The New Faces of Encantadia

Before Encantadia premiered on GMA-7 on July 18, 2016, the people behind the primetime fantasy drama series announced that it would be a requel of the original 2005 show of the same title.

- Jocelyn T. Valle

The term requel, series creator Suzette Doctolero and director Mark Reyes explained in press interviews, was coined from the words remake and sequel, the new version being both a retelling and a continuation of the first one.

The story’s setting is also a place named Encantadia.

An immense and magical land, it is home to the kingdoms of Lireo, Sapiro, and Hathoria, and the tribal territory of Adamya. Encantadia’s supreme deity, Bathalang Emre, creates a powerful gem to protect his land. Then, Lireo’s revered first queen, Cassiopeia (Solenn Heussaff ), breaks the powerful gem into four gemstones that represent the elements of air, earth, fire, and water. The brilyante ng hangin goes to Lireo; the brilyante ng lupa to Sapiro; the brilyante ng apoy to Hathoria; and the brilyante ng tubig to Adamya.

But Hathoria’s evil ruler, Hagorn (John Arcilla), gets greedy and, in an attempt to possess the three other gemstones, wages war on the three other kingdoms of Encantadia. Lireo, through the leadership of its wise and mighty queen, Mine-a (Marian Rivera), prevails, and keeps all four gemstones. Sapiro falls, Adamya disappears, and Hathoria turns into the mortal enemy of Lireo.

Mine-a bears four daughters— Pirena (Glaiza de Castro), Amihan (Kylie Padilla), Alena (Gabbi Garcia), and Danaya (Sanya Lopez)—each of whom is called Sang’gre because of their royal blood. In choosing her successor, Queen Mine-a orders her daughters to undergo a series of tests. Amihan emerges as the winner, and she is given the brilyante ng hangin. Pirena gets the