The Strain - S3E9 - Do or Die

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Previously on The Strain, “White Light”

The Strain - S3E9 - “Do or Die” | Starring: David Bradley, Kevin Durand, Corey Stoll,Richard Sammell, Jack Kesy, Miguel Gomez, Ruta Gedmintas, Jonathan Hyde, Natalie Brown,Rupert Penry-Jones

If You Can Make It There

When I saw this week’s episode title, I was hoping we’d be spending some time in Bed Stuy, but not only didn’t we get to visit this area of Brooklyn, it turns out almost everyone is getting the hell up outta New York altogether.

Justine Faraldo tries to rally the troops she has left, but morale is damn near nonexistent. No one has the desire to maintain the small strongholds they have left, especially with supplies waning. Justine’s desire to remain and protect the city would make a lot more sense if there was something to protect. At the rate they’re going, there are more strigoi left in the city than actual humans. In the end, she’s only left with five officers, including Kowolski.

By the time Faraldo realizes they should leave as well, it’s nighttime because of course it is. Their convoy out of town is attacked by strigoi. Gus and Angel see this on their way out of town, and Angel wants to help. Gus ain’t bout dat life, but Angel is driving so…

Gus and Angel free Faraldo and Kowolski, and tell them they just need to make it a few feet across a bridge since strigoi can’t travel over moving water. Of course, not all of them make it.

Angel is stung and forces Gus to go ahead without him while he holds off advancing strigoi. Kowolski is also stung and Faraldo gets another worm in her eye. Before the strigoi can finish them off, a leaking fuel tank ignites and kills them all.

Gus watches helplessly.

Now, Now, Boys; You’re Both Pretty

Despite being two alpha males, Fet and Eph haven’t really clashed in three seasons. This all changes after Fet stops by his own apartment to tell Eph and Dutch that the police are pulling out of the city and they probably should, too. They refuse as they’re close to finishing their Microwave Ultra-Neuro Communication Halting Equipment Rays, or MUNCHERs for short.

After Eph and Dutch test the device on a few strigoi and discover it works, they take the good news to Fet and Abraham. Without Quinlan, it’s their only chance to draw the Master into the silver and lead box Abraham has prepared for him. Did we know Abraham was working on this?

Fet is down, but he doesn’t want to work with Eph, citing Eph’s ain’t-shit ways. Eph counters that Fet isn’t much better and throws all the people who died in Central Park in Fet’s face. Then Fet throws his fist in Eph’s face.

The fight is broken up by Abraham, who has to tell both boys they’re pretty and that they don’t have time for this shit. Quinlan arrives and agrees. And since no one in that room can beat Quinlan’s ass, the case is closed.

How Palmer Got His Groove Back

We’ve noted many things about Eldridge Palmer over the course of three seasons. He’s petty, stubborn, doesn’t know how to be the lesser in any situation, and he thinks his money alone should demand respect and doesn’t bother trying to earn it. This week, we get some insight into how he came to be that way.

He spent his entire life trying to earn the love and respect of a father who wouldn’t publicly acknowledge him. At his worst, Palmer’s father, Mr. O’Neill, gives his son a check for $10,000 with the instructions never to reach out to him again.

If The White has been sustaining Palmer for the past season and a half, his anger towards his father was all that fueled him before that. Palmer visits his elderly father in a nursing home to show him that he turned that ten thousand into millions and he’s acquired his father’s company. Palmer returns the money only to see the check ripped to shreds in his face. His father isn’t impressed, and shuns him once again. He points out that Palmer spent his entire life trying to get back at him, while he wasn’t thinking about Palmer at all. He predicts he’ll outlive his son and laughs in his face.

And now we know why Palmer is so obsessed with prolonging his life. It doesn’t even matter if his father is still living; Palmer gonna stay alive out of spite. I told y’all that Old White Man Petty is unrivaled. 

It’s this encounter with his father that drives him to return to Eichorst and accept his offer to be in league with The Master - except Eichorst promises Palmer not just eternal life, but equal standing with The Master.

In present day, we know that their arrangement has been anything but equal, and the latest slight was the vampires using his resources to smuggle something in the country without telling him anything about it. Palmer rectifies this by tracking down Sanjay and demanding (at gunpoint) to see what’s in the crate. It’s one of two nukes; Palmer pieces together that the explosion the night before must have been the other one. Palmer takes the nuke and heads home.

When Eichorst arrives to demand it back, he finds Palmer weak and hooked up to his machines. He refuses to disclose the location of the bomb until Eichorst tells him what the Master needs it for and lives up to his part of the deal. Eichorst reminds Palmer he doesn’t need him to tell him anything: He’ll drain him, turn him, and give the Master access to Palmer’s memories.

Before Eichorst can make good on that promise, Palmer pulls out a shotgun and puts a hot one in Eichorst’s chest. Worms everywhere! Palmer’s security detail joins in and a wounded Eichorst falls down the elevator shaft to escape.

Leave your thoughts on the episode below or on the Facebook post for this review, and we’ll read them on tonight’s podcast!