Orphan Black - Done Deal?

Mysteries abound in the last episode of Orphan Black (Mingling It's Own Nature With It) not the least of which is, did Henrik and Helena do the dirty deed?

I was going to entitle this blog post "Consummation?" but the whole scene still creeps me out.  

"Consummation" still doesn't sit well. 

 

Let's take a look at how this penultimate scene played out.

First, we had the "family" gathered about.  Helena looked to be dressed in some sort of wedding gown and most of the guests (?) wore white also.  Then, the leading candidate for OB creepazoid of the week, Henrik, parted the waves of people and sat beside an obviously drugged Helena.

A bizarre and rather quick ceremony took place and from what we were able to understand Henrik and Helena are now bound in matrimony.  I didn't see any shotguns but this sure did happen fast.  No one raised their hand for dissent either but I don't doubt "first born" Gracie wasn't too happy with the proceedings.  (Mark seemed on board but I have my doubts.)

Amidst applause, Henrik quickly scooped up Helena and departed down a bleak and foreboding hallway.  Henrik spoke of a "War for creation" just moments earlier and characterized Helena as a "creation of man" but that God shone his light down upon her.  He also called himself an "instrument of God."

You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to guess what happens next.  But did it happen they way our collective imagination said it did?

In the previous episode, Henrik was speaking to Mark amidst all the cows and telling him how artificially inseminating them was just helping God's will along.  Earlier in this same episode we learned of new character Cal and how his scientific research helped bees in their pollination process.

Just a few of the "fertilization" metaphors we've run into lately.

So did they do the dirty deed?  

"Dirty" in many respects.  The charismatic and self anointed Henrik has forced himself upon Helena.  She did not consent to any of the aforementioned and was obviously not in full possession of her faculties.  (Well, is she ever?)  This is a TV series replete with the theme of female empowerment and to see a man force himself upon a helpless female does not sit well at all.  Add to that, Henrik often refers to this as a man's world. This just makes the teeth grind.

I have my suspicions about Henrik and the intent of Orphan Black for this particular scene.  He calls himself a man of God but it all seems too easy.  Did Orphan Black throw us a curve ball?

I'm probably coming down on the wrong side of this but instead of entering the "Honeymoon" suite with it's tiny window, I think instead Henrik is delivering Helena to a lab where he intends to artificially inseminate her and "help her along."

I know, I know, everything points to the fact that he probably raped her.  (Not how he sees it, hence the matrimony.)  But with this being a female empowerment show and all the fertilization metaphors I can't help but think that Orphan Black didn't go there.

Feel free to call me a hopeless sucker after the next episode.

The Second Mystery

Speaking of "Fertilization" what is the first think Kira asks of the new character Cal?

"Are you my dad?"

From the mouth of babes.

Well is he?  Sarah said the timing was right.  Is this another scam?  Sarah and Cal had sex that led to a child?  How pedestrian!  This is science fiction!  Who has sex like that anymore?  Where are the robots? 

Well, looks like they had sex the old fashioned way that night.  (Did anyone else think of Olivia's favorite part of the day when we witnessed this morning tableau?)  

But since these two are obviously attracted to each other why shouldn't they fall into each others arms?  It offers a telling counterpoint to the Henrik and Helena scene.

• One scene shows consent, the other, definitely not.
•  We see love between Cal and Sarah.  Well, at least Henrik is in love with himself.
• The joyous product of Sarah and Cal is the miracle of Kira.  Do you believe in any miracles for Helena and Henrik.  (I sense damnation.)

It could be that Henrik forcing himself upon Helena will lead to a product of great evil and that is the point the writers are trying to tell us.  Perhaps I am too squeamish for that and I am only shielding myself from Henrik's maliciousness.

Good versus evil, love versus power.  The war for creation indeed.

One Last Mystery

 

Any thoughts into who is driving the yellow truck?

I say it is Cal.  He knows all the back roads and trails and found away to intercept the car.  Some say it is just an innocent driver and Sarah maneuvered the car in order to make a violent getaway.  A third option it is the Proletheans and nothing gets by them in their realm.

Or!

It could be Mrs. S!

Your thoughts?  

Crazy drivers?  Love, power or sex?

There is a lot to chew on right Helena?