Sweet Toothhas finally brought all of its disparate plot elements together into a single blowout. The central story used to be fairly simple, but every element has been dragged across three or four new character interactions, but the threads are converging at last. Every major figure has come together to throw down in an all-out war for the fate of the hybrid kids, and nobody is safe.
This episode comes to the screen from a crew stocked with familiar talent. Toa Fraser is back in the director’s chair, with Noah Griffith & Daniel Stewart delivering the script. Fraser’s work onaction shows fromTitanstoDaredevilshows through in his episodes.
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Episode five was onlythe beginning of the fireworks display. In “How it Started, How it’s Going,” the forces of Big Man and Aimee finally assault General Abbot and the Last Men. The zoo swiftly becomes a battlefield as the Air Lords rain chemical warfare on their enemies from above. Gus and his fellow hybrids have escaped containment and begun their escape, but they’re unaware of the massive effort of their parents to save the day. As Big Man finally finds his boy, they demonstrate how powerful they are together and why they need each other so much. It’s the most substantial moment of the series so far in terms of pure scale. Beyond the on-screen combat, the emotional heights are something to behold as well. Even as the Air Lordsbombard the zoo andthe hybrid kids take on armed soldiers with slapstick comedy, characters are finding new dimensions and paying off long-awaited moments.
As the world falls apart around them, General Abbot’s captured forces have to decide where their allegiances lie. Abbot’s brotherJohnny has been strugglingto morally accept his brother’s actions, eventually betraying him for the protection of a kid. When the rubber hits the road, he has every opportunity to choose to live for himself. The same choice is offered to Dr. Singh and Rani. The chaos caused by the invasion would create the perfect escape opportunity if Dr. Singh could stomach losing his research. This aspect of the story has been consistently heartbreaking. Watching both Johnny and Aditya sacrifice themselves, slowly losing whatever noble purpose they had for their doomed loved ones. Theypass up every opportunity, convinced they’re doing the right thing. Watching Rani try to convince her husband to let her die in peace is genuinely gripping, even as it feels as if they’ve been having this conversation forever.
Becky Bear also finds herself on the battlefield, though she’s wearing the wrong outfit this time. While she escorts her turncoat ally, Tiger, the Air Lords begin their bombing campaign. Bear is forced to make a choice between her new friend and her old enemy, despite her mixed feelings toward both. Once the secret of her past comes out, she’s ready to reconcile and rejoin the Animal Army.Bear’s storyline has beenweird over the past few episodes. It’s clear that she, like almost every other character, is in over her head with all the lies she has to tell, but her goal appears to go no further than finding the friend who betrayed her. Now that she’s back in the Animal Army, it kind of seems as if her time with the Last Men won’t amount to much. It’s clear where she needed to be by this point in the story. It just seems as if she’s taken a needlessly roundabout way to get there.
Sweet Toothhas beena strange journey with a lot of unique twists and turns. There are so many clashing tones at play in any given scene. Bringing them together for this cathartic display has been hugely satisfying. This would feel like an appropriate season finale for most shows, but “How it Started, How it’s Going” manages to set up plenty of interesting new concepts for the next two episodes. It’s an outstanding mix of solid action scenes, silly childhood whimsy, urban fantasy, and emotional psychodrama that works on every level. The movie-like structure of the show ensures there’s always a moment the audience is waiting for and a suitable payoff. It’s an impressive display of ambition.
Though this episode tied up a lot of loose ends, there are still plenty of threads that need to be resolved.Sweet Toothnever wastes its reveals, even when it’s building toward a joke. The elements of social commentary have become a bit muddled as the story reaches its peak. One of the key plot details asks whether sacrificing a group of people for a vaccine is morally justified without ever really plumbing the depths of how horrific that concept is. However, it’s still an extremely strong narrative.Sweet Toothisn’t pullingany punches, and its spectacular cocktail of concepts and genres is unlike anything else out right now.
