The Strain - S3E7 - Collaborators

Previously on The Strain, “The Battle of Central Park”

The Strain - S3E7 - “Collaborators” | Starring: David Bradley, Kevin Durand, Corey Stoll, Richard Sammell, Jack Kesy, Miguel Gomez, Ruta Gedmintas, Jonathan Hyde, Natalie Brown, Rupert Penry-Jones

Western Ukraine, 1941

Images:FX

Constricted to fight in the war by the Russians, Fet’s grandfather, Sergei Fetrovsky (Mike Dupod), and another soldier, Alexi Boiko (Costa Ronin), are captured by the Germans.

In Eastern Poland, they are put to work in a prisoner camp. Alexi is nearly broken and doesn’t think he can make it. Sergei tries to keep him motivated and promises they’ll return home to their families. When Eichorst arrives looking for volunteers for a new work detail, and promising better conditions for those who sign up, Sergei jumps at the opportunity for himself and Alexi, though Eichorst has his doubts Alexi is up to the task. He warns failure on Alexi’s part will result in punishment for Sergei.

Their first job is to execute old Jewish prisoners who are no longer of use. Alexi can’t do it and neither can Sergei - even when Eichorst threatens to kill Alexi. Only when Eichorst orders his men to kill the prisoners, including Sergei and Alexi does Fet’s grandfather do it. Yet, Eichorst still kills Alexi for Sergei’s hesitation.

Just in case you forgot: Eichorst ain’t been shit since way back.

Trip to a Pawnbroker

A pointless trip to another pawnbroker’s shop for silver serves as the catalyst for some Fet and Abraham bonding. First, Fet licks his wounds over the somewhat failure at Central Park. When he realizes he’s near his parents’ house, he decides to check in on them, finally. Abraham expresses surprise that Fet’s parents are still alive (not so fast, Abraham!), since Fet doesn’t talk about them and couldn’t see fit to check on them once in the past month and a half.

They find the building has been attacked by strigoi and Fet’s parents are dead; they were infected and the father killed them both to stop them from turning. Fet thinks this is cowardly, but later, as they pilfer supplies from the pawn shop, Abraham suggests he see it as a noble act.

Later, as Abraham melts the silver down for weapons, Fet tells him the story of his grandfather being a Holocaust collaborator, and how his own father never forgave him for it. He also reveals that his grandfather eventually killed himself because of an act he committed during the war, one he would never talk about. Abraham advises Fet to forgive his father to set himself free.

Trip to the Airport

Quinlan’s back and he’s not really impressed with Eph and Dutch’s Microwave Ultra-Neuro Communication Halting Equipment Rays, or MUNCHERs for short, but when they tell him they may be able to track the Master via his voice on the black box of the plane at JFK, he’s down for a road trip.

Once they make it past the checkpoint, Dutch hops out the car to save a family being terrorized by marauders, or thugs, or scallywags. Bad guys. And Eph hops out the car to help her, even though it’s clear Quinlan would prefer they both keep their asses put.

A super short standoff ensues and ends with Quinlan being the badass strigoi hybrid he is, and then he licks his sword and growls, just in case you weren’t paying attention the first time.

Tumblr: Kylopoool

The rest of their trip is pretty uneventful. They find the black box and mini bottles of vodka, which they also take ’cause Eph gonna Eph.

Trip to Petty Town

Eichorst cauterizes his own wound, as you do, and slips a leather glove over his stump. He’s in a shitty mood for the rest of the episode, and understandably so.

Palmer is one cough away from death. If he farts, it’s over.

Palmer’s new black guy head of security, Mr. Duncan, tells him the Aurora Cutlass has docked and hands Palmer the manifest, which has his signature - but Palmer didn’t sign it.

They head to the docks where Palmer is turned away like his credit is bad. Even though he owns the ship, he’s denied access by order of the captain. Or Eichorst. Or the other new guy, Sanjay. Or New Zach. Basically, everyone else on the show has more power than Palmer at this point. And since Duncan and his boys weren’t prepared to throw down, they leave. But not before Palmer instructs the guards to not let anyone on or off that ship. And they’re like, “Yeah, we already got those orders.”

At home, Eichorst drops by to ask, “Didn’t I tell yo ass that ship was above your pay grade?” Palmer huffs and puffs, he claims to be the Master’s equal like the Master didn’t drain every drop of Co and Co from CoCo the last time he tried to nuck. He brags that the Master has special plans for him, even though he’s sure the Master has no intention of holding up his end of their deal. Eichorst doesn’t have answers, but he assures Palmer he’s not special. Palmer gets in one last petty about Eichorst’s hand before he leaves.

The elevator door is barely closed before Palmer is on the phone with Mr. Duncan, instructing him to mount up because they’re going to take the ship. But they get there and the ship has already been taken. That’s what you get for showing your hand, Palmer. (No pun intended, Eichorst.)

Palmer meets with Abraham and Fet at night, as you do, and tells them about the missing shipment from Egypt. Abe decides that info is worth a small vial of the White, which he cautions Palmer to take at home where he can rest immediately after. Alone with Fet, Abraham suspects the shipment contained an Ancient(s) who may be sympathetic to the Master’s cause now.

Back at the Stoneheart building, Palmer demands his nurse give him the White drops in his eyes and he immediately passes out. When he comes to, he’s bleeding from the eyes.

The nurse quits on the spot.