After a long wait, a new season of The Dragon Prince has finally arrived and so many things have changed since the end of the third season. Xadia has been full of wonder and adventure in these past three seasons, and this new installment promises to bring that same energy that fans of the series have loved. Things have been different between what’s happening in our world during these times and Xadia has also brought in some changes with a time jump that catches up with our characters in real-time as well. The new season is being called The Mystery of Aaravos, which means that we’ll be getting some insight into this mysterious villain that has been in league with antagonist Viren. With the show expanding into a seven-season arc, this will allow The Dragon Prince to explore some interesting storylines and let it grow organically.
The future was left uncertain after the end of the third season, leaving our characters open for some big changes to come. In the new season, we see the story picking up two years putting the core group in different stages in their life and looking a bit older than we last saw them. We find Ezran fulfilling his role as king to his people while Callum has become a resourceful mage. The magic user is still reeling from Rayla leaving him and the team during the last season to take revenge on Viren for her family. Speaking of Viren, we find the dark magic practitioner back from the dead thanks to his daughter Claudia. However, he only has 30 days to live unless they can help Aaravos.
Peace has finally come to pass between humans and elves as Xadia is reunited after years of suffering and war. We see both Amaya and Janai celebrating their new relationship after the Sunfire Elf Queen asks Amaya for her hand in marriage. Not everyone is pleased to see them unite, especially Janai’s brother Karim who thinks their way of life will come to an end with the addition of Amaya and her kind being integrated into their world. This also reflects on the real-world issues that we are all familiar with when it comes to race and globalization, something that The Dragon Prince has shown as common themes in the series. Peace is something that can easily be broken and harder to fix, a lesson that our heroes will learn eventually.
Change happens to be a common occurrence during the new season as we see much looks different in the world of Xadia. Ezran looks like he’s carrying on the title of a king well, sporting a new haircut and looking a little taller. He still retains that innocent charm as a young adolescent. Even Callum has grown since we last saw him, growing into a High Mage in his own right and becoming a magic expert. Zym, the baby dragon that Ezran has befriended has also grown quite a bit as he is under the care of his mother, the Dragon Queen Zubeia. Amaya and Janai have also grown to become quite a power couple, but things are looking rather tense between their people as things are still looking sour with humans and elves. We also find Claudia who has found herself a boyfriend, a carefree Earthblood Elf named Terry as she embraces the dark magic that her father uses.
The new season of The Dragon Prince is certainly darker than what we’ve seen on the shoe so far as we discover the origins of the mysterious Aaravos and his connection to Xadia’s history. As these characters are growing up before our eyes, the stakes have never been so high. Despite its dark elements, the show still manages to find a way to keep things light with some childish humor that often works, but it’s what gives the show some brightness that we’ve loved in the series. The show also has a way to deal with mature themes like death, loss, and pain with our characters. The show wastes no time in getting straight into the action as all these characters are all discovering more of who Aaravos is and whether he can bring change or destruction to Xadia.
The Dragon Prince’s fourth season is well worth the wait as we dive deep into the heart of the story and the big challenges that our characters face. The animation further elevates the show’s status as one of Netflix’s most beautifully crafted animated series in the streamer’s library. The show doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to heavy topics, giving our characters a lot to work with and adding another layer to their personalities. They are treated like mature people, which is something that helps them grow. Even though the humor doesn’t always land with the tone, The Dragon Prince still gives enough heart to give fans a chance to love this world even more.
The Dragon Prince’s fourth season is currently available to stream on Netflix.
