Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger – S1E5 – Princeton Offense

Previously on Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger, “Call/Response”

Photos: Freeform/Alfonso Bresciani

Yet again, Ty and Tandy went through a glut of emotions this week, though they aren’t the indecisive and frangible teens we saw weeks ago. Every challenge, every pitfall they’ve endured has made them stronger, and thankfully the duo have accepted their involuntary connection and the responsibility of their power

The big game is finally here… St. Sebastian’s Prep vs Hancock High for the state championship! Naturally, Tyrone couldn’t care any less about the damn game and it shows. It probably didn’t help that his dick of a teammate tried to impart some encouraging words about his progress as a player – after he and his buddies beat his ass in the locker room during “Suicide Sprints”. Yeah, that’s what did it, being jumped by “friends” put things in perspective for Ty. Technically it did, but not how anyone could have suspected.

Rather than focus on the night at hand, Tyrone longed to reminisce about what could have been and if he stacks up to his brother William. Strangely Otis is barely in the picture this week, but Ty does have a heartfelt moment with his mother Adina who makes her pride known to Tyrone between meetings on her tablet. The Johnsons have a fairly odd rapport going on between them; either they’re all in for one episode or they barely make a mark in Tyrone’s daily life. Yes, some families where both parents have demanding jobs are like this, yet their persistent fear that drives them to prevent Ty from going down a similar path as his brother occasionally doesn’t match their input.

If anything, Evita (Noëlle Renée Bercy) provided a fixed point for Ty during his chaos that unfolded this episode. Between Tandy’s sudden appearance at his school and her dogged pursuit for the person responsible for her father and Greg’s deaths, reacquainting himself with old friends, and the weight of succeeding where Billy could not, the state championship was the furthest thing from his mind. However Evita kept Tyrone in the moment for the most part, and remarked at the end of the school’s disappointing outing that she’s far more observant than he realized. In other words, Evita knows of his powers. It’s hard to tell if she and her aunt share an ulterior motive or if Miss Fusilier simply enjoys the company of this kind yet tortured man.

In regards to the author of his misery, Connors turned his attention to O’Reilly (Emma Lahana), who was not so quietly making it known to her compatriots of her interest in the Vice Squad’s number one cop. Brigid did just enough bad to signal Connors and appeared to leave a decent enough impression (i.e. powdering her nose during her shift) to possibly get a look-see into his operation. Then again, it could all be a ploy to know who exactly tipped O’Reilly off about Connors’ drug ring – and his potential connection to very influential persons in the New Orleans community.

As for Ty’s other half, Tandy discovered her inner Karen Page and has taken Greg’s investigation of Roxxon to new heights literally overnight. It’s one thing to be one of the Crescent City’s best young con artists, but dang… Tandy really knows how to get things done when she applies herself! In little time, Bowen has amassed a list of persons that may have been linked to her father’s research and gets to work the old-fashioned way: crashing an invitation only black-tie soiree.

As Bowen scanned the room and made contact with each mark, it became apparent from every touch the executives hoped someday to demean the same unnamed man, albeit in very eccentric, slightly perverted ways. This figure prominent in their minds was familiar to both Tandy and Ty (who teleported to the party because of Bowen’s frequent use of her powers). Eventually it all clicked: the mystery man –  Peter Scarborough, Chief Executive of Risk Management – was once the face of Roxxon’s Gulf division before the accident, and was present when the suits collected Dr. Bowen’s research that very night.

Once more, it didn’t take long for Bowen to concoct another scheme to get close to Scarborough – this time, as a wayward schoolgirl in the middle of an affluent neighborhood. It took some finagling but Tandy eventually brushed her hand against Scarborough and caught a glimpse of his hopes, which were somehow exceedingly twisted compared to his subordinates. Somewhere along the delta, Bowen observes Scarborough collecting bands of cash caught in traps and stuffing them in a cooler. Things became outright disturbing when a dozen or so bodies of Roxxon employees float to the surface and Scarborough pilfers them from their earnings. What kind of bastard dreams of robbing dead workers to feel better about themselves?

At least Tandy’s vision revealed a name on a hard hat that may help in her investigation: Ivan Hess, senior engineer of fluid dynamics. A former partner of Dr. Bowen’s, perhaps? It didn’t take long to confirm that fact – and the one person she briefly talked to at the Roxxon party was Hess’ daughter Mina (Ally Maki), a legacy that intends to continue and eventually surpass her father’s work in the company.