I think one of the reasons that people are attracted to and enjoy the original Star Trek so much, is the sheer fact that so many episodes provided us with a new and exotic location to visit, complete with a story that challenged the audience. And because we have so many individual and unique stories present in the opening chapter of this storied franchise, any kind of two-part event or continuation of a story or an idea was quite the big deal since it was so rare in its own right. But sometimes, overlap is an inevitability since some stories feature a common theme whether you like it or not and it just so happens that a theme from the last episode, found its way into the next one.
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For ‘Miri’ found a way to deal with the concept of death and our fear of it once again and it accomplished such a feat by having the crew of the Enterprise arrive on a planet ruled by children since the adults had all perished and how they met their end, is how these thematic concepts tied together. Because the away team was able to discover that the adults here, wanted to cheat death and achieve immortality, and they created a virus that was able to keep aging at bay, with a catch of course. In essence, only children would respond positively to the virus and age at a woefully slow rate, but the instant they hit puberty and started their path toward adulthood, they too would perish.

But while the science of this episode was fascinating in its own right, I have to admit, that the implications of an entire scientific community working to cheat death is what truly caught my eye in this episode. Because clearly, this world was full of panic when it comes to death, and it would have taken a monumental and collective effort to make this discovery and clearly it was rushed and untested since it ended in disaster, and that’s just powerful stuff to see injected into a science fiction story. As was the away team’s response to catching said virus since they worked overtime to find a vaccine, and the bold move by McCoy to test it without the help of the Enterprise, speak volumes to their own fears of seeing their lives end earlier than expected.

Yet, while it was incredible to see the story flat out speak to the fact that mankind fears death and when given the opportunity, will fight to prolong its life regardless of the risks, there was oddly, more present in this story for the audience to chew upon. Because the entire plot point of having a world full of children spoke volumes to the need for parents to be there and to properly teach their children about life and the world, and while I’m not exactly sure what motivated the writers’ room to add this particular lesson, or commentary, it was still fascinating to find here and we can’t talk about this element without offering praise to the acting in this segment of the story. For every young actor here really sold the ‘feral’ child notion through and through and one has to wonder if this story helped to inspire Stephen King when he sat down to write Children of the Corn.

In the end however, this really was quite the fascinating episode when all is said and done since it posed a great deal of ideas and questions, since it explores a childhood dream we all share at some point or another, which is being in a world free of adults, and it really does go full bore into our fears of death and well, I loved every single second of it. Because the race against time aspect added a sense of tension to the story, as did the feral nature of the children, since you never quite knew if they were truly going to turn on the crew or if they could reason with Kirk and company after all, and I think really, the best part of this particular tale, is its outright uniqueness storytelling wise. For this really was a vastly different style of episode for the series, and a risk in its own right, but it works and it’s engaging and it’s lovely to see the show take chances this early on in its existence and well, my excitement for this journey through Star Trek is only growing and well, I need more. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m needed on the bridge. Until next time.  

There are only a few guarantees in this life, and one of them, is that someday our bodies will cease to work, and we will slip into a great beyond that we know nothing about. It’s an act that quite frankly, has helped to build the foundations of our modern society since we try to cherish the moment and live an incredible life filled with memories and wonder before we pass from this world to the next. But, leaving behind a legacy of memories and impactful moments isn’t quite enough for all of mankind. For there are those who wish to break the bonds of death and they work to cheat it at every turn, and while it eventually finds them, our imaginations allow for us to explore what life might be like if we were able to escape death’s clutches and oddly enough, the next episode of Star Trek plunges head first into that concept.
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Which was a fascinating discovery to say the least, since ‘What Are Little Girls Made Of?’ really seemed as though it was going to take us down a vastly different path. For the outset of this episode made it seem as though we were going to explore the importance of the company of others since it looked as though Roger Kirby had gone stark raving mad in isolation since hey, he kinda, sorta, most definitely created a sex robot during his time beneath the surface of Exo-III. But before we could settle into that particular plot possibility, the show changed gears and made it seem as though Roger was all about that mad scientist vibe since he cloned Kirk with an android and used that Robo-Kirk to steal pertinent Federation information in the hopes of making more fancy robots throughout the galaxy and that’s when this episode really focused on our of fear of death.

