Sleepy Hollow: Relationships Must Evolve

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Episode recaps

Courtesy of FOX

Warning: Spoiler Alert

This week’s “Ichabod discovers the 21st Century” cold open also includes Katrina. They both engage in a discussion of ‘love’. Ichabod being skeptical and Katrina buying it hook, line and sinker. If this was a discussion in the abstract, either opinion could be argued. Except we discover they are watching (essentially) the Bachelor. Then it all makes sense. 200 years doesn’t change a woman’s predisposition to accept reality TV love as real and a man’s propensity to reject it on sight.

Abbey and Ichabod have not heard from Henry in over a week and that is concerning. Henry enters a room carrying a large urn. From inside of the urn, he pulls out a still beating heart. It feels like a Davey Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean situation. He recites an incantation and a naked woman appears. From the looks of things, not knowing who or what she is, my feeling is that the last thing Henry needs is a hench-woman. Hench-woman is a little short sighted. This feels like every bit the succubus creature story line. The succubus (if that’s what this is) is taking the soul of her victims and taking it back to be deposited into a large jar for Henry.

While Abbey tries to make sense of the victim they just saw, Katrina has a vision. In this vision she sees a black crib with Henry standing over it. Ichabod notices immediately. Abbey suggests they try to work through what they’ve seen. Ichabod’s only motivation is to get Katrina back to the cabin. The idea of Abbey taking a back seat to Katrina is not something Abbey is too thrilled about.

Holly was a dead-end. He immediately rejected the idea of helping Abbey after the Wendigo situation. His response to Abbey’s photos was rushed to say the least.

The succubus appears as just an attractive woman trying to buy a man a drink. That man this time is Holly. Back at the cabin, Katrina takes a map, a candle and a spell to track the supernatural energy. Abbey recognizes the location. Two guesses where the succubus is, but you’ll only need one.

Abbey and Ichabod arrive at Holly’s place just in time to find the succubus sucking out his soul. Ichabod finds a pole to use as a weapon. Holly pulls out a stone of some sort. He touches it to her neck and it stuns her long enough to kill the transfer and alert her to the appearance of two new people. She flees and Ichabod tends to Holly. Abbey runs outside to take a call and Ichabod explains why Holly was targeted.

Holly: I just can’t seem to get rid of the crazy ones.
Ichabod: The creature is drawn to those who hide desire in their heart.
(Holly looks up and makes eye contact with Abbey. Ichabod notices)
Holly: Hey…no…I’m grateful. You know she saved my life.

Katrina’s visions (the same vision) keep recurring with increased frequency. She explains a sense of loss. As if part of her body is somewhere else. Ichabod asks if she can focus the visions. She tries and what she sees is the succubus releasing the soul into the large jar. Then Henry dumps all of the souls onto the creature in the crib. The souls provide a life force to the creature. And the creature is Moloch.

There is a funny love triangle thing happening here. Ichabod stays true to the affection he has for his wife, Katrina. Yet, he gets uneasy when he notices Holly looking at Abbey in the right way. Abbey rejects Holly completely (but not so completely). And Abbey gets uneasy witnessing Katrina and Ichabod. I have a theory that Katrina will eventually be sacrificed for the cause. Opening up possibilities with Ichabod and Abbey, but I’ll save the details for another time.

While the three of them attempt to put together a plan of action, Katrina messes up and refers to Henry as “still her son”, which Abbey rejects each and every time it’s mentioned. To Abbey, Henry is a horseman of the apocalypse and must be taken out. Katrina (and sometimes Ichabod) believe if they could sever the tie between Henry and Moloch, they would find Henry’s true soul. As a father I hate to say this, but I’m on Abbey’s side. This short conversation almost erupts into a full fledge cat fight. With Ichabod playing the referee.

Ichabod and Holly check out one of the successful kill spots “Club Twerk” (don’t even get me started) hoping she’ll return there. While Abbey must ‘protect’ Katrina as they prepare to extinguish the heart of the succubus. Abbey’s reaction to this assignment is less than agreeable. Katrina’s reaction to Abbey’s reaction is even less enthused.

Katrina tries to level with Abbey on a level that she will understand. What Katrina fails to realize is Abbey’s past. Abbey believes the idea of belonging to a family is something that is earned. Katrina can’t keep falling back on “Henry is my son”. Abbey feels strongly that there are even some transgressions that even a mother’s love cannot overcome. Then Abbey spots sigils painted on the walls of a tomb.

The succubus notices Holly and flees. Ichabod follows her into a room with no light. He enters. She closes the door behind him. I would love nothing more than to have the succubus pursue Ichabod for his secret desires…for Abbey. Just throwing that out there. Back in the tomb, they find what they believe holds the succubus’ heart. Except inside this large urn, one sees maggots and one sees rats. A perceptions spell.

Succubus: I can sense your desire. It burns strong even though you try to so hard to hide it. And yet, the emotion in your heart has soured. I know that taste. It’s the taste of doubt. You don’t have to be strong anymore. You don’t have to pretend you’re not scared anymore. You are losing everything you love. Let me take you’re doubt away.
[STAB]

Ichabod stabs the succubus in her side with a knife. Simultaneously, text written on the urn illuminate sending Katrina flying. Forcing Abbey to finish the incantation. Back at the club the succubus is removing Ichabod’s soul as Holly enters the dark room. They boys’ efforts combine with the timing of Abbey concluding the incantation. One bullet to the chest and the succubus ignites like an exposed vampire from the Blade movies.

{Point of Clarification} There are a handful of interpretations to the “succubus lore”. Depending on where you fall, the “SOUL” could also be seen as the “ESSENCE” or even “LIFE FORCE”. Any of which when applied to this recap will suffice.

The girls attempt to figuratively kiss and make up (don’t get any ideas, it’s not that kind of show). Abbey concedes that while it took some time, she too believes the team is stronger with Katrina on it. Katrina concedes that the evil must end, but doesn’t concede that the end of evil needs to come from the death of Henry. Instead, she believes she must kill Moloch. A much more difficult task.

Now that Katrina has Abbey’s blessing and support to aid the ‘witnesses’, this is the moment that Katrina believes she must rejoin Abraham. Sell the narrative that Ichabod has moved on. This way she could remain close and find an opportunity to take out Moloch. Abbey not only get’s how unrealistic this plan is, but also that Ichabod will never accept it. Which is why Katrina is just going to leave and let Abbey inform Ichabod.

Ichabod is surprisingly alright with Katrina’s plan. He references the ‘relationships must be allowed to evolve naturally’ from earlier. Abbey seems perplexed but for the moment content in the idea.

Meanwhile, Katrina shows up at the farmhouse. Returned of her own volition to Abraham’s side. Abraham was explicitly forbidden from finding her and bringing her back. But her returning on her own is acceptable. Not only that, but Henry seems almost enthused about her return. Almost as if he expected it. Now, I’ve maintained that I am not completely sold on Katrina. I’m sure its part of why I’d be OK if Ichabod actually did move on from her. I’m not sold on her motivation. All of this could be a set up. She could be every inch the faithful witch wife. I’m not willing to jump onto either 100%. Just want to mention it in case it’s more complicated than it appears.

Abraham walks her into the ‘nursery’, the site of her visions. Henry asked if she was wearing her necklace. The necklace that allows her to see Abraham as Abraham and not the Headless Horseman. As she walks further in, the necklace begins to glow. She then gazes upon the creature in the crib. Necklace glowing, shows her the image of a perfectly innocent human infant and not the horrifying image of baby Moloch.

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