Chill Out with Ever After High’s Epic Winter

For some the days of summer vacation might be fading away. But that does not mean the actual heat of the season has lessened.  So what better way to chill then with an icy winter adventure? “Ever After High” has you covered, and things are epic.

Fair warning.  There will both spoilers for the Epic Winter special as well as the previous specials. All of which can be found on Netflix. So be sure to check them all out if you have not been following the series.

Up until now, the real core of all the Ever After High adventures have at least to some degree landed on either Raven Queen or Apple White. Moreover their personal views and stances on destiny has always been a point of conflict. Even after being for the most part resolved it was still present in this spring’s Dragon Games.

Yet this time around both girls are not part of the main story. Raven is in fact there and part of the situation. And Apple’s role is limited to instances involving Daring’s sub-plot. As much as I do love the two girls and the dynamics between them I am glad that they stepped back this time.

New character Crystal Winters (you guessed it daughter of the Snow King and Queen) acts as our protagonist.  Crystal is compassion girl who loved the fun of winter. And is egger to take on her destiny as the next Queen of Winter. But her parents believe that she still has a ways to go before then. An argument supported by the fact that despite being capable enough, Crystal cannot lace her own boots.

During their conversation Jackie and Northwind Frost, plot to have over winter. Using dust from the shattered Evil Queen’s mirror the two poison the king and queen. Causing a cause of what is later noted to be Kindness Blindness. But added with evil it results in both only able to see the negatives. Even to the point anything that anyone said has their words twisted into insults and digs.

After having her words twisted thanks to the poison, Crystal is informed that she is not fit for her destiny. As if that was not enough her father freezes her mother. Distraught by everything, Crystal leaves home. Her destination, Ever After High for the comfort of her friends.  Ashlynn Ella and Briar Beauty welcome their friend, but notice that something is off.

Incidentally enough Ever After is in the middle of an warm summer day that is need of cooling down. As much fun as it is to spend time with friends.  And have a summer snow day filled with the most exciting of winter activities.  The events from before still weight on Crystal. She questions her father’s behavior.

After talking with Baba Yaga and getting her to look her father over. Crystal, Briar and Ashlynn stage a prompt into Career Day event to draw the Snow King to the school. Still under the spell,  the Snow King becomes  blinded.   Unable to hear the actual words that are being spoke everything sounds like a dig. It does not take long for him to come to the conclusions that everyone is mocking him. Trying to show him that they find themselves more fit for his job then he himself is. Angered by what he believes to be ill willed commentary.  The Snow King decides to teach everyone a lesson and sends the land into an enteral winter.

Wanting to stop the winter and save her parents, Crystal enlist the help of Briar, Ashlynn. Later Roseabella, Faybelle, Daring and Blondie to venture on a quest for a cure. During which the group travels to their respective story castles and face roadblocks.

As for the ending, well it wraps things up quite nicely.

One of the things I always commend Ever After High on is their continuity. I love how they still to one  clear time-line and make sure to reference past events and lose ends. With the specials being as spaced out as they are it can be likely that minor things might get lost in the shuffle.

Like with quite a few specials we have seen there is over-lapping sub-plots, in this case two.

Right out of the gate the Daring sub-plot stands out to me. As it could have almost been an entire standalone story.  If you recall towards the end of the Dragon Games there was more than a minor hiccup with Daring and Apple. During Apple’s enchanted slumber Daring stepped forward and kissed her to wake her up. But the kiss did not work. It did nothing.

Not only was that shocking for the bystanders and all Ever After. But it was a massive blow for Apple and Daring in regards to their relationship. After going on for so long believe they were destined for one another and learning that was not true hit them both.  Daring more so. In the first part of Epic Winter we do see that it has been something weighting on him.

And seeing him so upset over matters leads Roseabella to try and console him. Notably during their talk Roseabella states that it might be since he is far from being selfless. Than thinking of others over himself might lead him to become that prince. A lesion that goes over his head at the time.  But as the story progress it is clear that her words have some effect as he thinks more of her and the other girls. Plus it helps that he finds himself under a curse that leaves him beastly.

The other sub-plot favours Faybelle. Specifically her punishment for her involve with the Evil Queen. Tasked with restoring the school to its former glory.  The fairy finds herself having to clean the school alone. Being who she is Faybelle takes a short-cut.  That leads her having to do two-hundred years of hard work in exchange for having the school fix. Despite to get out of working, she takes advantage of the quest. Under the believe if she offers the cure she can escape her debt. But her tagging along is actually a good asset.

A lot of fans will find themselves point out that Epic Winter is like Frozen. Even though the elements of eternal winter. And  letting emotions blind you are present the stories differ. Epic Winter is  action filled and character driven story. We see a lot of development for our new character Crystal and even Daring. Besides them we also see newer characters gain the spotlight.

Unlike the other specials there is far less lose ends at the end of the story. The only one that comes to mind is now with this new relationship budding with Daring and Rosabella.  How will that effect Apple and her happily ever after? With any luck that will overlay with the next story.

The writing on this was great. Everything did line up nicely and nothing was jarring or out of place. With as much going on as there was that is an accomplishment.

Epic Winter was another strong instalment in the Ever After High series. A must binge four part special perfect for a hot summer night.

Join the conversation: Out of all the Ever After High specials what one do you count as your favourite?