REVIEW: ‘Sand Land: The Series’ Episode 9 — “Fiend Power”

Rao, Beelzebub, Thief, and Princess Ann continue their mission to rescue Ann’s father. Sand Land: The Series Episode 9, “Fiend Power,” introduces new twists to Akira Toriyama’s excellent tale. The two young royal heroes will need to work together if they want to free King Jam before his execution.

The main squad is split between two objectives in Sand Land: The Series Episode 9. Rao and Thief are making their way through the halls of a military base when they encounter Supreme Commander Bred. Bred is a monster of a man. Well, half-man, since he is a cyborg. There is a really neat fight between Rao and Bred where it is clear Rao is physically outmatched. They only manage to escape because of how quick-thinking he is.

At the same time, Ann and Beelzebub are at the site of King Jam’s execution attempting to go undercover. Beelzebub ends up coming up against one of Bred’s allies Muniel. Muniel, rocking his Lord Farquaad hairdo, is not nearly as threatening as Bred. Their designs and personalities are different, but their skills complement each other. Where Bred is strong, Muniel relies on his cunning instead. It leads to very different encounters for the two halves of the hero’s party.

Muniel absolutely sucks. He is the type of villain that makes you want to reach through the screen and punch his smug little face. Which is great, since Beelzebub has a hard time controlling himself in general. He has to sit and squirm while Muniel trashes him in front of a riotous crowd. That can’t be easy for the demon prince. It is a brilliant display of propaganda that Muniel uses to both defeat Beelzebub and bolster his own reputation.

Ann, standing out in the crowd, gets a chance to show her worth. She is watching her father get executed and her new ally Beelzebub face death too. This brings out a latent power in her. Muniel claims it is a demonic power, turning the crowd against her. It further solidifies Muniel and Bred’s grip on the nation they have taken over.

Muniel’s trap for Ann makes it seem like she and Beelzebub are done for. But Beelzebub isn’t one to go down easily. He stands up for Ann and ultimately rescues her. Some of it is just childish bravado from Beelzebub. He is cocky and arrogant and acts without thinking. But beneath that, there is a sense that he is starting to care about Ann. He might not want to say so, but his actions show that he is slowly starting to care a bit more.

They finally reunite with Rao and Thief after escaping. The gang is virtually back at square one, but at least they escaped alive. Just when it seems like they are scot-free and have found something useful, Sand Land: The Series Episode 9 throws another curveball. Muniel and Bred are once again a step ahead and trap the group on a bridge. Surrounded by tanks and soldiers, they have no way out. The stakes continue to be raised and there is a genuine sense of dread.

But, ultimately, the gang escapes again. The collapsing bridge drops them into a roaring river where they meet some familiar characters. This sequence leads to some really interesting reveals about what is going to happen next. It also shows the group that they have more allies than they realize. They also are not as sneaky as they thought they were, so they are going to have to be careful.

Bred and Muniel do not chase after the gang because they don’t need to. They know something that the heroes and the viewers, to some extent, don’t. They are planning to invade Sand Land and now have the justification to do so. So what if the demon prince and his friends got away, surely they won’t show back up to throw a wrench in things.

There is a bit of a comedic feel to the events Sand Land: The Series Episode 9. No matter how dangerous the situation is, they somehow find a way to escape only to be in an even worse position. It works really well tonally though. The tone lets the characters be their over-the-top selves while still allowing them to grow and progress. It also lets the series set up for really powerful events in the future.

Sand Land: The Series Episode 9 does a great job of continuing the adventure in a way that is equal parts serious and funny. Beelzebub and Ann seem to be growing closer and Bred and Muniel are legit villains with real power. It is only going to get more exciting from here.

Sand Land: The Series Episode 9 is streaming now on Hulu and new episodes release every Wednesday.