‘Killing Eve’ Recap: ‘Don’t Get Eaten’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 402 of ‘Killing Eve’. To revisit the season four premiere, click here.
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We are taught from a very early age, to never quit searching for what we want, and it makes sense as to why our parents work to instill that lesson. Because life is hard and sometimes, it throws curveballs and challenges our way when we are on a particular quest, and if we don’t stand tall against adversity and the odds… we will never achieve our goals. But while that is a powerful and fulfilling lesson to learn, it is ingrained so deeply into our souls that we tend to apply it to just about everything we do in life and that’s not a good thing by any means. Because sometimes, there are goals we should not achieve or pursue in life, especially the stuff that is unhealthy for us, but that lesson demands that we push ahead toward it… regardless.
 
If anything, that particular conundrum is top of mind today… simply because it served as the focus of the next episode of Killing Eve. For when we catch up with everyone in ‘Don’t Get Eaten’, they’re pushing toward unhealthy goals, the kind that can utterly decimate a person and well, their drive and desire to accomplish ugly wonders, does indeed lead to sour moments. Carolyn for instance… quickly came to learn that the price for demanding the truth about Kenny in the manner she’s conducted… will bring about incredible loneliness and shame and pain. Since she is now a woman without a country and has even betrayed that country. Leaving her lost and despondent here, to the point where it is safe to assume the truth about Kenny may never give her the catharsis she seeks. 
 
But while Carolyn’s path was more straight forward in regard to the lesson in question, this show made sure to find a nuanced way to get its point across, by way of Villanelle’s journey. For she was desperate to make amends for nearly committing murder in the last episode, and she attempted to do so by playing nice and coming along to a Bible retreat. Wherein she could properly apologize in a safe environment, at Villanelle Christ’s behest, and forge the right path forward toward eternal goodness and kindness. But the opportunity to use dirt against the Vicar in a cruel manner because he ‘went against God’ by keeping his transgression a secret, in an attempt to make her look holy and good… backfired miserably.

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To the point where she finally snapped as only, she can, and violently murdered the Vicar and his daughter. Which spoke volumes to the fact that Villanelle isn’t understanding of the fact, that to truly find good and the peace that she so craves, she has to go deeper than intention and address the root causes of her anger and her tendencies. But that appears to be an epiphany that is far off for Villanelle, since she truly believes she can control these tendencies. So much in fact, that she made an effort to handle her Jesus doppelgänger in the same way she handles everything. But the fact that she couldn’t kill Jesus-elle, continues to toy with the audience that perhaps… by chance, Villanelle is redeemable since that ‘death’ would have been a point of no return, and it will be interesting to see this conflict play out in the weeks to come.
 
As for Eve, well her journey was another direct examination of the consequences that can come about when we don’t abandon an unhealthy quest. Since she went full bore into chasing down Hélène in story, to the point where she planted a tracker in her purse and despite getting solid advice from Yusef on how to approach this move and the intel it yielded, Eve demanded answers. So much in fact, that she put herself in harm’s way by storming into her target’s home and expressed her demands. A move that put Eve within an inch of losing her life, but she made headway believe it or not and she once again indulged in the darkness that Villanelle ignited within her long ago. Making it clear that this quest for revenge is truly bringing out the worst in Eve, and she's enjoying it for certain since it is giving her a thrill she hasn't ever experienced in life.
 
In the end however, this was simply a brilliant and powerful tale when all is said and done. Since it once again stayed true to the intimate, slow burn nature of this show, and it featured a bevy of character development as well. Thanks to the fact that everyone is aware of their situation and the risk involved and it also doesn’t hurt… that the lesson inherent was handled in a brutal and scary manner, the kind that raises the real possibility, that not everyone will make it to the finish line this season. Because of the dark and dangerous obsessions hovering over everyone, and it will be fascinating to see where these difficult moments lead these flawed characters... as their final journey continues to take shape. Until next time.   

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