DISCLAIMER: These predictions for Season 3 of The Magicians contain more spoilers (show and book) than the number of little cakes Ember can consume. Ember loves him some little cakes. You’ve been warned. Venture into Fillory at your own risk.
Can you believe that The Magicians Season 2 finale aired five months ago? It’s been so long since our favorite Fillorians graced our TV screens. A giant Margliot (my shipping name for Margo and Eliot) shaped hole resides in my chest where my heart used to be. Tragic, I know.
So, how does one bide their time in anticipation of The Magicians‘ triumphant return? Conjure up a list of predictions, of course! Now, I’ve dabbled in the show’s literary counterpart as well (The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman), so my predictions will be influenced by both mediums. Remember, this is all pure speculation. While I would love to see these come to fruition, part of me hopes the Powers That Be will surprise me. Time (and magic) will tell.
1. Seven keys might be needed to save magic.
Remember when Quentin killed Ember and all of magic vanished? In book two of the trilogy, titled The Magician King, Quentin and co. embarked on a quest to locate seven keys that were scattered throughout Fillory. Their journey took them all across the vast seas of the magical land, to uncharted territory and beyond. Said keys were needed to save magic, since the old gods returned and were hellbent on stealing it back for themselves. Thankfully, our royal gang pulled through and thus, magic was saved.
Now, I realize the show has deviated somewhat from its source material, but we ended Season 2 with the dissipation of magic from all lands, including Fillory. Our TV magicians will somehow discover a way to bring back magic. Why not employ a book device? I quite liked the key angle, and perhaps the show can expand upon it or rearrange the moving parts as it sees fit. Plus, watching our gang explore newly discovered worlds on a ship at sea would be ripe for plenty of comedy, and potentially the introduction of new magical creatures. “Fun” is the name of the game, folks. Our little SyFy gem is nothing if not whimsical (which Ember hates, if you recall).
2. The journey to save magic might be costly for Quentin.
I’m going to piggyback off my prediction of the seven keys here. After the gang rightfully restored magic with the seven keys in The Magician King, Julia had to face the consequences of attempting to summon a god (Our Lady Underground). Instead, Quentin decided to shoulder the blame. Always the hero, that one. As a result of taking on Julia’s punishment, Quentin was ousted from Fillory. Ember was the one who decreed the banishment. Well, you might be thinking, “Melody, he’s dead on the show. No gods can banish our Q.” Hear me out.
The old gods are giants compared to Ember and Umber. While the goat gods are minor league, the old gods are major league and then some. Methinks they would also have the power to banish people from worlds, Fillory included. Perhaps magic is saved, with the old gods and our magicians making a truce of some sort. Of course, everything comes with a price. Perhaps Quentin’s banishment will count as a form of payment, so magic can continue to reign supreme. Every show needs a good banishment. It’s the Fillory way. Then, we can observe as Q attempts to find his way back to the magical home he loves. Not everything can be sunlight and roses, people!
3. We’ll meet the old gods.
This one might seem obvious, but they could also go the route of keeping the old gods shrouded in mystery. You know, the elusive overlords that exist but you can’t see them. I personally hope we meet Ember and Umber’s parents, the very ones Alice mentioned in the Season 2 finale. All gods have parents, you know. Perhaps we’ll get some faces to names and watch as the old gods attempt to sequester magic away from the mere mortal masses (alliteration game on point). Can you imagine our gang going up against the creators of the universe, especially without magic? Where’s MacGyver when you need him?
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4. Julia will morph into something beyond human.
Book Julia transforms into a demigoddess, a “daughter” of Our Lady Underground. She’s really a dryad, but both terms are synonymous with each other. Remember the dryad dude that soulless Julia inadvertently murdered by setting an intelligent forest on fire in Fillory? She becomes that in the books – a protector of trees. In The Magicians Season 2 finale, Julia approached Quentin at Brakebills with a discovery: she still possessed a smattering of magic. She could make sparks emanate from her fingertips. Interestingly enough, it’s the same basic magic Julia showed Quentin in Season 1, to prove she had a knack for it.
Thus, we arrive at my point: Julia clearly possesses something a lot of magicians don’t have. Yes, Alice and Eliot are also excellent and highly advanced magicians. But, Julia loves magic with every fiber of her being. Her passion elevates her abilities to another level. Perhaps that magical “it factor” coupled with her summoning of a god is what propels our girl to demigoddess status. It could happen!
