Apologies for this review going up a week late - Comic-Con had us all in its clutches when this episode aired!
Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.
As I've mentioned in previous reviews, despite delivering spectacularly on the promise of an original and stylish visual aesthetic, Tron: Uprising has relied on familiar storytelling tropes a lot in the first half of its inaugural season. It's a minor complaint, given that the show is generally well written and the writers have managed to adapt the themes organically into the world of the Grid, but the trend continues in "The Price of Power." This time, however, the source material comes with an interesting meta significance.
In this episode we have a powerful weapon with a poisonous affect on anyone who possesses it and a hero who must destroy it while resisting the temptation to harness its power. Oh, and it also happens to be in the shape of a ring. Even those with only a passing familiarity with the Lord of the Rings franchise can see the connections between the stories, but they don't end there. Both have the same actor at the center of the chaos, Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings movies and provides the voice of Beck in Tron: Uprising. Wood is clearly in his comfort zone here, giving one a more dynamic performance than the usual flatness I've come to associate with Beck.
The action is set in motion by a Gollum-like character named Shaw, a scientist who has built General Tessler a prototype that could give the occupation a huge advantage over any potential rebellion (not that Tessler doesn't already have one, with a massive force of armed soldiers, recognizers, tanks and other heavy artillery at his command). Shaw's device snaps into an identity disc and provides the bearer with a massive power upgrade in strength and agility. But he has already become corrupted by his own creation, paranoid and aggressive, with glowing red eyes. It's a little preview of what's in store for Beck once he gets his hands on it and gives into the temptation to use the power-up for himself. As we all know he will, despite his promise to Tron to destroy it.
Predictability can be a big liability when a story is heavily influenced by other material, however well that story is adapted, updated and executed. It's not hard to see where the story is going long before it gets there. Fortunately, Tron: Uprising manages to provide us with lots of cool scenery along the way. The slow-motion shot of Beck flipping over Paige's chopper may be one of my favorite action shots in the series so far (Beck jumping out the window in "Identity" runs a close second). There's a glowing, crackling energy to this world that enhances even the most played-out themes and circumstances.
One other thing this episode accomplished was to give a little more heft to the character of Tessler. Thus far he's been the scheming, mostly fumbling, authority behind the scenes, barking out orders and sending his commanders out to get beat by the Renegade. Here we see him derez one of his minions by pulling out his identity disc through his chest, a ruthless act that even Pavel and Paige seem to find gruesome. So, okay, maybe Tessler is a badass after all. And for the first time, we actually got to see him go up against the Renegade when Beck, under the energy disc's influence, storms into his base and confronts him directly. An injury to Abel brings Beck back to his senses, but I look forward to seeing the continuation of this fight at some point in the future.
I also liked the way the episode ended, with the repaired disc back in play. As the cast and crew teased during the Tron: Uprising panel at last week's Comic-Con, there's some really interesting territory to explore up ahead. The tenuous bond of trust between Beck and Tron suffered a blow in "The Price of Power," but it's about to be put through an even bigger test. Stay tuned, programs.
Source : feeds.ign.com
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