For it is revealed in the closing moments that Roger is in fact, an android himself, and he used the machinery to save his consciousness when the harsh environment devastated his fragile body and well, this was just an incredible twist when all is said and done. Because once one learns of this fact, one comes to realize that Dr. Kirby lived in great fear in his final moments, and it’s obvious that he was terrified of not being able to accomplish his life’s work or see his beloved Christine Chapel ever again and that was what motivated him to take this risky gambit to save his life, regardless of the cost. And clearly, the cost was great in the end, for while the transference process was a indeed a rousing success, what the good doctor was not prepared for was having his greatest fears embed themselves into the circuitry, wherein his new electronic brain would work to find a way to solve the whole matter of death for others.

If anything, it makes his ‘dastardly’ plan all the more tragic. Because planning to implant androids into the worlds of the Federation speaks to a desperate attempt to cheat death, and while Kirby is fine with it, there’s no guarantees that others would be since so many cherish the end and what it means and well, all of this was brilliant storytelling in the end. For in essence, robotic Roger wants to play God, but not in the malevolent sense, he really thinks he’s doing a service and a favor so that no one has to experience the fear he went through, and it takes Kirk’s resistance to make him see that he’s made a horrible mistake, and that he’s completely and utterly lost his way and hurt people in the process and that truly makes his character’s arc a sorrowful one by the end of this tale, and all you can feel for this hybrid is pity when it comes to its confusion and desperation.

In the end, I have to admit that I was quite taken aback by the power of this story, simply because science fiction rarely addresses the fear that comes with death in this manner. So, to find it here was refreshing to say the least, and the performances helped to sell it as well since everyone here does an outstanding job on screen. But the other big benefit of this tale is that we get to see another first here, since Majel Barrett, later Majel Barrett Roddenberry, makes her debut in the Star Trek franchise as Nurse Chapel and man, it’s super cool to know that this episode would kick off a legacy for Majel that would reach as far as the J.J. Abrams reboot since she played the computer voice for the re-imagined NCC-1701. But, I digress, because I’m going full geek, and we have a recap to wrap up and really what matters here, is that this is the intelligent storytelling that I’ve been waiting for in this franchise, and now it is clear that this series is starting to find its voice and its stride, and that means, the true wonder of this series is about to arrive and I cannot wait to see it all come together. Until next time.  

If there is one unfortunate truth when it comes to the technology we enjoy in this day and age, it would be that eventually, the incredible items we use become a relic in their own right and are eventually forgotten. Take for example the VCR, a device that revolutionized home theater, but now they exist as relics that few people pay any mind to, and this is an edict that applies to cars as well. For new vehicle tech eventually sidelines older cars and they too fade into oblivion. But, there is always someone that finds value in any classic device and Top Gear decided to explore the possibility, as to whether or not a classic ride that has faded from oblivion can still be a serviceable and affordable ride when all is said and done.
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Which means that it was up to Paddy and Fred to answer this all important question and they headed off to Borneo with their new/used rides in order to see how the classics would hold up in the jungles of this island and well, while Fred chose the practical Austin Allegro Estate, Paddy’s choice made it clear that this was going to be one interesting ride. For the Marta Bagheera S was a sports car, the kind that wasn’t designed for this type of terrain in the slightest, and that made the first leg of the journey a treacherous one as Paddy watched his car stall, disintegrate and stick in the mud on the road time and time again, leaving one to wonder if it would even finish the journey to the capital, especially when one considers that the next leg of their trip was going to take them through the thick undergrowth of the jungle.

