“Say goodbye to eternal life.”
By Jesse Schedeen
Warning: full episode spoilers follow.
Two of The Strain’s more important running storylines came to a head this week, as the search for the Occido Lumen concluded and Eph finally made good on his promise to kill Eldritch Palmer. Well, he thought he did, at least, and they do say it’s the thought that counts. This episode benefited greatly from this added plot momentum, even if the show continues to frustrate by leaving certain characters and conflicts by the wayside.
Eph’s storyline began on an almost lighthearted note this week, as he hung out with Dutch and the two commiserated about their respective romantic woes. Dutch’s particular love triangle may be the weakest element of the season, but at least it served a purpose here as far as playing up her bond with Eph. It was easy to forget as the two sat around sharing booze and spying on Palmer’s office that they were getting ready to murder a man (however villainous he might be) in cold blood.
But only for a while, as eventually the two found themselves perched on a rooftop and waiting for the perfect shot to present itself. As predictable as the outcome of the shooting was, there was still a clear sense of tension and unease during this scene as the clock ticked and Eph grew increasingly frustrated. Would he be forced to scrap the plan and try again later? Would he make a rash decision and pull the trigger regardless of any innocent bystanders in the way? In the end, a thirst for vengeance overrode any sense of caution.
Again, the fact that it was Coco, not Palmer, who took the bullet was predictable. All season long as the Palmer/Coco romance has developed, it’s been pretty clear that she was being set up as a sacrifice – something to exploit Palmer’s underlying humanity and provide a new tragedy to motivate him. My worry all along was that she would never be allowed to grow into a real character beyond that. That’s still a concern this late into the season, but this episode at least made an interesting swerve by not killing off Coco outright. Instead, she lay in critical condition, forcing Palmer to bring all his weight to bear against Eichorst and the Master. Given the tone of their previous encounter, you can imagine that Eichorst enjoyed turning the screws on Palmer like he did.
In a lot of ways, this really was Palmer’s episode. The character has reached a critical crossroad in his life, as it seems less and less likely that he can both have Coco and continue his alliance with the Master. Once again, despite his various misdeeds it’s hard not to sympathize with Palmer as he frets over losing Coco and his inability to be completely honest with her. This is the first real relationship he’s had in a life that’s been spent largely in boardrooms and hospital beds. The desperation he felt at seeing Coco bleeding out on an operating table was palpable, and apparently enough to sway even the Master into making “matters of the heart” a high priority for a change.
It’s impossible to say what exactly the immortal bloodsucker was thinking when he appeared to revive Coco. It’s doubtful he was actually moved by Palmer’s plight. More likely he was pragmatic enough to know that it’s in his best interests to keep Palmer loyal and happy for a while longer. The question is whether he’ll demand something in return – some sort of favor or sign of renewed fealty. Or is the knowledge that Palmer may have driven Coco away once and for all its own reward? It’s hard to imagine her reacting well to the knowledge that her boss/boyfriend is in cahoots with a vampire mass murderer and used said vampire’s blood to pull her from the brink of death. Whatever the outcome, hopefully this act marks the point where Coco comes into her own as a character and is defined as something more than just Palmer’s love interest.
It should also be very interesting to see the repercussions for Eph. He crossed a pretty significant line in this episode. He took it upon himself to assassinate someone, and thanks to a combination of his perpetual drunkenness and a lack of long-range marksmanship training, he very nearly killed an innocent woman instead. Between that mistake and the four people killed during Eph’s trip to Washington, there’s a pattern forming that’s hard to ignore. Eph’s behavior is self-destructive and foolhardy, and he might have been better off left in that prison cell. It’s an interesting gamble for the show to work so hard to make viewers root against the main character, and hopefully it pays off.
Elsewhere, Setrakian finally made good on his vow to track down the Lumen. Fortunately for him, the book’s true owner just happened to be within walking distance of Brooklyn. His frantic search for the book juxtaposed against Eph’s fight for survival in the police station lent a nice touch of drama to the climax. His victory proved as fleeting as Eph’s, as no sooner did Setrakian hold the book in his hands than he was blindsided and robbed. But whomever actually holds the book now, we can probably look forward to the book becoming a focal point of the final three episodes.
All told, this was an all-around strong episode with little filler and some key story developments. The only problem was what it didn’t include. Once again, there wasn’t a peep from Gus, Angel or Quinlan. Considering how Quinlan steals pretty much every scene he appears in, it’s disappointing how little he’s actually appeared in recent weeks.
Two running plot threads received a major jolt of energy this week as the Occido Lumen finally resurfaced and Eph made his ill-advised move against Eldritch Palmer. This episode set several wheels in motion and left Eph in a darker place than ever. It’s disappointing that so many key characters continue to be ignored in the push towards the finale, but at least there was no filler getting in the way.
