Nabu: Enchanted Sleep or Death?

I have finished watching The Shimmering Shells episode.

In the first half of the episode, Stella, Bloom and Aisha must confront their doubts about themselves in the Labyrinth of the Abysses to find a clue to the Gem of Self-Confidence. The Winx are entrapped in an illusion that makes them confront the people that are the source of their doubts. In particular, Aisha confronts an apparition of Nabu.

In the last season, Nabu had sacrificed himself to close the Black Circle's abyss in Tir Nan Og. The Winx had tried to use the Gift of Darkness to revive Nabu but Ogron wasted it on a flower leaving Nabu doomed to whatever fate was in store for him. What had actually happened to him in that episode was obviously ambiguous. In the original version, Morgana mention she and the Earth fairies would take care of Nabu until he woke up for Aisha, but the way Sky placed Nabu's staff on his chest made it seem as if Nabu was a fallen warrior--as if he had died in battle. Wrapping up his body in flowers did not help the image either. However, the fact remains that Morgana said that she would take care of Nabu until he woke up, meaning that Nabu was simply in a deep sleep, maybe a coma or an enchanted slumber.

At first, I thought that this had been a case of Never Say "Die" or Disney Death. Either the writers had actually let Nabu die but due to various reasons did not want to use the word "death" and its related terms or Nabu really was in some sort of slumber and were planning to use him in the next season as a plot device.

Now, if we look to the Shimmering Shells episode, Aisha confronts an apparition of Nabu that accuses her of "letting [him] die."

Aisha: Nabu, I miss you so much!
Nabu: So why did you let me die? You let me die! You could have saved me, but you let me die.

Those are some harsh accusations! Granted, this is not the real Nabu speaking, but an illusion created by the Shimmering Shells and possibly Aisha's subconsciousness. As the audience, we must ask whether this is an accurate display of the reality of those events. Does Aisha see Nabu's actions as the cause of his death? Is he really (biologically) dead? Or does Aisha just view his unconsciousness as not living his daily life?

After so much time, we still do not have an accurate answer!

Season four's latter half definitely gave the series a darker tone after the introduction of the Earth Fairies and their need for revenge.It hit its darkest moment when Ogron wasted the Black Gift and let Nabu fall into his (pseudo?) death. I believe that this helps it appeal to its older audience, but as usual, the series abounds with story inconsistencies.

Personally, I think Rainbow and Nickelodeon have invested too much into Nabu's "death" to just leave him dead. Dafne apparently does not have a physical body yet she is a spirit bound to a lake. Isn't the fact that she has no body considered "death" too? With the advent of Dafne's role in season five, I think they might use her situation to somehow bring back Nabu.

What I need from Season 5

Okay. I'm going to set something straight RIGHT NOW. I am going to have a hard time with Winx Season 5 if they don't at some point acknowledge the events of the Season 4 finale.

Both Aisha and the rest of the Winx made huge mistakes... Aisha when she, in a surprisingly Willow Rosenberg-esque plotline, went to the side of vengeance- and the Winx when they diminished the value of her grief and actually ATTACKED her for it. Yes, the last episode shows her being let back into the Winx inner circle... but hurtful words and actions were exchanged. That doesn't just go away.

I recognize that Winx Club is not always the most realistic show. And of course, nor is it the best with continuity (especially if you don't believe in the canon split theory). However, one of the things that has drawn me to the show since I was ten years old is the realism that isn't immediately obvious. No, most people don't believe in growing wings and going off to fairy school, because the realism in the show is from how the characters grow up. Every single character, even the commonly ignored ones like Tecna and Musa, has experienced some form of character develoupment since Season 1 began.

And as they grow up, so do their situations.

When I was ten, and the Winx were sixteen and seventeen, I related to how the girls were looking to find themselves. In Season 3, I related to their search for morality, how they were trying to learn what the right thing was, and how they always tried to do it. Even at great personal cost (remember the Water Stars plotline?). I watched Season 4 when I was seventeen, and the problems they faced echoed the problems of my emerging adulthood- getting a job, trying to make a path after school is finished, dealing with increasingly serious relationships, and your friends around you getting engaged!

Winx is a kids show, but it is the rare kids show that grows up. And I need Winx to keep this. As I, who will be nearly nineteen when the new season begins, learn to deal with the fallout of serious arguments... I need the Winx Club to learn, too. I need Winx Club to keep that realism, that personal growth that makes it stand out from so many other cartoons. I need to see the characters keep growing.

I hope so much that this isn't too much to ask.


NOTE: I don't know what's up with formatting. So apologies.

Are you prepared to let Roxy go?

I'm not going to argue about whether or not Roxy is a real member of the Winx Club in this post. That topic has been beaten to death across the internet.

Instead, I wonder: are fans ready to accept that Roxy may not appear in season five? EDIT: As pointed out, (I genuinely forgot that) Roxy will appear in season five. Thanks, guys!

The point wasn't to argue whether she will appear or not in season five, but to wonder how viewers would feel that an important character who drove much of season four be demoted to a unimportant role in the next season.

Clearly, she has not been featured in any of the recent merchandise or previews for season five, which makes me think that she won't appear at all (or that it just proves that she was truly a temporary important character). On the other hand, she appears frequently in the comics just like Aisha and has her own article section, making me think that she has some sort of permanence in the series. (For those of you who don't know, Aisha and Roxy sometimes don't make appearances in certain comics, leaving just the original five.)

Personally, I don't mind that Roxy does not appear in season five. I would be a little disappointed, but I could cope with the idea. As for other fans, I think they might either go crazy. Are you prepared to let Roxy go?

Confusion over a possible S5 Roxy outfit

So back in December on Una di noi, there was a little bit of confusion about piece of fan art claiming to be based on a real outfit. Here's your answer:

The image on the left was printed in issue 13 of the French Winx Club magazine. Whether this is an outfit for season five or not, I have no answer. It's not unknown that the issues would print outfits that have nothing to do with the series or that are not part of a set, notably the Italian edition. Look below to see preppy Aisha and a boyish Flora from the Italian magazines.

These outfits are only for the monthly articles "Fashion & Style" which does write up on what sort of clothes needed for a certain style.
Now, as for the Roxy outfit above, I don't know if it falls in the same category the "Fashion & Style" articles or if it's for season five, but I can say for sure that it's not fan art.

(If you're going to use these images, at least give some credit where its due.)

Will Nabu come back in season 5?

I wonder: now that we know that the next Winx Club season will take place in an underwater world, will this provide the setting for Aisha to bring back Nabu because water ("waves") is her element and it seems that the next season will take place in an aquatic place?