By Gabriela Taveras
Dragon Prince Season Four is coming. For some individuals, 2019 seems like a lifetime in the past. The pre-COVID 19 world we had been accustomed to again then is considerably completely different from the post-pandemic restoration context we’re at the moment immersed in. 2019 was additionally the final 12 months we had a brand new Dragon Prince season to look ahead to – till now. After what felt like an infinite three 12 months hiatus, the fan-favorite animated collection is again for a fourth season, and The Beat was thrilled to take a seat down with present creators Aaron Ehasz (additionally recognized for his writing credentials on Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Justin Richmond (co-director of Uncharted 3). During our dialog, we went over the trials and tribulations of character growth, what sorts of magic to look ahead to and the place we are going to discover the solid after the three 12 months timeskip between seasons.
Gabriela Taveras: Thank you a lot Aaron and Justin for being right here. You have legions of followers internationally as a result of legendary inventive tasks that you’ve each undertaken. What themes are you excited to discover in season 4 that you just had been unable to discover in the present’s first three seasons?
Justin Richmond: There’s a time skip, so we now have a little bit little bit of room to play in phrases of what’s taking place in the world, and what we’re going to inform individuals about. What does it imply for Ezran to be a younger king and for his brother to be his closest adviser? What does that imply in a world the place we’ve simply ended form of a giant battle? There was this large battle on the finish of season three the place the great guys received! What does that imply? There’s nonetheless dangerous emotions on each side, as a result of you possibly can’t simply win one battle after which have generational battle finish. Getting into these themes of deeper generational battle, how do you recover from them? And how is it even doable, engaged on each side of the border in phrases of Xadia? What does that imply to all of the completely different sorts of peoples which can be in the world? I feel it’s actually fascinating.
Aaron Ehasz: Yeah, I preferred the best way you place that. In the primary three seasons the thought is, to some extent, that these elves and people from completely different sides of a battle that includes dragons, and the homicide of an important dragon king, the theft of his egg – what if collectively, they traveled internationally and return this egg to its mom, and possibly they may change the world? That’s the entire story, and so they do it and it has an enormous optimistic impression, it’s one thing that can ripple and resonate – however it’s not that easy. An enormous a part of season 4 is, though they’re form of embarking into this world with a brand new likelihood of hope and reinvention, these historical conflicts are actually baked in and repeated and it’s layered. It’s more than simply returning an egg to its mother – that’s nice, however it’s nonetheless difficult. We’re gonna see our characters mature and perceive the deeper conflicts and check out to determine the way to change issues and the way to nonetheless be heroes.
Taveras: You mentioned it yourselves: we see Viren’s divisive battle come to a head in season three, and the great guys win. I’d wish to know, what can we count on this newly divided, post-conflict Xadia to appear like, contemplating that the injuries from the earlier battle haven’t totally healed?
Ehasz: If it’s a sensible world, there are going to be some individuals who will suppose: “oh, I’m so thankful that something’s changing and we’re finding a way to have peace, live with each other and move forward,” and a few individuals who will suppose: “no. Actually, my dad died in a battle when humans tried to come across the border and he never came home when I was a kid. Screw that, we’re not just friends all of a sudden for nothing.” It’s gonna be a mixture, and there’s gonna be individuals battling the way to transfer ahead. In the thriller of Aravos, we’ll additionally see this historical twisted affect begin to return and exert affect once more.
Taveras: There had been so many issues that reached a turning level in direction of the top of season three. That season’s climax noticed Claudia, a beloved character, make a disturbing determination. What was probably the most troublesome half for you of scripting this a part of her character arc? What feelings will we see her undergo in the aftermath of the alternatives she made in season three?
Ehasz: Raquel [Claudia’s voice actress] is a genius. She’s an excellent performer who brings a lot to Claudia, like, the feel and vary of this character, and the power to go from humorous and quirky to so deeply emotional and pushed to do what she must do, and understanding the distinction between good and evil, but in addition being so compelled to do what she must do for these she loves.
Claudia is a implausible character, and he or she’s battling good and evil and determining what’s the fitting factor to do, who she is and the way far she’s prepared to go to guard and take care of the individuals she loves. What we’ve realized in the time skip is she’s gone fairly far already. We noticed what she did with Viren when he was injured, and he or she did one thing fairly horrible: she used darkish magic to assist him, however we additionally do not know of what she’s been by means of in the final three years, so she’s been examined emotionally, she’s been by means of a ton. She’s additionally met this wonderful particular person, Terry, who’s her boyfriend, and there’s an fascinating, actually fantastic dynamic between the 2 of them that we loved exploring. He brings out a lot in her that makes her character richer. She’s additionally turn out to be a lot more highly effective – her precise skills are a lot stronger.
