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As the reason Montrose and Atticus were brought to this village is made clear, so comes the question of what is Atticus truly capable of?
| Director(s) | Daniel Sackheim |
| Writer(s) | Misha Green |
| Aired (HBO) | 8/23/2020 |
| Introduced This Episode | |
| Montrose | Michael Kenneth Williams |
| William | Jordan Patrick Smith |
| Samuel | Tony Goldwyn |
| Christina | Abbey Lee |
| Dora | Erica Tazel |
| Hannah | Joaquina Kalukango |
| Ji-ah | Jamie Chung |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Recap
Something Is Off Here – Atticus, Uncle George, Letitia, William
Riddle me this: You are a Black man, or woman, in the 1950s, in the home of stark white people and are treated as guests – would you be comfortable? Of course not, and that’s why Atticus is very uncomfortable. Though when you add in Uncle George and Letitia not remembering the monsters from the other night? Oh, that makes things worse.
However, what surely doesn’t help is William, who pops about like a vampire, or the people of the village who clearly are racist and don’t like, nor understand, why a bunch of negroes are at the estate. Yet, with Atticus sensing his father like the two are connected by limbs, he knows his dad is in the village and plans to return for him.
We All Need Friends – Christina, William, Samuel, Atticus, Uncle George, Letitia, Dora, Ji-ah
Alongside William, there is also Samuel and Christina. Samuel seems to own and run the house, and his daughter, Christina, is the familiar face who has thus far saved Atticus’ family on multiple occasions. Hence why she tries to extend an olive branch and imply friendship could be possible. However, with it being clear both she and Atticus are manipulated, and manipulatable, due to their fathers, who knows if her friendship to Atticus can compete with her loyalty to her father?
But, perhaps one notable sign she can’t be trusted is that she locks Atticus in his room and is one of the many viewing as he, and the others, deal with what haunts them. For Letitia, it seems to be feelings for Atticus. Uncle George? The fact he had an affair with Dora, Atticus’ mother, and might be his father. And Atticus? Well, he fights a woman named Ji-ah, that we assume he met in the war and could help us understand why he called Korea and why, in his dream from episode 1, he saw an Asian woman come from a spacecraft.
Protection From The Ancestors – Atticus, Uncle George, Letitia, Montrose, Samuel, Hannah, Christina
So, why was Atticus brought to Ardham? A ceremony. You see, Christina’s father wishes to open up a portal to the Garden of Eden and attain immortality. This, he believes, requires Atticus, who is the grandson, by about 4 generations, of Titus, the founder of The Order of the Ancients. So, to get him to come, Montrose was used, and for a moment, it did seem Atticus, Letitia, Monstrose, and Uncle George could escape whatever Samuel had planned.
However, a protection spell around the village causes an accident, and with Samuel shooting Letitia and Uncle George, Atticus’ hand is forced. But, during the ceremony, he sees his ancestor who connects him with Titus, Hannah, who was Titus’ slave, and they share a moment, perhaps power, that leads to Samuel turning to stone and the whole house collapsing.
Now, as the ceremony happens, and before the collapse, Montrose and Uncle George are speaking about Dora, their childhood, and what’s to come. Leading to Uncle George, who wasn’t healed as quickly as Letitia was, asking of his brother to show the love he had as a child to his son. Which, for Montrose, leads him to getting defensive, and Uncle George bringing up Atticus might not be Montrose’s son. That, so it seems, is not a new conversation so whatever Dora did with George, it is already out in the open and water under the bridge.
However, after Samuel turns to stone, and Hannah guides Atticus to safety, we learn Uncle George has passed. So whether or not he is Atticus’ biological father may never be discovered, but we can at least hope Uncle George’s dying wish may come to fruition.
Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Did Christina and William die in the house collapsing?
Collected Quote(s) & .Gifs
Just because they don’t want you here, doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to be.
— William
Do not mistake useful with indispensable.
— Samuel
The smallest, most inconsequential thing can take you on a new course. You just have to see it and seize it.
— Christina
Review
Highlights
Never A Dull Moment
Whether it was questioning if Christina was friend or foe, the occultism, Montrose, and all Williams brings to the show, those strange dreams, and so much more, there was never a dull moment. There was always something stimulating presented and never out of desperation to maintain your attention. Each bit created more questions and, as we got answers, new, even more compelling, questions arise. Leaving you always on the hook and never realizing you are being dragged along since you were far too excited about where you might be going.
Letitia
If you didn’t know better, Letitia could seem like an obligation. She is the sole Black woman in the situations we’ve seen that draw interest to the show and could appear as a token. However, as noted with the premiere, it’s made clear Letitia is far more than Atticus’ potential love interest, comic relief, or someone made to kick ass. She is all of that and more for she is her own person who may or may not have feelings for Atticus, but it doesn’t define nor trap her.
And yes, she provides comic relief, but that isn’t her role but an aspect of her personality. Heck, and yeah, she is a badass and kicks ass, but it is made clear that she has had no choice in life but to be fearless. So this is about far more than simply empowering and showing a strong Black woman, but letting a Black woman be human and all the complexities that come with that.
Where To Watch
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