The librarians are all back safe and sound and Flynn immediately wants to send the team out. It's Eve who bothers to acknowledge the good work that team did but Flynn can only point out that they didn't actually beat Prospero. Flynn is sulking because he feels that he and Eve had a good thing along but Eve points out that if they work together, they can get the drop on the bad guys.
Unbeknownst to The Librarians, Prospero has sneaked into the Library.
Flynn decides to give the team a pep talk about joining their forces to defeat Prospero. He explains that in rare cases when a story is really well read and the character written beautifully, the ambient energy allows them to step out of their story. While Flynn updates the team, Jenkins is busy giving him the side eye. I guess Flynn forgot that Jenkins is the one who first explained this to him. Jenkins finally intervenes to say that what Prospero is doing is weird because characters normally lack the will to change their own stories. When Flynn gives him the eye, Jenkins gives Flynn back the floor. Flynn tells the group that Prospero's next move will be to find and repair his staff. Jenkins interrupts again, and explains that he normally does the briefings and Flynn does the rapid fire conclusions. Yeah, one day Flynn will realise that he is not the only smart person in the room. Flynn finally gives the floor to Jenkins, who says that they don't know what happened to the pieces of the staff. The team break up to look for clues as to where the pieces of the staff are located.
When Flynn get a moment alone with Eve, she suggests that they need a Plan B in case Prospero gets to the staff first. Flynn has a eureka moment and thinks that he knows where the staff is and suggests that the team work on a Plan B. Eve is immediately suspicious and wonders if this is a plan to be alone together.
Prospero calls on Moriarty and uses electricity to discipline Moriarty and remind him of his place. Prospero then calls on the sprite to help him find the heart. The sprite however does not move and Prosepero believes the magic in the library is confusing the sprite. It's then that Jenkins walks in.
Eve and Flynn arrive at the estate of John Dee, who was a contemporary of Shakespeare. Flynn discovers Shakespeare's stage and rambles on about how he thought he would have made a good actor. Eve suggests words that never would have been spoken on the stage would lead to the staff. Flynn whispers Macbeth. Yes, they are invoking the superstition where an actor cannot say Macbeth because it is believed by some that the play is cursed. Flynn utters Macbeth and magical writing appears on the stage. Flynn figures out that the staff is below them.
Jones and Jake are looking for references to the sword and Jake is astonished that Jake doesn't know how to use a card catalog. Jones points out that it's the 21st century and he doesn't know how to shoe a horse either, causing Jake to leave in disgust. When Jake tries to open the door, he finds that he is locked in. Jones says that the library is in lock down security as an intruder alert. They realise that Prospero must be in the library with Jenkins.
Prospero tells Jenkins that they are going to walk the path of power. Jenkins refuses to help and asks Prospero and Moriarty if they know who he is. Moriarty deduces that Jenkins was a knight of the round of the table, so Jenkins says that he has been tortured and grilled long before Moriarty and Prospero were even conceived of. It seems however that Prospero is interested in the tree of knowledge and so has set his sights on the library's heart.
Jones is all chill while Jake and Cassandra are freaking out about the fact that Prospero has Jenkins. Jones says that the alert which is going off is low level security and that there's a hidden pass code if a librarian needs to get back in. Jones pull out his phone and says that they need to go the local library. Jones is astounded that no one has bothered to read the security manual.
Flynn pulls out a box from under the stage and finds it locked. There's another code on the box and Eve suggests that it is an anagram. After several attempts, it's Eve who figures it out, relying on her knowledge of Macbeth. Once Flynn opens the box, they find a parchment which indicates that a Librarian from 400 years ago collected the staff.
The crew is at the regular Library and Jones approaches the Librarian and asks to check out a book. It seems that he doesn't have a library card and resorts to insisting that he is a Librarian. Jones asks for the complete works of William Shakespeare unabridged and learns that it was checked out. The crew chase down the little girl who checked it out and beg her to give them the book but she is savvy and starts demanding money. When they resist, she increases the price. Jones is clearly impressed with her.
Jenkins tells Prospero and Moriarty that he is not capable of leading them to the heart of the library. Moriarty declares that Jenkins shows no signs of lying and Jenkins says that the heart of the library doesn't exist on the same plane as the library itself. Jenkins tells them to give it up. Prospero seals Jenkins in and asks Ariel to take them to the gateway at the heart of the library.
The crew is back at the library and Flynn informs them that the staff is here. When Jones says that Prospero broke into the Library, Eve is not impressed and responds that this is the third time the library has been broken into since she has been working there. Jake reveals that the place is on lock down and starts to say what they need to move forward but the others are way ahead of him. It seems that Flynn still cannot get a handle on this team work thing.
