The 2nd Massachusetts is doing its big push to
Charleston where the remains of the human government are supposed to be hiding
(waiting for an air strike – yes I’m cynical) and Tom is worrying and sad about
Ben deciding to leave and try and join the Skitter rebels. He also has to
reassure Matt who has made a Will because he’s worried about not making it.
Pope is still being a nuisance with Maggie and Hal (may Pope die soon) but
Maggie doesn’t think Hal is “dark” enough to murder Pope, alas. Maggie and Hal
are flirting, Ann and Tom are flirting. Weaver and Tector are not flirting, but
Weaver does point out that he knows Tector was military – but the questioning
ends when they hit a Harnessed kid on the road.
Having had such great experiences with harnessed people
before, they decide to put the kid in the Doctor Bus and take her with them.
This is something that couldn’t possibly backfire in anyway. Weaver begins to
see sense but the harnessed child wakes up and starts being pathetic so his
heart melts. It’s ok, it’s not like harnessed people can be manipulative of
people’s emotions, right Karen? Oh. I’m with Anthony on this one. In further
ill-advised actions, Matt starts bonding with the girl, Jenny, which totally
worked out with Ben and Karen… oh wait again.
She talks about how much she loved her “Guardian” (what
she calls the Skitters) and how much they were a family. And Matt tells her
that Charleston’s awesome – right in there with super-secret knowledge there
Matt. Why are they leaving a kid unattended with the dangerous alien servant?
In between Mat begging her to join them in Charleston, something hits the side
of the bus – something Jenny says is her brother, Tyler. The next time he
visits, she uses her harness strength to break out and run for it.
The 2nd Massachussettes arrives at Charleston,
at last! Or they arrive at a ruined bridge outside of Charleston. A ruined
bridge outside of the ruined city of Charleston – with no sign of any kind of
resistance presence.
Hal, Maggie and Pope are having engine trouble, which is
a problem given that they’re the forward scouts (in a truck?) plotting a safe
path and have to stop to top up the water. With Hal off to fetch water, Pope
questions what will happen when Hal learns Maggie’s DEEP DARK SECRET! To which
my response is “is she an alien? No? Her secret’s not relevant – welcome to
dystopian world priorities!” but Maggie seems quite perturbed. Pope urges her
to tell the truth in between urging her to join him on whatever adventure he’s
planning.
Maggie and Hal have a deep conversation about what she’s
hiding – apparently she took drugs, stole things, went to prison and had a baby
she gave up for adoption. I’m kind of waiting here for the big bad dark past
that is supposed to completely change how Hal feels about her. Is that it?
Apparently it’s big for Hal and he needs time to absorb everything.
We have some emotional scenes where Weaver digs out
exactly why Tector left the military and is trying to avoid being part of the
military parts of the 2nd Massachusetts, and we see more of Lourdes
dealing with her grief over Jamil, it’s nice to see he wasn’t just brushed
over.
Ann comforts Tom who is dealing with his disappointment
and emotional breakdown over Charleston – Hal missing. Ben out playing with the
Aliens and his 9 year old Matt making a will. And Tector turns the tables and
gives Weaver a pep talk so he can get out there and encourage the 2nd
Massachusetts to pick themselves up and keep going.
And then Colonel Porter arrives – who was the big boss of
all the Massachusetts divisions. And it turns out that there is a settlement in
Charleston – but it’s very well hidden. And then Hal and Maggie catch up as
well – for a wonderful little reunion.
Who is Tector? I mean we kind of breezed through a season
and several episodes without seeing him then he had a bit role in the
Berserkers and then they’re suddenly treating him almost like a side character.
We’re even getting, now, some insight into his background – is he another side
character like Lourdes or Maggie or Pope, if so what does he add to the story?
Or is he another bit support like Dai or Anthony or Jamil – in which case, why
the background?
I had to laugh at Tom worrying about what they’ll do with
all the thousands, if not millions of harnessed kids who, even free of the
harness, are still affected when the humans drive the aliens off the planet.
Talk about borrowing trouble; since there’s no indication that the aliens are
going to be driven off.
I am bemused that Maggie’s revelations are that shocking
or, in a post-apocalyptic world, really that relevant. Drug use, theft and an
adoption? Really?
