"Meet the New Beast"
This was a hilariously titled episode, since of course, we didn't meet the new beast (and yes, the title only gets more crazy if you think about the revelation in the following episode). Vincent and Catherine bravely sought and tracked the new beast, learned about his origin, and were once again put in direct peril by the presumed beast, but as for seeing him: not so much. On a post Season 3 BatB, sketchy details and near-misses are what is to be expected when it comes to revealing those darn baddies.
Life on the run? In this episode, Catherine and Vincent had to really confront and grapple with the concept of changing their identities and fleeing the city. DHS had the damning footage of Vincent beasting out, and let's face it, they are already dead set on locking him up for Hill's "murder." Though it broke their hearts and those of J.T., Heather, and even the ever icy Tess, our beloved couple ended the episode prepared to take that leap and disappear from the lives they had loved so much in NYC. But events intervened dramatically to prevent that plan.
First, there were several more bait-and-switches on the trail of the new beast, who was still going around killing everyone associated with his creation. All that was really left by then was a businessman who had ties to the lab that created the beast, but he was quickly killed before VinCat could question him. The next clues were in the possession of a scientist named Garris, who was determined to escape the danger his experiments had placed him in by using anti-beast technology to fight back when chased by the mysterious villain. However, this tech was equally problematic for poor Vincent, who got zapped by it when trying to confront Garris. After Vincent and Catherine finally got to ask Garris what the hell was going on, the situation seemed more dire than ever. Not only had they previously learned that Braxton had purchased Muirfield and commenced new beast experiments under the orders of an unknown investor (another unknown investor? We've been fooled by this line before), but the new beasts created in part by Garris sounded like they were even more deadly than Vincent's type.
With this latest catastrophe made worse by Tess' discovery that DHS will never back down from taking Vincent in, VinCat prepared to make a run for it. Could the disguises they used while traveling have been a bit more convincing than "a pair of glasses" and Vincent's usual baseball cap, and Cat's disguise of absolutely nothing? Yeah, probably, but oh well. Twas not to be! Thanks to that awful tattletale Kyle, Catherine and Vincent were caught, arrested, and taken into custody by DHS. Gah!
Elsewhere in the episode: It was painful to see the Fab Five dealing with the emotions of Vincent and Catherine having to leave forever. However, it was nice to feel a real connection and sentimental feeling return between Tess and the other friends for the first time in a while.
Heather was smart and brave to steal those files and try to help J.T. create new identities for VinCat. Too bad she was undercut by the previously charming and devoted-seeming Kyle. I was hoping he would turn out to be the new beast, but instead he is a character with little point whatsoever except to disappoint Heather and annoy us.
"No Way Out"
Wow, this episode was incredible; it was right back on the level of quality we last saw in "It's a Wonderful Beast" and "Beast of Times, Worst of Times." Compared to the last few installments, which were fine if a little vague and therefore slightly frustrating, this one felt like aliens came down in a spaceship from Planet Awesome to write it! A very satisfying return to form. It's especially exciting because, and I say it with bittersweet feelings, this is the penultimate episode of BATB! What a pleasure to have it turn out to be such a suspenseful, gripping hour full of emotional progress for the characters.The real villain revealed! At first, I admit that I was underwhelmed (again) at the reveal of Braxton being the Big Bad of Season 4. This is because he was barely developed as a character and has had limited screen time to make us feel at all threatened by him or understanding of his motives. Indeed, Braxton's motives are vague. He basically worked with a bunch of investors and scientists (now called a cabal, how very Blacklist!) to develop a new beast. Then when the experiments needed to end, Braxton wanted to cover his tracks and remove all evidence of his involvement with them. So he used Vincent as his fall guy, basically terrorizing him all season to set him up to get taken down by DHS. Yet since there is no new beast, was all of this insanity on Braxton's part really at all necessary? Surely, he's a bizarre villain, myopically fixated on his own name being cleared, to the extent of committing tons of murders and other crimes that weren't at all required to hide his own shady deeds. In fact, by doing all of these other horrible things, Braxton has dug a way deeper hole for himself. And what was with that whole "you're the only one who can stop the other beast" desperate speech Braxton gave to Vincent a few episodes back? A strange, pathologically deceitful, manipulative and self-serving baddie indeed. Despicable, yes. Compelling, not really.
Yet the more I think about it, Braxton himself is not so important. It's much more about what Braxton represents. He stands for every force that has ever come between VinCat, threatening them with exposure, imprisonment, and violence. He's the last person standing between Vincent and Catherine, and their happily ever after -- well, him and DHS, but he started the trouble with DHS as well. So despite the nearly incomprehensible backstory, I can accept Braxton's reemergence as the main villain if I consider what he truly means to the central characters and the show.
It was totally badass when Vincent put the pieces together and realized Braxton's role in the whole shebang, and fantastic when he beasted out and escaped in a total rage. Yes! What an exciting scene with awesome action that was kind of lacking in some of the rest of the season. I loved that Vincent was mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, sentiments that his friends read loud and clear when he shocked them by bursting in on their latest powwow and showing them a human heart he'd retrieved. The heart, from Braxton's supposed corpse, belonged of course to some other poor soul who'd become collateral damage in the nefarious foe's ongoing rampage. From the depths of despair to the heights of determination to finally gain redemption and justice, Vincent had quite a journey in this episode.
Catherine's closure. Cat had some heavy emotions to sift through in this hour, and after really thinking about the entirety of her ordeal over the last few years, she was able to decide that her mother's death had been the real inspiration for her irresistible quest for justice. The pure, entire justice that Catherine has been working so hard for in her job as a cop has been an endeavor to somehow make up for her mother's tragic death (and in part her mother's mistakes as a participant in the beast super solider program). But no matter how hard Cat has worked to achieve this, nothing could ever bring her mom back. So as she realized while standing by her mother's grave with Heather, perhaps it was time to let go of trying to achieve the impossible and confront her true, unresolved feelings about her mother. Since Catherine has had such a tragic family history, losing her mom and two fathers, this was an especially touching scene. Like Vincent, Catherine got to work through some of the deepest aspects of her character and come to new conclusions about herself. I liked that Heather was there for her sister, as well.
Heather's self-blaming penitence about Kyle's actions, along with her soothing presence when Catherine needed her most helped make the scene where she is shot by Braxton even more shocking and distressing. Even though he may not be the best developed villain, Braxton is definitely one of the most evil. I'm glad Heather is okay, though surprised that the shooting wasn't used as an episode-ending cliffhanger.
Elsewhere in the episode, Tess and J.T. started moving closer together, which was lovely to see. These scenes play beautifully with a wry and gentle humor and vulnerability that is frankly the saving grace of Tess' character. I feel that although her return to form as Catherine's steadfast bestie (she has not always fulfilled this role, and has had some very noticeable slip-ups in loyalty) is late, Tess was much more likable and enjoyable in this episode than the last few. It's good to see her ending on a positive note, and probably getting back together with J.T.
By the way Vincent and Catherine were encouraging Heather to forgive Kyle, as he was only trying to protect her (gag!) by turning them into DHS, it looks like Kyle and Heather might end up together after all, but she could do a lot better, and I enjoyed her sassy comments about him earlier in the episode!
Going into the finale, Vincent, Catherine and their friends have to take on Braxton and hopefully finally clear Vincent's name for good. I can't wait to see how they will achieve these seemingly impossible goals, and what sort of ending the show will have, even though I wish it wasn't ending at all!
What did you think of these episodes? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to catch the series finale (sob!) of Beauty and the Beast tonight, Thursday, 9/15 at 9/8c.
