The Strain Season 3 Episode 9
As of this writing, I have not yet seen the premiere of The Walking Dead. I have no idea who will die in Negan’s circle, but I do now that TWD will have a hard time matching the pain and sadness that came with not one, but two major deaths on this week’s episode of The Strain. So right now, I would like to eulogize those said casualties – Councilwoman Justine Feraldo and the ex-luchador, friend of Gus- Angel de Plata himself – Angel Guzman Hurtado. RIP to both of these brave heroes that give their lives so others could live. When her convoy is attacked, Feraldo takes a stand. She loses the last remaining men loyal to her, but she isn’t alone. Because in the same pitched battle, Gus and Angel also stand and fight for their city. More on them in a second, but with Feraldo and Gus battling side by side you have the elite of society fighting together with the disenfranchised. It shows that in the face of the strigoi attack, class and social economic status no longer matter. Here you have a gangbanger, a destitute ex-wrestler, and a powerful politician battling together because they’re all human- they’re all New Yorkers. But in this case, that’s just not enough. A few episodes back, Feraldo escaped infection when she got a strigoi worm in her eye. This time, she isn’t so lucky. When a strigoi attacks her, Feraldo fearlessly fires her weapon, but the splatter sends a strigoi parasite straight into her eye socket, and this time there’s no Eph or Fet around to save her. This time, Justine Feraldo, the embodiment of the spirit of New York, is infected. Two brave souls loyal to friends and city alike. Two honorable human beings that gave it all so their city can live another day. As I said, as of this minute, I don’t know who Negan will kill over on that other Sunday night survival horror show, but I can’t imagine it will be as painful as losing Angel de Plata and Justine Feraldo. RIP, brave souls. If you still have some energy in you after those loses, let’s take a look at other doings. We have a flashback to the sad life of Eldritch Palmer. We’ve never known much about Palmer’s parentage, but this week, we meet his father. Turns out Palmer is a bastard, the illegitimate son of a billionaire who wants nothing to do with his ailing son. This week, we witness Palmer arriving at his father’s company asking for a job so he can prove himself to his father and to himself. Palmer’s story also shows how tough the old man is. He rose from nothing to become a billionaire and is able to make his father pay for his cruel dismissal. Well, in the present, Palmer proves his toughness once again by luring Eichhorst into a trap. Eichhorst sees a weak old man, but in reality, Palmer is a wolf under a blanket with a shotgun and almost succeeds in killing the Nazi vampire. Now, it seems Palmer is fully on the side of the angels, well, as long as it is profitable to him anyway. This week is totally loaded, as we also get to see Eph and Dutch build their weapon against the Master. They use one of Nora Goodweather’s Feelers (those creepy, crawly children vampire things) to build a weapon that blocks the Master’s commands. They bring the weapon to Setrakian and Fet, but the old man and the exterminator aren’t quick to trust Eph after the scientist stole the Lumen a few weeks back. It also doesn’t help that Eph is now bedding down with Dutch, Fet’s ex. All the conflict ends once Mister Quinlan shows back up. Last week, Quinlan survived an underground nuclear blast, and thank goodness he’s okay, because I don’t think I could handle losing a luchador and a benevolent ninja vampire all in the span of two weeks. But wait, there are two nukes, and the remaining bomb is in the hands of Eldritch Palmer who completed his turn against the Master. Despite the loss of Feraldo and Angel, it looks like the humans might have an advantage after all. We’ll find out next week in the season finale.