But, with a little assist from some members of the country’s special forces, Fred and Paddy both found themselves on the move once again, and thanks to Paddy’s quick thinking, he was able to avoid more peril on the ground by getting the Bagheera to travel by river for a bit before returning to the road and that’s where things truly got interesting. For in essence, both men were back on track at about the same time, and that allowed for them to find regular roads once again and straight up race to their final destination; the Sultan’s palace. And while Paddy didn’t win this particular challenge, the ailing Bagheera made it to her final destination, as did a slightly injured Allegro. Meaning that this second leg of the journey proved without a doubt that yes, the obsolete still have some life left in them. It might not be much mind you, but on a budget, one can get a classic ride that can perform.

Yet while that was fascinating to watch in its own right, you’ll note that there’s no mention of Chris in that particular part of the recap. Well that’s because he was back home, taking an in depth look at Rolls Royce’s latest creation, the Cullinan. Which we quickly came to learn is the only SUV on the market that isn’t regarded as an SUV by its manufacturer, but here we are, and while this car can indeed do a fine job off road, and is smooth as they come ride wise, Chris had a few issues with the vehicle. First and foremost, he had concerns about Rolls Royce even designing a vehicle like this, since those that will own it, will likely never take it off road, making it a true symbol of excess and an ugly symbol at that. For Chris was also quick to point out that this car turns heads for all the wrong reasons, visually, and honestly, I applaud the show and Chris for offering up an honest review and challenging Rolls Royce to do better in the future.

Plus, if all those elements weren’t fascinating enough, our celebrity segment this week was also quite special in its own right. For we came to learn that Comedian Bob Mortimer’s relationship with cars started later in life since he didn’t receive his license until he was in his thirties, but that certainly didn’t stop him from having a great time at the track since he completed it and left us in stitches in the process and well, in the end, this was quite the cool episode. Because I never thought I’d ever see a sports car survive a trip through the jungle, but here we are. Plus, the show did handle their odd situation with the government of Borneo with class by way of a lovely tribute to the LGBTQ community and it is great to see a series about cars, express the need for people to treat one another equally. Either way, this was just another wonderful episode from an incredible season and I’m quite curious to see what budgetary adventure await us, next week. Until then. 

Few things are as bittersweet in the nerd world than when we arrive at the final season of our favorite television show. Because on one hand, the series in question that is bidding farewell, beat the cancellation odds and gets an opportunity to go out on its own terms, while on the other… it’s the end of something we love, and while we can talk all day about the fact that everything has it’s respective end, parting is and will forever be such sweet sorrow, especially when it comes to a story we love. If anything, that particular line of thinking is precisely where I’m at mentally when it comes to AMC’s, Preacher. Because this is it, season four will be its last on the network and that revelation took me a little bit off guard when it was initially announced.
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For this is a series that is truly groundbreaking in its own right, since its special brand of humor, and ‘throw caution to the wind’ mentality has allowed for a unique story to play out and I honestly thought there were plenty more adventures waiting in the wings for Jesse Custer and his amazing friends. But the end is here whether we like it or not, and well, I have to be honest in telling you that there was a touch of melancholy, and an ounce of worry, surging through my veins as I settled in to watch last night’s, two-hour, season four premiere. The sadness came from the fact that a bigger premiere means that we get to the finish line far sooner, and the worry, well that stemmed from the possibility that the series might change course and direction, in an effort to make this final year as memorable as possible.

At first, my fears seemed compounded, since ‘Masada’ opened up in a vastly different manner. For this opening chapter felt more like an action flick, since it featured a rescue mission executed by Jesse and Tulip, one that featured a face to face reckoning with Herr Starr and Jesse, and a battle royale at the top of the complex between Featherstone and Tulip. But thankfully it turns out that this was all a ruse to get our attention, since it wasn’t long before the trademark portions of this show wormed their way into the plot, including one wicked scene involving a squished Grail soldier named Tammy and some infighting and bickering between Jesse and Cassidy over their beloved Tulip. However, what made this first episode of the premiere so stunning in its own right, is the sheer fact that the rescue mission was in essence, a bust, since Cass decided to stay behind.

