Siempre Bruja (Always A Witch): Season 1/ Episode 8 “1646” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
With a taste of what the future holds, it seems Carmen returning to the past is bittersweet and makes things with Cristobal complicated.
[Unless Said Otherwise] Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.
With a taste of what the future holds, it seems Carmen returning to the past is bittersweet and makes things with Cristobal complicated.
[adinserter name=”General Ads”]
| Network | ||
| Netflix | ||
| Director(s) | Mateo Stivelberg | |
| Writer(s) | Ana Maria Parra, Diego Vivanco | |
| Air Date | 2/1/2019 | |
| Introduced This Episode | ||
| Fernando | Edu Martin | |
| Isabel | Cristina Warner | |
| Kankawimaku | Nelson Camayo | |
What Is The Truth?: Mayte, Alicia, Daniel, Kankawimaku, Johnny, Lucien
With Lucien calling on Mayte, and her showing up, so begins the need to question if the man they knew as Esteban is indeed the fire killer? Mayte feels he isn’t, but there is the question of whether she had some form of Stockholm syndrome. But, to combat that, to see if he honestly did speak to her and she agreed to help Carmen get to her full potential, Johnny tries to hypnotize her. However, since he isn’t that strong of a hypnotist or spell caster, he ends up hypnotizing Alicia. Someone who reveals she has been masquerading as JuanJo and that she loves Daniel – leading to them having a tiff.
But, thanks to Kankawimaku, who we haven’t seen in a long time, using his knowledge as a Shaman, he is able to get the truth out of Mayte. Leading to, at least amongst Mayte and her friends, Lucien being exonerated.
[adinserter name=”Box Ads”]
Lucien, I Am Your Father: Lucien, Aldemar, Ninibe, Carmen
With his freedom comes Aldemar bewitching multiple people for a going away celebration. Following that, he has Carmen send him to the future where Ninibe is waiting for him. Leading you to perhaps wonder what this man would do after being imprisoned for who knows how long, right? Well, he goes to see his son of course – Lucien. Someone who he wants to see burn for what he did to him, but things might be more complicated than what Aldemar makes them out to be.
Reasons why? Well, Aldemar may have not only stole Lucien’s mother’s powers but also took Carmen’s. In fact, it seems that is his goal in life – to become the most powerful wizard there ever was. But, being that Ninibe is a disciple, Aldemar rather have his son by his side than only her. However, Lucien wants no parts of his father’s need to feed his ego, so Aldemar tries to kill his son but is interrupted.
[adinserter name=”In Article”]
Maybe All Of This Was For Nothing: Isabel, Fernando, Cristobal, Carmen
As Mayte tried to warm Carmen, going from life in 2018 back to the 1600s won’t be easy. In the 1600s, Carmen is a slave and while her magic scares people off, what is going to happen once they realize her magic is gone? Also, begrudgingly, Isabel is for Carmen marrying Cristobal, and will push Fernando to use his connections to free her, but Carmen isn’t really for the domestic, high society life. This creates a huge problem, including for Cristobal.
After all, even if she isn’t his slave in the form of property, he does expect her to be a slave in terms of her being his wife. Which, so it seems, she has no interest in doing, in a 1600s sense. Leaving her and Cristobal at a bit of an impasse that he may or may not get over.
[adinserter name=”General Ads”]
Other Noteworthy Facts & Moments
- It’s around August at this point in the show.
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Did Kankawimaku know Lucien’s truth all this time? Also, how does his abilities as a Shaman stack up against the witches we’ve seen?
Highlights
Cristobal – You Are Not The One
It would be too much to hope this is truly the end for Cristobal and Carmen wouldn’t it? With Carmen noting to Isabel that she is as much of a slave as them, just with a handful of privileges they don’t, it only made the idea of her and Cristobal seem worse. Not that he seems like the type who’d want her barefoot and pregnant, but could she really be happy? After all, she is 18 and while she is from the 1600s, in which 18 might be the midpoint of her lifespan, with entering modern times, how could she go back to old ways of thinking?
[adinserter name=”Box Ads”]
I mean, let’s take note, it is said she was in our times for weeks. So going back to being a slave, or seeing slavery exists, would be immensely difficult. Let’s also factor in that Cristobal isn’t the most supportive of her feminist viewpoints. Making it seem their relationship was still very much in the honeymoon phase and they haven’t had any real conversations about how things would be.
Then again, who knows if Cristobal really planned for such a future? Yes, he grandstands and took a bullet for her, but maybe that was just his representative? Perhaps the real Cristobal isn’t as kind, understanding, and forward thinking after all?
But, with all that said, I hope Carmen doesn’t switch from Cristobal to Esteban. Give her a dark-skinned wizard. Because the colorism, perhaps fetishism (?) is starting to show with all the interest she gives to light skinned men who are in power positions.
[adinserter name=”In Article”]
Low Point
Lucien and Aldemar Are Related… Really?
I feel like the writers believed they had some really cool twists and turns when they wrote this show – I truly do. The problem is, be it because I watch so many things I’m a little jaded or these twists really are just lackluster, Lucien and Aldemar being related deserves an eye roll that could slow down the Earth’s rotation.
For one, it doesn’t really complicate things. Aldemar is a power-hungry wizard in a world which seemingly doesn’t have covens or a governing authority over magic. It’s just whoever the local witches are. With that, as much as you recognize the threat, especially since Aldemar has a love for bewitching people, it isn’t like Aldemar is talking about taking over the world or anything sinister. Right now, he just wants power due to ego – likely feeling emasculated because women seem to always be stronger than him. Ultimately making him more into a joke fit for a tween show than something which, assumingly is geared towards adults.
[adinserter name=”General Ads”]
Follow Wherever I Look on Twitter, Like us on Facebook and Subscribe to the YouTube Channel.
Check Out Other TV Recaps
[ninja_tables id=”31569″]
TV Shows We’re Covering This Season
Images used for editorial and commentary purposes. All rights remain with their respective copyright holders.
