Helix: The Reaping Means The Scythe Keeps on Freaking!

Welcome to WormholeRiders to our new web site dedicated to Helix!

Welcome back!! We have been on quite a ride, eh??

In the opening sequences of this week’s episode of Helix we were reminded of past events that have set in motion events and actions to be reckoned and resolved over the next couple of weeks.

However, I will not get ahead of myself, this week’s episode, The Reaping, watched two families go tit for tat, while being toe to toe and ready for battle with the hope for maximum survivorship, yet also ready for maximum casualty.

Once again precisely weaved, this tale is carefully and, dare I say it, elegantly, written by Adam Lash and Cori Uchida. Full of action, but if you did not pay attention to what was being said, you WILL miss something! Writing is only a piece of the puzzle, to help to complete the package, we turn to the expertise of one Brad Turner. I’m pretty certain that is it not difficult with such a professional cast, and armed with a crafted script, directing this chapter had to have bordered on pleasure. Not to mention being under the watchful eye of Helix’s creator, taking on a hands-on approach to his baby, Cameron Porsandeh garners the teleplay credits for this episode.

We saw the introduction of The Scythe in the previous episode and the destruction that one man can reap. However, in this episode, we are truly introduced to Spencer (Sutton) as we learn he HATES to be called. Beautifully, masterfully, and creepily portrayed by Rob Naylor, Spencer is a son out to avenge his mother’s death at the hand of Hiroshi Hatake (Hiroyuki Sanada).

Going nose to nose with Hatake, seeking an eye for an eye, or in this case, a head for a head, Spencer first nabs Julia (Kyra Zagorsky), but soon finds Daniel (Meegwun Fairbrother) in his possession as well. In a true test of a father’s love, Spencer forces Hatake to choose – flesh and blood, or the child he raised as his own. Ultimately, it is Daniel that steps up, never to step out again after losing his head in an act of honorable defiance.

The Reaping:

Now, sit back and relive the episode that is The Reaping. Spencer has just received new orders to: 1) secure the Narvik virus and its cure, 2) secure Hatake – alive, and 3) terminate ALL others. In the bunker, the scientists seem to have recovered nicely from their “vector-ship”, and we soon come to Dr. Sarah Jordan (Jordan Hayes) and Dr. Alan Farragut (Billy Campbell) at odds with each other about how to proceed.

Hiding under a “Kiss My Bass” ball cap, the silver eyed Sarah argues against Alan, saying that there is another way, that there is a tunnel that leads out of the base. Alan wants to stay put and face what Ilaria brings, saying that they will be hunted no matter where in the world they go. Taking it to the next level, Alan lectures that, “either they survive, or we do.”

Going around the room, Julia is seen tending to an injured Hatake. He is healing at an accelerated rate, due to the immortality factor of the Narvik virus and its cure. They begin to reflect, and ultimately end up discussing Daniel. Julia tries to reassure Hatake by telling him that he needn’t worry, that Daniel will come back. Hatake finishes telling Julia that a parent always worries as Daniel returns.

Daniel did indeed find the remaining scientists, but that is all he has found – their remains. Daniel, Dr. Peter Farragut (Neil Napier), and Alan head up a level or two to identify and clean up some of the mess, to make the circumstances a little more respectable.

As Peter takes a minute to survey the damage, he begins to break down, feeling a bit responsible, having committed more than a few grievous acts as vector. Giving Peter a moment to collect himself, we venture outside of the base for a moment.

Major Sergio Balleseros (Mark Ghanimé) has amassed a force from Anana (Luciana Carro) and Tulok/Miksa’s village. They have traveled roughly 40 kilometers during this day, and are directed to hunker down for the evening. The force is also given instruction as to how to set off the next morning.

As Balleseros finishes, Tulok takes on a departed Balleseros, and Anana immediately comes to his aid. Eventually, when Anana is out of earshot, Balleseros is again the target of Tulok’s angst, and this time the two do mix it up.

Back at the base, Alan, Julia, Daniel, and Hatake have found their way to Hatake’s office. They are reviewing footage from The Scythe’s arrival. Unbeknownst to them, they are being watched, watched by The Scythe and his two henchmen, Willa (Helen Koya) and Blake (Alexandra Ordolis). Alan, Julia, Daniel, and Hatake therefore have no idea that the plan they are hatching is also being witnessed by the bloodthirsty teen and his womenfolk.

From the workstation of The Scythe, Blake finds footage of Hatake killing Constance Sutton (Jeri Ryan). It is at this moment that we ALL learn that Constance was the mother of Spencer, and that his blood begins to run cold for Hatake, “I will avenge my mother.” It is during these moments too that the Jack in the Box jerks and starts to become distressed and disturbed over something. At the direction of Spencer, one of his sentries injects something into the box, calming the contents.

Their plan having been hatched, Daniel and Julia repair and make “roadworthy” a vehicle while having somewhat of a heart to heart. The conclusion of this dialogue, with a nod again to the superb writing, sees Julia telling Daniel that if they make it out alive, he can think of her like a sister. Daniel’s reply is heartwarmingly cold, “thank you, but I already have one.” They then use the vehicle to lay the trap for Spencer, Blake and Willa.

