The Magicians Season 4: Can Alice Fall Back In Love With Magic?

The Magicians has shown us the wondrous side of magic, but it’s also shown us that if placed in the wrong hands, it’s extremely dangerous. In The Magicians Season 4, which premieres on January 23rd, magic is rationed off and controlled by The Library. It was a bit of a chess move by Dean Fogg to cut a deal with The Library. It allowed him to re-open Brakebills, but it also puts Fillory in danger while Quentin, Julia, Penny, Margot, Kady, and Josh are powerless in the real world and placed under new identities, and are at risk of being picked off by the Monster, who is inhabiting Eliot’s body.

But what about Alice? She’s now in isolation after her complicated history with magic led to her rationalizing that humans can’t handle the responsibility. Alice’s decision to destroy the Seven Keys in the season 3 finale led to a domino effect that sets up season 4.

“What she concluded at the end of last season was magic is hurting and killing everyone she loves, so let’s get rid of it,” Dudley says when we spoke with her on set during the final days of filming season 4. “But what happens is one person can’t make a decision for everybody. As we know, it doesn’t work out well. And so, she tried to save everybody, and then it backfired.”

While her friends are unknowingly in danger, Alice is locked away in solitude in The Library after breaking her contract with the librarians. She has no idea whether her friends survived or not and spends the early part of the season trying to escape and reunite with them.

Read More: What’s Next For Quentin Coldwater in The Magicians Season 4?

“I’ve been calling this season for Alice her redemption tour,” Dudley says. “She’s going on a journey to gain her friends’ love and trust back, and it’s not necessarily easy for most of them, especially Quentin. It takes the longest. Everyone has their feelings about what she did at the end of last year. Alice still stands by it, or at least I do. Maybe Alice doesn’t, but Olivia does, because I think in her mind, she’s just a very practical, smart woman. She saw magic.”

Dudley says the character is slowly returning to the one we used to know in season 1.

“I’m trying to take her back to a little bit of season one Alice, quietly thinking, plotting, and planning, instead of just acting, because she knows she’s smart and has the power now,” she says. “She falls in love with magic again this year, which was one of my favorite things about this season. Alice gets to fall in love with magic. It’s been a complicated relationship for her.”

The Magicians Season 4 premieres January 23rd on Syfy. You can keep up with the latest trailers and news here.

Chris Longo is the deputy editor and print editor of Den of Geek. You can find him on Twitter @east_coastbias.