5.9 Star Crossed Alongside a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how Hadrian’s Wall operates, a Wesen storyline that fits well into the show’s main story arc and a potential jab at modern politics, we were also witness to some previously unseen levels of horror. We are given a glimpse of how Meisner, Trubel and Eve have been working as a team to counter the threat of Black Claw. They each bring something different to the fight – whether that’s martial arts prowess, combat skills or mad telekinesis combined with a disconcerting lack of empathy – they get the job done. With its bunker HQ and latest surveillance technology it almost feels like a Hadrian’s Wall spin-off wouldn’t be out of the question… On the flip side, we see how far the three will go to get intelligence on Black Claw. We are witness to an uncomfortable scene where Eve sews up a suspect’s mouth, eyes and ears as a way of convincing him to cooperate. It shows just how much she is capable of committing awful acts ‘for the greater good’. She’s not sadistic, in fact she’s not anything – to her it’s just a means to an end. Even Trubel’s not bothered, merely curious about the process. If other viewers are like me though, it could leave them feeling a little distressed and taking large gulps of air. Rosalee, Hank and Wu’s wariness over joining Hadrian’s Wall is probably justified. The Wesen-of-the-Week plot ties into the Black Claw story arc this week and is as gruesome as anything we’ve seen so far over the five series. Leveraging the staples of the horror genre, a serial killer is killing the homeless in a series of sadistic bloody rituals. They are strung up on crosses, where they are gored and have mirrors placed over their eyes, before being encircled in their own blod. It turns out that it is the Wesen equivalent of a rain dance (Portland is in drought, apparently) but hasn’t been practiced in hundreds of years, terrified by the threats of Grimms throughout history. This – along with woging in public – is a sign of a growing bravery, or recklessness, among Wesen that have been whipped up by Black Claw’s propaganda machine. This week we see one such leader, Donald, urging Portland’s Wesen to rise up and defeat their human oppressors. The storyline is an interesting one in an election year in the US; a charismatic leader whips a crowd into a frenzy with his promises to bringing back traditional values and restore their power. Despite Monroe describing the attendees as “braindead, zombie-headed zealots” who are “drinking the Kool-Aid dry,” it is worth noting that previous to Black Claw’s arrival on the scene, they were all apparently regular, hard-working men and women. So how much pressure is need to tap into their feelings of disaffection and resentment? Elsewhere, in yawn-inducing news, Renard is still sleeping with the mayoral candidate’s campaign manager. Also, Rosalee receives a phone call from the man from her drug-fuelled past, Tony. In a fit of anger, Monroe tells him to get lost, so that’ll probably happen. Nick is also feeling frustrated that he can’t open the long-sealed secret passage under the paint factory. Well, that’s got to lead somewhere right? Literally and as a plot device. Read Christine’s review of the previous episode, A Reptile Dysfunction, here.
