On the road, a man and a woman are pulled over with a flat tire. She is not impressed to be there and has to go to the bathroom. He tells her to take a squat and she heads quite unhappily into a field. Suddenly a fae makes an appearance and the sky goes dark. The car falls on Brad killing him, which causes his fiancee to start screaming when she finds his body.
At the Dahl, Trick is sitting down with a specialist. He says that Bo is stubbornly unaligned and that her father is unknown. Trick learns that succubi are already at a greater risk of failing their rights and it's even higher for Bo because of her very special snowflake powers. Also, thanks to these special snowflake powers, should Bo fail her initiation, what she would become would be even more horrendous than usual. Trick begs Stella for her help and says that Bo is all he has left. Stella says that she needs to evaluate Bo and demands that Trick reduce the noise in The Dahl.
Bo is at home a sleep and she is dreaming about the night she killed Kyle and her mother's response. That night, her mother called her a slut, and a whore, as well as said that Bo was not her daughter. She is awoken from the dream with a call from Trick, who instructs her to come to The Dahl. Once there, Stella has Bo drink tea, so that she can read the leaves. Stella tells Bo that she harbors great rage and regret, which is stopping Bo from realising who she really is. Stella adds that the blockage can be traced back to some childhood imprint. Bo says, "it's always mommy issues with you guys." Bo adds that she worked out her issues with her biological mother. Trick says that Bo also had a falling out with her adoptive mother and so Stella informs Bo that she must confront the source of the estrangement and forgive. Bo stands and says, "I will do whatever I have to do to survive this but I won't spend one more minute with that bigot." Trick reminds Bo that the cost is her devolving into an under fae. Bo replies, "let's hope that it's a nice cage."
Bo is at home with Lauren and she is getting dressed. Bo tells Lauren that there has to be another way and that she could really use some of Lauren's patented nerdness right now. Lauren replies, "Bo I hate to say this but this is one of those occasions where your faeness trumps my nerdness." Bo again says that she can't go back and Lauren points out that it would be a shame to miss the Cherry festival. Lauren then gets serious and she says that she knows that Bo left because of Kyle and that Bo should try not to blame them for their ignorance. Bo tells Lauren not to defend them because her mother cast her out like she was some sort of deviant. Lauren replies that she cannot imagine how difficult this will be for her but reminds Bo that this is her only hope. Bo says that it's a five hour drive and Lauren volunteers to go with her but Bo says that she needs Lauren to stay behind and do some hardcore doctoring, in case this doesn't work out. Bo then brings up Kenzi who she feels could use a road trip. When Lauren asks how Kenzi is doing Bo says, that she doesn't know why the Kitsune targeted Kenzi and that Kenzi isn't talking about it. Lauren holds up three injectons for Bo to take, if she feels herself start to lose control but warns her that these are the last three because with every injection, the formula will work a little bit less.
At The Dahl, Dyson tells Trick that he doesn't understand why he is letting Bo go. Trick simply says that this is a part of Bo's initiation. Not in the least bit pacified, Dyson declares that he cannot lose Bo. Trick asks when Dyson got his love back and Dyson says that Bo is with Lauren now. Trick says that Lauren is human and that their relationship can only be short term. Dyson replies that in the short term he is not going to interfere because he loves Bo too much to screw it up again. Trick reminds Dyson that those feelings are not just something he can make go away unless he wants to book another appointment with the Norn. Dyson answers that his feelings will never go away. Trick offers a drink and Dyson asks about her guide for the dawning and Trick replies that Stella is the best and that Bo will make it through this.
Bo and Kenzi are on the road and have to stop for gas. Bo says that they have not had a chance to talk but Kenzi says that she's fine. Bo then asks about the rash but Kenzi focuses instead on getting gas into the car. Her efforts are stopped by Dougie, a friend of Bo's from highschool. He calls Bo, Beth and says that they found the guy who killed Kyle. Bo tells Doug that what happened occurred a long time ago and that she goes by the name Bo now, not Beth. Doug asks if she is here for the Cherry Fest and to see some of the old gang but Bo replies that she is there for personal business. Doug tells her that Brad was squashed by a car yesterday and that the town has gone to crap since Bo left. The fae creature who attacked Brad yesterday, makes a brief appearance and Bo experiences a moment of weakness.
