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Yellowjackets: The Truth We Tell Ourselves is the Wildest Lie 
The Little Mermaid and Camille Friend, The Woman Behind the Locs 
Fate: the Winx Saga is directed to people around my age, young adults that hold nostalgia for the Winx property: the characters, powers, and, most importantly, fashion. The show decides to take a darker turn; however, a more grounded approach, popular with YA shows currently on air, instead of the more pastel and sparkly aesthetic of the hit animated show that was popular from 2004-2007. The second season continues the new shift in the property’s identity change.
Those who kept up with any talk about the first season of Fate, the Winx Saga, know that the reception was not the most positive. I didn’t watch it when it came out, even though I was a big fan as a child. I decided to pick it up just ahead of season 2, though, and I have to say, I thought it was pretty good despite the sometimes lacklustre writing.
When I started season 2, I was heavily invested in these new iterations of the characters. I was excited to see where the story would go after the massive cliffhanger from the finale. As a refresher, the recently released Rosalind just killed former teammate and friend Dowling, taking her place as headmaster, Sky’s dad is revealed to be alive and well, and life at Alfea has been changed forever.
I thought the second season stepped up nearly everything: the stakes, the world, set design, character development, and most importantly, the fits. Now that the main cast has had a lot of time with their characters, the main cast feels more lived in. Although they have their moments where there’s uncertainty, they feel more sure of themselves and their powers.
The suitemates have thrown themselves into another year of chaos and turmoil on all fronts. I enjoyed seeing such a diverse cast sorting through all their issues without stereotypes or as much on-the-nose commentary on “society.” As much of the first season, I liked, the forced dialogue about “the patriarchy” and “girls can do this too” detracted from the feminist actions the characters were already engaging in. Without announcing that the girls are “going against the man/system,” the message and representation feels much less distracting and performative.
Terra and Flora this season are the standouts for me, though I’m biased as a Flora stan from childhood and a 5x Virgo. I liked how they portrayed their relationship and the strain that comes from the challenging situations they’re put in. Despite the road bumps, they share a deep emotional bond and are there to support and protect one another. Their scene where Terra opens up to Flora about how she’s been feeling and the result of deep self-reflection brought me to tears; I talked to Terra’s actor Eliot Salt about her character’s revelations; read more here.
At the end of the season, I was blown away by the character work and the cast’s superb acting. Ending with yet another vast and emotional cliffhanger, I was satisfied with what the team was able to do, and I’m so hoping to hear about the confirmation of season 3 coming soon. Watch Fate: the Winx Saga on Netflix, streaming now!
Keshav Kant, aka Mx. KantEven, is a med student tuned Executive Director of Off Colour!
You’ve probably seen her on Twitter and TikTok, both @MxKantEven, or caught her work on Off Colour's many channels.
From consulting on films & shows, manuscript review, conducting interviews, or hosting podcasts & panels, if there is some way to bring sensitivity and authenticity to diversity, inclusion and equity conversations, Keshav will be there.