WOW… Orphan Black offered us one of its best episodes last night with "Certain Agony of the Battlefield". It felt like a season finale with all the revelations about Castor and Dr Coady, the twist about Rachel and the terrible loss of two characters : Miller and Paul.
I’m still recovering from Paul final scene. It was very sad to watch him go, but at least he went off with style… And losing Miller was less emotional, and I’m kinda pissed about losing another Castor clones. We barely even knew him, even less than Rudy and I was always looking forward knowing him better.
"Certain Agony of the Battlefield" picked up where we left, with Sarah alone in the Castor base, with Helena gone and Paul on a mission. She was feeling quite sick, and she found out why in her dream : she received Rudy’s blood. I very much enjoyed her first dream with Kira in the camp and Sarah finding out that way what the hell was happening to her. Something was wrong witht he Castor blood.
Luckily, Paul came back to the base, to get more evidences against Coady. He wanted to stop her after he understood she was experimenting/researching on civilians, he didn’t know what just yet. I really appreciated Paul in this episode. he finally stepped up and affronted Coady. He had a special link with the Castor clones, but with Sarah too and he clearly didn’t want her to be involved in all that. But Paul wasn’t willing to help Sarah just yet, and she delivered the perfect line about him “You’re the worst Paul because I don’t know whee you stand”. But we would soon find out where he stand... With Mark’s help, Paul found out more about Coady’s actions in her office. He found her notes, proving she was infecting women with the Castor sickness, testing them and making them sterile. That revelation was the changing moment for Paul. He knew he had to stop her, to finally choose a side.
Paul got Coady and Miller arrested, but Rudy was still out there, looking for Helena in the desert. Paul also asked his contact for help at the base, but he had to wait 6 hours before the team would arrive. He had to stall while Sarah was slowly kicking the Castor sickness with a special and remarkable dream.
It was in my opinion one of the best performances of Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black. The Beth and Sarah confrontation was epic and grandiose. The music was perfect, and as usual so was Maslany. She even more than perfect, seriously, she gave me chills playing Sarah and Beth. She deeply moved me and amazed me in that scene. It was so touching, so emotional. Sarah expressed her fears, her regrets and her doubts. She tried to continue what Beth started, she tried to protect her sisters but she kept failing (Helena going without her, Cosima being sick and letting Beth jumped - she didn’t know who she was at the time). The call back to the pilot was really great. I was so glad to see Beth back and she told Sarah exactly what she needed to hear. Beth got consumed by her mission, she didn’t understand it, it was too much for her and she jumped and killed herself. But Sarah is different, she is starting to understand, she just needs to start the right question (= "who and not why"). Her line “We do terrible things for the people we love” was perfect and very foreshadowing.
After that, Sarah woke up and she was better, asking to see Paul. Sarah needed to see and confront Dr Coady for what she’s done to her.
Coady was amazed to see Sarah was already feeling better, she kicked off the Castor sickness thanks to her special biology. The sickness didn't affect her fertility. The revelation Dr Coady using her clones to make women sick and sterile was unexpected and really great. She was creating a weapon with their sickness, but why ? And for who ? I was so excited to finally understand why the clones were having sex and collecting DNA from various women and the revelation their sickness was sexually transmissible was a real shocker. I’ve never imagined it. It was really thrilling, and now we have those answers, new questions are rising. I can’t wait to see for who Coady and Paul’s contact are working for and for what end.
But Paul and Sarah had other things on their mind. Coady was secure in the camp, but as Rudy was coming in. After spending his day in the desert looking for Helena, he received a phone call to advise him of what was going on at the camp. He decided to let Helena do whatever she wanted in the desert and went back to save Mother.
Helena was actually having a rough time in the desert. She had water but she didn’t have food and we all know how much Helena loves her food. And, as her scorpion friend mentioned, she was having remorse about letting Sarah behind at the camp. I was so happy, and disgusted, when she ate her scorpion. She was right not to listen to it anymore, her sister matters more than her baby.... And she she can have both, she needs Sarah to survive the desert and probably motherhood too.
While Helena was alone in the desert, Paul and Sarah were in danger at the camp. Rudy got in, started killing every men on the camp and freed Miller first. They needed to get Mother back, safe and sound and clearly they were willing to get rid of Paul and Sarah.
I really appreciated Mark’s behavior and how he helped Paul and Sarah in "Certain Agony of the Battlefield". All his scenes with Paul were really great and it showed how much Mark is different from the other clones. He doesn’t have that special link to Mother, he really loves Gracie and he cares for Paul and Sarah. I hope we will soon find out what made him so different and apart from his brothers.