Bo and Kenzi arrive at her mother's house and Bo is resistant about going into the house. Kenzi reminds her that she has taken on The Morrigan and so should be fine with this. When Bo resists again, Kenzi says that it's called being the bigger person. Bo replies, "I am so sick of being the bigger person. That bitch in there has said things to me which echo inside my head. They scratch away at the inside of my brain every single night when I am trying to fall asleep." Believing that Bo is losing control, Kenzi injects her in the butt. Kenzi says that she seemed really angry and instructs Bo to get her head in the game. Bo instructs her to keep the car running and knocks on the door. Her mother comes around of the side of the house and hugs her and says, "you've finally come home, I've missed you so much."
In the house, Bo's mother has started to bake a pie for her. Her mother than asks if Kenzi went to Grimley High as well. Bo informs her that Kenzi is not from around here. Bo's mom then slips and refers to her adoptive father as alive and claims that her aunt believes that she is forgetting things. Clearly, Bo's mother is suffering with dementia. Bo asks if she remembers why she left and her mother says that Bo was lost and that the lord guided her back. When Bo's mother leaves to get rhubarb, Kenzi asks about forgiveness so that they can get out of there. Bo points out that her mother does not remember what happened, so Kenzi suggests that Bo remind her. Bo does not want to do this because it will break her mother's heart. Bo walks over to what looks like a shrine dedicated to her. She says that it's a reflection of who she was - the perfect daughter until she ruined it. Bo then wonders what harm it could do to write one more chapter in Beth's book on her own terms.
Bo's mother returns and she suggests that Bo and Kenzi head to the Cherry Fest. She then tells them that they need to change out of their city clothes because it's hot and people will stare. Kenzi is not impressed at all. The kids are skipping jump rope and singing a song about Lady Polly. Kenzi asks why the kids are trying to trip each other and Bo explains that they are jumping double dutch. The pair then run into Jessica, who it seems traveled quite a distance to see Brad again. Jessica then goes on about how everyone used to just love Bo and there's clear resentment from her that she wasn't the one who was deemed the special snowflake. Kenzi mentions that they ran into Doug and Jessica says that Doug is still creepy.
Bo and Kenzi return from the Cherry Fest and Kenzi tells Bo to have a moment with her mother, while she grabs her clothes and her dignity. Bo approaches and asks her mother if she remembers the night Kyle died and that she said some things that really hurt. Her mother does not answer because she is focused on lady Polly. Bo grabs something and dispels Lady Polly. Kenzi comes running but Bo's mom yells and says, "just look at what your filthy fornication has brought down on the house. I told you to stay away you devil child. You bring nothing but pain and sorrow. I want you gone, I want you out of my house." Bo goes running saying that it's all her fault and when she gets to the car, she hops in and leaves Kenzi behind.
Kenzi gets on the phone with Trick and explains the situation. Trick looks up the description in a book and stops at poludnica and says that the locals call her Lady Polly. Apparently, Polly's M.O is to cause accidents in the heat and glare of midday, when it distracts her victims. Kenzi says that when BO realizes that she released hell on the town by sucu killing Kyle that she is going to be upset. Trick assures her that this is impossible because Polly can only be awakened by humans and that she is probably killing the same people who summoned her. Kenzi then finds an old newspaper clipping about a barn being burned down. Trick warns Kenzi that if Polly manages to kill all of the humans who summoned her, then she will be free to leave the town. Trick tells her that she cannot let Bo get distracted because she has to kill her mother and get back there.
Kenzi then tracks Bo down at the cherry festival where she is busy getting her drunk on. Bo says that she is angry and that everything smells so overpowering. When Bo turns to look at Kenzi, her eyes have turned and she starts talking about the people she wants to eat. Kenzi tells her to fight it but Bo says that she is not changing into a monster and that she has always been one. Bo adds that she has done so many terrible things and that is why the dawning is happening to her early. Kenzi then distracts her and gives her an injection. Kenzi pulls out the newspaper article and tells Bo that her succubi nature had nothing to do with summoning Lady Polly, because she can only be summoned with fire. Bo reads the article and says that she was there when the fire happened.
The two head over to find Doug and Bo tells Kenzi that Doug was going through his occult stage and believed that he could communicate with Lady Polly. Apparently Doug led them through a seance and then later that night Bo was with Kyle and then never thought of the seance that night. Kenzi says that she should forget about saving the county and worry about herself but Bo is certain that she can do this. Bo then runs across Jessica and finds that she chocked to death on a cherry.
