The Shannara Chronicles has only just begun to explore the characters in its universe, so we’ve chosen 10 specific questions we want answered surrounding the Elessedil family.
Throughout the past six weeks, we’ve learned a lot about the Elessedil family dynamics, the royal family who has experienced great hardship as well as prosperity in an age of peace. But apart from knowing that the king has a complicated relationship with his sons, and that those sons have a complicated relationship with their father, there’s still a lot left to learn about the Elessedil family overall.
These are the 10 questions surrounding the Elessedil family that we’d like answered first.
What kind of man was the king?
This is a huge, multifaceted question and one we honestly hope they don’t try to answer all at once. Here’s a universal truth — people are complicated. Everyone is going to have differing opinions on Eventine based on their own perspectives and personal relationships with the man. We know he’s managed to keep some semblance of peace for the majority of his rule. But lies and deception were tools he used to instill that peace. However, he was a king. Morally challenging judgment calls come with the territory. And it would be fascinating to watch Amberle as she learns how to make peace with all the conflicting parts of her beloved grandfather.
What does the Elessedil family tree look like?
This is one that book readers may have more insight on, but as far as we know the show is taking some liberties. For instance, in the book, Pyria Elessedil (the king’s sister) didn’t exist. So it’s natural for us to wonder about the other members of the royal family. Especially if they could arrive at any time to take claim to the crown. Basically we have a lot to learn about the house of Elessedil.
Who was Amberle’s mother?
On the show it’s stated that Amberle’s mother died while giving birth to her daughter. Thus, Amberle formed a very close bond with her dad. But apart from that, we know nothing else about the woman. How did she and Aine meet? Did they fall in love naturally or were they the product of an arranged marriage? Does Amberle have any desire to learn more about her mother? Did the two share any personality quirks? There’s a heap of information about her that we have left to uncover.
Who was queen Elessedil?
Wife to Eventine, mother to Aine, Arion, and Ander, Queen of Arborlon, and we virtually know nothing about her! What was her temperament? What were the relationships with her sons like? Was she involved in politics or did she prefer to focus on other things? Who was she as a person? We have a thousand questions about this woman and we don’t even know her name yet. Hopefully we hear more eventually because we can learn a lot about the future when we study the past.
How did Tilton end up with Arion?
We have a little insight into how this might have played out. Clearly Tilton and Ander were madly in love at one time. But it seems as though that relationship came to a close once Ander was overtaken by grief surrounding Aine’s death. However, that doesn’t explain how Arion and Tilton ended up together. Did these three know each other during childhood? Was romance even a part of the dynamic at first? Was this complicated relationship part of the central animosity between the brothers? There must have been a lot of backstory that built up to this relationship and we’re curious to know how it all came to be.
How will everyone react to Arion’s death?
This week we got to look a little more closely at the Arion and Tilton relationship, and obviously Tilton will have a strong reaction to her lover’s death. But how about the other people around him? If next week’s promo has any bearing, it doesn’t look like Ander is going to deal very well. And considering what happened with Aine, this death is bound to trigger some heavy emotions from his past. But how about the others in the castle? How about the kingdom at large? How about Amberle?
Will Ander cope with the pressures of being king?
This is a big one. We’ve seen him leaning on drink to cope with the pressures of life, he’s known to be rather promiscuous, and he’s a bit of a rule breaker as well. But under the right circumstances these aren’t necessarily downfalls. Before Aine’s death, he was in the process of becoming a diplomat and we’ve seen him practice diplomacy quite well. He’s willing to think for himself, push back when he sees something he disagrees with, and he has a lot more humility than Arion ever did. But even though Ander may be well-suited to fill the position of king, that doesn’t mean the transition will be a smooth one. Before he can lead anyone, first he must believe in himself. Quite a large task for someone in Ander’s shoes.
Will the people follow Ander?
It’s one thing to wonder if Ander will be able to rise to the challenge of becoming king, but another to wonder if the people are ready to follow. The kingdom has gone into a great shock with the death of their king and second successor all in one blow. Perhaps they’ll reject so much change at once or question the young man’s capability of rule. Only time will tell…
How do the elves feel about the royals?
This is a question that we’ve got a strong desire to have answered. In fact, we hope next season is partially dedicated to answering it. So far, we haven’t really gotten a look at the elvish people outside of the castle. We don’t know what their lives are like, nor do we truly understand how well they’ve been cared for. So it’s hard to gauge just how they feel about the kingdom and its rulers. But those outside of Arborlon definitely don’t seem to have a lot of love for King Eventine or his sons. So how does that play out for the future as a whole? Would the Rovers, gnomes, and trolls ever be willing to work alongside those of Arborlon?
Where do they go from here?
That’s the kicker right? Half of the Elessedil family has been lost in just a few weeks’ time. Once Amberle returns, she’ll find her grandfather dead, her uncle acting as king, and another uncle passed on as well. Which places her second to the throne and likely a key member in the decision-making process in Arborlon. How will the younger Elessedils choose to rule their kingdom? Will they come to terms with the fact that Eventine was an imperfect ruler? Will they implement changes to embrace a different kind of leadership?