OUAT: Hook To Return To Storybrooke?

Can't keep true love down... 

                  Wow! Hook being a Dark One was a wild twist! Then OUAT had to break my heart by killing another of Emma's loves. Heroes can save the day but they can't seem to hold onto personal relationships but then there was hope. Emma is last seen with her family walking into hell (literally) to get her love back. I loved how in the end Emma said, "I will always find you" a line her parents always say to one another when the other is lost signifying their undying love and bond. Does that mean Hook is Emma's true love?

We all look for one's whose demons play well with ours

           People have wondered if true love's kiss is so powerful then why didn't Hook's kisses work in the beginning? Could have been because before Emma wasn't sure of the romance herself. She had feelings for Hook but she wasn't sure of herself or she was just a "glass half empty" girl. The second attempt was that Hook was already a Dark One and didn't know it. So true their kisses haven't broken any spells yet but that doesn't mean Emma is going to give up on Hook so easily. Now she's 100% committed to her love for Killian and has proven that she will sacrifice whatever it takes to save him overcoming any obstacle even death (just like her parents). It does seem like Emma's love story is imitating Snow White and Charming's. Emma and Hook started out as enemies then slowly they fell in love with each other and seem to want to save each other in epic ways. 

Remember the good times

           Emma's plan is to share a heart with Killian like Snow White and David. But will that work? I'm sure once Hook learns how Gold tricked everyone (again) he'll want to come back with Emma. It's only fair since his noble sacrifice was for nothing. But that doesn't mean Death will let go of the pirate without some condition or obstacle that Emma will have to over come. Also sharing a heart is a big step for Emma. She loved Neal but Hook captured Emma's whole heart or half of one in this case. I think Killian would accept having part of Emma's heart if it meant they can be together, not as Dark Ones but as a real couple. 

True Love Conquers All... Even Death

           I have a hard time believing that Killian Jones is just gone. It seems unfair and doesn't fit with the show's theme of never giving up and love conquering all. Killian and Emma seem meant to be with the same flaws but being the other's anchor to keep them on track. Emma doesn't seem whole without her pirate nor he without her.

The Originals: Klamille Over?

The streets of New Orleans will run red

                 After 2 and a half seasons of "will they-might they", Cami and Klaus finally get together. However, once again crazy Aurora finds a way to ruin everything as after their heavy make out session, she sneaks in (some how without all these supernaturals who supposedly have super sensitive hearing noticing) and slits poor Cami's throat leaving Klaus to wake to find her dead in his arms covered in her blood. We last see Klaus crying in grief but is this really the end of Klamille?

Where's mistletoe when you need it?

           It seems unfair to kill off Cami just as she and Klaus were about to start off on a relationship. On the one hand Cami is a good influence on the tyrannical Wolf King and would have made him a better father and all around better person. On the other hand though... strictly from a writer's point of view... Klaus as a tame beast would have been too perfect and to be honest kind of boring. Don't get me wrong, there would have definitely been conflicts given that old bloody habits die hard, but Joseph Morgan and Julie Plec agree that a tame Klaus is not a Klaus at all. That doesn't mean Klaus won't do everything in his power to bring Cami back. This is a show where many of our characters cheat death constantly. Maybe Vincent could help unless Aurora or Tristan decide to black mail him. But this leaves open which human would take Cami's place.

You got it all wrong, copper!

        Julie Plec explained that like Matt was the only human (keeping someone team human was essential as somebody had to be the voice of the innocents) Cami was the only human in New Orleans to represent the human citizens in the community. Which means perhaps instead of a therapist a cop will become the new human representative. Detective Kinney had a hard initiation into the supernatural world of New Orleans but Klaus helped him beat Lucien's compulsion. Having a detective could help our characters better to help keep an eye on their rivals. Also if Cami doesn't come back, Kinney may like to help to get revenge (if he's so inclined). But is also opens up for conflict as Kinney will want to up hold the law so it may become an internal struggle for him as well as an external struggle for the Originals. 

