Courtesy of FOX
Warning: Spoiler Alert
A great deal happened last week in the Sleepy Hollow season premiere. Needless to say, not all is well in Sleepy Hollow. Katrina is still in the possession of the Headless Horseman. Frank Irving has yet to be seen in season two. Finally, Henry was given essentially the Horseman of War avatar to control.
Ichabod Crane awakens from a nightmare that had Katrina shackled to two posts and Abraham (the Headless Horseman) attempting to remove her head. Upon waking, Ichabod and Abbey jump into what is next. The conclusion is that with this ‘ritual’ looming, they need to find Abraham as soon as possible. Abbey has narrowed the search to a small area. And with Ichabod’s familiarity with Abraham, the hope is that he will be able to find a place befitting a man of Abraham’s former social status.
Ten seconds in and I already NEED Frank Irving to come back. Sheriff Reyes plans to bring ‘order and sanity’ back to this town. Good luck with that. I put the over/under on Reyes’ delusion at 2.
An awkward conversation begins in Abbey’s car. Ichabod inquires as to something that was weighing on her mind earlier. Her trepidation seems to be rooted in whether or not to pursue the Katrina rescue. Concerned it might distract from bigger plan. Of course everyone (maybe even including Ichabod) would speculate that the bigger plan may have nothing to do with it. It could be the smaller plan Abbey is worried about. Abbey looks like half a heart beat from losing it at the mere mention from Ichabod of “my wife”. But I could be reading too much into it.
Despite seeing not only the Headless Horseman and his horse, but also Katrina, Abbey and Ichabod leave to devise a plan. Abbey, Jenny and Ichabod work independently until Jenny sees a drawing in a book. The Kindred. A creature of whose makeup is that of an amalgamation of many dead soldiers. Thought to be the match to the Horseman of Death. Also believed to be the creation of Benjamin Franklin.
We also find out that George Washington’s network also reaches as far as to include The Sisterhood of the Radiant Heart, the same coven that Katrina belongs to. They apparently have the spell to conjure the Kindred. While the limbs of fallen soldiers were assembled, The Kindred was never conjured. They lacked an important ingredient. A body part from the Horseman. A problem Abbey, Ichabod and Jenny don’t have. They still possess the skull of the Horseman.
It is abundantly clear that Abbey and Jenny are opposed to raising this monster that very well could tip the scales in their favor. They why is pretty obvious. Just because it can rival the Horseman and is a monster in his own right, there are no promises that they will be able to control it.
Abraham, alone with Katrina, works his ‘deceptions’ to potentially create a rift between Katrina’s real feelings for Ichabod and Katrina’s insecurities. Abraham claims that Moloch has a plan for them all. And that even if Katrina doesn’t come willingly, it won’t matter.
We have a Frank Irving sighting. Abbey goes to pay the former Sheriff a visit where he is being detained complete with an orange jumpsuit and the bruises consistent with what happens to former police in prison. Frank easily gives up the location of the Horseman’s head but wants to know what really going on. Now I’ve watched a portion of the prison visitation scene and I’m still not quite sure of what I heard. I think Abbey just casually suggested Frank attempt a guilty by insanity plea on the appeal. Because visitation at the psych ward is a lot easier than visitation in the prison.
What follows in the next scene is easily my favorite bit of writing by way of dialogue in this short season. The beauty of some of Ichabod’s great lines come when he is appalled at the evolution of things in present day America. Like cell phones, the abundance of coffee shop locations, skinny jeans, etc.
Abbey: Just stay in line and go with the flow.
Ichabod: Two statements that mean the opposite.
Abbey: You founded a country, figure it out.
(Abbey departs. Ichabod notices a pen attached to a fixture with a small chain. He repeatedly yanks on it, perplexed at why a pen would be attached to anything)
Banker: Hello sir, welcome to Sleepy Hollow Savings and Loan.
Ichabod: These people entrust you with their fortune and you cannot entrust them with an inkwell?
(Ichabod gestures to the attached pen)
Banker: Can I interest you in our All-Terra Credit Card?
Ichabod: Credit? Without collateral?
Banker: So that you can get that special someone in your life everything her heart desires…Maybe an engagement ring?
(Ichabod perks up-in a bad way. Recalling a previous conversation about the wedding industry)
Ichabod (looking with disapproval): Are you part of the Wedding Industry?
