Two very contentious points in this memorable episode.
Team 1 entered level 3 and in the first room found the bracelet requested by Hordriss. They summoned him and in gratitude he gifted them two spells:
One was
most powerful: "TRANSFORMATION", the other was
quite humble: "BUT".
Next-up was a precarious bridge over a chasm. A vision of Mogdred appeared and asked them to pledge to him. They firmly refused and the bridge began to collapse, but they moved Helen across to exit safely.
In the next room Mogdred appeared again, to destroy them in person. They decided to use their
most powerful magic to counter him, but before advisor Rachel could complete the lengthy "TRANSFORMATION" spell, Mogdred gloated, "Too slow!" and destroyed Helen with a spectral sword.
Treguard told them that they should have used the shorter spell "BUT".
It was a really harsh ending for team 1 as they were a very good team and seemed to be going along well. (Rather reminiscent of Jamie in S2 or Cliff in S3.)
It felt rather like Hordriss' description of the spells had wrong-footed them. Faced by a malevolent sorcerer, it seemed logical that they would use their most powerful magic, not a humble spell. They had little time to realise that they wouldn't be able to complete the longer spell.
At a guess, "BUT" would have blocked Mogdred's sorcery and caused him to retreat, leaving them the longer spell for much later, at the end of level 3, to somehow complete their quest.
Team 2 started with a bang!
Alastair stepped from the spindizzy onto the pathway for the shield and
seemed to fall off (onto the studio floor) but is allowed to continue.
I think this is an awkward opening room anyway. The pathways leading off are very narrow, leaving little room for error. Several things occurred to me:
1. Alastair's advisors told him to step off
too late. He was never gonna land on the pathway safely.
2.
I am convinced that the spindizzy is revolving faster than it did for team 1. Watch both clips and you will see what i mean. (I can't imagine why they would alter it tho.)
3. As they clearly received a first-room let-off, surely they would have just done another take. Why leave in such an obvious howler? (Unless this
was the retake!
)
After their crazy start, team 2 settled down and made steady progress. They passed Dooris with no problems.
In the next room something was clearly out of place. A sorceress wearing an ornate hood and flowing black robes. It looked like Morghanna!
But surely not! She was the dark queen of level 3, found in the shadows, not someone who appeared openly in level 1.
It turned out that this lady was a new sorceress (who had shamelessly copied Morghanna's fashion sense) with the calling name of Merris. She offered them a pact to retrieve for her a green gem (last seen in the possession of Julie before she was terminated by goblins) in exchange for her assistance. She also left them in no doubts about her power and the consequences for them if they failed her!
In exchange they received the eye-shield.
Next encounter was with Bother Mace, who offered them advice on the path forward. He departed just as the bell sounded.