So despite my harsh critique of the first season of Fate: The Winx Saga, I still watched the second season. I’m stubborn like that. Even if I hate a show, the idea of leaving one unfinished doesn’t sit right with me. And I found that after the pure disappointment that was the first season, I actually didn’t mind the second. Sure, there was quite a few instances of badly written dialogue, the worldbuilding was lacking and I still prefer the original but once you forget the original and view this as just another trashy teen fantasy drama, it’s not the worst. It’s actually quite engaging at times. The only problem is, it’s very easy to forget about the show when you stop watching it, even for a moment.

However, despite the improvement, there are still endless things for me to bitch about.

What Is Up With The Winx Costumes?

The most iconic part of Winx Club is not the magic, it is the fashion. I mean, come on, do you seriously think they have 30 minute long transformation scenes and power ups so they can show you the magic? No! The whole reason why they work so hard to get a power up is so they can get a new outfit. And my goodness, they are gorgeous.

And sure, I don’t expect Fate to follow Winx Club exactly but it should at least retain some of the iconic aspects of the original show. And even if they don’t have the same costumes, they could at the very least give the girls some sense of fashion. Besides Bloom’s party dress, every other outfit was so ugly and bland.

I am particularly disappointed by Stella’s complete lack of style. Stella is meant to be the literal embodiment of sunshine. She is fun, bubbly and she stands out in every room she’s in. She is as far from a repressed angsty teen as it is possible to be. Her entire characterisation depends on her ability to persevere and retain her positive attitude and belief in herself. While she may, at times, let the struggles of her life pull her down, she is never low for long. She always comes back fighting and she handles every problem she has head on. She is a princess worthy of her power and title.

Fate: The Winx Saga Stella, on the other hand, is a shadow of her source material. Not only does she have basically the worst fashion sense of anyone in the show but she’s also a complete downer. Her self-esteem is low enough to shove her into the angsty teen category and she doesn’t even embody her own power. This is not the Princess of Solaria. This is an angsty teen with mummy issues.

In fact, Bloom is the only member of the Winx Club who has a tolerable fashion sense. Though most of her outfits are generic, it mostly matches source material Bloom’s relaxed personality. And her formal dress was the only one I liked. Stella’s, on the other hand, looked like it came out of a cheap costume store for children. What the hell was up with that fluffy white monstrosity?

Even Fate Stella was known for her impeccable fashion sense and yet the only people who would actually like her clothes would be the blind. Of all the ways this show could let me down, I didn’t think they could get something so simple so wrong. The actresses deserve compensation for this.

The Friendship Improved

My biggest gripe about the first season was the fact that the Winx did not act like true friends. At their best, they were roommates who tolerated each other. If anything, I got the impression that when they hung out, it was more because they had no one else than because they actually liked each other. I was especially horrified by the pitting of Bloom and Stella against each other over a man.

This season has definitely improved in that regard. I particularly adore Aisha and Bloom’s friendship. They not only like each other now but they also respect each other. And even Bloom’s outbursts and pushing people away dance is completely in character with her powers. I really felt that they had a greater understanding of the girls’ powers and how that aligned with the girls’ personalities.

Sure, Stella is still a let-down and Aisha is bit of a downer. I would have expected her to be more of a go with the flow type of girl (with her having water powers) but it’s okay. The characterisation definitely improved so that I was actually invested in the characters and their growth. And I LOVE Riven and Musa’s growing friendship. They are on a fast track to becoming life-long lovers.

Beatrix and Stella’s friendship was a welcome surprise. Yes, there were times when Stella wasn’t a good friend but I got the sense they genuinely cared about each other. And even Beatrix messed up, Stella remained her friend.

All in all, it’s a massive improvement (though still nowhere near as good as the source material). And it made perfect sense for the girls to stick up for each other at the end. It made sense for them to be willing to sacrifice themselves for one another.

I Really Like Beatrix Now

What can I say? I’m a sucker for morally questionable characters who would do anything for survival. They’re always the most realistic characters out there and they’re incredibly entertaining to follow. But in Beatrix’s case, what I truly loved about her was her glimmer of humanity.

Beatrix is not merely power hungry, she’s intelligent and aware of how messed up the world is. She knows she can’t truly depend on anyone (and she’s proven right numerous times). Her only protection comes through her ability to pick the winning side. She has no reason to be loyal to anyone.

But despite all this, in her last moments, she chooses to be selfless. After switching sides at every step of the way, she finally has enough. She finally has a reason to fight. (And obviously, this is the point they have to kill her off because writers are evil).

Her character arc is authentic. She comes across as a three-dimensional character. No, she’s not the epitome of all that is moral or good but she is a genuine person. She doesn’t pretend to be good or selfless. She knows she’s not. And that is why her sacrifice has so much impact in the end. She doesn’t expect any credit for it. She knows she likely won’t even receive that much support. She’ll likely continue to have to fight for herself by herself.

So yeah, she’s not a bad character (surprisingly).

Yay Queer Representation!

Is it the best queer representation? No. Do I want only morally superior characters to be queer? No. This is a teen fantasy drama. It is meant to be messy. It would make no sense to make all the straight characters messy but have the few queer characters remain normal. That would just make them outcasts.

So yes, I like the representation in this show. It’s something the original source material lacked. I also especially love the inclusion of polyamory. And yes, I know some people are going to be angry about how messy the throuple was and to those people, I’d ask them to remember what show they’re watching. Every relationship in this show is messy. They’re not trying to call out poly people but rather just capitalising on the stupidity of teenagers.

Final Thoughts

So yeah, the show’s not that bad. The Winx are greatly improved from the first season. It still sorta feels like a low budget show but it’s okay. Probably not going to be your favourite show. You probably won’t feel the need to watch it over and over again. But it will entertain you.

So if you’re looking for a show to watch to pass the time, check out Fate: The Winx Saga.