Iyanu 2×05 Review: “The Deep”

A crash-landing in enemy territory leads to Team Chosen making crucial progress and discoveries in “The Deep.”

Though Iyanu (Serah Johnson) and Team Chosen successfully escape from Queen Adura (Faith Gesiere-Agua) at the end of “The Duel” in an ancient aircraft powered by Iyanu’s abilities, Iyanu’s struggle to pilot the ship causes them to crash land in enemy territory in “The Deep.” While it is strange that nobody in The Deep seems to hear the crash or attempts to investigate, Iyanu and the rest of Team Chosen use their initial element of surprise to their advantage.

Biyi (Okey Jude), Toye (Samuel Kugbiyi), and Ekun use some abandoned soldier masks to infiltrate the nearby shipyard and attempt to destroy the fleet preparing for their attack on Elu. The plan nearly works until Toye accidentally reveals that they are intruders through his speech patterns when confronted by a soldier. It’s fun to see the three try to work together, but Toye will need more training if he continues to fight and carry out missions alongside the rest of Team Chosen.

Meanwhile, Iyanu and Olori (Adesua Etomi-Wellington) venture into the sacred ruins nestled in the village of The Deep so that Iyanu can attempt to unlock the final pillar of her supernatural abilities. Olori presents an interesting piece of lore regarding the historical significance of the ancient sacrifice site that will likely be expanded upon in the second movie, which will be released in July of this year.

Once Iyanu and Olori successfully sneak through the village, Iyanu overhears a boy and his mother discussing how the village has fallen upon hard times since most of the village’s resources are now being used for the war effort. Iyanu feels for the hungry child and covertly manifests a fruit tree with her abilities. The moment shows Iyanu’s compassion and provides some more insight into the ordinary people of the Deep and their perspective on Adura’s actions.

Iyanu’s moment of empathy helps her unlock the rest of her abilities. The goddess of the ruins helps Iyanu see the tragedy of Adura losing her parents, and Iyanu’s ability to feel sympathetic towards Adura allows her to elevate her powers. It’s a highlight of the episode, and even more importantly, it gives Iyanu crucial knowledge and ability to save the world once again.

With Biyi and Toye’s failed infiltration attempt alerting the village, Iyanu and Olori rush back to the crashed aircraft. Iyanu’s new abilities allow her to repair the ship, and the rest of Team Chosen is thankfully able to fly to safety. Ekun blows up the shipyard from the aircraft on the way out, helping to diminish the scale of Adura’s attack. Despite the triumph, the moment of Biyi watching a little boy standing among the wreckage and the flashback of Biyi standing in the wreckage of the Deep’s attack on the Riverlands make the triumph a little bittersweet. The powerful moment is a reminder of the effects of violence on ordinary people, no matter if it’s perpetrated by the “hero” or the “villain” of a conflict.

“The Deep” is a pivotal episode that presents a turning point in the season and Iyanu’s fight against Adura. With Iyanu’s new abilities and understanding of Adura, it will be exciting to see how the characters will grow stronger and bring peace to the warring factions of Yorubaland.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

Help support independent journalism. Subscribe to our Patreon.

Copyright © The Geekiary