The story here is tighter than anything in the main seasons, three episodes that know exactly what they're doing instead of stretching a moment into an arc. The animation finally matches the ambition of the fights, particularly the desert confrontation between Hai Po Dong and Medusa where every frame justifies itself. You don't need to have watched the series to feel the weight of what's at stake, and that's the real test of whether a story knows how to breathe.

The Ice Emperor works as a mercenary, and twin Queen Medusas enter his story.