The Faraway Paladin

Episode 8

This is the episode that has fully sold me on Faraway Paladin. The elements here were all present before, and it's been a slow burn to get to this point, but it's paid off. The show that is taking shape has a real shot at being a surprise favorite of mine if it can continue this trajectory.

The key here is that The Faraway Paladin is expanding its world by investing in its characters. As the audience, our real attachment lies in the element that the narrative has built up the most: Will's relationship with Mary, Blood, and Gus. His relationship with his found family is the critical bedrock of this show, and as I mentioned in a prior review, my hope was that they would keep returning to that well.

And they did!

Robina and Tonio help round out the adventuring party. Faraway Paladin confirms itself as Very D&DTM by featuring a random attack by a giant ape in the woods – as a DM using random encounter tables, absurd random hill ape attacks have become a running joke at my table over the years so I find this welcome. But more importantly, Robina's bardic ways help tie in Blood, Mary, and Gus into the setting's past and present. Her songs help expand the mythology, tie Will's backstory into the fabric of the wider world, and offer an interesting texture to his experiences. The stories portray a different version of his adoptive family than what he experienced – is that due to them being younger and perhaps less set in their ways, or is this an example of oral history warping over time? Whichever the case, it gives rich texture to the setting, and adds extra emotional weight beyond just the welcome addition of more party members for the adventure.

We now have an expanding mythology, a strong emotional core, a well-rounded party, and solid adventure seeds for the times ahead. I'm really excited to see how things shape up and move forward for Will and co.

Rating:

Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

The Faraway Paladin is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.