I mean, come on. There was no need for him to remain within that building’s walls, and he even had other opportunities to escape as the two hour premiere rolled on, but he refused to, and that moment, alongside Jesse’s disturbing vision, are what brought the show back to what we know and love since a grand character study was put on display. For this segment of the story, which extended well into ‘Last Supper’ as well, showed us that regardless of the strides Team Jesse made at the end of last season in trying to heal and set things right, their fears and their insecurities are still on display, and they’re still interfering with their better judgment, especially when it comes to Cass. Since it was pointed out to him that he may be staying behind and enduring some horrible, foreskin related torture in a desperate attempt to pay penance for his own actions. Something that is outright unnecessary.
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Yet while those character driven moments were fascinating and powerful in their own right, I also loved how this two-episode premiere set the stage for the rest of the season. Because it was quite jarring to see God hanging out with Herr Starr at Grail HQ and it is equally as chilling to learn that everything, we’ve experienced to this point seemingly has been orchestrated by the Lord to bring about… something. What that is exactly, I don’t know quite yet, but judging from the fury we saw on display from God in these two tales, it can’t be good. Because any deity that is willing to put down a species for eating its own crap when clearly they don’t know any better, cannot be good with where mankind is at right now, and the little hints present in this premiere in regard to being good to another, I’m certain was by design.

Either way, while it was sad to witness the beginning of the end of Preacher, this was a solid premiere through and through. Because after it got past the little trickery, everything we know and love about this series was on full display, and the quirky moments, and the twisted ones, worked like a charm and it really is great to have this series back on the air, and truly, it looks like the series is going to go out with a bang in season four. For there really a grandiose plot being formed here, one that involves potential Armageddon and I’ve no doubt that it will be up to Jesse to save the day and potentially prove to the Lord that we are worthy, and I cannot wait to see how his new journey plays out, and how this incredible story, comes to an end. Until next time. 

When we think of nature interacting with our modern world, we often see nature’s arrival as an unexpected incursion. Which is understandable, since we are masters of our domain and we’ve bent the planet to our will on more than one occasion, which makes seeing a bear looking for food in suburbia or a mountain lion hanging out in a playground quite the jarring sight. But the real reason for this shock, goes far deeper than just seeing something that is out of the norm. Because in the modern world, we view our world and nature as separate, despite the fact that nature is thriving all around us. But the people of Singapore understand that it this is simply not the case. They understand that we share a world and that their city is an oasis for mankind, one that exists in a sea of wildlife.
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In fact, the next episode of Wild City: Singapore, ‘Urban Wild’, took the time to show all of us exactly how close mankind and nature are in this particular place, by giving an inside look at how many wild species now thrive within the city limits, and well, it’s a lot. Take for example the long-tailed Macaque, a breed of monkey that makes its home in the heart of the city, and their daily life takes them all over the city, where they forage for food and do their best to get by and this really was quite the sight to see. Because I think it’s safe to assume that the majority of us here in America, are unable to say that once again we had to go outside and shoo the monkeys away, but that happens here on a daily basis.

Plus, it was quite cool to reunite with the Smooth Coated Otter family we were introduced to last week and learn how these smart little buggers make use of both the sanctuary they call home, and mankind’s fine engineering skills in order to survive. For while there is plenty for them to eat in the reserve, our ability to control an environment has taught them that in the event they need a quick meal, they can swing by man’s domain to find plenty of fish and plenty of fresh water and this too, was just a magnificent sight. Because I never thought I’d see the day where I watched a family of otters cross a busy road to get to some delicious fish, but here we are, and it was comforting and poignant to see ‘Otter Crossing’ signs in this busy area.

For signage such as that, means that the good people of this city, fully understand that nature isn’t something they control, it’s a living entity that does what it wants and it is better to find a way to coexist rather than exert force and it would seem the city is making greater efforts to give some of this bustling metropolis back to nature. Because in the heart of the city, is a special sanctuary of its own, one that serves as a new home to the Oriental Hornbill, a species of bird that is low in numbers but once flourished in this area. But now, man is doing its best to help them thrive in a world they once ruled and well, it was this part of the story that managed to truly hammer home what this episode was trying to say.