5. Fairies will rule Fillory.
Yes, those pesky winged creatures will take the reigns from Margo and Eliot in Season 3. Perhaps, since the fairy world exists atop the Fillorian one, we’ll see the two realms bleed together. With magic in disarray the lines between worlds could easily meld, thus resulting in said realms becoming one. I can dig it. The Fairy Queen will try to overpower Margo. However, I can see our Bambi One Eye (RIP Margo’s right eye) not taking this usurping of power lying down. Imagine the slew of cutting one liners! The High Queen of Fillory takes no s**t, that’s for sure. She was ready to enact martial law at the end of Season 2.
So, how will our High King and Queen deal with the fairies’ pervasive presence in Fillory? Sheer, brute force. Excessive partying? Josh’s weed brownies? Perhaps when Julia’s magical abilities return to form she can banish the fairies for good. Dryad demigoddess style. See, everything is connected!
6. We’ll meet the Lamprey and discover more about Alice’s adventures as a niffin.
Remember when Friar Joseph approached Alice and informed her that she made a lot of people mad as a niffin? Particularly when she killed the family of something (or someone) know as the Lamprey? I think we’ll meet this Lamprey soon, when it (or he/she) enacts its revenge on Alice. She did take off running like an Olympic sprinter in the 100-yard dash after Friar Joseph’s cryptic warning. It sounds like our girl was up to no good as a niffin, and we’ll see the consequences of her troublesome acts play out. Not to mention, the discovery of said acts by Quentin could put a massive strain on their already tenuous relationship.
Also, Alice mentioned to Q after their sexy fun times that she learned the secrets of the universe as a niffin. She traveled to the beginning of time. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse via flashbacks into Alice’s former (after)life as an otherworldly magical being. Or perhaps we’ll be privy to her extensive knowledge. Secrets don’t make friends, Alice.
7. The journey to healing Penny will be a rough one.
Yes, the last time we saw Penny he was on his figurative death bed. While Kady did enlist Harriet’s help in curing him, that was before magic was snuffed out. Now, with Penny having a few weeks at most post magical apocalypse, the clock is ticking. Magic was also stripped from The Neitherlands, which means that the Order might not be much help. There’s also that Blank Spot business to contend with, so Penny can’t even predict the outcome of his own story. However, eventually Penny will be cured. He has to be, because I said so and I love him. That should be reason enough, right?
So, once Penny overcomes this dying ordeal, I think we’ll see him come into his own as a magician and play an integral part in saving magic. His book counterpart becomes a bad*** magician and member of The Order after losing his hands to The Beast. Yes, he was able to perform magic without hands. In the show version, Penny has a modicum of magic but he’s not as advanced as the others. His power lies more in traveling between worlds. Perhaps we’ll see his power surge by sheer force of will in order to save well, everything – especially The Neitherlands. Power to the Penny!
8. Eliot and Margo’s relationship will change drastically.
I know, I know, it’s blasphemy to even think it. However, we saw the initial seeds of discord take root in the last few episodes of Season 2. Then, in the finale Eliot and Margo argued over how to govern their magically bereft people. Margo likes to rule with an iron fist, while Eliot prefers to use compassion. Treat them with kindness. Right there is a prime example of how different they are at their moral centers. Even though our favorite not-couple ruled the roost in Brakebills with their never ending snark, their true personalities were revealed once they took the throne in Castle Whitespire. That’s not to say Margo is a bad person for wanting to govern harshly – she’s a strong woman, and one of my favorite characters. Needless to say though, our two best friends might be splitting for a while.
Now, I think the change will be good. We’ve been getting more and more scenes with them existing as separate entities, which is fantastic. As much as I love them together, they need to develop as multi-faceted individuals and not rely on each other (especially from a writing standpoint) quite so much. Eliot needs to cultivate his own strength without Margo and vice versa. Then, eventually I think our BFFs will find each other. This won’t be forever.
Bonus prediction: Todd will eventually rule Fillory.
Just kidding! Todd will never rule anything, except maybe the Physical Kids’ raging house parties. And that’s even stretching it a bit.
Well, that’s all I’ve got (so far). Do you have any predictions for The Magicians Season 3? Blast them off in the comments! Need to refresh the old noodle regarding the Fillorian happenings of Season 2? Check out my recaps here. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some magical binge watching to partake in as I wait for next year to arrive.
The Magicians will return for Season 3 in 2018 on SyFy.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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