Killjoys - S1E10 - Escape Velocity
Previously on Killjoys, ‘Enemy Khylen’
We open the episode with a flashback showing members of Alvis’ religious order opening fire at a bazaar, and due to this Alvis is now being held by The Company. Regardless of the political implications of his capture, Dutch and the Jaqobi brothers feel a sense of loyalty to rescue him. While at Pree’s bar they kick around ideas as to why he’s being framed and discuss Khlyen’s newly discovered identity as a RAC level 6 agent. The Company takes this time to air Alvis confessing to the crime, the punishment for this being death. Dutch comes to the decision that they have to find a way to free Alvis.
Dutch goes up to Company headquarters and gets Hills to get her in to speak with Alvis. After gaining entry and giving him a set of prayer beads from his religious order, Alvis informs her about a lower bunker that he knows about that can be the salvation for those on Westerlings. But in order to gain access to the bunkers on the lower levels he needs ID tags and that’s where Dutch comes in.
While Dutch is meeting with Alvis, the Jaqobi brothers meet with Bellos. They find out that no one is looking into their brea- in from the night before and let her know that it had to do with their discovery that Level 6 exists. Bellos acts the right amount of concerned, but one thing this episode has shown me is to trust no one.
John reaches out to a hacker friend by the name of Carleen to try and find out exactly what Khlyen is up to and the significance of the vial of liquid he stole. But just as quickly as Johnny disconnects their phone call, Khlyen appears like a ghost from behind and slices her throat. He wants what Johnny has taken from him and has no problem inflicting pain on a dying woman to get it.
The crew venture down into the tunnels dressed as followers of Alvis in order to retrieve the needed ID tags from the Rat people. That’s what they call illegals without a Company job who live beneath the city. Ouch. Dutch speaks with their leader the Rat King, who says in order to prove themselves they have to bless his sister, who is sick and dying. Let’s just say they are not prepared, but luckily Johnny steps up. He recites the blessing needed and I start to wonder if this is one of the reasons Khlyen said that Dutch will need her crew. Is Khlyen a pre-cog? Anyways, John carries out the blessing flawlessly, the Rat King tells them what he saw the night of the attack and gives over the tags. On their way out, John doubles back and tells the Rat King that he is not a true believer and he should get his sister a real blessing or even a real doctor. The Rat King ominously replies that John doesn’t get to choose whether he believes or not.
Dutch and the Jaqobi brothers return to Westerling - a vote has been called on whether to give the natives the rights as promised seven generations before. And with the call of the vote returns one of my favorite characters this season: Delle Seyah Kendry. I’m pretty sure she’s full-on crazy, but she makes it look so good. She calls in the favor Dutch owes hers from Episode 7, and summons her to her side as Kresh. Before she heads off though, D’avin brings up the idea of them all running away, one more time, but Dutch holds fast to her plan to get rid of Khlyen.
Pawter passes on a message to Johnny for her mother, who is sure to be with the ruling class on Kresh. I will say that’s one of the things I’m enjoying about Pawter this season, the fact that although she plays a minor role, and her character for a moment could have gotten messy with D’avin in the mix, she didn’t. And we are able to see a growth of her character from episode 1 to the finale. Dutch and Johnny leave to go to Kresh while the scene closes with D’avin watching them leave.
Dutch and Johnny arrive on Kresh and meet up with Delle. It’s nice to see a psychopath be so much fun! While Delle and Dutch work the room playing politics, Johnny goes to pass on Pawter’s message to her mom, who we quickly realize is a bitch. Soon enough Dutch gets tired of playing security and she and Johnny decide to head back to Westerling.
On their way back to Lucy, they run into a man carrying an explosive device and we find out that Delle is planning a coup and is working with Khlyen to distract Dutch from being in Old Town. Dutch and Johnny split up, and Dutch takes on the bomb guy who is Level 6 and is well aware of who Dutch is to Khlyen. While being choked by him in one of the most brutal scenes this season, Dutch stabs him with a pin to his eye, and you would have thought she flicked him. Dutch is almost out for the count when Johnny arrives in time to shoot him in the head.
D’avin approaches Hills and provides the tags exonerating Alvis, but Hill just doesn’t seem to care. He tells D’avin to leave and mind his own business, but keeps the tags. On the way back to his rooms though, D’avin spots Khlyen and radios in to Dutch. Khlyen finds the vial and a video is sent to Johnny showing Carleen’s death. It’s almost as if Khlyen has been predicting their reactions to him this entire episode.
D’avin follows Khlyen against Dutch’s advice and we just know it’s not going to end well for D’avin. Dutch and Johnny arrive back in town just as everything is going to hell. We get some exposition as to why Khlyen is back in Dutch’s life, but it’s one of those answers that doesn’t really explain anything: the Khlyen special. We do find out that Khlyen is responsible for the death of Dutch’s first husband, right before D’avin is strangled into unconsciousness.
Back at the Alvis show, a guard comes to kill him and those beads Dutch brought him turn out to be useful after all. He disarms the guard with them and proceeds to exit. Soon enough Alvis and his followers cross paths with Dutch and her merry band in the tunnels. She’s still worried about D’avin’s absence, especially when Alvis doesn’t have any information on him either. It is at this junction that Pawter decides to follows Alvis into the bunker in order to redeem herself and her family.
Dutch finally arrives at the loading dock where she confronts Hill about his part in the bombings. After a severe tongue lashing from Dutch, he gives the order to allow them to board Lucy. Once everyone is on board though, Dutch is hesitant to leave with no word on where D’avin is, but Johnny convinces her that he would want them to.
With the final scenes of the episode, we are bursting with ten episodes worth of emotions, from getting to know Dutch, the Jaqobi brothers, and the people of Westerling. When The Company starts to bomb, we see Hill and company go to their deaths, the Rat King and his daughter embrace one another while Dutch watches from above, helpless. Johnny leaves the cockpit to answer a phone call, and Dutch takes this time alone to send out a message to D’avin. (How is he supposed to get it though?)
Alvis and his followers arrive at the bunker, their salvation, but you would think they would have told more people about it.
D’avin wakes up in a medical facility of sorts, with Fancy lying next to him hooked into all sorts of devices. He starts to stumble out and we see what he sees: He’s on another planet far away from Westerling. While the words Arkyn flash across the screen for us to see. It felt almost like a video game when you’ve unlocked a new location.
Overall, this was a great episode, though I wish we got further along in the plot. With this being the first season I can see why the story ended where it did. I can’t wait for season two, and the opportunity to explore this new planet, and I hope Delle is there as well.
Predictions:
- We find out that D’avins been level 6 all along.
- We find out more information on Dutch’s past.
- Dutch and Johnny share a moment/kiss.
- We find D’avin by episode 3 of season 2.