Banker: No sir, I’m just here to offer you the lowest rates of the year. You could get a $5,000 credit line with no fees.
Ichabod: It is this kind of gross invitation to indulgence that mocks the power of the invisible hand to foster the true wealth of nations. A boom to your industry, I’ll grant. Its cementing your…pains me now to say it, OUR LOT as an insolvent flock of debtors destined…
Abbey (approaches and interupts): Alright, come on…
(Ichabod tosses the restrained pen and credit card in front of the Banker)
Yep, loathe this new Sheriff already. Jenny attempts to meet Abbey and Ichabod in the archives as suggested earlier. As soon as she arrives, she is met by Reyes, who does her best to be a thorn in everyone’s side. And she promptly arrests Jenny Mills for illegal possession of a firearm. Or many firearms depending on how you choose to see it.
Please hurry Frank. There is nothing worse than a tough, play by the rules and establish order type of law enforcement agent who has literally no concept of the evils at work around him or her. Reyes is going to get herself killed or worse if she keeps up these Gestapo tactics.
I have found that on a personal level, the success or failure of an actor/actress trying to effectively play a less than likable character is directly related to how often I say profane things to my television. Sakina Jaffrey is doing a phenomenal job. My profanity meter is in the red each time she’s on camera.
Nice to know even a man from the 18th century has a problem asking for directions-Abbey Mills
I will spare you the transcript of what transpires when Ichabod and Abbey are underground searching for Franklin’s monster. The important part is that there is a moment when Crane asks Abbey to share her experience in purgatory. It follows very accurately the scene we saw the last week with Abbey almost drinking from demon Crane’s flask. The critical part is that at some point the conversation transitioned from her being happier to see him than any person ever (which teeters on going in a direction the IchAbbey shippers want to see) and landing firmly in the Katrina might be your weakness region.
Once the refocused, they were able to deduce the Kindred’s location. Or ‘Kind Redding’. Meanwhile back at the carriage house where Katrina is being held, Henry describes the urgency of the situation to Abraham. He then manifests himself behind Katrina who was eavesdropping. They (Henry and Abraham) are wise to Ichabod and Abbey’s plan to rescue Katrina.
Ichabod with the skull of the Horseman in place on the body of the Kindred begins the incantation. Inside the carriage house, Henry tinkers with a fountain pen. When he finishes, he closes his eyes for a moment. Then opens them to reveal the solid black eyes, signifying the channeling of his inner demon. Or in this case, controlling the Horseman of War.
Back inside, Katrina changes the direction of the narrative between herself and Abraham. We’ve seen this trick before if it is indeed the same trick. She puts the blame of their situation on Abraham being too hasty. Thus attempting to buy Ichabod some time.
Ichabod attempts the incantation again. And right about the time The Kindred begins to awake, the Horseman comes flailing his ax on horseback. Right about the time I begin to feel good about this Horseman v Kindred fight, the Horseman of War appears with his sword of fire. 2 on 1 and The Kindred is holding his own. Then there are gunshots. Abbey is trying to even the odds. The Horseman of War turns his attention to Abbey. Once The Kindred gains the upper hand on Abraham, he senses that Abbey is in danger. And like a good little Frankenstein’s monster, comes to her aid.
In the house Katrina hastily lays out the reasons why she cannot leave. How Abraham will surely scorch the earth. And more importantly that she has heard talk from Henry and Abraham of a bigger plan. Her idea is to stay back and gain a strategic advantage. And to attempt to save her son. The bigger problem I fear is around the corner. The Royal Rumble battle of the unholy’s is going on outside and Ichabod and Katrina find time for a lovers embrace.
Back in the safety of Ichabod’s residence, they accept the victory. Which is a nice way of saying they risked life and limb to engage the Horseman in order to steal Katrina back. And now that it’s over, they don’t have Katrina (as she is now a mole on the inside), they don’t have The Kindred, Jenny is still in jail, Frank is being transferred to a psych ward, but hey, alls well that ends well.
At Irving’s bedside, Reyes attempts to strong-arm him again. He begins to give her the vague story of being just like her. Thinking he had it all figured out. Then Henry enters, masquerading around like he’s Irving’s lawyer. {NOT GOOD} It seems as if Irving is buying it. Henry pulls out a form for Irving to sign accepting his services. Then he pulls out the same pen he was tinkering with earlier. Irving pricks his finger on the pen and eventually signs the document….IN BLOOD!