Hatake and Alan have since ventured outside, to acquire the virus from its freezer of a hiding place. Though, as smart viewers, we know this to be a falsehood and a trap – the virus and the cure are safe and secure with Sarah in the bunker! As the canister rises from the snow, the boys are met by Spencer and his associates.

Having fallen for the bait, Hatake now demands that Spencer “come and get it”. As Spencer gets close, Hatake throws the canister. Reacting with lightening quick reflexes, Willa acts to retrieve the canister. As she starts to stand up, the ground beneath her gives way – revealing the cold and dark crevice that Daniel and Julia created. One down – LITERALLY – two to go!

Back inside the entry corridor, Julia and Daniel catch up with Hatake and Alan. Having reviewed their progress, and revealed that Ilaria’s force is now down to two, it is decided that the best course of action now is to hunker in the bunker. However, they are not the only ones discussing how to proceed. Spencer has discovered that Hatake has a daughter – Julia.

It is at this moment that Spencer decides to go on the offensive again, this time with a magic trick. Taking the elevator back down to the bunker level, now you see her…

…now you don’t!!

Where did Julia go? The elevator had been disabled and blinded, and Julia has now been kidnapped. Hatake has realized that Spencer KNOWS that Julia is his daughter.

The now threesome makes its way back to the bunker, with Alan wanting to act immediately and Hatake warning that this is exactly what Spencer wants. He means to unbalance the group. As the men debate what to do, a canister finds its way into the bunker. In the canister is a note, it is addressed:

“To Traitor Hiroshi

She has nine more fingers, I only had one mother. Come directly to isolation. The longer you wait, the less of your daughter will be left.”

Alan shakes the canister to reveal that Spencer has given them the finger, Julia’s finger.

Laying groundwork for impending action, Anana is having it out with Tulok. She has basically accused Tulok of chasing Balleseros away. Steadfast in his belief and his argument, Tulok urges Anana to come to her senses, that his loyalties are not with them, not with her. That she is wrong, that Balleseros would turn on her and them if it suited him; he is out to save himself first, then help others.

Feeling that he now has no choice, Hatake begins to leave the bunker to confront Spencer. Before he leaves though, he, Peter, and Alan have devised a plan to incapacitate Spencer and Blake. This plan would require Alan and Peter to go into the ductwork to manually open louvers allowing for the delivery of Halothane gas. Continuing up the stairs, Hatake and Daniel conduct a “father-son talk” that is long overdue.

Their conversation concludes with this Hatake gem, “you have been a good son, I wish I could have been a better father.” In an effort to diffuse this now thick air, Sarah says to Daniel that she is not picking sides, but that even monsters have their reasons.

Now it is the men to the rescue. Peter and Alan, undertaking their journey through the ducts; Peter having insisted on going because he had spent much time in ducts as a vector. So much time that he apparently made it somewhat of a home – he and Alan came across an homage to Julia in the ducts.

Hatake is also making his way through the hallways and corridors toward isolation. What was not accounted for was Daniel taking to heart his being the good son taking the virus and the cure and leaving us questioning “What was he thinking?” Hatake has his hand in the handle, ready to let the gas into the air system, but does not release the Halothane.

Instead, Hatake goes directly to isolation to confront Spencer. Hatake finds Spencer, he also finds Julia in an isolation ward. There is a device around her neck – this device is rigged to explode at the slightest of movements, tearing her head clear off.

But wait, there is more. Instead of bargaining for just Julia’s life, Spencer reveals another hostage – Daniel, also in an explosive collar. Hatake is now being made to make a life and death choice between his children – his flesh and blood, or one so loyal that he has followed his father up to and over the cliff of life. Now, having BOTH children in his custody, and BOTH the virus and the cure in his possession, Spencer holds all the cards.

Despite Spencer’s assurances that when Hatake picks one, the other will go free, Hatake refuses to choose. Being the sadistic child that he is, Spencer ups the ante and places BOTH on a timer. There is now thirty seconds on the clock, thirty seconds left of life for either his beloved Julia, who he has spent a lifetime protecting, or for his faithful and devoted Daniel.

With his eyes welling up, Hatake freezes, he cannot make the choice. Suddenly, Daniel makes the choice for him. Ripping the collar from his neck, Daniel’s head splatters across the window in his isolation ward.

Hatake seems to fly off the handle at Spencer, but lo and behold he has had the wherewithal to stop the timer, to save his other child from a similar fate. Just as Hatake hits the floor with the tablet to stop the timer, Peter and Alan rush in to assaultingly take Spencer into custody.

A devastated Hatake assures Julia that she can now remove the collar. As Julia comes around and out of her room to survey and reassure, all of the monitors begin to flicker, and then begin to show a captivating feed.

It is the Jack in the box again. Only this time, we see Blake pushing a sequence of buttons, opening the crate. The camera goes around the viewers and then ultimately lands upon the now open crate, revealing its contents. There is a person in there! The closed caption feed begins to zoom in on a sinister Blake revealing who is in the box…Jane!! Julia’s mother!

Wow! What an episode! They always seem to go too fast, and now there is only one left for this season! So much going on, so much yet to happen, I cannot wait for the next one. As with each and every episode of the often appropriately misplaced musical selections of Reinhold Heil. And thank you again to the outstanding producers Sandrine Gros d’Aillon, Steven Maeda, and Ronald D. Moore.

 

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Thank you!

Karina (FidgetTBC)