Whoa, Sleepy Heads! Monday (Nov. 3) night’s “Sleepy Hollow” was intense. When Moloch said that Katrina is a vessel, we came up with a few theories on what that could mean. One hunch was that she would get knocked up with a demon baby. Even with that in mind, we didn’t see this wild and crazy twist coming. “Deliverance” truly puts the Witnesses and Katrina to the test and answers some of the questions we’ve begun to ask over the past few weeks.
The episode opens with a tender moment between Ichabod and Katrina. The Cranes imagine what their future children will be like. Ichabod visualizes strapping boys and the girls would be enchantresses like their mother. (Is this a flashback or is Katrina just dreaming? If this endearing conversation really transpired, could Katrina have been pregnant with Jeremy at the time?) It is a bittersweet moment that comes to an abrupt halt when Katrina wakes in agonizing pain. Henry’s Jincan spider has begun poisoning her body.
Abraham sees Katrina suffering and swears he has nothing to do with this unnatural illness. Then Henry barges in to make a “house call.” He is acting under Moloch’s command. He checks her out to be sure the Jincan is working properly and has his men cease Katrina. Abraham lashes out and tries to defend Katrina. Henry shuts him down and warns that Moloch doesn’t tolerate disobedience. Henry exposes Abraham to the sunlight and slows down the smoking Headless Horseman. To Abe’s credit, he desperately tries protecting Katrina, but ultimately fails.
Luckily, Katrina is a kick-ass chick who knows how to fend for herself. She runs like hell, reaches the highway and calls out for help. A couple of nearby gas station employees help her. Meanwhile, Ichabod witnesses another one of the American liberties he so valiantly fought for.
Abbie heads to the voting polls and Ichabod tags along, providing colorful commentary on the subject. He mocks “American Idolatry” and scoffs at how much the voting process has changed. Maybe if they still gave away free pints of beer, more people would turn up at the voting polls. Regardless of all the fun jokes and Crane’s last second suggestions, the significance of this freedom is not lost on either Witness, especially Abbie.
Once Abbie rocks her vote, she receives a call about a red-headed Jane Doe that was taken to Westchester General Hospital. Knowing it must be Katrina, they immediately rush over. Ichabod promises to remain by her side and they try to figure out what is wrong with her.
There is something contracting in Katrina’s abdomen and her veins are turning black. She has tried all sorts of enchantments and spells, but nothing has worked. This dark plague is something different. Plus, she says Henry expected this to happen. Moloch has a new purpose for Katrina and she barely got away. Henry’s men are coming after her, so they start heading out of the hospital.
Abbie grabs Katrina a corset and tight skinny jeans from the lost and found (you know that gothic chic outfit came straight out of Hot Topic.) Either way, this sexy ensemble is too “form-fitting” and revealing for Ichabod’s taste. Adorable! (It makes you wonder how he would react if he ever saw Abbie get all dolled up for a hot date. Perhaps we’ll find out later this season.) It is also sweet to see how Ichabod never releases his hold on Katrina. Now that he’s got her back, he’s literally afraid to let her go. Abbie distracts Henry’s men, while Ichabod and Katrina sneak out. The gang plans rendezvous back at the archives.
Katrina casts a hex to warn them if Henry’s men are approaching the archives. Then she tries to help Ichabod figure out what she’s been inflicted with. She recalls seeing a symbol of a goat in the doctor’s notebook. Crane recognizes it as the symbol of the Hellfire Club. Yup, we knew that was going to make a comeback. Ichabod explains how the Hellfire Club fought for evil to prevail during the Revolutionary War. As we learned in the premiere, Benjamin Franklin infiltrated the club and retrieved the key to Purgatory. While he was there, Franklin saw a woman with Katrina’s symptoms. Hopefully Franklin’s journals will contain some helpful information on a possible cure.
As the frantically research, Ichabod lamentingly blames himself for what subjecting Katrina to such danger. He never should have left Katrina with the Horseman. She assures Crane that Abraham had nothing to do with this. In her defense of her former betrothed, Ichabod learns that his wife has been conversing with the Headless Horsemen thanks to an enchantment. Ichabod is not pleased with this sort of intimate interaction. Katrina is quick to clarify that she doesn’t chat with him for pleasure’s sake, she is trying to gain information on Moloch’s plan. She admits that her secrets have broken Ichabod’s heart, but every lie she told was for his protection and it should not reflect the love they truly and deeply share. Once Ichabod simmers down and wraps his brain around the situation, he agrees. One day this war will end and the Cranes will be able to build their life together, the life they deserve.
