The Magnus Protocol Reviews: “Transferal”

“Transferal” Gives Us Some Critical Worldbuilding

“Transferal” picks back up a plotline that I had—admittedly—forgotten about. It hadn’t really been referenced since season one, and, thinking on it now, had seemed mostly handled. It’s possible there was a throwaway line where Celia was still dealing with being pulled back to the Archives universe—but I can’t recall it. Certainly, the narrative didn’t make a big enough deal to reinforce it.

But it is an open plotline, and I do appreciate getting more information. Interesting information, too. Though I said that I enjoyed the pure exposition of “Back to Basic,” this episode does do something I don’t think a lot of episodes—across both series—have been able to accomplish: it blends horror storytelling with the exposition, yet neither overpowers the other.

Like, the “bone-slice trap” domain actually works amazingly well. It takes a ton of what we know about Sam and blends it into a both cosmic and pretty gruesome scenario and also tells us more about the weird ways being in other dimensions affects people. Sam is picking up aspects of the other, dead Sam. That implies an almost “dimensional signature” that every person has.

But I referenced Celia, and that’s where “Transferal” gets especially interesting. Because I had assumed that she was being dragged back to her home dimension. Dragged back to her domain. But I actually think it’s a little different. She’s being pushed out. There’s only one Sam, but the wrong Sam, so it’s molding him to fit. But there’s—we must assume—an existing Celia somewhere in the Protocol universe. I have no idea how this plays into the goddamn constant references to doubles throughout the series—because they don’t seem to be operating on the same rules—but I am almost sure I’ve cracked that aspect of it.

“Transferal” Might Hint At Multiple Big Revelations

What I hadn’t considered at all until “Transferal,” though—and now I need to go back and re-listen to those Archives episodes—is that Celia might be a returning, voiced character. And once again my memory is fuzzy, but I don’t recall any of Melanie and Georgie’s little cult having a kid. But Celia has one. I wonder where she might have found that child. I wonder what the other Celia is up to right now.

So yeah, lots to look forward to—and “Transferal” is the episode to give us lots of seed to ponder on. It’s not a standout episode in its own right. There are only two things I have to praise that are unique to it. One is that Sam’s voice actor did an incredible job sounding like he was waking up from a nightmare. It was just perfectly done. And the other is the idea of outer bones cutting until they touch inner bones is an amazing way to make the concept of skeletons scary. Those moments are tiny, but we’ve had some bad episodes throughout the seasons, and a strong episode bolstered by standout moments is always appreciated.

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