Photo Fred Norris/FOX
Warning: Spoiler Alert
Is there anything more enjoyable, as it pertains to the characters in Sleepy Hollow, than watching Ichabod Crane attempt to learn to drive car? With all that’s going on. Moloch, the Horseman of War, the Horseman of Death for that matter, Sheriff Reyes, and the all-encompassing end of days that seems just over the horizon. And for a moment, we get to see Ichabod in only a way that he can, set the stage for learning to drive.
Ichabod: I have faced many enemies on horseback. Horsemen without heads. Even discovered my son is the apocalyptic Horseman of War. Thus, how challenging must it be to guide the power of 300 horses using only ones right foot?
Our witnesses receive an Amber Alert and question the family for clues. The mother blames herself (which is typical) for drifting off to sleep without setting the home security alarm. Which she thinks would have prevented this predicament. It is also evident that Abbey and this mother have a history. The mother in question was a case worker who worked with both Abbey and Jenny. And apparently their family is cursed. Whether that’s a drop in to create a comparative sense of the term or her family is actually cursed is still yet to be determined.
There is a lovely dynamic beginning to form. The more Ichabod attempts to do on his own to help, the more frequently Abbey has to step in and put her foot down in one form or another. For example, a strange man next to the house staring through the window is not exactly acceptable behavior at a private residence or a crime scene.
About the time that Ichabod fires into correcting history, this time about Daniel Lancaster and the evidence that he was anything but a Patriot, they discover blood splatter in the woods. Abbey finds what looks like a small leg bone. Ichabod notices that it is a flute made of bone and begins to play it. This immediately sends Abbey into a dream like sequence and compels her to walk into the water. Luckily Ichabod noticed before something bad happened. And we discover the evil we’re chasing tonight. A ‘Pied Piper’.
The plan is to make an mp3 recording of the bone flute song and play it back using headphones in the hope it will send Abbey back into a trance and it would direct her to the Pied Piper. On their trance walk they stumble upon a man. Not the Piper. Surprise, surprise it’s Holly. Who is apparently searching for a flute like instrument made of bone. Wow. Didn’t see that one coming. Holly retells the story of Daniel Lancaster and the redcoats but fills in the details about the Piper.
Abbey’s next move is predictable. Not from a television perspective but from a human nature perspective. She knows the mother personally. Getting the daughter back is the only motivation. So if Holly needs the bone flute to help, then Holly gets the bone flute. Naturally, Ichabod being a man of honor, doesn’t quite trust easily the second time around. He spends a short amount of time trying to convince Abbey to reconsider this approach.
What I saw next was quick and easily explainable. Any of our Supernatural viewers will understand immediately. The next scene involves Irving attempting to make heads or tails of the Horseman of War by reading religious text. He is immediately sent into a flash forward sequence upon reading the phrase “bring on the end of days”. In this dream like sequence, Irving is in a black tank top and fatigues wielding a machete, killing what appear to be normal people with the Horseman of War in the background. Here’s were the Supernatural thing comes in. Irving’s eyes are completely black. Not the iris or the pupil, but 100% of the eyes are solid black. The Supernatural fandom will relate as this is a commonly used device to illustrate the presence of a demon or demonic possession. Then he snaps out of it to discover the bible he was reading from is now on fire.
The intentional trance plan seems to be working. Abbey walks. Holly reveals his skepticism. Ichabod pleads with Holly to shut up, then he jumps in front of Abbey to rip off her ear buds. Just in time as they discover an underground passage way. Not unlike that of an old mine shaft. And just like that the Piper sees them through the cracks in the wooden trusses.
Abbey finds Sarah (the girl from the Amber Alert). She’s alive but responds like that of a coma patient. Meanwhile Holly begins investigating by himself. He’s either going to learn or not. And if not, that should spell the end of him. Unless Abbey and Ichabod bring him into the fold completely and not just when it’s convenient for them. During this investigation, the Piper simply watches. Not looking good for Holly.
Ichabod sees the very one-sided fight between Holly and the Piper and intervenes while Abbey gets Sarah out. I didn’t see this next part coming. They plant two explosive devises on the wooden supports and blow the place. All four getting out just in time. Ichabod instructs Holly to move so that “he does not follow”. Then Holly goes into his ‘Privateer’ mentality. He accepts that the Piper is real and vicious. He also acknowledges that the girl is safe and his end of the deal was kept. As the prospect of survival is shrinking, he wants off. With the flute. So, Abbey takes it out of her bag and shows it to him. Then SNAPS IT IN TWO!
