Etheria Ends

Today, the 50th episode of Etheria ends in order to begin a new
chapter in the world of Encantadia. Etheria (from the word ether, the fifth
element) was the 5th kingdom of Encantadia. Its goddess was Ether, who fell
in love with Arde, a fellow god - a forbidden relationship. For that reason,
they was punished by the god Emre. Ether was transformed into a snake; Arde,
into a dragon. Ether, being powerful, was worshiped by
the citizens of Encantadia. Such adoration gave birth to the Kingdom of
Etheria.

Emre, Ether, and Arde were not actually from Encantadia. They were banished
from their own world - the world of gods. During a war between the good and
revolutionary angels, these three gods sided neither with the good nor the
revolutionary. They preferred to be allies of either camp which was not
acceptable to the government of gods. For that reason, the minister of the
angels banished them from the spiritual world and sent them to Encantadia -
a spiritual world on earth.

Lured by selfish power, Etheria had war with the kingdoms of Lireo, Sapiro,
and Hathoria, and had all fairies (considered slaves in Encantadia) killed.
In the end, Etheria perished in the hands of blue-blooded fairies called
Sang'gre.

The last episode of "Etheria" had a warm ending. It had a mix of joy and
sadness. It was gentle, innerly peaceful, hopeful, and serenely melodic.
Etheria is a 50-chapter book of the Encantadia series.

If Koreans boast of "Jewel in the Palace", Filipinos should be proud of
Encantadia/Etheria. Literature agelessly treasures Greek and Roman
mythologies, Danish fairy tales, British legends of royal heroism, and
Persian epics. Most of them were made into movies, animated ones included.
Sad to say, our very own "Florante at Laura" and other Filipino epics could
not even inspire internationally-known movie producers. Why should they? We,
Filipinos, do not even value our own literature.

Thanks to GMA-7. Its creative writers have enriched our modern literature
through its creation of Mulawin, Encantadia, and Etheria. They have made TV
viewing intelligently entertaining. GMA Network should find a way to
immortalize these stories and their characters so that even the generations
to come will enjoy Encantadia as part of the Filipino Literature.