Because Miller and Rudy were ready to do anything to protect Mother and so when Paul affronted Miller, they fought and he didn’t listen to him, he just stabbed him repeatedly. Oh my God… Paul had no choice but to kill him and broke his neck… Holy crap.
I couldn’t believe first what just happened. It was so hard to watch, it happened so fast. Damn... It was breath taking. Paul was seriously hurt. Miller was dead. Sarah was in shock. Since the episode has started, with the sequences of Paul and Beth in the “Previously On”, I knew something was going to happen to Paul. It became even more obvious when Sarah talked to him about Beth, what happened to her and his feelings for her. It felt like we were getting some closure on Paul, on his story in Orphan Black.
I was very sad to watch him go. Paul was a great complex character. We never knew really where he stand, for who he was really working for. He was always full of surprises but one thing has been established : he deeply loved Sarah. His final moment were very satisfying at least. He died a hero. Paul protected Sarah to the end, he showed her the way to go but he decided to stay and finish what he started at the base. It was so heart breaking to watch Sarah, trapped, unable to help the man she loves and that man, finally telling her he loved her (“It wasn’t Beth I loved”). For the first time Orphan Black really moved me, it was such a tragic scene.
Paul had one more thing to do after saving Sarah. While she was running away in the tunnels, trying to exit the camp safely, Paul went to Dr Coady’s lab, where the castor original/clone baby was and she arrived with her son, Rudy. She was ultimately angry at Paul for arresting and exposing her work. Apparently, using her boys as weapon is a form of love and protection for her. Virginia shot Paul several times, as if he needed that. I really hate that woman now...
But Dr Coady and her boy Rudy didn’t know Paul had something with him : a grenade ! Yeah. I really hope Coady and Rudy will be very hurt by the explosion, they totally deserve it. I was so thrilled Paul decided to go that way, with a boom. At least he found a way to stop Coady’s experiences by destroying the original sample. It was a small victory.
The explosion also damaged the tunnels and hurt Sarah. She was lying there unconscious, with her dreams and memories flashing by. The music was perfect once again and that final scene was so powerful and beautiful. It was very poetic in a way.
And then, another great thing happened : Helena appeared. She came back to save Sarah. I was so glad she finally came back to her senses and saved her sister. Now they will have to survive the desert together and get back home. I’m sure Coady and Rudy will be looking for them too. Gosh, things are getting so exciting and intense !
Sarah’s part in "Certain Agony of the Battlefield" was quite intense and amazing, but she wasn’t the only one. Cosima had an amazing time too this week. First, she was still dating Shay, her internet date from last week. Things were going quite well and it felt so good to watch Cosima being happy and sexy with her. I really enjoyed it. Still, I think there’s something wrong with Shay. She asked about Cosima’s lab and Sarah, because she heard it in Cosima’s dream.... It still felt weird and off about her. But at least for now, Cosima is having a good time and she deserved it. And the deal with the pictures taken during their first date was revealed. She was actually Delphine who had the pictures taken ! Oh, jealousy much... She had to be watching over Cosima.
I was so thrilled Delphine was back, she had missing for 5 episodes, it was about time. Things between Delphine and Cosima were really cold, but it was actually somehow funny and great. They clearly still care deeply for each other despite Delphine’s choice. It gave a new interesting dynamic to their relationship. Delphine was angry at Cosima for not telling her Sarah had been missing for 5 days and she and Scott were working on a Castor brain. Oops.
Cosima was working on Gracie's sickness, ho was actually feeling much better than last week. Delphine and Cosima discovered something huge about it. It had the same protein that the Castor’ sickness. Gracie got sick when she had sex for the first time with Mark. He gave it to her, he made her sterile and that why she lost Helena’s baby.
It was quite sad but Gracie felt actually relieved. Her life has really been turned upside down since Helena came in her farm but I very much appreciated her character now, she has grown, she is stronger now. I can’t wait for her to get reunited with Mark. They're quite cute together.
Felix brought Gracie to Cosima and Delphine so they could study and cure her, and while they were testing her, Felix could sneak up with Scott to visit Rachel. Felix showed a deeper and more emotional side. Sarah was gone for 5 days, Mrs S had no really idea where she was and how to rescue her. Felix was really worried about his sister and Rachel was the only one who might have some clues. I was glad he decided to act and visited her. Their scene was absolutely great.
