Darna: Episode 2

2. Unang Darna

Sa pagkabunyag ng totoong pagkatao ni Leonor sa anak ay lubos na mag-aalinlangan ang dalaga sa kanyang pagiging tagapagmana ng bato. Kukunin niya ito at itatago sa biglang pagpasok ni Ding sa silid gawang hindi pa alam ng kapatid ang katotohanan. Tatlo pang dayuhan na nilalang na may kakayahang manggaya ng anyo ang susugod sa Nueva Esperanza upang hanapin si Darna. Matapang na lalaban si Leonor kahit wala sa kanya ang bato. Aabutan ni Narda ang ina sa gitna ng pakikipaglaban at sisigawan siya nito upang lunukin ang bato. Sa kanyang pag-aalinlangan ay ihahagis na lamang niya ang bato kay Leonor subalit huli na ang lahat sapagkat mahahagip ang ina ng sandata ng kalaban at maglalaho kasama ang bato. Sisisihin ni Narda ang sarili sa pagkamatay ng ina at sa kanyang pagmumuni-muni sa tibagan ng bato ay makikilala niya si Regina Vanguardia (Janella Salvador), isang dalaga na kasing-tanda niya na may naitatagong lihim na may kinalaman sa epekto sa kanya ng huling pakikipaglaban ni Leonor doon. #FirstDarna

Sadyang mabilis naman ang pagkawala ni Calzado bilang Unang Darna. Sa kabila ng lahat ay maganda rin naman itong dahilan upang itulak si Narda papalapit sa kanyang tadhana. Tiyak na magiging mitsa ang pagsisisi niyang ito upang tanungin ang sarili kung karapat-dapat nga ba siyang maging bayani kahit na itinuturo niya ang sarili bilang may kasalanan sa pagkawala ng ina. Nakilala na rin natin si Regina na alam na rin nating lahat na siya ring bata doon sa tibagan na pinasukan ng luntiang bato galing sa kalaban na tinalo at nilibing ni Leonor doon. Kahanga-hanga ang pagpapayabong ng kwento ng tauhan na ito. Kung mapapansin, tila maituturing siyang isang anti-hero gawa ng kanyang mga paniniwala at pinaglalaban. Mapanuya rin ang magkasalungat na kalagayan nila ni Narda. Kung si Narda ay ayaw tanggapin ang kanyang kakaibang kakayahan, si Regina naman ay hindi binigyan ng pagkakataon na pumili dahil talagang ipinilit sa kanya ang sumpa ng kanyang pagiging Valentina. #FirstDarna

2. The Invasion

With the revelation of Leonor’s true identity to her daughter, the teen finds herself in doubt of her capacity to be the next bearer of the stone. She will snatch it and hide it as Ding enters the room, given how her brother has no idea yet about the truth. Three more alien creatures who have the ability to shapeshift attack Nueva Esperanza in search of Darna. Leonor fends them off valiantly despite not having the stone in her possession. Narda arrives in the midst of her mother’s battle, the latter screaming at her to swallow the stone. In her reluctance to do so, Narda tosses the stone to her mother instead, but it’s too late because she is already hit by the enemies’ weapon and vanishes along with the stone. Narda blames herself for her mother’s death. While ruminating at the quarry, she meets Regina Vanguardia (Janella Salvador), a young woman of her age who is hiding a secret that has something to do with the effect of Leonor’s last battle on her right there. #FirstDarna

Calzado’s exit as the First Darna has come so quick. Regardless, this still counts as a good motivation to push Narda towards her destiny. These regrets of hers will surely serve as a trigger for self-doubt as far as her worthiness to be a superhero is concerned despite blaming herself for her mother’s demise. Finally, we also get to meet Regina who we know to be the same child at the quarry that was hit by the green stone coming from the enemy that Leonor defeated and buried there. The development of her character’s story arc is impressive. You might have noticed how she can be considered as an anti-hero by virtue of her beliefs and what she’s fighting for. The contrast between her situation and that of Narda is ironic. If Narda is reluctant to accept her extraordinary abilities, Regina, on the contrary, was never given the benefit of a choice because the curse of being Valentina was just forced into her. #FirstDarna

“Ang pinakamalaking kasalanan ay kapag may kakayahan kang tumulong pero wala kang ginawa.” –Narda Custodio

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