Unlike the last episode which was geared toward being funny, "Bound" dealt with the issues of the characters directly, and that made for a much more satisfying episode. The plot wasn't important, but it did set up the opportunity for us to learn more about Kahlan and Nicci. In short, Nicci casts a maternity spell on Kahlan, binding them together, so what happens to one happens to the other. Nicci wants the Stone of Tears, so Richard goes along with her to retrieve it while the rest of the Sisters of the Dark pursue them. Zedd, Kahlan, and Cara try to the find the cure which means they need one of Kahlan's mother's possessions. Unfortunately, they are in the hands of Kahlan's father.
After Kahlan's mother died, her control over Kahlan's father used Kahlan and her sister to earn money, hurting many people in the process. Kahlan comes to an understanding of her father's anger over losing six years of her life, and while she will never fully accept him, certainly there is an understanding that wasn't there.
Nicci explains to Richard why she became a Sister of the Dark. She was raped twice by a prisoner and that's what set her off. Again, a terrible person doesn't seem that bad considering the circumstances. And that's what makes everything so sad. By giving them such terrible backstories, the writers have made them somewhat sympathetic despite what they've done. The other characters see another side to them, and they have to give pause and think about the issues.
Richard tells Nicci that her strength is her own. This leads to Nicci casting aside Rahl and the Keeper. She's certainly powerful enough to survive on her own and do whatever she wants.
Score: 9.0/10