Merry Christmas, loves

         Although I'm a Klaroline fan I liked Klamille while it lasted. I foresee Klaus going on a rampage of grief as he usually does when he's in emotional pain. Aurora, Tristan, and Lucien awoke the beast and he'll make them suffer.

The Magicians: Magic Is Addictive

Hogwarts, eat your heart out!

               Think of Harry Potter and Narnia all grown up but more emo and dark. Still hurting from the Dominion cancelation but I'm really looking forward to this show. Based on the best selling novels "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman, the series centers around Brakebills University, a secret school located in up state New York, specializing in magic. Even the production value is fantastic! In our world it's grey and drab while at Brakebills there's a flood of color, rosy and full of life enforcing the contrast on how our characters view the 2 worlds. 

Safe inside a book

           I already like Quentin Coldwater. He's a character I can relate to. In reviews I've read so far (and from watching the Pilot) I see that Quentin is not only trying to leave his childhood behind but he's also a kid who doesn't fit in anywhere. In the beginning we see Quentin talking to a psychiatrist, taking antidepressants, sitting alone at the party then just going to his room to escape it all and read a book he cherished in grade school. Quentin doesn't feel like he belongs so he's awkward and shy not wanting to rock the boat or any attention at all. Even his best friend, Julia seems to be leaving him behind, telling him to grow up until they both get invited to Brakebills University to see if they have potential in the art of magic. Quentin gets in but Julia is rejected. 

Magic is a drug & Julia's hopelessly addicted

         Interesting characters with unique personalities. Julia is an interesting case. I consider her the "Susan" (from C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia) of the cast, someone in a hurry to grow up, focused, a know-at-all but she's a perfectionist so she's very shaken when she finds she's rejected from a school of magic. She neglects her friends and wallows in misery. She even cut herself so the forgetting spell wouldn't work. That's pretty extreme! Magic is her drug and she's in withdrawal making her open to dark unsavory influences. There was that scary moment in the club bathroom where she's half naked tied to a radiator then jumps up and sparks literally start flying. Julia gets accepted into a sort of street school of magic.

Try this magical cocktail. Now where's that eye of newt...

         Quentin quickly makes new friends with the chill Eliot Waugh and feisty Margo Hanson who show him the ropes of Brakebills. But appearances may be deceiving, they could become Quentin's adversaries later on as the mystery of the school unfolds. And unfortunately Quentin may have made a few bad first impressions with his intense room mate William "Penny" Adiyodi who can read people's thoughts (though it's sometimes more of a burden). Then there's the A-Student magician legacy Alice Quinn who's bold and serious (unnerving Quentin quickly) about finding out what happened to her brother at Brakebills who died there mysteriously. I know it's too early but I'm shipping Quentin and Alice. They just seem cute together and look like they would get along very well once they penetrate each other's hard shells. 

Don't you hate magical scars?

          All the while Quentin is having visions foretelling doom. With a Hermione as your spirit guide who speaks in riddles it's hard to see what's coming. Quentin struggles with listening to his premonitions that tell him to dig deeper into Brakebills secrets while trying not to get kicked out of the only place he feels like he belongs. At the end of the Pilot some scary monster (known as The Beast) wearing a suit, who's face is obscured by many moths freezes time and starts killing professors then he turns his hungry eyes to Quentin. 

The magic's inside you...

         I'm anxious to see what happens next and how the series does next year. Quentin's already a favorite for me. He's the embodiment of every shy, antisocial in the world where there doesn't seem to be a place we quite fit in but we know there's something inside us that sets us apart from the rest. A power that we pour into art and creativity and there's nothing more creative or more of an art than magic.

The belly of the Beast... is where someone is going to end up

The Man In The High Castle: A Dark, Twisted World That You'll Dive Into

             WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS. 

          Now that I gave a disclaimer I can get to raving about Amazon's recent masterpiece The Man In The High Castle! Alternate history is a fun subject. The "What If" is irresistible! Now what would have happened if the Axis powers won World War II? The answer: very scary.