Rachel was actually feeling better than last time we saw her, but she was still suffering from her attack, with trouble speaking and stuck in her wheelchair. I really enjoyed her confrontation with Felix. Tatiana Maslany and Jordan Gavaris have that great and deep chemistry, not matter which clones she’s playing. They’re just remarkable together. For once, Rachel was the one being questioned, she was weaker and helpless. Felix totally used his new advantage on her. I loved it when he drew her a new eye. So wicked and funny. He wanted to know what she had on Castor but she wasn’t much revealing. But, it turned out it was Scott who made a major discovery after his visit to Rachel with Felix. Rachel painted the same weird code/signs that Ethan Duncan draw in the book, The Island of Docteur Moreau. Rachel might have the code to decipher the synthetic sequence in the clone DNA ! And since Paul destroyed the original sequence in the baby, this revelation was really huge. I’m thrilled Rachel is relevant again, can’t wait to see more of her in her new condition.
And while Sarah, Helena, and Cosima were dealing with those heavy revelations and twists about Castor and Leda, Allison and Donnie were enjoying their new life as drug dealers. Their dance sequence with the money, them in underwear twerking and all was just hilarious. It was the best dance sequence of Orphan Black. I’m really enjoying Allison and Donnie this season, their story is fun but still it can be very dangerous. It's very exciting, even if they are kept of the main action. They're very refreshing but I'm sure soon enough, it will tie up somehow to the main story.
Allison went to see Jason, her former high school flame/drug lord, and after paying back what they took, Allison wanted to go the next level and exposed her business plan. Donnie almost screwed it when he showed up with a bran new car. Allison knew they needed to have a front, something legit to cover the drug money and her plan was to use Bubbles, her mother’s shop ! Excellent idea ! I can’t wait to see Allison’s mother and more of Bubble’s. Allison has proven to be remarkably good at being a drug dealer, but it seemed like she forgot about her election but from the promo, next week, the campaign will be bakc on !
"Certain Agony of the Battlefield" totally felt like a season finale, it was an explosive and brilliant hour of television. There was so many twists and revelations in one episode, it kinda changed the direction for the rest of the season. There are only 4 episodes left now and so many new questions to answer, so many things to happen. This season has been quite an epic ride, and I'm just so happy it's not over yet.
So, what did you think of "Certain Agony of the Battlefield" ? How do you feel after Miller and Paul’s deaths ? Are you surprised the clones sickness is a STD ? What are your thoughts on Dr Coady using the clones as a weapon ? Does Rachel know the code or is it unconscious ? Hit the comments !
I can't believe they killed Paul! I'm sad and mad.
ReplyDeleteA really great episode. I'm so happy Helena came back to Sarah and it seems that Mark will team up with his sisters too. I was never a big fan of Paul, but his sacrifice impressed me. At the end, it became clear that his feelings were honest - his feelings for the Castor brothers and for Sarah. When is was forced to decide, he did it ultimately.
ReplyDeleteIt took me like 3 days to get over it :/
ReplyDeleteOne thing also crossed my mind, is just because the character is dead, doesn't mean we will not see him again. It's very clear now that Sarah could connect with him in her dreams. And I kind of think it would be funny, if we later learn that Paul would have a twin a brother....I think there are possibilities....
ReplyDeleteI sat staring at my labtop screen & the credits for several minutes after such a brilliant episode. But then because this show is almost too good... I started back tracking my thoughts. It was an amazing episode & I thought the acting and direction was breathtaking in those last few minutes. The writing for the entire episode as well. But after looking back, I decided I was almost disappointed in Paul's death. And I'm almost never disappointed in main character death. It's not because I particularly cared for Paul. He never grabbed me, but there was also something complicated & mysterious about him that always made me wanting to know him more. And sure, throughout these s3 episodes we have learned more about him... but we only scratched the surface of his motives, WHY he was involved & doing what he did. His last scenes with Sarah, followed by Rudy & Coady were especially moving, but almost lacking a sort of desperation that truly made me understand all of him up until this point. And maybe that was the point... Die a hero, but also a mystery. But I can't help but feel it just wasn't the right time. I really would have had no problem with him dying, but not at this time in his development nor the Castor storyline development. I don't know.. I'm confused because I absolutely loved the episode, and Dylan Bruce, and obviously Tat and really the whole thing, but still unsure of the end result. Would love to hear other people's thoughts!
ReplyDelete"But I can't help but feel it just wasn't the right time. I really would have had no problem with him dying, but not at this time in his development nor the Castor storyline development. I don't know.. I'm confused because I absolutely loved the episode, and Dylan Bruce, and obviously Tat and really the whole thing, but still unsure of the end result. Would love to hear other people's thoughts!"
