The Next Prince 1×06 Review: Episode 6

This episode packs some pretty heavy emotional punches, and we make some substantial gains, albeit all in the relationship department. We seem to have stalled at moving the political storyline forward.

Episode 6 picks up right where episode 5 left off, with Khanin injuring himself during his fencing training. He and Charan have yet another charged moment as Charan bandages his ankle. Like all of their moments (and they have many in this episode), it involves a lot of intense, prolonged eye contact and forgetting other people are in the room with them. Unfortunately, this moment is interrupted by Tharin.

I’m still not sure if I believe Tharin’s concerned father act, simply for the fact that we’re almost halfway through the series and this is the, like, third time they’ve interacted. He tells Khanin how important it is that he rest and take his time, so that he doesn’t hurt himself more. But until this scene, he’s shown no interest in Khanin’s training or how he’s preparing for the competition. I’d like to believe that he’s genuine, mostly because we don’t have anything to prove otherwise. But we also don’t have much of them together, or even of Tharin on his own.

We segue into more of Khanin’s lessons, which I think, at this point, is just a way to expand the world for the audience. Khanin should definitely know this basic information at this stage. Today we’re learning about the Meenanakarin, who are known for their pearls – particularly the dark champagne pearls. Khanin wants to visit the region so that he can see the pearls for himself, but Charan denies him, insisting that the market near the university will have to do.

He’s clearly suggesting this as a deterrent, so that Khanin will drop the subject and get back to his lessons. But Khanin eagerly accepts the chance to spend more time with Charan one-on-one, so they head off to the market for a nice little date. They share a meal, and Khanin even feeds Charan. I loved the little moment where Khanin tries to get Charan to smile. Unfortunately, the pearl store does not have the dark champagne ones, so the trip was a bust.

Charan decides to take Khanin to his home to show off the dark champagne pearls in his family’s personal collection. And for no other reason, I’m sure. But seriously, with the size of his estate, I’m starting to question their difference in status. His family has always been royal guards, but what royal guards live in a house like that? His bedroom is bigger than my apartment building.

As Charan shows Khanin the jewelry, he talks a little bit about his parents. There is a lot of emphasis in particular on the ring Khanin’s father had custom-made for his mother on their wedding day, which displays the specific pearl Khanin was interested in seeing. I personally didn’t think too much of the ring, but my opinion isn’t what’s important here. And because they spent so long on the ring, I suspect at some point it’s going to come back. There’s no way that this show doesn’t end with a proposal, and I’d bet anything that it involves that ring.

Naturally, Khanin and Charan’s not-date is all over social media, which is very frustrating for Ramil, who probably still thinks this is all a ruse to increase Khanin’s popularity. This scene, I think, more than any other scene we’ve had between Ramil and Paytai, proves that whatever their dynamic is, Paytai is one hundred percent consenting and even a little enthusiastic. (And we don’t kink shame, especially not during Pride Month!) But I’ll come back to these two later.

Prince Wasin comes to visit the king and encounters Khanin. They have a friendly enough meeting, with Wasin offering to help Khanin in any way that he can. However, a particular phrase he uses unsettles Khanin, who brings it up later to Charan. Charan claims that it means the Meenanakarin are loyal to the Assavadevathin, and it will be beneficial to them if Khanin wins the competition and the Assavadevathin stay on the throne.

And you know, it could absolutely mean that. I don’t have any reason to think otherwise, and unlike the other princes, I don’t have much of a read on Wasin. But I know a few people in the fandom are suspicious of him, and for that reason will likely read something differently into his offer to help. To be honest, after Khanin’s reaction to his offer, I’m starting to wonder if maybe they’re right. The way he phrased it, and the tone he used, seems to imply that he’s not entirely enthused about that so-called loyalty. 

Because you know the king is scheming. He fails the vibe check on a consistent basis.

Then we get back to Khanin’s training, and it becomes clear that Thatdanai’s extensive lessons on Emmaly and its culture did not include archery, because Khanin kind of sucks at it. It’s actually refreshing to see him not good at something, since he’s taken to this prince thing much more easily than I would have expected. Plus archery is the perfect excuse for him and Charan to get a little up close and personal (Khanin even does the “I love you” hand gesture). There was a lot of tension between these two in this episode, and I’m here for it.

It’s moments like that that prove Charan is pretty much all in at this point. He may bleat about their status and impropriety, but it would be very easy for him to keep his distance. And he isn’t. He doesn’t have to personally wrap Khanin’s twisted ankle. He doesn’t have to stand so close when he’s teaching archery. But he does.

And now for something completely different. The king has invited Calvin to the palace and wants him and Khanin to become friends. Is this a way to make Calvin relevant to the main story, because so far he’s not? Perhaps. I think that the king suspects something is going on between Khanin and Charan and is hoping to introduce Calvin as a “suitable” alternative. They’ve also been invited to visit the Thawichmetha with Ava and Ramil.

Every single second of their visit to the Thawichmetha is awkward as hell. First, Calvin doesn’t want to stay in the palace because he’s “not used” to the architecture. Then Ramil is cold when they encounter him and Paytai on the archery grounds. Then there’s whatever was going on at the club.

