This episode was… uncomfortable in many ways. Fortunately, we’re almost through the series, for however much good that does us. So let’s take a look at episode 9 and see what it brings us.
Oh, and we still haven’t actually seen the Helstrom siblings’ father, with one episode left to go.
1. No. Just No.
As I said, there’s a lot that’s disturbing about this episode, most of it at the expense of Gabriella. Not only is her possessed body controlled to have sex with Daimon, she’s also impregnated as a result, drugged, and held prisoner for what seems to her like months. Suffice to say, this is pretty violating for her.
Now, of course, the villains are literal demons – of course nothing is off-limits for them, as awful as it is for us. And believe me, it is awful. So if you’re reading this before watching the episode, consider this your content warning.
2. Possession Pregnancy
Alright, so on to Gabriella’s unwanted demonic pregnancy. There are a lot of questions here. For instance, we can assume that Daimon and Ana have their powers because they’re half-demon; was their father possessed? If so, what would that make this child, when the father is half-demon and both are possessed?
Then there’s the main purpose of the pregnancy: to give Cathara a host that’s all her own, no soul or mind to struggle against. So she’s currently possessing the growing child, but still has a connection to Gabriella. Assuming it goes as planned, will she then have to grow up normally, or will she somehow grow super quickly?
Not to mention the fact that Gabriella winds up with morning sickness literally the morning after they unwillingly do it. We get what seems like a time-lapse montage, complete with a vase of flowers wilting and being replaced, but when Gabriella escapes, we learn it’s only been a day. So how does that work? Was she kept in a place where time moves at a different speed? Was the demon fetus growing at super-speed? Then why did they keep replacing the flowers – was that just for dramatic effect?
There was just so much wrong about this episode that falls apart under even a little scrutiny.
3. Oh How the Turns Have Tabled
Alright, I will still give the episode credit for one scene. With Daimon possessed by Basar, it’s time for Victoria to try to get through to him. It’s a good reversal of how they started, with Victoria possessed and Daimon trying to save her.
Victoria even gets some good burns in at Basar, talking about how Cathara used him like a tool and abandoned him, and he’s not a part of a family. It seems to be working, and Tom Austen isn’t too bad at acting possessed, though his performance can’t compare to changes in the voice and physicality that Elizabeth Marvel used.
So at least the episode wasn’t an entire waste.
4. A Yen For Your Thoughts
Now let’s check back in with Chris Yen and Derrick. They’re painting a room red, which is a pretty ugly color – it seems the only reason they chose that was so the camera could cut to red dripping down a white wall in a way that looks like blood at the start of the scene.
Well, Yen’s trouble with the Keeper Demon isn’t over yet. The bite wounds are acting up and forming the exact same symbol that Victoria/Cathara drew on her wall in the first episode. Also, he starts coughing up the Keeper Demon’s eye.
To Yen’s credit, he does quickly call Caretaker to say “Hey, I got demon stuff happening, help.” Of course, Caretaker himself has made a bad decision or two as well this episode.
5. Get It Out
Meanwhile, Daimon and Gabriella both have some things they need to get rid of. While Gabriella does escape to find Dr. Hastings and Ana, she can’t get a proper exorcism/abortion without Daimon’s help. Since Daimon’s possession comes from the demon heart implanted in his back, clearly the solution is to cut it out.
Well, they need the dagger their father used for that, thanks to its vaguely-defined powers. And Ana, who is apparently the only one who can do it, can’t touch the dagger without feeling every pain it’s ever inflicted.
Continued belowWhich raises another question: what if she wears gloves? Is it just proximity, or is direct contact required?
Suffice to say, it’s not exactly easy to do, since they didn’t bother tying Daimon down, or sedating him, or doing anything except let them fight and hope Daimon can resist. Even then, it doesn’t quite work, because even though they took both halves of the knife, Ana apparently didn’t reattach them first.
Now she can’t because Caretaker took it for… reasons. Reasons which we are not given. Maybe we’ll see what his reasoning is next episode, but I’m willing to bet it’s going to be something stupid like “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
Well, too late for me, this episode just hurts. Thankfully, there’s just one episode left. We’ll get through that, then I can enjoy the end of 2020 knowing that this show will be left behind us.
