Review: Primal “A Cold Death”

It can feel terrible to get forgotten. It’s a humbling, isolating experience to realize that the world has moved on without you. Primal’s protagonists are caught in this process. Fang’s species are about to become extinct and Spear hasn’t encountered a single human on his adventures so far. The duo continues forward and remains steadfast in their journeys to survive, but in many ways it feels like they’ve been forgotten. Even if these two accomplish great things throughout this series, the ending that seems the most likely is that Spear and Fang just gradually fade away. They’re strong warriors, but this is a story that begins at the end of their times. There’s practically a bittersweet conclusion already baked into a limited series that’s set in the prehistoric era. Spear, Fang, and the elderly wooly mammoth that’s introduced in this episode may all be forgotten, but even if that’s the case they’re going to make every moment count. “A Cold Death” explores the mark that we can make and the legacy that can be left behind, even if it is fleeting and brief.

“A Cold Death” begins in a very exciting way. The episode doesn’t start with Spear or Fang, but instead focuses on a pack of wooly mammoths—specifically an elderly mammoth who can no longer keep up with his herd. One of Primal’s greatest strengths is its ability to display devastating moments of humanity in its characters. This happens early on in the entry when this abandoned mammoth cries in isolation until the raging storm just erases his existence. It’s chilling. This mammoth is a new character, but he’s on a parallel path with Spear and Fang. It’s a creative, confident way to kick things off and it makes it easy to identify with what seems like a temporary ally. Only then he gets torn to shreds.

Primal is handing out constant reminders to not get too attached to anything that appears in this violent wasteland. Immediately after “A Cold Death” makes you truly care for the aging mammoth it obliterates that empathy as Spear and Fang launch a brutal tag team attack on this new friend. Primal really doesn’t hold back here. It’s not just the most aggressive fight to date in the series, but it intentionally toys with the audience’s emotions. There’s a fleeting moment where it looks like Spear has connected with his target, but it’s just followed with an even more brutal beating. The death of this mammoth serves a functional purpose as it helps equip Fang and Spear for the new harsh terrain that they face, but it’s also a stark reminder that these guys aren’t heroes; they’re survivors. If anything, the execution of this noble beast only underscores how rare and important it is that Spear and Fang have formed a lasting bond.

Fang is able to move on from this altercation, but the pangs that Spear feels during his battle with the mammoth begin to weigh down on him. It’s difficult to grasp just how much understanding Fang has in his Neolithic state, but as Fang thinks about what’s next, Spear can’t help but wallow in the past. “A Cold Death” moves to a reflective place as Spear thinks back to a simpler time. Primal shows a helpful flashback to a time when Spear’s family was still alive. He engages in a hunting exercise with his young son, who also seems to be a natural in the area. This return to the past is brief, but it helps Spear remember the value of life and that it should never be wasted. Several shots are devoted to just the big eyes of these gentle beasts slowly draining and going cold. It’s emotional stuff that gets brilliantly bookended by the episode’s final scene at the mammoth graveyard.

Fang and Spear still struggle to endure the elements, but they believe that they’ve overcome the largest hurdle when they encounter a cave that provides them shelter. Unfortunately for them, the second half of the episode shifts from threats of nature to physical predators when the other wooly mammoths make their vengeful return. These creatures are enraged that someone took out one of their own and it’s a further reminder of Spear and Fang’s monstrous nature. A lot of “A Cold Death” feels like it’s told from the mammoths’ perspective, which becomes a fascinating exercise in point of view. It allows Primal to explore its two main characters from a slightly more detached viewpoint.

The mammoths’ need for revenge culminates in another scenario where Spear and Fang are outnumbered against a powerful threat. Yet, at the same time, this reckoning also allows Spear a chance at redemption with the mammoth pack. Naturally, these mammoths attack Spear and Fang, but there’s a very different quality to this skirmish. Spear is on the offensive through the bulk of this fight and he struggles to just successfully maneuver around the hefty creatures. This is their domain and they’re very much running the show here. Fang especially struggles against these enemies and nearly meets his end if it wasn’t for Spear’s interference. It’s an emotional battle that doesn’t take very long, but it comes to a close due to respect, not bloodshed. Spear finds a way to honor the fallen mammoth and it’s enough of a gesture to pacify the creatures.

Each episode of Primal has done a good job to expand the series’ universe and show off a new chapter of this prehistoric world. The prospect of drastically different environments is a clever way to keep this show progressively fresh and unique. “A Cold Death” aptly showcases a frigid ice terrain where the elements alone are a challenge to survive. Primal’s sound design has consistently been a triumph but it’s particularly effective in this icy snowscape. Chilling winds punctuate and dominate the episode. There are even some suspenseful moments where the denseness of the weather becomes so intense that Spear and Fang briefly get lost. They use their other senses beyond sight to locate each other and avoid a fate similar to their fallen wooly brethren.

“A Cold Death” is a sad, emotional installment of Primal that really tries to have a conversation about legacy and loss (have you cried yet during this show because it’s been getting pretty dusty in here…). It’s the most mature, well-rounded installment that Primal has turned out and it still blows my mind that all of this depth is achieved without any dialogue and done purely through visuals. Spear and Fang are becoming more developed and gaining further skills as the series continues. They’re figuring out different strategies to overcome their obstacles. The only question that remains is whether their ending will feature some kind of celebration or if they’ll be mourning at their own equivalent to the mammoth graveyard.