'The Librarians' Recap: 'And the Eternal Question'

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

Every single television show out there, has a particular moment when it achieves outright perfection in regards to the story it is trying to tell. It may take a few seasons, or the entire run of the series, but at some point or another...everything the show set out to accomplish comes together in one magnificent episode, and that's precisely what happened this week on The Librarians, because 'And the Eternal Question' featured an absolutely incredible story last night, one that embodied everything we've come to love about the show. 

After all, this is a series that has always celebrated the wonder of life by giving us characters that are honest and good to their core, to the point where they have always put their lives on the line to save the innocent for no other reason outside of the fact that it is the right thing to do. They are selfless, they are strong and they find ways to work together...and while they've faced danger this year like never before and the possibility of losing their lives, there's a sense of security for these characters, that they'll find a way to keep one another safe, at least...until last night. Because in this episode, Cassandra Cillian faced down death and it seemed for a moment that there was no escaping the end. 

Sure, there was a fascinating plot to go along with this, one where vampires inadvertently discovered a cure for their little problem with daylight...but as far as I'm concerned, all of that took a back seat to Cassandra's story...one where she learned the day she feared the most had come at last. The Brain Grape had finally become a threat to her life and she was given a simple choice...undergo surgery and attempt to remove it, or face certain death. But with a mission on the line and the risk that the surgery may or may not be a success...she chose to power ahead and face the consequences.

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But what made this episode so absolutely incredible was watching Cassandra face the end. She kept her decision from her friends to keep their minds on the mission at hand, and to keep them worry free...and she made a desperate grab to experience as many incredible memories as possible before she passed on to whatever waits for us on the other side, going as far as to declare her love for Jenkins in an effort to experience one last taste of romance...and perhaps garner a brief understanding of what immortality is like before time ran out and her quest to live life to the fullest didn't quite end there.

Cassandra even explored the notion of giving up everything she's ever known and loved to become a vampire and live forever...giving her the opportunity to never fear death again. In the end of course, Jenkins stepped in and got her to the doctor just in time, where her life was saved and newfound abilities were discovered but when all is said and done...what a powerful, powerful story. It truly served as a reminder that every single moment we have in life is precious, and to celebrate the gift we have been given and live it to the fullest and well, that's a message this show always tries to convey and in a season of darkness, this harrowing episode turned out to be a beacon of hope and it would seem that Cassandra is stronger for having gone through her brush with death. 

However, I made mention earlier that this episode was more or less a defining moment for the show, perfection if you will and I stand by that. This is hands down, the best episode of the show I've ever seen. This series has always been about the characters and the incredible people they are...and to see Cassandra face these kinds of odds, and overcome them...is downright inspiring and all of the credit for this episode needs to go to Lindy Booth. She gave us a tour de force performance last night, one that I honestly hope garners her some kind of award nomination because over the course of one hour, she was able to convey every emotion known to man and that takes some serious talent. In the end, this is an episode that didn't advance the Apep plot, and quite frankly...it didn't need to. This was a far more important story to tell, because if our characters aren't able to grow, and experience some of the challenges we face in life, we lose our connection to the story, and after this episode...and all the beauty it sent our way, it's safe to say that our connection with this lovely little show, is stronger than ever. Until next time.

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