       Best Parts:

              1. Many of the characters were fantastic (not so much Joe Blake and Juliana Craine but we'll get to them later). With actors like Rufus Sewell and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa you can't go wrong. Characters such as the Nazi officer John Smith and Kempeitai Inspector Kido were absolutely terrifying but there were moments when you saw them as human beings. John finds out that his son is diagnosed with a genetic disorder that would paralyze him. Given the law that the crippled and mentally disabled are to be equalized (the Nazis called it "mercy killings") John has to decide on whether or not to "spare" his son the pain of living in a wheel chair or to "mercy kill" him. Apparently John's older brother had the same issue. Seeing Smith grapple with this makes me forget that he's a Nazi and close to the end I found myself hoping he wouldn't die when Reinhardt took him out into the woods. Underneath the fascist is a man who is devoted to his family.

           Kido took a while but close to the end you saw that he was a man of honor who was ready to sacrifice anything to protect the Pacific States. At first when he said he wasn't a monster I scoffed. I still think he's a despicable guy but he's that way for a reason. Every group needs a designated ass hole as they say. I still wanted Kido to go through with his suicide but I felt kinda bad for the guy nevertheless. 

         2. The mystery of the films that show an alternate universe, the reveal of who the Man in the High Castle is, and Tagomi's transportation to our timeline were mind blowing. That and the setting with seeing how society is run on both sides of the divided United States. Every detail was well thought out and the darkness of the show really resonated with that "maybe" hanging heavy on your mind. Would the United States had turned into that oppressive world? Maybe. Most likely. Things could have gone differently in the War in which the Nazis win and take over the world. So much death and destruction (after the Germans dropped their H-Bomb on Washington D.C.) is a scary thought. 

     
          3. The ending was the best part. It took me a few minutes to process because it was so unbelievable. Hitler is the Man in the High Castle. He's a man in a high castle but also when you think about it it's genius. When you have everyone looking for the same thing either way you get what you want. 

   
        Low Points

            1. Perhaps my only complaint is Joe Blake and Juliana Craine. Together these characters have wonderful chemistry. I sense Juliana has more of a spark with Joe than she does with Frank (though Frank is a pretty engaging character). Almost like Joe and Juliana are meant to be together but they keep missing their chance. On their own however, Joe and Juliana are pretty bland characters. I just couldn't get into their individual journeys they seemed to blend in with the wall. 

        Seeing as I have little to complain about this show I'd say it has lived up to the hype. I'm already praying for a season 2 so that this exciting journey may continue.

The Originals: Davina Deposed Now What?

         

My heart breaks for Davina!
She just keeps getting bullied & beat down!

        It's not Thanksgiving without a few heart breaks and Davina getting ostracized by the French Quarter witches was by far the biggest heart break for me. 

Vincent should just leave if he can't handle witch stuff

      Betrayal

             I was angriest at Vincent. First he was the one who pushed Davina into becoming Regent. He was too much of a self loathing coward to step up so he got a traumatized teenage girl with anger issues to do the job for him. Davina is quite clever but ill equipped to handle a pack of homicidal French Quarter witches. She didn't have the experience nor the calculating air that was needed to keep the witches in line. Also Davina has trouble thinking straight when she's emotional. She's held a grudge against the Mikaelsons while bigger issues were going on such as crack pot Esther. I know killing Cara was not a good idea but she attacked Davina in broad daylight. Davina was raised on violence so what do you expect her to do just sit back and take it? Now Vincent doubles back and gets her kicked out of the coven, unable to practice magic. 

I'm a big girl, Marcel.

         Then there was Marcel. He still sees Davina as this girl that needs protecting but Davina is not a child anymore. She stopped being a child when her fellow witches killed her. Davina needed a friend not a daddy and I know Marcel sees himself as a father figure for her but he kind of went too far. Davina was starting to build up a power base and now he just totally derailed her whole life again. Marcel can say he did it to save her life all he wants but Davina may not see it that way.

