callum something, being blunt with him and noting he doesn’t like it if anyone lies to him, but Ibis doesn’t tell her anything, noting it’s a case of stopping Claudia from doing dark things he doesn’t want him to face.

She has her moment with Nyx for kidnapping the cuddle monkey, telling Nyx if she stabs her in the back then she’s gonna break her nose. She does become angry at watching her love getting beaten, and helps fight back against Finnegrin after Deadwood betrays him. As for Claudia, she hates her, more so with how she had kept her family, asking her how she could even be fine with hurting others.

“Ye know something? You’re not just manipulative. You’re cold. You’re utterly selfish. Ah don’t think yer even human. Ah have met so many humans who are good in the heart. There’s none of it in you!”

Her happy moments are with her boyfriend and with Stella, both cooing in awe at her, with Rayla calling herself her cuddle mama and Callum her cuddle dada, they have a bit where they sleep on the ship with Stella cuddled in between them.

Viren

Viren is an interesting case here. Much like how he was in season 5, he’s a man wracked with shame, guilt, and misery as he has been resurrected and is taking in what’s happened to Claudia, his once fun loving daughter now a angrier, brutal woman, who doesn’t listen to anything he says, leaving him miserable as he finally begins to understand….just what exactly he made Soren

In his dreams, Viren is forced to face what led him down this and what made everyone begin to walk away from him. He saved Soren from dying as a kid, Lissa left him. Viren faces what he did to Soren, blaming his boy for his wife leaving but it wasn’t his fault, making him understand what he did was harsh on his son and he should have been there for his children, not just Claudia. Met by Harrow and Sarai, the former admits he was harsh on him, though he can’t forgive him for trying to kill his sons, and Sarai asks how he could after she rescued him.

After talking with Callum and his great achievements was all there if he tried, and his younger self, Viren wakes up and is more committed to making things better before he dies.

Upon meeting the heroes, he tries talking to Soren, confessing what he did and tells him he will confess to everyone. He admires Soren for being a boy he wasn’t.

With Callum he does try apologising for being racist towards him, and judging him in thinking he didn’t achieve anything. He goes into tell him the mage he is now is the mage he should have been. Callum does tell him he has no sympathy for him.

He tries to get Claudia to stop working for Finnegrin, telling her to let him die, but the more she’s been cold, he begins to worry of what is to become of his daughter.

With Rayla, he merely thinks of her as a hero and foe, a foe for being a elf but a hero for making him face what he did.

With him arrested, he doesn’t try to fight, he only wants Claudia to come home, a man who’s defeated, and wants his family back.

Claudia

Claudia is much more colder, her behaviour is deeply fractured, washing her dad with love but angrily yelling at him for trying to make her stop, the more angry she becomes the less she understands others, but she’s smart enough to try and talk. She was smart enough to convince Finnegrin to let her come along and escaped the brig, but with these moments of joy, she lets her guard down and is easily defeated.

Claudia does ease a little as she has to work beside Terry to finally help her dad, but she learns a lot about the Earthblood elves against the division between Xadia and the humans, wondering if she can make things better with a few elves.

She hates Rayla for killing Viren and grins at the torture she’s gone through, and chastises Callum for going down the wrong path. Then she asks him if he’d bring his mum back, she brought Viren back. Of Rayla’s family, she asks how he can bring them back but not his mum.

“You would be happy if she came back, yeah? Have your mommy in your life again, to hug you, guide you, hide behind her, be her baby as you were. You want the elves more than your mom?”

Callum admits he’d be happy to have his mum back, but she is gone, and it’d be going against her to bring her back. With the elves, he wants to save them because his girlfriend deserves so much in her life.

Claudia does end up with her leg cut off and she hates Rayla a lot more and is willing to work with Finnegrin.

Soren

Soren is a bit more of a darker character this season, annoyed he let Claudia corrupt him, and is more annoyed with Callum doting. Because he was captured and corrupted, he begins wondering if there is any way of making Claudia understand.

But he still has his heart as he understands what Finnegrin is doing to Deadwood. He does tell Deadwood to not let Finnegrin insult him, but Deadwood admits he is in debt to him, with Soren admitting it’s not something he should owe, he should think for himself. Callum standing up to Finnegrin and Soren telling him he can be his own guy has Deadwood overcome Finnegrin.

He’s deeply torn about the talk he had with Viren as he wants to truly accept his dad is sorry but thinks it’s all a trick. Both father and son have much to get off their chest.

Ibis

Ibis is a lot more wise here but is deeply conflicted at what he’s doing, as while he knows Aaravos mustn’t be released, he doesn’t like the fact he’s having to lie to Callum, as while human mages we’re tempted by Aaravos, Ibis can tell Callum has a good heart in him. He does give the best advice he can to him.

A different bunch of clothes for Nyx. Gotta make her an actual swashbuckler.

The characters wear more winter gear given December is here. I based Callum’s costume on a mix of Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke, and a winter tunic. The characters wear similar clothes, with Nyx being in a pirate getup.

I hope my rewrite was alright. I’ll wait until Season 6 if I’m to include Zubeia being infected and Callum doing Dark Magic again.

Though to be fair, I don’t think Karim and Kim’dael are gonna do anything in my future seasons, as I can’t tell how with how different I have made things here.

But thanks for reading my different Book of Ocean.