This review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

The Dragon Prince has returned to Netflix with the next chapter in its “Mystery of Aaravos” arc, bringing with it an introduction to the Ocean Arcanum and a whole host of new obstacles our heroes have to conquer before the titular Startouch elf unleashes havoc upon the world. Season 5 of the Emmy-winning animated series picks up relatively soon after the events of Season 4, with Callum (Jack DeSena), Rayla (Paula Burrows), Ezran (Sasha Rojen), and Soren (Jesse Inocalla) racing to find a way to Aaravos’ (Erik Dellums) prison before Claudia (Racquel Belmonte) and Terry (Benjamin Callins), who have unfortunately acquired the map to its location and intend to free the Startouch elf in order to save Viren’s (Jason Simpson) life.

Season 4 opened with a controversial two-year time jump, a risky creative decision that didn’t quite work in the series’ favor, especially after a long three-year wait following the Season 3 premiere. As with most of the other seasons of The Dragon Prince — except for perhaps Season 3, which seemed to finally nail the balance of exposition and payoff — Season 4 struggled to gain momentum. With such a massive magical world, there’s seemingly endless potential for worldbuilding in The Dragon Prince series. But with only nine episodes, 30 minutes apiece, the worldbuilding often comes at the expense of the main storyline. Season 4 fell victim once again to this problem, leaving viewers with a lackluster season that barely explored the mystery of Aaravos, despite it being the new title of the series’ current arc.

The saving grace for Season 4 of The Dragon Prince was the hope that all of that exposition was setting up an eventful Season 5 that would finally give the mystery of Aaravos the careful attention and time it deserves and provide answers to the many unanswered questions that Season 4 left behind. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

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‘The Dragon Prince’ Season 5 Still Hasn’t Fixed the Series’ Biggest Problem
Image via Netflix

Following the events of the Season 4 finale, all the pieces are in place for Aaravos’ storyline to truly come to fruition. Claudia and Terry have the map to the Starelf’s prison, the key to Viren’s permanent resurrection, and Team Ezran is hot on their heels, desperately having to change course after failing to get find the elf’s location first. In short, Aaravos’ spotlight is primed and ready. Instead, however, Season 5 of The Dragon Prince continues to follow its frustrating pattern.

Unfortunately, Season 5 is largely meandering, devoting more time to side quests and worldbuilding than to the mystery of Aaravos, beginning first with the continuing Sunelf storyline from Season 4 — a side plot that took up an inordinate amount of time without quite adding anything particularly interesting to the story. With Season 5, there is an attempt to render the storyline between Karim (Luc Roderique) and Sunfire Elf Queen Janai (Rena Anakwe) more engaging — but while the political significance of a human and elf settlement is certainly important, there’s still not enough time dedicated to this storyline for it to feel important. It doesn’t help that it still doesn’t quite connect to the main storyline, and while it’s clear the series intends to bridge the gap between these two arcs, two seasons is too long to spend so much time with the Sunfire elves without an inclination as to why they’re so important. There is at least the saving grace that Amaya is one of The Dragon Prince’s best side characters, and her relationship with Janai is one of the most tender pairings in the series. But they aren’t quite compelling enough on their own, and you can’t help but wish they were with the main crew, racing to beat Claudia to Aaravos’ prison before she unleashes an unspeakable evil upon the world.

As for our main players, Rayla, Callum, Ezran, Soren, Bait, and Zym are embarking on their journey to catch up to Claudia, but as always, find themselves sucked into side quests. And while there have certainly been times in past seasons where side quests can be entertaining, that’s not quite the case here, particularly when the crew spends a handful of episodes with a new villain who ultimately serves no purpose besides derailing their journey to Aaravos’ prison. A typical season of The Dragon Prince often spends its time meandering before ending with a bang in the last two or three episodes, but even the finale of Season 5 is strangely unsatisfying. Aaravos’ storyline is once again rushed in favor of new characters and worldbuilding that could be interesting — if there was time for it. It’s also unusual that in a season deemed “Book 5 – Ocean,” our introduction to the Tidebound elves wastes its time on a one-off villain. It all boils down to the same problem: if The Dragon Prince is going to continue with its nine-episode formula, it simply needs to make better use of its time.

‘The Dragon Prince’ Season 5 Is Best When It Remembers Its Most Compelling Characters
Image via Netflix

All of this aside, The Dragon Prince still boasts one of the most compelling casts of characters in a fantasy series. With Aaron Ehasz, head writer of Avatar: The Last Airbender as a co-creator, that’s certainly no surprise. Although it is not as often as one would hope, the main cast of characters certainly has their moments this season that remind us why The Dragon Prince still stands out as a worthwhile fantasy, even with its consistent pacing issues. Ezran remains the idealistic young king whose bravery and heart are unmatched, and Rayla and Callum are a heartwarming duo who is thankfully no longer estranged (which was a valid criticism from Season 4), but making their way back to each other gradually with a few sweet, subtle moments sprinkled throughout the season. Soren, in particular, has a moment that serves as a reminder that we need so much more of him. Each season throws in a quick reminder that Soren is much more than a handsome goofball — and while these additions are always welcome, they need to be more than a reminder. With his estrangement from his family and his complicated relationship with his father, and now his sister, Soren’s storyline is ripe with potential. Season 5 certainly leans on his comedic ability to lighten the mood, as always, but those rare moments where we see his depth are a welcome addition to the season.

As always, Claudia and her relationship with Viren remains one of the most captivating aspects of The Dragon Prince. Viren in particular is the standout character this season, and that’s certainly no surprise — he’s always had the most potential for a rich storyline, especially since we know so little about his past. This season remedies that slightly, giving us brief but absolutely vital details about Viren’s backstory. The moments we spend with Viren this season are a reminder that The Dragon Prince’s strengths lie in its refusal to make its characters one-dimensional.

Finally, one of the best — and often cutest — parts of The Dragon Prince is the magical creatures and critters, and Season 5 is no exception. This season opens the door for an extremely compelling storyline with the Dragon Queen, Zubeia (Nicole Oliver), which hopefully, future seasons of The Dragon Prince will devote an appropriate amount of attention to. Season 5 also introduces a few more critters, while still making sure to spotlight the ones that are integral to the core group. (Of course, Bait and Zym still reign supreme, both for their cuteness, bravery, and love of jelly tarts.) Season 5 of The Dragon Prince has plenty of potential, but sadly, doesn’t quite stick the landing. Even so, it’s worth the ride — the world remains a visual treat, the characters and relationships are rich, and as always, its cute critters will tug at the heartstrings of even the most frustrated fans.

Rating: C

The Big Picture Season 5 of The Dragon Prince continues to struggle with pacing issues and fails to give the mystery of Aaravos the attention it deserves. The season focuses too much on side quests and worldbuilding, leaving the main storyline feeling rushed and unsatisfying. Despite its flaws, The Dragon Prince still showcases compelling characters and offers a visually captivating world that will keep fans entertained. The Dragon Prince Season 5 is out now on Netflix.