Calling the episode “Saturday Night Massacre” told us what to expect, and it would have been foolish to hope that the term would be used to describe the decimation of the Espheni forces. And given where we last left Lexi, it could have been surmised that she would be the instrument of the 2nd Mass’ destruction rather than Scorch and his forces. Be that as it may, Lexi’s departure near the start of the episode left the door wide open for the sanctuary to no longer be a safe have, and the battle that ensues certainly makes sense. The decisions of others in the lead-up to the battle seemed admirable on the surface as well. The Volm taking out the bridge provided a nice buffer of time, and the thermite raining down upon the mechs was both creative and visually exciting to witness. And that’s why the gas main explosion just seems so… empty. It’s not that so many of the dead were mere red-shirts; the sacrifice Lexi’s followers made had plenty of emotional impact, but the idea that a huge chunk of the 2nd Mass could be taken out by such an unlikely accident just lessened its impact by virtue of its lack of credibility. A working gas main? Really? Perhaps I’m just still numbed by Maggie being trapped in the debris, although I can’t imagine her injuries will be fatal. However, I also wouldn’t have believed you if you had told me that both Kadar and Tector would be taken out after a major character had already supposedly died at the beginning of the episode. These deaths should have added depth and heartbreak to the massacre, but it just added to the tragic unbelievability of how it all happened. And Tom did lead this battle well up until his decision to use Tector’s 50-calibur rifle to take out Scorch. Ah, Tector; such a noble sacrifice. But with Tom and Maggie both trapped under rubble, we should be in for an interesting recovery next week. And let’s face it, dusting everyone off, and pulling them back up on their feet to persistently fight again is what this show does best. Back to the good stuff! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that’s your thing!
