The Wingfeather Saga: Season Two
Summary
The Wingfeather Saga, Season 2 is the continuation of the Igiby Family’s flight from the Fangs after upsetting the delicate balance of the region in Season 1. While in Glipwood Forest, the Igibys (known to the audience at this point by their true name: Wingfeather) train to defend themselves and encounter set backs and peril along the way to Dugtown, from terrible fangs and treacherous brigands to unforgiving landscapes and decisions with disastrous consequences.
Assessment
The Wingfeather Saga, Season 2 brings much of the same animation and storytelling goodness to its audience as Season 1 did, with everything settling a bit more into its overall flow and pace. Season 2 focuses on the Igibys’ (now Wingfeathers’) flight from their home, revealing much about the family’s secret history and digging deeper into what is really going on in the world.
Season 2 has a marked increase in character stakes, both personal and global, as Janner, Kal, and Leeli are all forced to confront not only their destinies and roles in the world, but also their weaknesses and insecurities. Woven together with more expansive worldbuilding, aesthetics, and plots, this season provides an intriguing and well-told story.
In terms of animation and cleanliness, the animation is top-notch and in some ways even better than Season 1. Season 2 does contain a lot more action than Season 1, although it is mostly bloodless. There is peril and character injury/death, but most of this is kept at a level that kids would be able to understand.
The theological message remains mostly the same as Season 1, with perhaps more emphasis on learning to fulfil the role and responsibilities God has given you. The message is a bit more covert than last season, but good values and morals are still present throughout the story.
Light-o-Meter
Overall — 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Story: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Voice Acting: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Animation: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Music: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Quality: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Theological Message: 5 out of 7 Little Lights
Age Appropriateness — Appropriate for intended audiences (around 10 years old).
Talk
The Wingfeather Saga continues to amaze its audience into Season 2! I feel like this season is a slight step above Season 1 in terms of both animation, editing, and storytelling quality. Not that Season 1 was bad at all, but I feel like the whole series is really beginning to hit its stride in Season 2 (which happens regularly with long-running series).
I loved how rich the stories were for each of the characters, particularly Janner and Kal. The character growth arcs that they are facing are expertly crafted to target their weaknesses and force them to confront who they are supposed to be. All of the characters have faced the same kind of growth and change in varying levels of depth, but it’s all been really well-done. This is the kind of high-quality storytelling kids should have growing up.
I did think the second season was a little darker in tone, particularly with the Fork Factory arc, but I think it was both age-appropriate and a good thing to present to the target demographic. Stories have value because the characters struggle against impossible odds and overcome them and it’s a serious disservice to kids to present their role models as always perfect or never really facing challenges. God doesn’t promise us an easy life and so we should prepare our kids — through the safe and well-controlled form of stories and media — to face challenges with an eye towards hope and God’s enduring strength.
Where to Enjoy
Check out The Wingfeather Saga now streaming on Angel Studios!
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