The scene that has Abbey and Ichabod returning Sarah to her mother is actually a very nice one, cinematically. You don’t even need to be a parent to enjoy that 90 seconds or so.
Time for some speculation. There is something peculiar though. As a parent, I cannot begin to articulate what my emotional state would be upon the return of my abducted child. While you could rationalize that Abbey’s vow (and familiarity) may have gone a long way to putting the mother’s mind at ease, she was surprisingly calm and unemotional upon her daughter’s return. Also, the mother is the Lancaster not the father. The legends speak of all Lancaster daughters at the age of 10 being lured by the Piper. 1) Is this woman really the girl’s mother? 2) If she is a Lancaster, wouldn’t she have been lured there too? 3) Is it possible she was lured and released by the Piper for some future arrangement? 4) If she was the social worker/case worker for Abbey and Jenny Mills back when they were of similar age to Sarah, is it possible that she was in some part responsible for Abbey and Jenny Mills miraculously awaking in front of the 4 white trees sending them on a journey that has them where they are now? I know, a lot of conjecture at once. But one of them has to be true.
At least in this moment, the answer is “none of the above”. It seems that Mrs Lancaster knew of the curse on the family and thus intentionally adopted two boys. If they are boys, they won’t be taken. Which puts her in a corner when they have a girl. Deprive the Piper of his prize and all children will be taken. So, sacrifice the daughter to save the boys.
Once they return to the house, the boys have fallen fatally ill for no reason it seems. The mother told her husband, she’d meet him at the hospital. Which gives her enough time to deliver the daughter to the Piper. Again.
Abbey and Ichabod catch up to her (thanks to Ichabod’s driving). Beth (the mother) resists. Proclaiming as they always do “this is the only way”. Eventually Abbey gets through to her and like a light switch, she drops the gun she was holding and completely snaps out of it. Then all those emotions we missed earlier came rushing back.
The Piper appears and attacks Ichabod who is handling a family sword he stole while at the Lancaster’s house. Simultaneously Abbey unloads a clip in the Piper’s direction. He escapes, for now.
Ichabod gives chase and even follows the Piper into another entrance to his underground passages. Ichabod inserts the noise cancelling ear buds he got from Abbey. It works as he is able to fight the Piper without hearing the sounds the Piper expels during the fight. Until Ichabod gets knocked down and the ear buds get knocked out. Ichabod musters enough strength to ignore the sounds for just long enough to throw the Piper against the wall jarring loose his instrument. The struggle continues. Ichabod gets thrown then the Piper lunges to grab one of his instruments from the ground. Then Abbey stabs him with every inch of the instrument he was lunging for.
After doing a little research, Irving calls in Henry to inform him that he would like to rescind his lawyer’s services as he doesn’t wish to receive benefits from the Horseman of War. Henry doesn’t dispute this. He simply responds with the things that will stop (insurance for his daughter’s treatments for example). He turns to leave and Irving follows. Irving asks, “what have you done to me?” Henry then suggests Irving read the biblical passage Ezekiel 18:4.
Okay. That seems convenient to use to spin this sort of story line. Let me say this, I am no biblical scholar and would not pretend to be one. However, with a show of this caliber, I would be remiss if I didn’t bother to read the text that follows Ezekiel 18:4. 18:5-18:8 seem to simply be examples to explain 18:4. Now I may be barking up the wrong tree but either there are holes in the premise or they selectively chose to omit the rest of the passage as it might shed light into how Irving and the side of good could overcome this little inconvenience. I’ll come back to that in the end.
Later we find Holly at a bar. A strange man approaches asking if ‘he has it’. Holly explains it was damaged in transit. The gentleman seems to not care. And deliver the broken bone flute to…Henry. Who then smashes it inside a mortar and pestle. And seems very angry in doing so. He stops. Then says to himself, “it’s perfect”.
Ezekiel 18:4. Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son. The soul who sins shall die.
Ezekiel 18:9. He follows My statutes and keeps My ordinances, acting faithfully. Such a person is righteous; he will certainly live.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.
I don’t exactly know how that factors in but I’ve got to think that there is the slim possibility that when we include both texts together as one idea, it would fly in the face of what they’ve shown us on tonight’s episode. Because if Irving ‘acts faithfully’ he would be considered ‘righteous’ and would ‘certainly live’. Thus if Ezekiel 18:9 is true, wouldn’t it nullify Ezekiel 18:4 as it pertains to tonight’s episode. Food for thought at the very least.