ReplyDeleteI felt it was the right time, but I agree that Paul leaves behind a mystery. One= one hand, I think Paul (and Beth) have to 'die' for Sarah to move on (just like Helena had to try and move on by eating her scorpion). It seems like Cal is meant to play a role in Sarah trying to get it right by Kira--so in a way they have done us a service to make way for whatever that story between Sarah and Cal is without a love triangle (on Sarah's part) continuously hanging over Sarah. On the other hand, Paul's mysteriousness parallels the idea that we don't know what's coming next...but we also know now that metaphysics isn't exclusive to Cosima and Kira! There is always room for Sarah to connect back with Paul in her dreams just like she did with Beth! The thought also crossed my mind that I could see the writers decide to be cheeky and fill in Paul mystery via having a twin brother (not a clone) that could turn up later in the series....
Highlights of this episode: Paul's wonderful closure, Cosima and Delphine in the same room (I ship them), Alison's and Donnie's dance, ruthless Coady firin' a gun at Paul. I think Paul's death didn't feel forced, much the opposite. I was glad, Romain, that Miller was the one killed rather than Mark or Rudy. Perhaps the writers are reserving a confront between those two. Shame is that we don't have more Castor Clones around, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Miller to die than Mark or Rudy too but I wish we could have known them better. Maybe we'll have some flashback or weird dreams, just like with Beth.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments as always :) They are very interesting.
ReplyDeleteOh God, I can't even guess what is going to happen in the next episode. From the promo, it look like next episode will be focusing on Allie and Donnie drug world and her election, so it make sme wonder what will happen to Sarah and Helena ? :/
Ya! I think I saw one of them get caught and possibly loose their fingers in similar fashion to what happened to Vic--so I'm assuming there's a connection there, which might be fun :)
ReplyDeleteApparently, the STD only affects women. Men are not sterile from the sickness, it attacks their brains. Only Sarah and Helena are immune to the sickness.
ReplyDeleteYeah, sure we might see again in a flashback or a dream.
ReplyDeleteI'd love for him to have a twin brother but it seems unlikely :(
Yeah, 100% agreed. I was like, uat, when Seth died.. but plotwise, it was made relevant. Parsons being a study subject showed how Coady doesn't care at all about the Castors per se, but for the knowledge they can provide. That's sad when I think of it and how Rudy seems unaffected or blinded by his love for "mother"..
ReplyDeleteYeah fingers or ear ? Poor Donnie... I'd be thrilled to see Vick back.
ReplyDeleteSo why isn't Cosima spreading it?
ReplyDeleteI don't know. There could be a stipulation with Leda clones since it effects them differently to begin with. But you may have uncovered a door to Cosima's back story. Someone's history I think we know less about than ever Paul...
ReplyDeleteI don't know about that. There are times where characters seem like they should be dead (Helena, Mark), but they somehow make it...
ReplyDeletePsychological thrillers sometimes rely on farcical comedy -like Helena and her scorpion, or Allison running into a drug deal dealer that also happens to be her high school sweetheart. Stuff like that. So I could still see it, especially because the idea of a twin would be an awesome juxtaposition back onto Sarah and Helena and because Looks Like Paul, But Not Paul can tell us about Paul. which is great way to play with identity, especially if he would be Helena's love interest.
I bawled my eyes out during this episode. So bummed to see Paul go. I have loved him from the start. Always knew he was the good guy. Perhaps a little naively I kind of hoped somewhere down the line there was still hope for him and Sarah. Always knew he loved her. He wanted the best for her, he wanted the best for the Castor boys. Such a tragic character, and I hate to love such, because it never ends well, but I do.
ReplyDeleteI loved Beth's line in Sarah's head: "We do terrible things for the peple we love. Stop asking why. Start asking who". Damn, powerful line. One for the books. And a wonderful tribute to Paul.
He will be missed. He was one of the most intriguing characters of the show and for me it won't be the same without him.
Thank God for Allison and Donnie. That dance was beyond awesome. Love these two so much right now.
Highlight of the season so far: Rachel and Felix in the Cyclops lair. Mythologically, the blue eye he painted on her eyepatch reminded me of Odin, who sacrificed his eye for wisdom; while the connection to hidden knowledge (her father's cipher) is clear, there is also the possibility this could mark the beginning of a new direction for her. Also, her "get me out of here" line - ever notice how the only time we've seen Rachel outdoors (childhood videos aside) is on Mrs S' doorstep? Now she's about as far indoors as we've seen her. Free The Cyclops! ,)
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