During the Cranes’ couple’s counseling session, Abbie gets some dirt on Henry’s men. She follows them back to a warehouse where they have a lab and makeshift hospital set-up. She takes photos of everything in sight, including a tablet. She overhears the men tell Henry over the phone that they have until sundown. Abbie catches sight of a corpse with blackened veins like Katrina’s. They’ve been testing on others in preparation for Katrina. Something epic is about to go down. She rushes back to the archives and shows Crane the images.
While examining the photos, Ichabod notices the stirrups on the hospital bed. He reads through his research and starts adding up all the pieces: various symptoms, inception, and delivery. Katrina is pregnant and that baby is popping out of her within the next 10 hours. Ichabod is rattled by this revelation. Clearly the child cannot be his. He shoots his wife a glare full of doubt, heartbreak, and a hint of impending rage. Has she done the unthinkable? Katrina swears that it is not Abraham’s and she is offended that the thought would even cross Crane’s mind. Yeah, can’t blame her on that one. Ichabod is upset, but driven to find answers. He looks through the book and realizes that Henry implanted Katrina with a birthing seed derived from the Jincan. Dark covens use it to grow demons. Whaaat?! Katrina has a demonic bun in the oven! (Ok, so maybe we kind of expected this, but still…) Before they have time to properly process this disturbing news, Katrina’s hex burns up, signaling the arrival of Henry’s men.
Katrina, Ichabod and Abbie escape through the tunnels and find sanctuary in St. Henry’s Parrish. They will be protected on consecrated ground, plus the location holds special meaning for the Cranes since that is where Katrina left young Jeremy. Katrina knows that Henry did this to her, so he is the only one who can undo it. As a sin eater, he is capable of removing the demon. Ichabod agrees that Henry possesses great power, but he uses it for evil. Katrina doesn’t want to give up on their son. There is hope for him yet because there is a part of him that still remains human. Henry is continues keeping ties with his parents, even if it is to torment them. Besides, Moloch is trying to kill her, so they don’t have many options.
Despite everything, Ichabod assures Katrina that he also has not lost all faith in their son and agrees to reach out to Henry for help. Abbie chimes in and tries to keep it real. Henry is the Horseman of War. He doesn’t have any soft spots left for his parents. Katrina argues that Henry is not a lost cause. Abbie begs them to be objective about this. Ichabod weighs the pros and cons. Katrina has until sundown, they are running out of time and Henry is their only option. Crane tries to be democratic and puts it to a vote. Yeah Abbie can do the math. If this is Plan A, then Ichabod better get moving.
In another phenomenal scene, Ichabod implores Henry to have a heart. Tom Mison and John Noble are pure magic on screen. The speak volumes through their gazes alone, so the dialogue is just icing on cake. Henry gloats and tells Ichabod that Katrina is pregnant with not just any feeble demon, she is carrying the Horrid King aka Moloch. Oh hell no! How is that even possible? We knew Moloch wanted to crossover, but who would’ve thought he could be born into this world. Creepy!
This whole cinematic sequence is very well done. Katrina and Abbie discover the same news on their own, while Henry lords Katrina’s ill fate over his father. Abbie urges Katrina to fight Moloch with her magic, but her power pales in comparison. Katrina is willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good. If Katrina dies, then Moloch would die with her. Abbie refuses to accept that as an option. They will find a way to get rid of baby Moloch and save Katrina. This is such a wonderful scene between Katia Winter and Nicole Beharie. They are both strong, intelligent, thoughtful, driven and badass women. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more scenes with the two of them. (Dream Kabbie scene: Watching Ichabod’s lovely ladies compare notes on his entertaining quirks. Make it happen, Sleepy Writers.) Back to the father-son showdown.
Ichabod tries everything to appeal to Henry’s humanity, he even emphasizes their similarities. Henry loves to leave people hanging on his every word, so Ichabod quips, “Our mutual love of words is not a coincidence.” Like father, like son, right? No. Ok, well what about Henry’s decision to live in Frederick’s Manor, the very home in which he was born. Surely Henry must feel guilty for punishing his parents like this. Nope, Henry is having a blast torturing his parents. So Ichabod gives him one last chance. Crane understands that his son is sick with Moloch’s evil and urges him to fight it. He beseeches, “Spare her, Jeremy.” Way to tug on those heartstrings, Ichabod! Unfortunately, it is no use.
