Last week we learned that Lara was Molly who came back in
time to save her mother from becoming War
This week we open by seeing that. And part of me thinks
this is unnecessary since we know this – but it’s also kind of awesome to see
it. To see Jenny leading the resistance against Malcolm’s forces – being called
a terrorist for it. And seeing Malcolm use the 4 horseman and his police force.
Including war – who kills Jenny in front of Lara/Molly
Except not before Jenny manages to raise a whole lot of
doubt in Molly’s mind about the history that Malcolm has filled her head with –
including that Molly said that Diana was dead. Before Molly died she manages to
cut a hole in War’s helmet with a magic knife – and show that War is Diana.
Molly questions future Malcolm about this and lo his lies
unravel, leading Molly to find Ichabod, get a pep talk and some time travel
mojo
Which picks us up where we left off – with a newly Warred
Ichabod who is ordered to kill Molly and Diana. They escape thanks to a woo-woo
knife and make it back to the Archive
Along the way they sum up some basics of Molly’s life
(how Malcolm let her wander alone and desperate for a while before swooping in
and playing caring father figure) and everyone decides to call Molly Lara since
that’s what she was called for so many years and it saves everyone from having
to say Young Molly and Old Molly. By saving Diana, Lara has pretty much
completely changed the future (at least the details) so her memories are now
very uncertain and, effectively, she and Molly are different people or will be
because their experiences will be so different. At least Lara still has her
skills.
Everyone is recapped and knows where they stand and
everything gets more complicated. Firstly blood from the woo-woo dagger happens
to mix with some black goo and apparently War blood + Ichabod blood + Black goo
of spider demon memories = Henry Parish!
Yes, Ichabod’s son, former Horseman of War is back and he
assures everyone he’s totally team good guy. Jenny is full of trust over this
and drops him in a magic circle to deal with later.
Issue 2 is that Jobe, Malcolm’s pet demon, has trashed
the Archive to steal some woo-woo: woo-woo that raises zombies. He intends to
use the essence of the zombies to power up their weakened Headless Horseman of
death to complete Malcolm’s collection. Oh and have zombie Hessians destroy
Sleepy Hollow for funsies – Jenny, Alex and Jake are on that and it involves
more nifty speeches from Jenny about how ready and awesome they are which I’d
be way happier about if it didn’t sound like she was about to pass the torch
and was talking to her replacements.
Which brings us to Issue 3: bringing Ichabod back. This
requires Lara and Diana to go on a road trip to Sleepy Hollow to Ichabod’s
place where he was one of Katrina’s spell books where she was planning on
de-horseman-of-deathing Abraham (oh gods no that would have been terrible)
which they can now use on Ichabod
So Lara and Diana go on road trip and brief bonding over
time line differences and they find the spell surprisingly easily and cast it
with equal ease. Yes I was totally expecting many epic quests here – but turns
out they can do it right here
Which they do, using Diana’s love and respect for Ichabod
and
SCREEEEEEEEEECH wait, what? These two have known each
other for a hot minute. “Love” you’re dropping the L word here? Why is this
word here? Is this just Lara not having a clue what Diana and Ichabod’s
relationship was like?
Somewhere, Abbie rolls her eyes
They cast this spell which sends Lara into Ichabod’s mind
to convince him to de-war himself which she does by wont of they’re deep and
profound Witness bond
Abbie rolls her eyes again
Y’know at least Jenny teaching Alex and Jake is
developing them to replace her. Don’t just drop in all this love and bonding
nonsense between Diana, Molly and Ichabod when they’re still on the napkins&good-china-at-meal-time-stage
of the relationship.
Ok… yeah… Lara and Diana manage to rescue Ichabod – but the
whole process involves using a spell to make Ichabod save himself - and then having him rescue Lara from War
playing in his hea. And then having him kill the Hessian zombies to boot to
rescue the rest of the gang (hey couldn’t War have a good at his fellow
Horsemen while he’s at it? I think that would have been far more useful than
the zombies. Let the zombies go to Sleepy Hollow, I’m sure eventually someone
will pick up a flame thrower)
C’mon, this episode with Ichabod as War gave everyone
else the chance to step up without him – but this show has been really
reluctant to do that.
All is not bad for Malcolm though – for Jobe also frees
Henry (can we talk about how shit Banneker’s wards are at keeping out demons?)
so he can drop in on Malcolm and ask for his old horseman-of-war job back, if
you please. And yes, he’s totally lying about being good now. But you saw that
coming, right?
Henry’s back… I’m torn. Because I liked Henry Parrish as
a villain – but his storylines were so inherently connected to the Cranewreck
that I have to say I cringe over anything that could drag up those days. Also
the horsemen we’ve seen now don’t seem to be, well, coherent like the old Henry
as War was.
I am much more intrigued on the role Lara will fill now…
except I sense a Hawley-ness. Her skill set feels vaguely similar to Jenny’s
(magical knowledge and skill, combat ability, shiny toys) and any gaps she has
Alex (technology) and Jake (arcane lore) fill in nicely… I feel Jenny is going
to not be in season 5. If this is renewed.