Because the show wanted to make it clear, that we need to recognize the fact that we don’t own this world, we are inhabitants of it as well. And while we have achieved wonders in our brief time upon this planet, we have to do better when it comes to coexisting with our wild neighbors. How exactly we pull that off, this episode didn’t make clear, and I appreciated the fact that it offered up no easy answers on the matter, because it will take great dialogue to figure out how we make that happen. But being aware of it, is a good place to start and perhaps we can use Singapore as an example, since this place has truly found a way to let two vastly unique worlds, function together in relative harmony. Until next time. 

Over the course of its illustrious six-year run, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has always provided its audience with outright breathtaking season finales. For the stakes are always high in these particular tales, and every single plot point is wrapped up in beautiful and powerful fashion, and if by chance there is something that cannot be resolved within the framework of a particular season, the cliffhangers that set up their resolution are stunning and magnificent, and that’s simply due to the fact that the writer’s room of this series, puts great care into every single script and story they assemble. If anything, this is on my mind today, simply because I am in awe of the fact that the writers’ room and the cast and crew of this series have pulled this impressive feat off once again, since the season six finale of this series was breathtaking to say the least.
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For ‘The Sign’ and ‘New Life’ delivered everything we could ask for and more, since it provided us with plenty of action, an epic final showdown and plenty of surprises along the way. Which quite frankly was a touch surprising since early on, this two-hour season finale made it seem as though for the first time ever, a season finale of this series was going to be a fairly by the numbers affair. After all, Sarge was now on the right side of the battle, and he was determined to end Izel, and Mack and Yo-Yo were able to escape with the reanimated Flint and with everyone closing in on the temple, there really seemed to be no hope of survival for our villain. But once Izel and Sarge were face to face once again, and ready for their final showdown, that’s when this particular tale took quite the left turn.

Because Izel was right, eventually her song would resonate with the darkness residing within Sarge’s soul, and it didn’t take long for the evil to bubble to surface and put the entire mission in crisis. For this hybrid monster plunged his sword into May and sent her into the realm where he came from, and the Shrike made their move as well, pinning down the remainder of the team and infecting Yo-Yo and that’s when hope seemingly left the story. For Izel’s kind were preparing to enter the gateway, May was bleeding out on another world and the living dead surrounded every possible escape route for our heroes and really, kudos to the show for pulling off this particular storytelling feat. Because I did not have a clue, how the heck the team was going to get out of this particular mess.

After all, there was no backup coming (we’ll get into that in a moment), and no plan in place, since their primary ideas dried up, which meant… it was time for the team to just straight up go for it and see what happens and this approach, made for one incredible final showdown. Because it allowed for May to improvise and discover that death has no meaning in Izel’s realm, meaning that she was able to slow the ol’ monster down and eventually battle her face to face and since May was able to put a little fear into Izel’s heart, she was able to catch her by surprise and put her down back on Earth and after she was dealt with, it was up to Mack and Daisy to handle the Sarge. Which with a little teamwork, they were indeed able to do so and while it seemed as though this would be a pyrrhic victory thanks to May’s injuries, the cavalry arrived at the right time.
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But why they were late, is relevant. Because in the midst of this incredible rumble in the jungle, everyone back at the Lighthouse had to deal with a Chronicom invasion since these wayward beings believed that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be able to stop them from making Earth their new home, which meant they needed to eliminate this proud organization from every corner of our world, and our history for that matter. But thanks to an assist from Enoch, FitzSimmons and the remnant of the team were able to escape and assemble a grandiose plan to beat the Chromicoms at their game, and that meant, the team was going to need a powerful asset, one that knows the organization inside and out and can strategize like no one else in S.H.I.E.L.D., which means… that a LMD version of Phil Coulson has been created to help this team do what they do best, save all of mankind from a horrible fate…

If anything, while this may not have been the most epic season finale in the show’s history, it was definitely the most emotional. For lives were truly in jeopardy here and the past hung heavy over this particular tale and well, I loved this one through and through. Because it did a fine job of handling the Izel problem, and in a weird way, it really did offer up closure for Daisy and May and everyone that needed to deal with the death of Phil Coulson. Plus, this finale really did a phenomenal job of setting up the final season of this iconic series, and it’s wonderful to know a pure version of Coulson will be joining the team on their final mission and I know that I’ll definitely be counting down the days until the season seven premiere, to see how this incredible journey comes to an end, and to watch this team save the day, one more time. Until next year. 

