Sleepy Hollow - The Red Witch

That didn't take long did it?

Katrina's conversion to the dark side took but a few spoken words from Henry and she was seduced.  Henry appealed to Katrina's sense of family but there was definitely an undercurrent of a "us versus them" quality to it.  You could even extend Henry's words to an "intolerance" he felt.

This was more than evident when Henry taunted Crane and Abbie as he had them tied to a pole.  He was referring to the time when his people were persecuted and burned at the stake.

 It seems, "turn about is fair play" is in his mind.

(As an aside, how a group of people as powerful as witches and warlocks could allow themselves to be persecuted is beyond me.  In real life the "witches" of Salem were just the same as you and I.  They were branded as different by an fanatical and dogmatic group that preyed upon others fears.  Henry lives in the TV world of witches.)


Henry also referred to his mixed blood as a sense of shame.  Since his father, Ichabod, was a human Henry felt diminished and not up to the task of forming a new and powerful coven in Sleepy Hollow.

(I think Sleepy Hollow was careful to protect Katrina from the message of intolerance but this subtext was too pervasive to ignore.)

Sleepy Hollow didn't seem like the show that would tackle the subject of race relations in America or intolerance in general.  That's pretty heavy fare and it takes quite a bit of courage to risk your show with such materiel for fear of alienating people.

But, it looks like Sleepy was willing to go there.

As soon as Abbie landed in the eighteenth century I got a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach.  Abbie shared this feeling almost as rapidly as the viewing audience.  Despite the fact she was on the American side of the timeline that very same timeline embraced slavery and the looks she got from the Colonials was one of mistrust, intolerance and yes, racism.

What did Abbie say?  "This cannot be happening?"  She knew she was in a lot of trouble.  Her manner, her clothes, bold speech and yes, color landed her in jail.  Her one out was Ichabod Crane if she could find him.

BTW, why Abbie ran at Katrina as she was casting her spell is a mystery.  Perhaps she thought, as I, Katrina was summoning a dark spirit from some deep netherworld.  As it was, the depth of Katrina's anger with Ichabod moved her to reset the timeline and go back into the past when her family was whole again.  Or at least to a time just before it.

 It was a bold an ingenious move by Katrina and pretty clever of the Sleepy Hollow writers.  When they go to reset their series they really mean it.  All the way back to the beginning!

I wonder how Katrina will feel once she crosses paths with the woman that shot her son.  You know it will happen but then again maybe all is well once Kat fixes the past.

Unless of course that fix results in the Headless Horseman lopping off Ichabod's head.

Hmm, that could be a problem.  Now I'm sure Abbie will cross paths with Katrina and maybe my crackpot theory about Abbie killing Katrina or at least tangentially causing her death will come true.

The B Line

The B storyline that set Evil Frank against Miss Jenny was pretty great also.

Lyndie Greenwood is amazing.  To see her run along that platform firing her weapons was something to marvel at.  There's an idea.  Someone get on the horn right now and find a job Greenwood in an upcoming Marvel or DC superhero movie.  She is right at home with the action sequence.

For his part, Orlando Jones reminded me of Wesley Snipes in either his "Demolition Man" or "Blade" roles.

I like how Jenny was ready to go with the "Nuclear" option of using the Gorgon's head.  (Although I was a little unnerved by the sideways glances Jenny kept giving to the head.  Don't chance locking eyes with that thing girl!)  Jenny never gave up hope on Frank.  It was a credit to her character and Lyndie's skill as an actress.

With Henry's passing, Frank was released from his thrall and vomited the darkness that consumed his soul.

Goodbye to Henry?

Nice effect to see Henry evaporate in front of our eyes.  He floated away in a swirl of shiny gold and green particulates.  Did you notice it wasn't a cloud of blackness?  It was a sad scene.  Henry quoted Shakespeare with his father and reminded his mother his name was Jeremy.

I thought this was the end of John Noble on Sleepy Hollow.  Too bad.  Then I realized we may not have a Sleepy Hollow next season after all.  The previews for the season finale look to be pretty amazing so there is hope.

I suppose it is possible that an entirely new version of Henry could be reborn if Katrina has her way but I rather doubt it.

So what will happen?

Crane has to live for the show to go on.  Frank and Jenny seem pretty safe in the future.  Will Katrina seek to reconcile with Abraham in the past?  Or will she let slip the dogs of war upon Ichabod.  What will Abbie do to preserve the role of the Witnesses?  If Abraham is ascendent does that mean the return of Moloch?

Nah.

Whatever happens, TV would be foolish not to give more work to Tom Mison.  And I hereby declare I will turn my wallet upside down for any superhero movie that Lyndie Greenwood is in.