Prospero is confident that the Librarians won't be able to follow him to the heart because they lack Arial. Prospero then grabs another book and blows on it, releasing two new Fictionals.
The Librarians find Jenkins in a block of ice. As the Librarians talk among themselves about how to free Jenkins, it's Eve who breaks the glass freeing him. Jenkins updates the Librarians on the situation and the fact that Prospero is headed to the heart of the Library to create a new staff. Jenkins then reveals that the library is out of order, causing Flynn to ask for a moment in private with Jenkins. Jenkins says that the library is unstable and that there are missing artifacts - 16 to be precise. Jenkins calls this a tactical error. Jenkins assures Flynn that with Arial, Prospero will have no problem getting to the heart of the library.
Eve has pulled out a map of the library and learned that some of the rooms have not shifted. Jenkins says that the antiquities room is the oldest in this incarnation room of the library. Eves starts to talk about triangulation and Flynn suggests splitting up. Flynn's plan is to work with Eve but she chooses instead to work with Jake. Yeah it seems that Eve is annoyed and I don't blame her in the least.
Jenkins is beating himself for not revealing that there's something wrong with the library. Cassandra tries to comfort Jenkins, saying that he must have had a good reason. It seems that Jenkins kept this secret because of insecurity - he thought the problem was him. He believed that the Library simply didn't trust him.
Flynn pulls Jones back because some of the Greek and Romans artifacts have have joined each other in the wing. Flynn says that they are lucky that the place hasn't blown up already because if the Greek and Roman artifacts touch each other, it's like matter and antimatter joining. Jones says that it's too bad they don't have a big bomb suit.
Jake and Eve reach their location and she finds blank pages in Alice in Wonderland and Frankenstein. They are then confronted by the Queen of Hearts who chants, "off with your heads". The battle is on and Jake calls out that this is wrong because though the Queen ordered the execution but in the books, it says that people were pardoned. Eve and Jake take off running.
Jones is dressed in protective gear and Flynn assures him that there's no way Zeus's lightening rod will strike him. Flynn hides behind a statue which makes Jones suspicious about the safety of Flynn's plan. Jones tells Flynn that he know that Flynn has never liked him. Jones picks up the lightening rod and hands it off to Flynn. The rod shrinks down and Flynn takes off his protective gear. When they turn around, they find themselves staring at Frankenstein's monster.
Jenkins is freaking out because the other librarians are taking so long. Cassandra points out that in the movies, people would try to override the elevator. Jenkins replies that in the movies, the elevators were made after the reformation.
Jake and Eve are hiding from the Queen and Jake says that in the book, Alice simply wakes up and doesn't actually defeat the Queen. Eve asks about banishing the Queen and so they come up with a plan to send her back through the looking glass.
Jones opens his lighter in the hope that the monster will be scared by the fire. Flynn point out that this only happened in the movie and not the book. I love that they are making a distinction between the film and Shelley's original work. The monster says that his hate is only reserved for those who abhor him. The monster moves forward screaming about his creator. Flynn explains to the monster that he was only killed because of despair and that he only wanted to belong. Flynn asks the monster for a hug, saying that he refuses to hate him or fear him. Flynn hugs the monster adding that there's no need for violence and that librarians solve problems with their minds and their heart. The monster continues to choke Jones and drags him along asking what remedy there can be for someone as foul as him. Jones and Flynn suggest that modern medicine can cure his scars.
Jones uses his phone to introduce the monster to a dating app, as Jake and Eve trick the Queen into seeing her own reflection. Having defeated their characters, the Librarians set up the triangulation. Jones and Jake agree to stay with the equipment to keep it steady. Eve and Flynn both touch their separate beams and disappear. Eve and Flynn end up in the heart of the library which looks like a forest. Moriarty calls the forest genius because a single tree is hiding among a thousand.
Prospero then asks his sprite to lead them to the tree of knowledge. Eve and Flynn move through the forest and each tree she points out is the wrong tree. Flynn says that he will know when he sees the tree. Eve asks Flynn to stop and think and Flynn responds that his way has been working for 11 years. Eve however believes that this is not working because she cannot work by the seat of her pants and adds that Flynn cannot always win by the seat of his pants either . Once again, Flynn points out that it's working, so Eve counters that 11 years is nothing to Prospero, who has had five hundred years to formulate his plan. Flynn snarks that a five minute plan won't work but Eve is adamant that it cannot just be Flynn's way anymore. They are forced to hide when Prospero and Moriarty appear. From the bushes Flynn spies the tree and so they formulate a quick plan. Moriarty and Prospero pause when they see Flynn and Eve uses their distraction to grab the sprite and take off running. Moriarty chases after Eve and Prospero stays behind to deal with Flynn.