OK, no, let’s talk about the club. Why did Ava order one of their signature cocktails if she had no intention of drinking? (Also, boo to Khanin for basically pressuring her into it. Not drinking is a perfectly valid lifestyle choice! Some of us don’t need alcohol to have fun!) Why is Ava being all filial daughter and asking permission to dance in her own region? (Seriously, what happened to the bravery she showed when she stood up to the king? Why does she seem to be regressing?) Why are they all sitting so far apart? Why are they so terrible at dancing? Where does Calvin disappear to? Did they seriously just abandon him? Who were those two guys outside the club?

But first, let’s get back to Ramil and Paytai. I thought it was sweet that Ava dragged Paytai out onto the dance floor with her and Khanin. He seemed pleased and surprised at the invitation as well. And for a while, everything was cool. But then Khanin grabbed Charan to make him dance. And that’s when Ramil marched onto the dance floor, made eye contact with Paytai, dropped his glass on the floor, and stormed out. And everyone just went on with their evening, like this is a common occurrence.

This scene is, I think, indicative of why Ramil doesn’t like Khanin. I mean, yes, Khanin is competition that Ramil didn’t have until recently, but it’s more than that. Because Khanin didn’t grow up in the environment that Ramil – and even Ava – did, he is less fettered by the bonds of their society. He doesn’t care if people see him with Charan and speculate on their relationship. He has no hesitation in dancing with Charan in public. But Ramil and Paytai have to hide.

Though, I mean, with that monster kiss on what I’m assuming is the front steps of the club, they’re not hiding very well. Even if Paytai does keep his eyes open to make sure no one sees them.

I talked a little bit last week about how I thought this was a way for Ramil to have some control over something in his life, since he seems to have very little control in general. I think a lot of Ramil’s possessiveness is insecurity and perhaps a little bit of fear. I’ve been thinking about it since episode 4, when Rachata threatened to take Paytai away. Because Rachata will never be OK with Ramil dating Paytai. It’s fairly obvious that Ramil is expected to win the competition and then be the perfect heir, as in provide Rachata with lots of grandchildren to carry on the family line. So I think Ramil is, on some level, worried that Paytai won’t stay, because he can’t give him what he sees Khanin and Charan having.

But it’s very obvious after this episode that Paytai will absolutely stay. I mean, last week, he put the collar on himself. He is in this, one hundred percent. (In fact, he almost seems more in charge than Ramil does in this episode.) Eventually, I think Ramil will realize that. But for now, it manifests in the kind of toxic behavior that might make a regular person pause.

After abandoning Calvin (and Chakri!), Ava, Khanin, and Charan are accosted by two men when they leave the club. I have no idea how Ava clocked these guys so quickly, and at this point, we don’t know who they were after. Presumably they were after Khanin, since we know that people are after him. Regardless, Charan steps in and quickly knocks the attackers out. Just in time, too, as it starts to rain.

If you remember from episode 2, Charan has some kind of trauma related to rain. Once it starts raining, he freezes up. (We are absolutely going to see this again. I’d wager that it will rain at exactly the worst moment, and something happens to Khanin because of it.) Khanin is eventually able to get through to him, but Charan is shaken by the ordeal. Mad props to Zee for his acting in this scene; Charan has been so stoic and in control up until now, but he seems very small and afraid here.

That vulnerability allows for a nice role reversal as, for the first time, Khanin is able to take care of Charan. (Although, admittedly, he doesn’t even get him out of his wet clothes, so he’s not doing a good job. We’ll forgive him, though. This is a BL.) Also, it gives Charan the opportunity to open up. He talks about how it was raining when his mother left, and the rain makes him think about how she never returned.

So, we totally think the king orchestrated her death, right? (If she even is dead. No body, no death! Soap opera rules.) He so eagerly swooped in and adopted Charan after she was gone. It’s as if he wanted to raise the perfect soldier to guard his grandson.

But the most important thing that happens is that Khanin and Charan finally kiss! Charan has been very good at denying himself, even though he so obviously has wanted to give in. But with his vulnerabilities exposed like that, and Khanin offering him comfort, he isn’t able to hold back any longer. And wow, if Zee and NuNew are good at anything, they’re good at kissing. That was a phenomenal first kiss.

I think this scene demonstrates why, even though Khanin can be a little brat and has been very demanding, he is still a good fit for Charan. I think perhaps because he’s a little brat. Charan has so few people that he can truly be himself with. As I said, I think the king raised him to be the perfect soldier, so he likely doesn’t have friends, and he lost his family at such a young age. He only really lets his guard down with Khanin, and it’s because Khanin doesn’t care about things like status or propriety.

Now, despite the fact that I’ve rambled on for two thousand words, this is an episode that doesn’t really move the plot forward. As I mentioned last week, the pacing issues are starting to show. There are quite a few scenes in this episode that simply don’t need to be as long as they did. And while there is a lot of character development, we are almost halfway through the series and there are so many plot threads. We need to start seeing some movement.

Allegedly, the book starts slowly as well. I understand that they’re laying the groundwork. We’re getting to know the world and the people so that the payoff will feel earned. And it looks as though in next week’s episode, things are starting to kick off. But please, I’m begging you, start coalescing into one story instead of what feels like six different plotlines.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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