Michael and Alex are in a desert and the training has begun. Michael uses the sun to his advantage and swoops in at Alex. After several attempts in which Alex does not even manage to harm Michael in the slightest, Michael calls an end to training for the day. A frustrated Alex complains that he has no idea what Michael has been trying to teach him and that he went easy on Michael because he was given live ammunition. Micheal does his Mr Miyagi routine and makes it clear that Alex never had a shot at hitting him because Alex is ignoring his instincts due to being fueled by emotions. Alex is warned to get control of his emotions and watch the shadows and not the sun.
David has a flashback to trying to protect his wife and children from roving angels. We learned that the angels killed his wife and all of his children expect for one. David is brought back to the present by William, who has questions about the engagement party. William asks for advice and David tells him to cherish the time he has.
A beaten up Alex is back at the station and Claire questions what happened to him. Alex explains that he was in training. They talk about where Bixby's ashes were buried. They both express sorrow over Bixby's passing and the cynical side of me wonders if this is going to be used to raise Alex's man pain. Claire then goes onto confirm that she is marrying William because she has to look out for the city. Why she cannot do this as a single woman, since they're houses have been framed as equal is beyond me. They kiss and Claire makes her apologies and leaves. I don't know about you but I cannot get into the star crossed lovers story line that Dominion is going with.
Later, Claire stands lost holding the material which will make her wedding dress. Noma questions Claire's lack of excitement and points out that those of lower castes are looking forward to the wedding. Claire says that the senate wants a grand old wedding to take the people's minds off of the problems. Claire can barely keep the fake smile on her face. David enters calling the upcoming nuptials a match made in heaven. Noma excuses herself and David offers Claire an early wedding present - the blue sapphire necklace his wife wore on their wedding day. David then takes the opportunity to tell Clair that Senator Romero has figured out that her father is having issues with his heart and will be initiating a vote of no confidence in the senate to force him to relinquish his seat. Of course, for the good of Vega, Clair must become lady of the city and take her father's seat.
When the market opens, Clementine sneaks through it with dark glasses. Clementine pauses when she comes across a music box and enters the store to buy it. Unfortunately, Clementine raises her gaze and her red tinged eyes are revealed to the store owner. Clementine begs for secrecy but the man reaches for his weapon and so she is forced to kill him.
Michael and Alex are sitting in Michael's apartment in hopes of inducing Alex into having another vision. At first, Alex refuses to take it seriously but when he does, he sees a vision of a bloody Bixby, who begs him not to allow anyone else to be hurt. Hours pass this way for Alex and when he returns to his body, Alex simply tells Michael that he saw who he is fighting for, before storming out of the apartment.
Clementine and Edward sit in her apartment and he notices the new music box. Clementine tries to pretend that it's old but Edward is insistent that it's new, forcing her to admit that she left the apartment. Clementine says that she used the tunnels he uses to visit her and lies and says that no one saw her. Clementine argues that with Edward dying, she is going to need someone to look out for her because she will quickly run out of food and water. Clementine then asks about Claire but Edward is adamant that this cannot happen. Clementine is certain that her kind won't take her because her association with Edward and she is further stuck by the fact that humans would shoot her on the spot. David promises to think of something.
David waits in the corridor for Becca Thorn and the moment she arrives, he accuses her of knowing all about the problems with Edward's health. Becca makes it clear that their agreement was only for her to pass information about Michael. David calls it a matter of little consequence, as Edward will soon be tossed out. It seems however that he needs Becca's support in this matter. When Becca refuses, David makes it clear that she will either help or he will make it public that she had an affair with Michael.
William walks through a courtyard giving the people a sermon of sorts about his phony religion. They all seem at peace, when William notices a face in the crowd. William dismisses the people and approaches the man only to questioned about being unfaithful to Gabriel and preaching nonsense to the people. William quickly grabs the man in a bear hug and asserts that he is Gabriel's eyes and ears and by his actions, the man is putting everyone in jeopardy. Before William can get even more forceful, Claire arrives which forces William to let the man go. William is quick to offer Claire his sympathy for her father's heart condition and Claire uses the opportunity to reveal that it is David who is working to get Edward removed as Lord of the city. Claire then gets her flirt on and asks William if there is anything he can tell her about his father which would force him to allow Edward to stay in his position. Instead of providing information, William promises to talk to David tonight before the party.
Michael is working his way through a calisthenic routine when Becca arrives. The two quickly start to kiss. Before it gets too heated, Becca tells Michael that she know agrees that she needs to find a good man and settle down. Becca then tells Micheal that she cannot see him anymore and Michael then does his inscrutable routine and declares it for the best.
Vince is digging in his locker when Noma shows up looking for some lipstick. The conversation is cut short when Alex appears and starts packing his things. They talk about the merchant who was killed and Alex declares that he is not going to sit around if an angel is inside the walls and wait for it to kill again. Noma calls out that it is not a good idea for Alex to go out in this state of mind but of course, he keeps walking.
Edward is dressed and ready, so he makes his way through the halls as the party preparations shift into high gear. When Edward makes it to Claire's room, instead of finding Claire, he sees Clementine sitting on Clair's bed with the music box she bought. Edward is angry to see Clementine there and she tries to defend herself saying that she only wanted to leave Clair a little gift. Edward accuses Clementine of murdering the man in the market and Clementine points out that Edward is going to be dead soon and when this happens, no one will be able to stop her from coming back there. Edward grabs Clementine around the throat and starts to squeeze but Clementine manages to get away and make her escape out of an open window.