Eve dangles the sprite over a cliff causing Moriarty to stop. Moriarty tells Eve that if she drops the sprite, he will jump after it because he is Fictional. Eve points out that the last time Moriarty went off a cliff that it didn't work out so well for him.
Flynn tells Prospero that it is over but Prospero doesn't believe that the ending is set. Proepero starts to rant about the end of Shakespeare's play but Flynn says that without the sprite, he will never find the tree of knowledge. Prospero charges Flynn and he steps in front of the tree, thus revealing its location.
Moriarty tells Eve that his defeat came at the cost of Sherlock's life. Eve argues that Sherlock came back but Moriarty counters saying that it was ten years later and he was never the same. Sherlock was so changed that some scholars believed that it was actually Moriarty in disguise. Moriarty questions if Eve is prepared to take the chance. Eve dangles the sprite again, so Moriarty says that if Eve hands over the sprite he will leave. Eve asks why she should trust him and Moriarty responds that she can trust his self interest because he doesn't dare return to Prospero without the sprite. Moriarty points out that Prospero has his book and can destroy it. Moriarty warns that if Eve doesn't hand over the book, he will have no choice but to fight her for it and neither of them knows who will be victorious. Moriarty calls for a truce and Eve hands over the sprite. Moriarty disappears in a cloud of smoke.
Prospero pushes Flynn out of the way and pulls a limb off the tree of knowledge. Flynn reaches into his pocket, pulls out Zeus's lightening bolt and tosses it at the tree, causing it and the limb to burst into flames. Prospero asks what kind of Librarian Flynn is and Flynn says the kind that knows that sometimes you have to give up power. Prospero declares that he will find another object with which to wield his rage. Flynn collapses in front of the burning tree.
Eve joins Flynn, who sits near the burned tree. It seems that Flynn burned the wrong tree. The tree of knowledge is actually a little sapling because knowledge is always growing. Eve is impressed that Flynn managed to trick Prospero. Unfortunately however, Flynn does not remember what the tree he burned was and they agree not to tell Jenkins.
Back in the library, Jenkins reports that he has locked down the reading room so that no other fictional can enter that way again and that the Queen of Hearts is back in her book. It seems that Frankenstein's monster is out in the world. Jenkins says that the library is still malfunctioning. Eve wonders if the staff is already in the library but Jenkins says that there is no proof. Flynn wants to go after the artifacts but Eve believes that their priority should be the library because it is broken and malfunctioning. Flynn points out that there are 16 things missing but Eve argues that without a safe library to put them in there is no point. Flynn questions what the point of the library is without the artifacts. Flynn asks Jenkins to find his bag and Eve asks Flynn to stay so that they can help him. Flynn replies that he knows his way and that they can cover more ground apart.
The other Librarians enter and Jones agrees to work on the security system, Cassandra agree to an overhaul of the inventory and Jake says that he will work on the clippings book. Eve is pleased that the team is going to work together.
Once again Flynn is off blowing in the wind doing his own thing. I suppose that it had to be written that way because Noah Wyle must have been working on the last season (thank goodness for small mercies) of Falling Skies during the filming of The Librarians. I know that his exit was probably very necessary but at the same time, the writing regarding his departure is very awkward. I we really to believe that Flynn doesn't care about how Eve feels about the way they work together? Yes, he's reckless but I do believe he cares about Eve.
Speaking of Flynn, I do believe that of all of the Librarians he is absolutely the most interesting. Yes, he's been the longest lasting Librarian but he is constantly acting as though no one else has any expertise besides him. He even has the nerve to be irked when Jenkins, a knight of the round table no less interjects his thoughts. How many times does the rest of the crew have to prove to them that they are smart?
I love that they are showing that Eve is so much more than the muscle. Without Eve they never would have gotten the box opened. Flynn is so caught up in the adventure that despite all of his intelligence, he doesn't use common sense. It's as though he has forgotten why the Library sought Eve out in the first damn place. It feels that while they are on a mission, he takes her for granted. I hope that when Flynn does actually spend more time on the show that this will change because Eve so clearly deserves better.
At this point, I am really not impressed by Moriarty. Moriarty is a super villain and the equal of Sherlock Holmes but thus far he is little more than Prospero's lap dog. I hope that he is working on a plan for his freedom so that he can cause trouble all on his own. Finally, I am still shocked that Eve decided to hand over the sprite. She's always so confidant and I think by handing it over, she conceded defeat. It really felt out of character to me.
