Ep 21. Long Live the Kings

After a long run of adventurous episodes, Pair of Kings season 3 episode 21, titled Long Live the Kings, brings a calm before the storm kind of approach. The episode follows the island of Kinkow, where Boomer and Brady are the self-proclaimed kings. But with the threat of the evil Tarantula tribe, the kingdom's future remains uncertain.

Long Live the Kings starts with the Kinkowans getting prepared for a significant celebration, the Royal Crown Jubilee, that honors the royal family members who have ruled over the island for multiple years. The celebrations remind the brothers that they have not done much for the kingdom. Hence, they both make individual plans to mingle with their public. However, things never go as planned.

Boomer, along with his girlfriend Rebecca, decides to join the islanders and surfers against the epic Monster Wave that hits the island after 600 years. At the same time, Brady, with his assistant Mikayla, sets out towards the mountain forests to celebrate the Jubilee's traditional hunt event. With both the kings and their confidantes occupied with their plans, the celebration preparations for Jubilee are left in the hands of Lanny, who crosses all limits to showcase his authority.

While Boomer and Rebecca ride the Monster Wave, they discover a small underwater cavern where they find the long-lost golden conch, an essential artifact that could keep the Tarantulas away from Kinkow. Meanwhile, Brady's hunt event turns into a regret after a rare, one-horned deer's baby fawn gets murdered. Mikayla tracks down and finds that the poachers are none other than the Tarantulas, who plan to overthrow the kings and loot the island.

As Boomer and Rebecca plan to bring the golden conch to the kingdom for the Jubilee ceremony, the Tarantula tribe members surround them, snatching away the artifact and making it clear that they will use it to rule Kinkow. On the other hand, Mikayla and Brady team up to stop the Tarantulas from ruining the Jubilee and their plan to become rulers of Kinkow.

The episode doesn't solely focus on the action. Along with the island's crisis, Long Live the Kings also brings a massive arc in Boomer and Rebecca's relationship as Boomer realizes his struggle to make Rebecca feel comfortable around the royal family. He begins to question his future with her and if he is the right king for Kinkow. Similarly, Brady has his revelation in the mountains after killing the Tarantula poachers, leaving him pondering over his actions as a king and if he's capable of driving the kingdom towards a more prosperous future.

Longtime viewers of Pair of Kings would love how this episode showcases the growth of the characters, both in individuality and loyalty towards Kinkow. The episode does not rely on its usual shenanigans and slapsticks. Instead, it showcases the characters' internal conflicts and how they're shaping up their future. The villains remain a constant threat, even though they're not shown in the spotlight much. It brings an anticipation factor of what the future episodes would hold for the kingdom, and the kings.

Long Live the Kings might not have the big fighting scenes, immense stakes, and strong villains that viewers are used to. But the show anchors itself into the importance of its central premise - what it means to be a king and the steps one can take to become a better one. The episode conveys the challenges that come with the responsibility and how one learns to adapt to the changing times. Even with its lighter tone, the episode remains a significant entry in the show's history as it brings a vital shift in Boomer and Brady's character arcs.