Henry chooses Moloch and openly rejects his parents. Moloch shows leadership and might, he will burn this wretched world. Crane realizes that Henry is afraid to face the truth. If he didn’t, he would’ve read Ichabod’s sins and seen that his father has done nothing worthy of this kind of torment. As Henry walks away, Ichabod grabs hold of his hand. Crane sees a vision of frightened and lost young Jeremy running through the woods. “That was you!” gasps Ichabod. Henry shoots his father another soul-stirring glare and walks away. Wow. Like we said before. This episode is INTENSE.
Ichabod rushes back to Abbie and Katrina with the bad news. Even after this ruthlessness, Katrina refuses to give up faith on their son. Faith kept her going for 231 years while she was trapped in Purgatory, so she will fervently continue clinging to it now. During the Cranes’ chat, Abbie notices that the tablet is distorted in the photo she took. She points it out to Ichabod and he thinks the distortion is caused by aurora borealis. He “must internet immediately.” Hilarious!
They look up Benjamin Franklin’s article on the aurora borealis and discover an embedded code. Franklin realized the aurora borealis can stop Moloch. He created an aurora borealis prism and inserted it into the tablet. If retrieve the prism, they can use it to banish Moloch and save Katrina’s life. Retrieving the tablet would be so much easier if Ichabod still had an army to assist him. Abbie comes up with a plan to assemble an army of her own. Before heading out to the police station, Ichabod hand Katrina a radio walkie-talkie and tells her it works like magic, if she calls, he will answer.
Abbie reaches out to Sheriff Reyes and asks for help on a major breakthrough. She tells Reyes that they need to take down a Doomsday Cult. Abbie fills her in on the Hellfire Club and she agrees to provide a tactical team to raid the warehouse. Once they infiltrate enemy camp, Ichabbie breaks away from the team and gets the tablet. Abbie covers Ichabod while he tries different lock combinations. Abbie’s educated guess, 666, unlocks the safe. Awesome! They take the tablet just in time before Reyes bursts into the room. She is very impressed by Abbie and understand why Corbin spoke so highly of her. Yay! Reyes is starting to come around. She even begins to value Crane, who is passing as a criminal profiler with an emphasis on historical imitation. That’s a mouthful and a pretty clever cover. Hopefully this means he can officially work with the department again. Katrina calls Ichabod and tells him Baby Moloch is ready to make his evil entrance, so Crane and Abbie head back.
Ichabod shatters the tablet, gets the prism and exposes it to the sunlight. The rays surround Katrina’s pregnant belly in a glowing red light. Baby Moloch disappears right before our eyes, but the cure takes a toll on Katrina. She falls unconscious and this time around Ichabod doesn’t stand idly by. Having learned from Nick Hawley, Ichabod performs CPR and resuscitates his beloved wife. The love birds get their smooch on and poor Abbie awkwardly stands by as the third wheel.
This near death catastrophe has rejuvenated the Cranes’ bond. Ichabod is now back by his wife’s side, where he belongs. Holding Katrina filled Ichabod with a deep joy that he has not felt in ages. He also assures Katrina that he saw a glimmer of hope in their son. Ichabod tells her about his vision of young Jeremy crying out for help. He believes that small boy still exists deep down inside of vicious Henry. It boils down to a matter of faith. But maybe they are blinded by their unconditional love as his parents. When Abbie gets a moment alone with Ichabod, she makes sure her partner is still keeping things in perspective.
Ichabod and Abbie celebrate their win against Moloch with a fist-bump, Crane even adds the explosive finish. Super cute! Abbie doesn’t press him about Henry, but you can tell she’ll be keeping an eye on Ichabod. Katrina is keeping the faith, while Abbie is trying to keep it real. Ichabod is smack in the center. He must find a balance between how his heart feels and what his reason says.
As the episode concludes, Henry is working on his next method of attack. He has captured electricity in a jar. What could it be for?
This episode was a game-changer. Abraham has lost Katrina and will probably try to get her back. Henry lost another battle and Moloch didn’t get top-side as he planned, so the Horrid King is going to pretty pissed. It will be interesting to see how Katrina’s presence will influence Ichabod’s interaction with Abbie, as well as his perspective on their upcoming cases.
It is sweet of the Cranes to believe in their misguided son, but Abbie is probably right. Henry’s actions show no signs of him slowing down or repenting. It will probably take something epic to make Henry change his course. For now, he is hell-bent on carrying out Moloch’s wishes and dueling out monsters until one of them takes the Witnesses down.
What did you think of “Deliverance”? Were you surprised by Katrina’s pregnancy with Baby Moloch? Do you think there is still hope for Henry? Are you excited to see Katrina join Abbie and Ichabod? Are you worried she might throw off their groove?
Share your thoughts below and stay tuned for more scoop!
“Sleepy Hollow” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on FOX.