Kenzi goes to see Doug who tells her that she shouldn't be there. Doug gets upset and says that he warned them and told them to leave. He says that if they want to get rid of Lady Polly that they are going to have to give her a sacrifice. Kenzi is shocked to learn that Doug knew that Lady Polly had escaped the well and was killing people. Doug admits that he has been trying to get rid of Lady Polly for over ten years and that he invoked her during his teenage goth stage. Doug says that after Kyle died, he thought it was over because everyone left town. Apparently, Lady Polly told him to lure everyone home, but he wouldn't do it. Lady Polly then makes an appearance and Kenzi and Doug are forced to run through the field to disappear. When they run into Bo, she tells them that Jessica is dead. Doug tells Bo that this whole thing is his fault because after everyone left, he burnt a copy of Anti-Christ Superstar as an offering and then burnt the building. Bo assures Doug that it was an accident and that Polly is the one who is evil.
Lady Polly appears and Doug runs towards her to sacrifice himself. Lady Polly knocks him down and starts to battle with Bo. Kenzi tosses Bo her injection and she uses it on Lady Polly, saying that she is fae but is nothing like her, before kicking her into the well. They then check on Doug and determine that he is just fine.
Bo and Kenzi return to the house to talk to her mother. Bo brings up the last time they saw each other and her mother brings up Kenzi and Bo changing into summer clothes. Bo sits down with her mother and tells her that the things she did when she was younger were beyond her control and that she is sorry. Her mother tells her not to be sorry and that she is such a good girl. Bo says, I am good. Her mother then tells her the story about a butterfly that landed on her that caused Bo to cry because she couldn't help it. Bo then tells her, she thought the way she raised her was right and that they were both scared. Bo says that she has a family who love and protect her without question and that she has found her grandfather who cares about her. Her mother has tears in her eyes when Bo says, "if you really knew me now, you would be proud. I did good and I don't need to carry around those terrible memories anymore. I am done reliving them and reliving them." Her mother is still confused so BO tells her that this is how she is going to remember her - as the sweet woman, who told her how to make the best pies. Bo adds that she doesn't hate her anymore and that she is done hating herself because she is not the devil; she is fae. Bo kisses her mother goodbye and her mother replies, "I love you too Bo."
Dyson shows up at The Dahl looking for Trick. He helps himself to a drink when Trick comes out and Stella arrives. Stella throws her stole at Trick and tells him that it's time to prepare Bo's test. Stella then takes down her hair and tells Trick that sometimes, even she likes it loud, before walking into the office. Dyson tells Trick that with that no nonsense, ball busting attitude of Stella's, that he knew she was Trick bait the moment he saw her. When Trick says that he's in trouble, Dyson tells him that he has no reason to keep his feelings under wraps before leaving.
Bo returns and says that she has forgiven someone then asks what happens next. Stella informs Bo that the rights of passage vary with some tests being physical and others psychological. Bo then walks through the gateway and Trick tells her that he is proud of her. Stella tells Bo that crossing the threshold only allows her access to the tunnel and that in the temple, the most grueling challenges of her life await her.
Bo returns home and tells Kenzi that Trick is going to set up a fund for her mother and that she crossed the threshold. Bo then tells Kenzi that she cannot keep hiding behind her jokes and that she is worried about her. Kenzi says that she is glad to be home but can't talk about it yet. Bo asks Kenzi why she went to see The Norn.
I actually thought this episode was kind of cool. It was great to get more background on what Bo's life was like growing up. The best part of this message is the damage that comes with slutshaming. Everywhere girls and women look, women are used as sexual props to titillate the straight male gaze, but the moment we become sexual because it's what we want, there's a solid round of shaming which occurs. It's a way of controlling women and keeping us unbalanced. I absolutely loved that this episode so strongly dealt with this issue.
It also dealt with emotional abuse and insular communities. Too often people dismiss emotional abuse because it doesn't leave visible scars, but the scars are there nonetheless. They are equally as painful and as Bo showed, they impart long lasting pain. One of the problems with insular communities is that a lot of group think is the law of the land and it can be very difficult for anyone who is either unable, or unwilling to conform. There is no one to turn to and people are often forced to flea. Though Bo left because of an incident involving sex with a boy, who ended up dead, in the real, world GLBT youth and other marginalized people are often forced to flea to large urban centers to have any chance at a real life.
My only issue with this episode was Trick pointing out that Bo's relationship with Laureen is temporary. It was justified by the fact that Lauren is human but it still suggests that Dyson is Bo's one true love. Incidents like this are exactly why I cannot just relax and enjoy Bo and Lauren as a couple. I am so happy that they are. I cannot think of another television show in which the protagonist is in a same sex relationship but I still worry that it won't last.
