We all know the value of a good escape. Some people escape into their exercise, and others use sports as their outlet. Many can physically escape their present reality and go on a vacation. Some escapes are more practical than others, not to mention healthier. Often, the quickest escape is settling down into a good story. Now, I’m not advocating for escapism. The truth is we are called to battle. We are constantly at war with the world around us from a spiritual perspective, but between bouts, it is nice to have a safe retreat where we can rest and recharge for the next mission. The same is true for our children. Day after day, the war rages on for their soul, and it is up to us, empowered by the Spirit to facilitate an environment where they can thrive.
Personally, I have always been a fan of a good fantasy adventure. After all, if you are looking for a change of scenery, you cannot do better than an entirely new world. Whether escaping through the wardrobe to Narnia or scaling the peaks of Mount Doom, I loved to escape into the magic that these worlds offered. Heroes challenge the evil of their world by overcoming their shortcomings and rising to the challenge of the heroes’ journey. Magic is often a concerning word for the Christian parent. Images of the occult Immediately come to mind and paint the genre in a very negative light. These are valid concerns, and parents must do their due diligence to protect their children from the world’s dark forces. It is important; however, that we don’t toss the baby out with the bathwater. We have a God-given imagination that was given to be exercised.
Magic, after all, is the core of any good fantasy story. The mundane must be traded for the mystical and the ordinary for the extraordinary. Without this, there is no fantasy. Our goals when approaching these fantastic stories are to ensure that they reinforce Christian values, are age-appropriate for the audience, and that our children are taught the difference between reality and fantasy. That last goal is pivotal in the world we live in today. So, while I love the classics, I always keep an eye open for new entries into the genre. When I saw The Dragon Prince on Netflix, my curiosity was piqued.
My initial impression of The Dragon Prince was overall positive. This animated show followed two brothers, Callum and Ezran, who were in possession of a dragon’s egg, which they were attempting to return to its parents. An evil sorcerer was trying to stop them, and they had to overcome obstacles and grow as characters to move forward on their journey (typical hero’s journey). If this charming story had just ended after the first season, I would have ended this article. Actually, I probably wouldn’t even be writing it in the first place.
Unfortunately, my dreams were crushed early in season 2 as it didn’t take long for the show to insert inappropriate topics into this children’s program. The writers of The Dragon Prince thought it necessary to include lesbian kiss scenes, gender theory, homosexual weddings, and transgenderism in a show that is rated TV-Y7. None of this was in the first season of the series. This is another example of a children’s show that deceptively shifts gears without warning.
I would love to sit here and write an article discussing the controversial topic of magic in children’s books and recreate the same conversations that Christian parents have debated since Harry Potter was released in 1997. Sadly, this is not the 90s, and the battles we face today make those controversies seem mild. The normalization of transgenderism is having a terrible impact on our children. Gender dysphoria was once a rare condition that was seen chiefly in male patients; however, in less than ten years, that stat has flipped with young girls falling prey to this social contagion. This disease of the mind similarly spreads through groups of friends to sicknesses such as anorexia. The suicide rates for individuals with these conditions are horrifying. Think about that as your daughter sits in the next room, deciding what she is going to watch.
So yes, I could go on at length (the scrapped rough draft did just that) about the magic and the violence of The Dragon Prince. I could go into the few redeeming qualities the show had; ultimately, that would be a waste of my time and yours. I don’t want to bury the lead at the risk of someone not seeing the information that really matters. Maybe in the future, I’ll get a chance to revisit the great magic debate, but this is not the time. The Dragon Prince is a woke attempt at fantasy, which has dark magic, tragic moments, and an unhealthy focus on sexual identity for any age, let alone TV-Y7. If you are looking for an escape, look elsewhere. The only fantasy here is the one being imposed by unhinged adults on your children.
The drive to normalize confusion and perversion drives modern Hollywood. As the great writer G.K. Chesterton once said, “Tolerance is the virtue of the man without conviction.” Haven’t we tolerated enough? We need to reject this false virtue of tolerance and instead act out of love. Nothing is loving or kind about leaving blind people to fend for themselves. Nothing is loving or kind about allowing your children to be social experiments in a secular state. You can have your tolerance. May the Lord convict us and turn our paths back to him.
If there is any parent who is still in denial about the intentional perversion of the minds of their children, it is time to snap out of it. Wake up and save your child from the world they have inherited before it is too late.
I am currently reviewing the Percy Jackson series that is currently being released on Disney Plus. As soon as the series is fully out, you can expect my thoughts on Season 1. If you have other shows or movies you would like me to investigate, please feel free to request those in the comments, and be sure to share this with other parents so they can know what not to watch.
James Wiggins is a University of Mount Olive graduate with a BS in Religion. Originally from La Grange, NC, James resides in Winterville, NC with his family. With more than five years of experience in youth ministry, this father of two wants to prepare the next generation and their parents for the spiritual challenges ahead.