That's a wrap on season one of Willow, which ended in fine form to tease a lot of upcoming adventures. This delightful fantasy series revived the aspiring sorcerer Willow Ufgood for new generation, with a new YA vibe and a solid cast around the returning Warwick Davis.
In this series, a group of young adventurers tracked down Willow (Davis), when they needed his help to save the young prince Airk (Dempsey Bryk) from a witch known as the crone. Along the way, a surprise or two were revealed, including one pertaining the the original Willow film.
And the good news, though, is that the very end of Willow season 1 teases both Willow season 2 and 3. Yes, we're as shocked as anyone that a show could get that much of an extended runway, but clearly Disney Plus got what they wanted from Willow.
So, after the spoiler warning, we're going to go into everything you need to know about the Willow ending.
Willow season 1 finale ending: What just happened?
How we get to the finale: In episode 7, our band of heroes realized they had to actually work together to save Airk and Tir Asleen. That meant Elora Danan (Ellie Bamber) and Princess Kit (Ruby Cruz) had to actually work together. That said, finding the Immemorial City proved complicated. So what are heroes to do but to make a literal leap of faith, throwing themselves from the edge of the world.
Thankfully, they actually landed where they intended to, and the rest of the band of adventurers followed their lead in the Willow finale (episode 8). Willow told Jade (Erin Kellyman) — who is doing this to protect her beloved Princess Kit — that Kit's got to protecting Elora Danan, because her father Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) did this before her.
Graydon (Tony Revolori) made the leap because he's in love with Elora. And Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel)? Well, he needed a motivational speech from Willow to make the jump himself. Willow, we should note, doesn't jump. He's preoccupied with visions of his daughter Mims dying.
Unfortunately, Boorman, Graydon and Jade actually didn't get far on their own, and were stuck between an unopenable door and a storm that turns them to stone. So, now they need help.
Cut to Immemorial City, where Elora and Kit simply meet Airk, who is on the Crone's side. He's claiming she's a sorceress named Lili (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers), and that the ancient blood magic known as Wyrm is a good thing. Clearly, Airk's been misled. He demands that Elora and Kit talk to Lili, and they comply, entering the Temple of the Wyrm.
In the temple, we see bright yellow lights and a yellow liquid that Airk claims comes from the Wyrm and gives positive properties to those who follow it. This was the same liquid from the Trolls' mines, and it's coming from behind a door. Elora and Kit, still forced to play along, enter the doors and into the yellow Wyrm energy, where they find a false vision of a utopia.
Here, they're given a very obvious choice. Drink the yellow Wyrm liquid and enlist with Lili/The Crone, or not and basically move onto a fight. The Wyrm energy uses illusion to tempt our heroes. Elora sees a glorious life with Airk, and Kit envisions her mother Sorsha telling her she doesn't have to enlist anymore. And it was almost going to happen, but the voice of Madmartigan reaches out to stop Kit. She hears her father tell her that she's strong, and that she must protect Elora and do it on her own.
Elora? Well, Elora seemingly complies with the Wyrm, going through with a wedding with Airk. Mid-ceremony, though, Elora realizes that she doesn't want to follow anyone but herself. This angers Lili/The Crone who threatens Elora with death.
Right when all seems lost, Willow arrives to erase the Wyrm's false reality, wake Elora and un-stone the party. Except things get worse before they get better: Graydon uses Cherlindrea's wand to fight this evil away from Elora, but he gets pushed into a possible death for his efforts. Oh, and The Crone (now aided by the Gales) breaks his wand in half.
Elora, channeling her magic, and Kit, enhanced by the magical Kymerian Cuirass that Boorman finally gives her, are ready to fight. Boorman's not done, though, as he takes on the Gales so everyone else can go after the Crone ... and Airk. Because, yes, Airk is still under the metaphorical thumb of the Wyrm.
That means Jade and Kit split off to focus on Airk. But after Elora defeats the Crone, its powers go into Airk. Kit uses her new magical powers to try and stop her possessed brother, and Elora stops her before she can go too far. Elora says they need to use the power of love. Willow gives a magic stone from his broken staff to Kit, so she can push the evil energy out of Airk. Our heroes reunite with Boorman and aim to return to Tir Asleen.
Willow season 1 ending: Did Graydon die?
Good news and bad news here. The good news: Graydon isn't dead. The bad news: He's been pulled into the Wyrm's world, and shown a vision of a wondrous life with Elora. It seems like Graydon will become the Harbinger of the Wyrm in season 2.
One expects that our heroes will try and use the power of love to save Graydon in season 2.
Willow season 1 end credits tease for seasons 2 and 3
Folks who stuck around to the very end of Willow episode 8 see that a book (you know, how the credits all look like novels?) is put on a shelf. It was Volume I, and it now sits alongside Volume II and Volume III.
This suggests that Willow's creators — and possibly Disney Plus execs — have plans for two more seasons. Only time, and a renewal, will confirm it.
