- Two Creature Commandos stars have opened up on episode 4’s big plot twists
- Maria Bakalova has teased how a surprising Ilana reveal will keep viewers guessing right up to the show’s finale
- Sean Gunn explains how he approached Weasel’s soul-crushing backstory from a voice acting perspective
Creature Commandos episode 4 marks the official midpoint of the Max show – and it might be the most eye-opening chapter of the R-rated animated series yet.
Based on its seemingly innocent title ‘Chasing Squirrels’, Creature Commandos‘ latest entry doesn’t appear to be particularly shocking on the surface. Looks, though, can be deceiving, and episode 4 proves how true that statement can be with two big plot twists that few will have seen coming.
Major spoilers immediately follow for ‘Chasing Squirrels’. Don’t scroll past this point if you haven’t watched the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) show’s latest episode yet.
A Pokolistani plan for world domination
The first surprise turn of events centers on Princess Ilana of Pokolistan. As I explained in another Creature Commandos episode 4 exclusive – one based around the apparent debut of the DCU’s Justice League – it seems Pokolistan’s de facto ruler isn’t as innocent as she’s letting on. Indeed, when the series’ supposed main villain Circe shows ARGUS chief Amanda Waller a potential vision of the future, it’s a premonition that revolves around Ilana and Pokolistan autocratically ruling the Earth.
Later in the episode, Waller drafts in Doctor Ilana MacPherson, a university professor who specializes in Themyscira, aka Circe’s place of birth and one of three big references that Creature Commandos includes to tease Wonder Woman’s eventual DCU debut. As MacPherson explains, Circe is a clairvoyant, which means she isn’t able to imagine potential future scenarios on the spot. That, then, must mean Circe is telling the truth about Ilana and Pokolistan.
Or is she? Speaking to TechRadar ahead of episode 4’s release, Maria Bakalova, who voices Ilana, suggested there’ll be more twists and turns before Creature Commandos‘ final chapter, which will keep viewers on their toes and ensure they won’t know whether they can trust Ilana, MacPherson, or Circe.
“It’s an interesting reveal,” Bakalova said with a smile when I quizzed on episode 4’s plot twist. “It’s done in such a gentle way that it makes you think ‘is it real, or is Circe lying?’. You don’t know who you can trust out of Circe or Ilana. I’m really happy that the show is built in a way that keeps that tension throughout, so you can’t tell if Ilana is as good as Rick Flag Sr thinks she is, or if she’s actually the bad guy in all of this. You’re never completely convinced.”
Weasel’s tragic tale
As I alluded to, there’s another big story-based moment in one of the best Max shows‘ fourth episode, and it’s one focused squarely on Weasel.
Weasel’s backstory has been referenced throughout Creature Commandos, with different characters mentioning that he was accused of killing 27 children. That’s the reason why he was incarcerated in Belle Reve Correctional Center in the first place.
Or so we were led to believe. In an emotionally devastating flashback sequence, which intersects the DCU Chapter One series’ present day storyline, we learn Weasel actually tried to save a bunch of kids when a fire breaks out at their school. He fails to do so, however, because he’s shot and captured by law enforcers who mistake Weasel for causing the blaze and, in their eyes, attempting to steal the children in order to eat them.
DC Studios’ co-head James Gunn previously described episode 4’s harrowing trip down memory lane as one of the saddest things he’s ever written. True though that may be, such scenes require performers – among other things, such as its musical score – to effectively communicate how much a gut-punch these moments are. So, how did Sean Gunn, James’ brother and the voice actor responsible for playing Weasel, convey such anguish with a character who can’t talk?
“As an actor, sometimes you don’t have the tools to make something work,” Sean Gunn told me ahead of episode 4’s release. “When I’m playing Weasel, all I’ve got are squeaks, grunts, and growls.
You don’t know who you can trust out of Circe or Ilana
Mara Bakalova, Creature Commandos voice actor
“But, James and I talked a lot about how Weasel is like a big dog, and anyone who has a dog knows that they’re incredibly emotional creatures who can experience joy, pain, sadness, all those kind of things. So, that’s what I’m trying to get to the heart of when recording Weasel. That was really interesting because, in [2021 DCEU movie] The Suicide Squad, he was such an afterthought who was viewed as a goofball and just some form of comic relief. To be able to take that character and have to do something with him that has some real emotional resonance, that was very challenging for me, but I really loved doing it.”
Want to read more exclusive Creature Commandos articles? Check out other articles I’ve written about the adult animated show below. Oh, and be sure to check in later for my coverage of the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman movie.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
