Disenchantment season 1 mid-season finale: Dreamland Falls

The season 1 mid-season finale of Netflix series Disenchantment is full of turmoil. In fact, Queen Dagmar may have been better left as a monument!

Near the finale’s beginning, Dreamland holds a large feast in honor of Queen Dagmar’s (Sharon Horgan). It seems everyone’s happy about her return, or at least smiling because it’s mandated by King Zøg (John DiMaggio).

However, it’s obvious that not everyone’s thrilled. Queen Oona (Tress MacNeille) instantly dislikes her, resenting that she’s being replaced by Zøg. Among other things, Oona remarks, “The cotton candy shop called. They want their hair back.”

Later, at Elfo’s (Nat Faxon) grand funeral, the two Queens fight, causing Elfo’s casket to plummet into the ocean. It presents some big problems. If Oona is disgraced, it could lead to war with the people of Dankmire (though they already seemed to be hostile after the events of “Swamp and Circumstance.”

Still, when Oona overhears a possible plot against her, all bets are really off. Zøg, Pendergast (, and Sorcerio want to get rid of her. Meanwhile, while talking to Zøg, Dagmar refers to “a dark battle of 100 centuries and our daughter’s destiny…”

Everybody must get stoned!

While wandering the castle at night, Luci (Eric Andre) sees a stone statue of Pendergast. We learn it’s actually him, but that he’s been transformed. Shortly afterward, Zøg tells of his past. He didn’t want to be a king and was fine as a warrior prince.

However, he inherited the title after his older brother’s death. Later, Luci uses the crystal ball that was once Tess’s eye to look into the past.

This is where a betrayal is revealed: When the wine glasses were switched years ago, it was Dagmar who had poisoned the wine! So, when Princess Bean (Abbi Jacobson) switched the glasses around, it resulted in Dagmar accidentally poisoning herself. Oops!

When Zøg confronts Dagmar about it, she kicks him down a staircase (and he laments, “I do know how to pick ’em, don’t I?”). While Zøg wasn’t the nicest Disenchantment character so far, he is revealed to be more complex and surprisingly tragic, given these events.

Some other huge changes occur. Luci is taken away by someone off screen (though it’s probably one of Big Jo’s demon collecting jars — Luci is a demon after all). Additionally, a giant, magical blob turns seemingly everyone to stone.

Dagmar and/or Oona may be plotting against the kingdom, or it may be more complicated than even that. Meanwhile, Dagmar takes Princess Bean away on a ship full of humanoid creatures.

Then, while Zøg surveys the city, he loses his crown in the waters below his royal window. Finally, after Elfo washes ashore, some unknown hands grab him, suggesting he may be revived.

Obviously, this sets up a pretty big second half of Disenchantment‘s first season.  Story-wise, many character dynamics are bound to change with these events, and we’ll likely see the revival of sweet little Elfo.

That’s it for this Disenchantment recap! What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments and catch the show on Netflix!