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Denna is the eighth episode of the television series Legend of the Seeker. It was the first episode to air in 2009

Plot Summary[]

Official logline[]

Richard's will is tested when a Mord'Sith named Denna turns his powers against him.

Episode synopsis[]

Kahlan Amnell, disturbed by Shota's prediction that she would betray Richard, suffered nightmares of killing Richard. While trying to comfort her, Richard and Kahlan share a passionate kiss. Because of this, she ultimately decided the only way to not betray Richard would be to leave and have another Confessor take her place. She left Richard and Zedd (against their wishes) to go to a nearby village where Confessor Lara lived.

Mord Sith Temple

Mord-Sith Temple

In Kahlan's absence, Denna and Constance, two Mord-Sith, captured Richard while Zedd was able to escape. Denna began to slowly break Richard through physical and mental torture. Richard boasted that they couldn’t kill him, since Darken Rahl wanted Richard alive, and Denna responded by killing him immediately. Then she leaned over his corpse and breathed a white mist into his mouth. When Richard shuttered back to life, she explained that she had the magic of the Breath of Life and could revive him if he died. In this way, not even death could save Richard from Denna.

Afterwards, Richard was left in a dungeon with another prisoner, Benedict, whose daughter was to be trained to be a Mord-Sith. From Benedict, Richard learned what the Mord-Sith are, and how they are trained. Richard attempted to escape, but was thwarted by Benedict, who had already been broken by Denna. Denna had wanted Richard to see how broken Benedict was in order to crush Richard's hope. Denna offered her agiel to Richard, that he may keep trying to escape. Touching the agiel taught Richard that it causes pain to the one wielding it as well as it's victim.

Kahlan was horrified to discover that Lara had confessed the entire village she lived in. All of the people were her mindless slaves. Lara insisted she had good reason to do as she had, but Kahlan was too disgusted by her actions to agree to let her help Richard. Zedd, fleeing from the Mord-Sith, found the two of them and related what had happened. The morally corrupt Lara offered to use her enthralled people as a battle force to free Richard, since they no longer feel fear and would not hesitate to fight to the death. Kahland doggedly refused to use people in such a manner until Zedd reluctantly pointed out how out-numbered the trio are, and that his own magic was worthless against the Mord-Sith.

Richard became so delirious with pain that he retreated into a daydream of being with Kahlan. Denna pulled him out of the dream and provoked Richard into telling of Kahlan. Recognizing the name Kahlan Amnell as being a Confessor, Denna told Richard of the real reason why Kahlan couldn’t love him: of how her power would destroy his mind if they were together. Denna wanted Richard to love her in place of Kahlan.

As the villagers, Zedd, Lara, and Kahlan march on the Mord-Sith's temple to take back Richard, Kahlan demanded a chance to directly confront Denna to free Richard. Zedd reluctantly agreed.

When Denna brings Richard in to continue his torture, Richard requested that Constance do it instead. Enraged, Denna beat him savagely until Richard explained that he only asked for Constance because he didn't want Denna to be hurt wielding her agiel on Richard's behalf. Kahlan interrupted at that point and confronted Denna, trying to scare her into releasing Richard

But Denna knew that if the people were only fighting because Lara had confessed them, then the D'Harans need only kill Lara for the people to be released from the enthrallment and flee from the battle. With her bluff called, Kahlan tried to fight her way past Lara and the accompanying soldiers, but was stopped by Richard who grabbed Denna’s agiel and used it to stop Kahlan.

Denna took Kahlan captive and decided to train her. While Kahlan recovered in a dungeon, Richard spoke to her through the door. He was convinced he wouldn’t be able to withstand Denna’s torment, and begged Kahlan to take him with her power. He would rather be a mindless slave to Kahlan than to Denna. But Kahlan can’t bring herself to do that to Richard. While this was going on, D’Haran soldiers found and killed Lara, causing the enthralled villagers to flee.

Denna began Kahlan’s training by offering Richard a chance to mercy-kill Kahlan. Richard took the knife Denna offered but couldn’t kill Kahlan, even when Denna pushed her agiel to Kahlan’s throat. Instead he dropped the knife where Kahlan could snatch it up and use it against Denna. Richard fought with the other soldiers in the room, managing to reclaim the Sword of Truth. Kahlan was unable to finish Denna off, so Richard advanced with his sword. Denna used her control of his magic to stop him, but amazingly Richard staggered on, finally impaling Denna. When Denna stuttered that such a thing shouldn’t have been possible Richard calmly informed her that she’d succeeded in teaching him to withstand pain.

Afterwards Kahlan and Richard discuss their feelings. Richard didn’t like having to learn Kahlan’s secret from Denna. Kahlan apologized and hoped he could understand now why they couldn’t be together. Richard decided it was a good thing Denna taught him to suffer in silence.

In the remains of the battle site, Constance discovered Denna’s corpse and used the Breath of Life to revive her.

Cast[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Creatures[]

Events[]

  • Training of Richard Cypher

Locations[]

Organizations and titles[]

Miscellanea[]

Behind the scenes[]

  • When a Confessor dies, instead of committing suicide in grief, the people she has taken are released from the spell.
  • Lara wore a white dress similar to Kahlan, though of a different cut and style. In the books, all Confessors besides the Mother Confessor wear black dresses.
  • There is no mention this episode of the Sword of Truth being able to turn white, although the Sword does glow a bright hot white in response to Denna controlling it against Richard.
  • Although Richard killed Denna to escape, Denna did not sacrifice herself for him. She also did not stay dead after he escaped.
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