Taveras: They had been already spectacular in the primary three seasons! You did point out we’re going to see lots of issues in this time skip, together with Ezran being a younger king, and we are able to additionally assume that we’ll see Zim in some form of royal capability, given the humongous legacy that he was left with. An enormous theme all through Dragon Prince is reconnecting with our family members. Where will we see this younger dragon in the context of this legacy that he has to satisfy and his friendship with Ezran?
Ehasz: So lots of our voice solid are such unimaginable performers. The challenges of writing these arcs have been such a privilege, as a result of we all know that after they get the scripts, the best way they reply, the questions they ask, the best way they elevate issues and even change them as we’re shifting – it’s a dynamic course of, and watching these characters undergo this subsequent arc is going to be unimaginable. I feel our viewers is going to essentially be on board!
Richmond: Zim is not an orphan but, and we’ll see him and Zubeia reconnect. As the season goes on, we are going to see how they each have comparable struggles with how each their fathers are gone, they’re each royals. Ezran’s struggles are a lot more speedy, as a result of he’s operating a kingdom, versus Zim, who nonetheless has a protecting determine over them, however as time goes on, you’ll see them bonding nearer.
Taveras: I’m actually comfortable that we’re now on the subject of dragons. We’ve seen 4 dragons up to now in the present – what dragons can we count on to see this season?
Ehasz: We’ll see Rex Igneous and we’ll be taught more about his historical past. There’s fascinating locations the place he has intersected with Aravos and Zubeia, and we’ll get into among the dragon politics.
Richmond: He’s in the trailer, he’s in the final shot. There are dragons you will notice that we now have not talked about but, which can be a shock for individuals, reminiscent of completely new kinds of dragons to dig into.
Taveras: My remaining query is a two parter: Xadia is constructed on completely different methods of magic. What types of magic are you excited to delve into this season? What can we count on from Aravos this season given his ominous however clearly essential function in increasing worldbuilding?
Ehasz: We’re gonna see some earth magic, which I’m enthusiastic about, and we’re gonna see more darkish magic. I don’t wish to spoil something, and Aravos performs into that, and we’ll see some hearth magic as properly.
Richmond; Callum has a bunch of latest stuff that he’s gonna do, so we’re gonna see lots of completely different primal varieties, and that’s a theme that ran between seasons one by means of three: the wrestle that people have with the sorts of magic they will do, and I feel that’s fascinating on an mental stage. Callum has superior his expertise and so has Claudia in order that’ll be actually cool.
Ehasz: This is form of foolish, however we’re gonna see Soren form of fake to do some magic – it’s a pleasant second, and lots of it was improvised by Jesse.
Richmond As for Aaravos: the one phrase reply is shenanigans.
Taveras: He did ship an interdimensional caterpillar so something is doable. Lots of us had been one another, questioning ourselves and saying, “we’re not supposed to be sympathizing with this character, are we?”
Ehasz: Aravos is terrific, and he is the second character I’ve had the dignity to create with Eric [Aaaravos’ voice actor] in thoughts after Koh the Face Stealer in Avatar [The Last Airbender]. Eric is going to be bringing this character to life, and the subsequent few seasons are going to be a journey into Aaravos’ thoughts and coronary heart and hopefully, the viewers can resist being seduced by this unimaginable, highly effective, lovely man.
Richmond: Hopefully you’ll begin to understand, as time goes, more and more about his motivations.
Taveras: There’s dimensions and a few individuals do morally questionable issues to realize sure ends, and there’s actually nobody or two methods of doing issues. Also, I’ve a remaining bonus query: what kind of magic would you wish to wield out of your world?
Richmond: I actually just like the sky stuff that we get into.
Ehasz: It adjustments daily for some cause. Right now, I’m pondering of solar magic as some mages are able to therapeutic and utilizing gentle to carry heat to individuals.
Richmond: I believed you had been going to say that since you’re chilly.
Ehasz: I’m chilly! What about you, what sort of magic would you wield?
Taveras: I feel hearth or sky, these are the 2 that I gravitate in direction of. I’ve all the time had an affinity for flying, and there’s one thing so liberating about these parts, you’ve a direct connection to the sky and the air, after which you’ve a direct connection to the solar, in addition to different types of vitality. Thanks on your time, and better of luck with at the moment’s panel!
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