After the uneven Age of Sigmar episodes in the Hammer and Bolter series, I , apprehensively, decided to start watching the Blacktalon show on Warhammer+. Going into the show with very little understanding of who Naeve Blacktalon is, or what she wants, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The first episode doesn’t explain much about her background, but does a surprisingly good job of introducing the character.
The show is structured in an episodic faction, with each episode covering a different period. The writers are looking to build an overarching story through these snippets. In episode 1 we cover her fight against the forces of Horticulus Slimus. While more of an introductory episode, we get to see her warband and associated members. The story is pretty simple, but was satisfying for an intro episode. I think they did a good job introducing the members and differentiating them in their approaches to conflict. There weren’t any real twists or set ups, but good episodes don’t always require such contrivances,
One of the more interesting characters, that I was not expecting was the inclusion of an Idoneth Soulscryer, It seems an odd choice at first, but would be an excellent utility member for their various missions. The show also does a good job differentiating the various Stormcast members, whose armor is very similar. Their demonstration of the reforging that the Stormcasts go through was enlightening, but I feel it lacks a true sense of loss making it seem a little too easy.
Overall the animation was leaps and bounds ahead of the Hammer and Bolter series. However, there are some moments where the characters movements feel uneven or, just off. The combat scenes show this the most as it shows the limits of the animator’s budgets. However, if you keep your expectations low you can look past it and still enjoy the show.
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