The finale of Disenchantment season 2 was the culmination of 2 years of careful planning on the part of the series’ writers. While many felt the final episodes were rushed and introduced too many new elements at the last moment, virtually every development was foreshadowed at some earlier point.
Despite having a much shorter episode order per season than most animated series, Disenchantment is noted for the number of Easter eggs it contains. Beyond references to classic fairy tales and popular fantasy series like Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, Disenchantment has also built up a surprisingly complex mythology of its own over its first 20 episodes. This has given the series a surprising amount of material to call-back towards, as its overall narrative has progressed.
The irony is that this complexity, coupled with creator Matt Groening’s love of hiding in-jokes in his work, has given way to a fair amount of foreshadowing to Disenchantment’s larger story. While all the clues are in plain sight, their meaning may not be immediately obvious to the casual viewer and many story elements only reveal themselves after multiple binge viewings. This was likely intentional, given the series’ being Groening’s first work created for a streaming service like Netflix.
Steamland Foreshadowed In The First Episode
Season 2, episode 9, “The Electric Princess” largely centered upon Bean’s journey to the far off kingdom of Steamland. As the name suggests, Steamland was a nation ruled by scientific principles, which utilized steampunk technology. While the egalitarian and logic-driven world of Steamland appealed deeply to Bean, many fans of the show disliked the idea of a science-based society being introduced into the reality of Disenchantment. Ignoring the strong resemblance between Steamland and New New York from Futurama, a steampunk country seemed far more appropriate to a science-fiction series than a high fantasy show like Disenchantment.
Surprisingly, Steamland’s existence was revealed in the very first episode of Disenchantment, “A Princess, an Elf, and a Demon Walk Into A Bar.” As Luci, Bean and Elfo flee into the Enchanted Forest, a blimp-like object could briefly be seen in the sky above the mountains in the background. While this was first thought to be a nod to Futurama given the similar shape to the Planet Express ship, this was actually a bit of foreshadowing that Steamland and its famous lead zeppelins existed long before any other sign of the advanced nation was seen in the show.
The Trogs First Showed Up In Season 1
Perhaps the strangest aspect of Disenchantment season 2’s finale was the introduction of the Trogs. While not identified by name in the episode, the closed-captioning gave this name to the large-eyed, elf-sized, pale-skinned beings, who seem to be working for the evil Queen Dagmar. The Trogs were also seemingly responsible for saving Bean, Elfo and Luci from being burned at the stake.
The Trogs’ existence was first revealed in season 1, episode 4, “Castle Party Massacre.” A Trog was briefly visible in the background shuffling in the shadows alongside Elfo, as he searched the castle’s basement for Odval and Sorcerio. Another Trog was seen in season 2, episode 7, “Love’s Slimy Embrace,” hiding among the stuffed animals in Prince Derek’s plush toy collection.
The existence of the Trogs was further hinted at in the Disenchantment season 2 premiere, “The Disenchantress,” as Bean explored the royal palace in Maru. While Bean was largely interested in the Prophecy Fulfillment Center that was apparently tied to her destiny, the hallway leading to the Center was full of tiny doors, perfectly sized for an Elf… or a Trog. Bean found similar small doors while exploring the catacombs under Dreamland in season 2, episode 4, “The Lonely Heart Is a Hunter.”
Mermaid Island Was Part Of The Key To Saving Elfo
The death of Elfo was one of many subplots that informed the cliffhanger ending of Disenchantment season 1. It was, however, the only subplot whose resolution was teased in a post-credits sequence. The brief scene showed Elfo’s body, which had become lost at sea, being picked up out of the surf by two distinctly feminine figures.
Many fans guessed that the women who saved Elfo’s body were mermaids from Mermaid Island - a locale that was first mentioned in the season 1 episode, “For Whom The Pig Oinks.” This episode saw Bean plotting to get rid of her unwanted fiancee, Prince Merkimer, by throwing him a bachelor party on a barge that would sail perilously close to the legendary island. Unfortunately, Merkimer survived the effects of the siren song that lured him overboard to seek the pleasures of Walrus Island, the island next to Mermaid Island.
Elfo’s fate was revealed in the second episode of Disenchantment season 2, “Stairway To Hell,” which confirmed that the women of Mermaid Island had recovered his body and preserved it for the five months Elfo was dead. Amusingly, it turned out they did not do this out of kindness - they were marinating his body for a feast and he just happened to emerge from the afterlife just as they had started drying it out. Still, there were no hard feelings, and the mermaids were happy to treat our heroes to a relaxing spa day, before sending them back on their way to Dreamland.
The Seekers Were More Than Just a Riff On Secret Societies
The Seekers were first introduced in Disenchantment season 1, episode 4, “Castle Party Massacre.” Described by Odval as “an ancient secret society that conducts great matters of state and diplomacy,” their meetings seemed to serve no purpose other than allowing the elites of Dreamland to get together and have sex in strange costumes. Apart from parodying similar real-world secret societies such as the Hellfire Club, there seemed little point to the Seekers apart from occupying Odval and Sorcerio for an episode, while Bean was throwing a party.
The Seekers took on a more sinister role in the closing chapters of Disenchantment season 2. They were seen taking a hand in manipulating King Zog into shutting down Dreamland’s only theater in season 2, episode 8, “In Her Own Write,” with Odval defending the action by saying that it was the role of the Seekers to determine the difference between “what is right for the king and what is right for the kingdom.” This distinction leads to a plot against King Zog in the final episode of season 2, with the Seekers planting Prince Derek on the throne as a puppet and arranging a kangaroo court to execute Bean on charges of witchcraft.
More: What To Expect From Disenchantment Season 3