William paces back and forth in his father's office and then he pulls out a cloth from his pocket, the same cloth used to identify the servants of Gabriel. He moves frantically around the office as though he is looking for a place to plant it when David walks in. Seeing William in his office, David assumes that William is there to get advice. Edward jokes that William is unsure about having sex with Clair and while his back is turned pouring a drink, William drops the cloth in David's desk drawer. William then makes it clear that he is there to talk about Edward. David says that it's expedient to bully Edward out of office and William argues back that Edward is dying, meaning that it won't be long before William and Claire control the city. William points out that Claire trusts him and is finally starting to warm up to him but David responds that he is doing what is best for Vega. The two argue and a very angry David tells William that when he is made Lord of the City, David is going to need his hand held every moment. David tells William that he is nothing without him and that Clair is playing him like a fiddle. When William again questions this, David tells William that if he knew what was sacrificed for him, his blood would run cold. David adds that William owes him and in response, David bestows upon his father Il bacio della morte (the kiss of death) adding that he is the man he is toady because of him.
Edward heads to Michael and asks that the call to hunt the eight ball be cancelled and that Michael handle this on his own. In response, Michael says that she (read: Clementine) must mean a great deal to Edward, who is in turn surprised to learn that his big secret is no secret. Edward gives the kill order after admitting that there was a time when he loved Clementine dearly, asking only that she not suffer. Michael takes a leap out of his window.
Arika is roaming the streets and when a light is flashed in her face, she quickly turns her head and asks for the person to go away. In another area, Noma follows after Alex asking why he is still moving forward now that the alert has been cancelled. Alex of course barrels forward causing Noma to ask if he knows something she does not. Alex denies shutting Noma out and points out that she never told him what happened to her a week after basic training. Noma is quiet for a moment and then admits that Finch found out about them and was going to toss Alex from the core but she couldn't let that happen. Noma had to promise to end her relationship with Alex in order for him to stay in the core. Alex questions if Noma really believed that the core was more important to him than her, so Noma points out that Alex met Clair right after so it all worked out. They are interrupted by a report over the radio of a dead body and after a few steps, come across Richardson covered in blood.
Becca heads to see the women which form Micheal's harem to tell them that they are leaving Vega immediately for Helena. They are informed that they are never to admit to spending intimate time with Michael.
The elevator opens and we see William and David all dressed for the party. They arrive to a round of applause and are greeted by Edward. David questions why security is so high given that this is an engagement party and Edward points out that since they are at war, the security is there to ensure nothing spoils the evening. Edward then offers his congratulations to William who then asks where Claire is.
Claire is in David's office looking through his desk. When Vince, who is working as her security points out that they are not supposed to be here, Clair claims to be looking for David's speech which he forgot there. While Claire continues her search, Vince turns his back to steal a bottle of liquor. When Clair finds the cloth where William left it, she hurriedly slips it in her bag and stands up.
When Clair arrives late to the party, she covers by saying that she had to rush across town to fix her dress. In her father's ear, Clair whispers that everything is going to be okay. Clair is then greeted by David and William and the pass a few words until dinner is called. William moves to take Clair's hand and Clair asks for a moment. Claire and David start to head in for dinner together and he snarks about being sorry to have to tell her about the upcoming vote. Claire then pulls the trump card out of her pocket and reveals that the city needs to know about David's alliance with Gabriel. Clair pulls out the cloth and places it in David's pocket saying that she didn't ever really believe that he would betray his own. David of course denies this and points out that Claire has no proof that the item was retrieved from his quarters. Claire then reads off the card she found in David's office and adds that since she is the lady of the city, the people will believe every word she says. Their conversation is interrupted by William, who asks them both to join everyone else.
Noma and Alex make their way through the city with their guns drawn as Clementine cowers behind a garbage bin. Clementine takes off running fearing that her hiding spot has been discovered. Noma and Alex give chase, with Alex managing to wound Clementine in the leg. Alex follows Clementine into the sewers and after a brief fight, Alex manages to get the upper hand. Clementine begs Alex not to kill her saying that she doesn't want to die and that there is only darkness. Clementine points out that she had damned good people to die like his friend and his father. Clementine pleads that she didn't fight Gabriel's war and Alex points out that the body she is wearing belongs to an innocent woman whom Clementine killed. Clementine cries that she was wrong and begs again for her life saying that she has a family and a daughter.
At the engagement party, Clair stands to give a toast and says that she wishes her mother could have lived to see this day. Clair then steps aside and we see a picture of her as a little girl, Edward and finally Clair's mother, the woman whose body Clementine is now wearing.
This is episode five of the nine episodes scheduled to make up Dominion's first season. At this point I should be drawn into the story but sadly I find myself simply not caring. I don't care about the star crossed lovers thing between moping Alex and Claire. It would have been more than possible for this story to be told without a thread of romance going through it. I suppose part of it was to help Alex's character but the truth of the matter another White, cis straight, able bodied chosen one is not at all appealing or inventive.
We have material with William and his undercover work for Gabriel. The best scenes of this episode were easily between David and William. I particularly loved the kiss of death but it is worth noting that rivalry and rage as a son seeking to reach beyond his controlling over bearing father is also not a new storyline. I do, however, highly suspect if it wasn't for a love for Anthony Stewart Head, I might just ignore this plot line altogether.
Let's deal with Claire shall we. She decides to turn her girl on to get to William as a first step, I suppose it wasn't bad but I am still not happy that she is like a lamb being led to the slaughter. It makes no sense that she has to marry William for the benefit of the city when their two families have always shared power. We have been given no reason why this shouldn't continue to be the case. Further, how can she really believe that David would leave something so incriminating so accessible? This, of course, proves that Claire is really not that smart.
This week the big reveal is that Clementine is Claire's mother and that is why Edward had been protecting her for all of these years. This at least is somewhat amusing and maybe it might take the damn focus off of Alex for a while who irritates me.