While season six of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has accomplished some serious wonders storytelling wise, there’s been one remaining plot point that the series has yet to properly address; how the team really feels about Coulson’s strange resurrection as Sarge. I mean sure, it’s toyed with this issue, but more pressing matters, such as Izel’s arrival on earth and Sarge’s overall ability to be a jerk haven’t quite allowed for the team to process or speak with the man about his origins and now I understand why. Because there is truly a time and a place for everything in a story and it just so happens that the right time to handle this matter, was during the most recent episode of the series, ‘From the Ashes’.
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Because with Mack and Yo-Yo high above the skies dealing with Izel and her demands, those who knew Coulson best, finally had the opportunity to properly speak with him regarding the revelations that came forth in the prior episode. Unfortunately, Agent May wasn’t having a whole lot of luck in figuring out as to whether or not Sarge truly understood what his memories of the team meant, and whether or not it was possible to salvage the good within him and that’s really no surprise. After all, the poor man is a hybrid being, one that doesn’t quite understand his power or the memories of another man but that didn’t stop Daisy from taking this interrogation to the Nth degree by letting the darker side of this whole mess get the better of her.

After all, Daisy isn’t exactly a person who deals with her feels, and as Jemma pointed out quite succinctly in this tale, every time she’s faced unbearable trauma she’s run and she’s hid and well, now we have a better understanding as to why she does that. Because Daisy uses anger and rage to deal with her pain, and that’s something she demonstrated when dealing with Sarge, since she went so far as to call this tortured soul ‘nothing’ all because of the fact that he wears the face of someone she considered to be a father. If anything all of this spoke to how much pain she’s going through, and one got the sense during this segment, that Daisy believed the universe was unfair and cruel for allowing this happen, which is an element of grief and it was quite frankly, surprising to see that kind of stuff on display in a show where aliens run rampant.

But it was important to see here, simply because at some point, one has to deal with their grief and their pain, and the time had come for Daisy to do so. Yet what made her journey so fascinating in this episode, is how she dealt with her pain. For rather than let the ache continue to get to her, she used the sting in her heart to put Sarge to the test, to see if there was any good residing behind that familiar face. Which prompted her to push Sarge like never before and encourage the awakening of his strange power and well, what she came to learn from testing him was supremely satisfying. Because the best parts of Coulson were put on display, and he seemingly remembered Daisy since he called her ‘Skye’ and it’s quite possible now, that this awakening means that S.H.I.E.L.D. has quite the ally in their fight against Izel.

Which could not come at a better time, since she has finally arrived at the hidden temple that Benson was looking into, and she’s keeping Mack and Yo-Yo around to help with rebuilding the Monoliths, setting the stage for one powerhouse finale and before that kicks off later tonight, let’s take a moment and recognize the quality performances present in this tale. Because Clark Gregg and Chloe Bennet absolutely put on an acting clinic in this episode, forcing us to feel their feels along the way and that’s just incredible to say the least since acting is the last thing we think about when tuning into a Marvel series, because we’re here for the action and adventure. But these two, sold this incredible story, and I love that it gave us a little breather, which likely means, tonight’s season fix finale is going to be quite the stunner and I cannot wait to see how this all ends and geek out about it with all of you. Until next time.  

