S01.E08: Necromancer

[formerlyfreedom]

Ichabod, Abbie, Captain Irving and Jenny Mills join forces and face the Headless Horseman. While staring down this nemesis, Ichabod is shocked by game-changing information about the Horseman’s true motive.

 

[netlyon2]

Oh, Ichabod, how often I wanted to smack you upside the head during this episode.  Normally, the high-handedness and posturing are offset by charm and general adorableness, but they started to cross the line in this one.  Listen to Abbie, dude!

 

Also, if the undead minion of Moloch tells you that he is the tool of the devil and warns you against taking him into the prison cell of the evil henchman, listen to him, too.

 

I still love you, though. 

Mostly--but we've got to talk about that season finale.

 

PS.  That has got to win the award for absolute worst time to admit to your "best friend" that his fiancée dumped him because she's in love with you.  High-priority mission, man!  At least Abraham had the excuse of being kinda broken-hearted (but mostly just embarrassed and possessive).

[frenchtoast]

Watching it again, it really is the very worst time to admit that oh yeah Katrina and I just figured out we love each other and want your blessing. Seriously, Crane? Other than maybe thinking it would get Abraham to stop moping (which, why would that make sense), that was terrible. Not saying he deserves all the hellfire that is actually gunning after him, but still. Crane. Abbie at least had youth and fear as understandable reasons why she didn't stick by her sister. Crane was just asking for trouble.

 

I love John Cho in this episode. The way he makes Andy creepy and sad and pitiable fully rounds out what could have been a very one note character. As much as I hope he manages to salvage his soul and escape his servitude to Moloch, Andy is too weak a person to do it. And Cho plays that so well. On top of that, the gleeful evil is a great thing to watch, too. Too much Andy would be a bad thing, but what we get is terrific. Also, it's a very clever way of showing how evil isn't always mustache twirling, gleeful stomping. Sometimes, evil is just being weak and making bad choices. Which was the idea of the Sin Eater, too. Crane made his dithering a sin by regretting it, but in the end he made the right choice. Sometimes the dithering and the weakness lead in the other direction. It's so easy for anyone to become like Andy. Well, not a servant of Moloch, but allow evil and cruelty to prevail by being weak and doing nothing.

 

I also like Jenny and Irving working together. Seeing the "team" together was satisfying and working their strengths was great. I'm glad they showed Crane failing at the interrogation, it makes him human and not perfect. Even it makes me want to slap him.

 

And I still giggle at the Snowflake and Hessian scene. Whoever likened it to Lassie getting help for Timmy down the well has colored that scene forever.

Edited July 23, 2014 by frenchtoast

[Julia]

Katrina isn't any better. She's in love with someone else, and taking presents from him (which a lady didn't do back then with any man but a family member or an accepted lover), but she doesn't break the engagement or even stop accepting expensive presents from her fiancé?

 

I'm actually kind of offended on behalf of Quakers that Katrina is supposed to be one, what with the scabby ethics and the family selling her hand to some random rich dude and all.

[frenchtoast]

I tend to either blank out or roll my eyes or both during Katrina scenes, but I agree @Julia, she's not a great example of a Quaker. Or a person who is supposedly fighting the good fight. If she were supposed to be  shady and manipulative, it would work better. Instead, I'm left to wonder why Crane misses her so much.

[HalcyonDays]

Oh, Ichabod, how often I wanted to smack you upside the head during this episode.  Normally, the high-handedness and posturing are offset by charm and general adorableness, but they started to cross the line in this one.  Listen to Abbie, dude!

 

Also, if the undead minion of Moloch tells you that he is the tool of the devil and warns you against taking him into the prison cell of the evil henchman, listen to him, too.

 

I still love you, though. 

Mostly--but we've got to talk about that season finale.

 

PS.  That has got to win the award for absolute worst time to admit to your "best friend" that his fiancée dumped him because she's in love with you.  High-priority mission, man!  At least Abraham had the excuse of being kinda broken-hearted (but mostly just embarrassed and possessive).

 

I liked his arrogant swagger when he started interrogating the Horseman in the cell, but yeah, listen to Abbie. She is the Voice of Reason. You, Ichabod, are an emotional wreck. I did love this episode - one of my favourites. But I always feel I have to give Crane some leeway - his situation is very unique and terrifying and messed up (with the losing everything, waking up in a different time, no family, etc). He was bound to crack sooner than later and he started to crack.

 

His timing was all wrong, though for some reason, at the time, I attributed it to "Honour among Men", as in, for that time, one would honourably step back despite the circumstances. But then, that's why dueling was invented and in this case, they did the sword fighting. Which was just amazing. Loved it. Apparently Mison learned the whole thing in about half an hour (he had no more time to practice), so that's amazing. I also liked that Ichabod isn't an expect swordsman - too many times shows will make their main characters perfect in all ways. Not here.

 

Katrina isn't any better. She's in love with someone else, and taking presents from him (which a lady didn't do back then with any man but a family member or an accepted lover), but she doesn't break the engagement or even stop accepting expensive presents from her fiancé?

 

I'm actually kind of offended on behalf of Quakers that Katrina is supposed to be one, what with the scabby ethics and the family selling her hand to some random rich dude and all.

 

But wasn't there some merchants in the 18th century America who were Quakers yet quite wealthy. Just quickly reading about William Penn, and he was wealthy and owned slaves. And it's not like woman had much choice at that time in terms of a mate. The contrast between the previous episode with humble, plain nurse and fancy jeweled Katrina in the next was jarring though.

 

The scabby ethics though - that scenario definitely not limited to Quakers or even her family. It's just life.