Secret Level Episode 3 Ending & New World Connections Explained

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Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the self-assured king (and all around dope) Aelstrom, "Once And Future King" uses that premise to put the blowhard king through a series of darkly comedic deaths and unexpected character growth. Along the way, the short does a good job of establishing the unique rules of its mystical island and teases the true scope of that universe. In the process, the New World short is able to subvert plenty of expectations about the fantasy genre, and use that comic edge to tell a surprisingly resonant story of personal growth.

How Resurrection Works In Secret Level's New World: Aeternum

No One Can Die On Aeternum, But They Can Still Change

a video game character from New World looking at someone in Secret Level

Secret Level has a lot of fun with the in-universe explanation of resurrection from New World: Aeternum, using the cycle of defeat, death, and rebirth for great comedy and unexpected growth. In the world depicted by "The Once and Future King," Aeternum is an island where anyone on the shores cannot die permanently. They do not seem to age, and any fatal blows result in the person being restored on the shores of the island. Even severed limbs are restored, although permanent injuries that occurred before arriving on the island remain unhealed.

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The episode leans into this constant cycle for dark comedy, with Aelstrom repeatedly trying to take power only to be casually dispatched. The true nature of the island is unclear in the episode, save that countless other people have ended up on the island over the centuries and have grown accustomed to their new lives. The New World game explains that the island's natural resources of Azoth are what embody people with immortality, and that an ancient society known as the Ancients harnessed before losing control of the power.

How Dark Magic Works In New World: Aeternum

Aelstrom Becomes One Of The Corrupted In Secret Level

One of the major threats in New World: Aeternum is the existence of "Corruption." A side-product of the Ancient's experiments into Azoth, Corruption can infect living beings and amplify their worst qualities. In turn, it empowers them and gives them new power. This is what happens to Aelstrom during the episode, as his vicious ambition leads him to waste several lives fighting an unseen force of malevolent power. After several off-screen deaths to a mysterious monster, Aelstrom is empowered and armored up by Corrupted weapons.

However, it's clear by the episode's end that the Corruption is only dangerous in the right hands (or claws). Despite his fearsome appearance, Aelstrom is unable to actually do any damage with his hard-earned magic and is quickly defeated by Zimah. In the game, Corruption is a far more insidious and effective way of transforming someone into a monster, although this more unexpected subversion of Aelstrom's power up sets up "The Once And Future King's" true moral and leans into the short's overall comedic tone.

Who Is The True Ruler Of Aeternum In "The Once And Future King"

How Zimah Brings Down Aelstrom

"The Once And Future King" introduces King Zimah as the ruler of Aeternum. The son of a cobbler, Zimah seemingly commands the respect and loyalty of Aeternum's people through his own skill, intellect, and morality. Despite Aelstrom's repeated attempts to defeat Zimah, it appears that he has used his time on the island to his advantage to gain mastery in several skills. This suggests that Zimah has been on the island for a long time, which would make sense given how the island operates in the game and how many ancient characters players can encounter.

King Zimah is played by Gabriel Luna in Secret Level .

In the New World game, there are three competing factions: the righteous Covenant, the ruthless Marauders, and the sneaky Syndicate. It's not overtly clear which faction Zimah rules over, although his ability to overcome the Corruption with ease would suggest a magical protection of some kind is at play. Magic is a rare tool in the world of New World, but there are some supernatural powers that exist outside the Corruption. King Zimah ends the episode as undisputed ruler, dismissive of Aelstrom's repeated failures.

Secret Level's Best Comedy Is A Riff On Fantasy & Video Game Tropes

Resurrection Is Used To Comedic Effect In Secret Level

Secret Level typically plays its video game adaptations for pure drama, with several episodes of the show treating subject matter like Unreal Tournament and Pac-Man deadly serious. By contrast, "The Once And Future King" leans far more heavily into comedy, trapping Aelstrom in his own fantastical version of Groundhog Day. This allows the episode to subvert tropes in the fantasy genre and video games in general. Aelstrom's repeated resurrections are reminiscent of a gamer throwing themselves into lethal encounters again and again for upgrades and power boosts.

The monstrous dark descent into villainy is undercut right when it looks most impressive, playing the fantasy trope for laughs.

The fact that all that imposing looking power results in zero damage to Aelstrom's intended target is a punchline directed at any gamer whose constant efforts to level up don't change the game at all. In a similar vein, a more dramatic story would showcase the personal cost of Aelstrom effectively trading his soul for dark power. However, in "New World," all that Corrupted energy is for naught, and his enemy can't even be bothered with killing him again. The monstrous dark descent into villainy is undercut right when it looks most impressive, playing the fantasy trope for laughs.

The True Meaning Of Secret Level's New World's Story

Secret Level's Focus On Personal Growth Goes Beyond Death

By not going the more dramatic route, "The Once And Future King" is able to explore a more grounded and character-driven story. Throughout Aelstrom's attempts to gain power, his loyal servant Scaevola tries to make him see the island as a new beginning. However, Aelstrom's ego and ambitions blind him to the opportunity this presents. Ignoring the revelation that he was only ever allowed to become "great" because of people allowing him to win everything across his royal upbringing, Aelstrom is forced to actually grow as a person by learning to become a blacksmith.

Using a crown and a statue of himself as the material, Aelstrom takes his time on the island to craft Scaevola a prosthetic arm to replace the one he lost long ago. Aelstrom's most noble act comes when he has abandoned his quest for a noble title. This highlights Scaevola's earlier point to him, that the island allows people to be reborn into the people they want to be. This message about personal growth and dawning empathy is at the core of "The Once And Future King's" story. It's a sweet moral for Secret Level's best comedic episode to explore.