While I was watching the second season of The Handmaid’s Tale, a particular question continued to pop up in my mind, one that I posed in my recaps over the course of several episodes in that, exactly how much punishment could June and the people of Gilead take? After all, we each have our respective breaking points, and when someone finally reaches it, one of two things will happen. We either shatter psychologically and regress within, or we snap and fight back at whatever is causing us harm and that question was on my mind last season, simply because so many characters were taking abuse like never before and it truly seemed as though they were barreling to their respective red lines.
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Yet, they never crossed that point. Sure, June experienced some dark moments, and pondered upon revolution, but her journey in year two continued to focus heavily on how much she could bear upon her shoulders. But all of that changed during last night’s episode. For ‘Liars’ finally saw several characters reach their breaking point, which led to a story that was filled to the brim with incredible surprises, but it sure didn’t seem like that was going to be the case at first. Because early on in this tale there was a lot of back and forth revolving around June’s plan to get the kids out of Gilead, and there was also cowardice from Commander Lawrence, since he tried to run after his wife put a gun to his head, making it seem as though once again June was going to be on her own without an ally. But Lawrence’s return home, brought about some chilling revelations, the kind that led to the surprises in question.

For Lawrence revealed that he was unable to escape Gilead, as he originally planned, due to the fact that his fellow commanders had conveniently forgotten to tell him of the new checkpoint protocols and codes, meaning that the walls were closing in on his household now, and it would only be a matter of time before they came for him for violating Gilead’s various and stupid codes. Which meant June’s plan was quickly going down the drain now that Lawrence no longer had any power to help her get those kids out, prompting her to make one last desperate gambit to save them, and that required a trip to the ever-disturbing Jezebel’s. Wherein she spoke with the Marthas’ underground contact, a man named Billy, about a holding the plane he was sneaking into Gilead, in order to get Lawrence and Eleanor and fifty-two kids out of this disgusting place. 

But while her gambit was successful and uneventful, the fact that High Commander Winslow was at Jezebels this fine evening, complicated matters. Because he wanted to know why on earth June was there alone, and when he heard her cover story, and likely saw through it, he saw an opportunity to exercise the power that came with his title, making it seem as though we were about to be privy to another uncomfortable scene. But rather than let Winslow do as he pleased, June finally snapped and fought back in deservedly brutal fashion and for her efforts, she put an end to Winslow and likely her life in the process, that is until the good karma she put into this place earlier in the season came back to find her in the best way possible. For a Martha that she saved, one of the Chicago Five, found her shortly after she put Winslow down, and she helped June escape and she worked with other Marthas to clean the room up and dispose of the body, likely keeping her from the trouble that Lawrence believes is headed their way.
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Yet while that was stunning, June’s moment of rebellion was oddly overshadowed by Serena and Fred’s journey in this tale. Because they were headed north to talk with Mister Tuello about getting Nichole back to Gilead, and while it seemed as though this troubled couple were reigniting the flame in their relationship whilst on their little road trip, the actual meeting with Tuello likely quelled any future for the Waterfords. For the meeting ended in the most stunning way imaginable, since Canadian military forces and remnant of the United States of America showed up to arrest Fred for his crimes and as he was placed into the back of a car, in violent fashion, Serena received a little bit more of a gentle reception by these forces, strongly implying… that Serena Joy Waterford has reached her breaking point and rather than remain childless and subservient, she sold Fred out to the Canadian authorities and that… is one satisfying way to end an episode.

If anything, the chaos surrounding Winslow’s sudden disappearance and Fred’s arrest will likely keep other entities out of the Lawrence household for the time being, since others may wonder if Winslow was also captured as well, but what matters more in the here and the now, is that Gilead is in trouble. For Lawrence is clearly done with what he’s created and he’s ready to leave, and Winslow is gone and Fred is in custody and his wife is likely going to tell the authorities anything they want to know in order to bring Gilead down and well, this was just a supremely satisfying episode to watch through and through. Because the republic is suddenly crumbling, and it’s happening from within, and if June can pull off her plan, it will only further devastate this foul nation and this, this is everything I’ve been waiting for when it comes to this series. For now, the bad guys are getting their just desserts and the resistance is getting strength and well, this has me anxious and ready for more, and I’ll definitely be counting down the minutes until next week’s episode, so I can bear witness to the beginning of the end, of the Republic of Gilead.