The mid-season break is over; Pennyworth Returns! We are thrown right back into the action this week. In media res as they say. Let’s not delay, five thoughts and spoilers ahead
1. Alfred gets his first taste of masked vigilante justice
The episode begins with a masked woman with an axe running straight for Alfred yelling “Die you evil bastard!”We find out later that this is the end of a botched robbery of a women’s wrestling match. Reminded me a bit of Spider-Man’s origin for a second, but this didn’t turn out to be Alfred’s great responsibility moment.
When Alfred realizes he doesn’t have the money to get to America he decides he needs to pull another job with Troy. Dave Boy and Alfred join the crew to rob the proceeds from the Mad Janet Murphy v. Rowdy Rose Perkins fight. While they think they have an iron clad plan we know from the get go (even without the scene at the beginning) something is going to go wrong. An especially brutal fight leads to the match ending early—who says pro-wrestling is fake. The crew is left without an easy exit and one of Troy’s men starts shooting at innocent civilians without his mask on. When the show catches back up to Mad Janet Murphy confronting Alfred she doesn’t last long. She gets shot right in the head by Troy’s guy on their way out. I’m sure this is something that will stick with Alfred when he watches Bruce put on the mask.
2. Martha/Dracula Red Rain
When we first see Martha and Thomas it feels like they are in the thick of a relationship. Martha quickly corrects our (and Thomas’s) assumptions. They had sex 4 times, that isn’t a relationship. Hearing about Martha and Thomas’s sex life almost feels like hearing about my parents. You know it had to happen or else Bruce wouldn’t be here, but come on Mom! Thomas lashes out and calls her an emotional vampire, which I kinda love. Would probably make for a good character on What We Do In The Shadows. Thomas leaves and tells her to clean her apartment and that she’s a slob. Sounds like Thomas doesn’t like the combination mid-century modern/weapons cache decor she has going this season.
Thomas has a few things to do this episode beyond insulting his future wife. As a CIA spook he tries to get some leverage on Alfred. In possibly the only smart move he makes this episode Alfred refuses, he knows what being indebted to the CIA could lead to. We also discover Thomas is the CIA contact for Lucius Fox who sends a message requesting extraction on what looks like a steampunk T-Mobile Sidekick. Wayne is busy drinking and misses the message at first, but at the end of the episode eventually notices it.
Martha’s other non-bloodsucking job this week is to introduce Mrs. Gaunt to Prime Minister Aziz. Their conversation is brief, but it’s clear Gaunt is worried about the Raven Society using Stormcloud and hopes that she can broker a peaceful resolution. The Ravens have a clear advantage, but Aziz feels like him and the League have the moral high ground and are the true government of England. Despite her good intentions this conversation is not going to help Gaunt with an increasingly paranoid Lord Harwood.
3. Harwood is losing it
Lord Harwood is in bad shape both physically and mentally. When we first see him he almost collapses in a hallway. Lucius Fox tries to assist him, but this just makes Harwood visibly agitated. When Harwood gets to his office, Salt shows up to attempt another power play. We know Salt was responsible for keeping our real hero Bet away from Harwood and this time he tries to do the same for Mrs. Gaunt. After telling Harwood about Gaunt’s meeting with Aziz, Harwood plays it off like no big deal. All part of the plan. But we know he’s pissed about it.
Later Harwood confronts Gaunt about the meeting and doesn’t even listen to her explanation. He’s looking for absolute loyalty and Salt is going to use that to control him. Seems like all Salt wants is to use Stormcloud and he’s decided his best way to do that is to manipulate Harwood into it. Looks like this is working out. Will it be up to Alfred to save London from a horrific chemical weapons attack? Will he probably try to avoid it and leave for America?
Continued belowThe saddest moment for Harwood was when he tried in vain to get in touch with Bet. To his bad luck she was dealing with an unwanted guest at Syke’s Pain Supplies.
4. Bet’s relationship gets real
Shoplifters will be punished and so will unwanted people from Bet’s past. When one such character, George, shows up this week it will put another strain on her burgeoning relationship with former captive Katie Browning. It’s been hinted at for the whole season there could be more between these two than just a platonic friendship, but I didn’t expect the show to go ahead with it. I had assumed it would be kept in the subtext like Bet’s feelings for Esme. I’m glad they did though. Bet deserves happiness and out of all the characters she is getting the most development. Her feelings for Browning have made her confront the horrible things she’s done in her past and move on. She even agrees not to kill George. The compromise they come up with for George is really something that needs to be seen. It’s classic Pennyworth material.
5. Alfred is the worst
I’m not sure how much longer Alfred can be the absolute worst person on his own show. I know we are setting him up for a redemption arc, but every time I think he’s hit rock bottom he finds a new low. A piece of advice Alfie: when you find yourself in a hole, quit digging. After the disastrous robbery that is this week’s centerpiece he lies to his mother about where he got the money for their trip to America. She can see right through him and kicks him out. She didn’t want to go to America with him anyway. He then proceeds to break a promise to his girlfriend and sleep with Troy’s wife at the same time. During a nice musical montage no less. If Bruce could see you now, Alfred.
That’s it for this week, dear readers. Next week we return same bat-time, same bat-channel for “The Rose and Thorn” (possible new DC character appearance?).
