Orphan Black - S3E5 - Scarred by Many Past Frustrations

Previously on Orphan Black, ‘Newer Elements of Our Defense’

“That table, though scarred by many past frustrations, cannot be abandoned for the certain agony of the battlefield.” -President Eisenhower’s Farewell Address, 1961

Sarah has been brought to the military base and placed in a cell next to Helena, which isn’t a very smart move on the part of their captors. Helena has come to believe Sarah betrayed her, so initially she won’t cooperate with her twin. Dirty Paul shows up to have a lover’s spat with Sarah. He justifies his behavior by presenting himself as the protector of the male clones. Sarah uses the opportunity to have Paul confirm Mrs. S was the one who betrayed Helena to the military, which he does.

Helena comes around and has a talk with Sarah. They hatch an escape plan which begins with Sarah attacking her guards so she can be taken to the infirmary. There she steals one of the many sharp objects laying on the bedside table - a long, sharp pair of tweezers that she hides in her mouth. That takes skill, Sarah. Upon being returned to her cell, she passes the tweezers to Helena, who uses them to unlock her chains. Helena covers her body in butter and manages to squeeze out of the opening in the cell door. Instead of unlocking Sarah, she tells her, “Now we are even, sestra” and escapes alone with her animatronic scorpion.

Cosima has a blind date with someone she met online. It’s a hipster named Shay who practices holistic healing and comes on very strong. While Shay tells Cosima she can see inside her soul, someone photographs the date from outside. Cosima takes Shay home. Shay gives her some massage therapy, then she asks Cossima to spill the details on her break-up with Delphine. Cossima blabs a little, though we all know she shouldn’t tell Shay anything. They kiss, and the date ends there.

Gracie turns to Art after being kicked out of the Proletheans. Because he has to go to work, Art takes her to Mrs. S and Felix. They don’t seem to ever have to go to work. Gracie changes into some of Sarah’s clothes, which transform her into a high-schooler dressed for an under-21 goth club. Gracie wants to go “wherever they drink mai-tais,” but Felix convinces her to have an evening in with gin and juice.

Mrs. S and Felix teacher her to dance, and it’s all very cute until Gracie falls down with pain in her abdomen. We flash to Art visiting the male clones’ cheap date from a couple episodes ago. She removes her shades to reveal very red eyes. At the same time, the paramedics open Gracie’s eyes to the same discovery. What is this, an occularly transmitted disease? We shall find out.

Other important events

• Mother is trying to use the Prolethean baby skeleton to develop a gene therapy for the male clones. Or, as Helena puts it, “Mother wants to make medicine for the Mark-faced boys.”
• Mark manages to convince Mother he hasn’t betrayed the cause.