She's crying tears of blood

    
      Exile
   
          Now what's next for Davina? I have a hard time believing that Davina will quit. She has no where else to go and she'll spend time licking her wounds. Davina is more vulnerable than ever. I don't see her allowing Vincent within 100 feet to help her. She's had enough help from him and if Davina ever finds out that Marcel was behind the whole thing I don't see her forgiving her vampire friend either. I see her wounded but she'll get back up somehow. Or at least I hope so. 

So you want me to do YOUR job? Come on, dude

         Davina is the only good hearted witch in New Orleans. Her coven stabbed her in the back and when she was welcomed back she was still bullied. I'm surprised she hasn't killed all the witches. It just isn't fair that she keeps getting punished for fighting back. I hate Marcel and Vincent for doing this to her. Davina deserves better company.

She'll have to light candles the old fashioned way

Agents of SHIELD: The Inhuman Anti-Christ Cometh?

Welcome to the Blue World

              Agents of SHIELD is stepping up their game and becoming a more compelling show! HYDRA wasn't what it seemed when evil Gideon Malick told Ward the real history behind the organization. It's creation was made when a very powerful Inhuman was sent away to another planet and this cult wants to bring it back. 

Ward should be flattered that Malick sees him as
a legitimate threat

          So Miss Price turned out to be something of an honest person. She had no idea that her longtime friend Malick was working for HYDRA and that he's turning more Inhumans to build an army so that this powerful Inhuman can have an army. Also those "blood sacrifices" weren't sacrifices at all but an evil organization sending servants to this Inhuman they all worship like a god. So who is this Inhuman Anti-Christ?

Ooooh wine gets better with age as they say

          My theory is what everyone is already thinking: Will. Though the hot astronaut that Simmons was stranded with for so long really did jump through the portal it could be that he became a vessel or a servant to whatever Inhuman was "hunting" them. Not exactly sure on this Inhuman's powers but it seems to be related to the environment and some form of psychic ability to control minds or make someone hallucinate until they go insane. We're not even sure what gender this Inhuman is but because I suspect Will I'm going with male. Could be the Inhuman took on Will's form. For one thing, there were times where Will wasn't present and we saw the creature. When Simmons was running through the sand storm we only heard Will's voice. Could have all been a trick. But why didn't Will go through the portal with Simmons and what really happened to the others that went through?

Stranded on a violent planet with a sexy astronaut?
Some girls have all the luck

         This Inhuman has been alone for thousands of years but Simmons was the first that ever returned from that planet. Also she survived the planet and whatever it was that was on it. Will said the planet had "moods" so we know that it was most likely an Inhuman causing that bizarre weather and making it eternal night. It would be really awesome to see who this Inhuman is and to bring it back. Another is because if it is Will then we'll have ourselves a love triangle between Will, Simmons, and Fitz. Another thing is we don't know this Inhuman's agenda. It could be totally different from Malick's plans so if he/she does come back then we'll see what he/she really wants.

Let's see pictures of the other guy I like...

         This was a huge reveal that gave more complexity to HYRDA as a dark organization. SHIELD seems so young in comparison now and the stakes feel higher as the Inhumans continue to multiply and the ATCU is really a new form of HYDRA. Cut off the head and two more grow back as they say. Ward is now a second head of HYRDA next to Malick. I actually hope they don't kill off Ward he's one of the best villains on the show that causes real tension because of his history with Coulson and SHIELD and now he's rebuilding HYRDA! Feels like it's been building up to this!

Any chance that one day we're all going to be laughing about this?

The Librarians: Jake & Cassandra Ship

They'll make a cute couple

             I've been a fan of Cassandra and Jake since season 1 of The Librarians. And I was very happy to see them overcome their issues of trust as a team. I was feeling the chemistry and now it seems the writers are catching up. 

Let's share our feelings

         In the season premiere we saw some flirting going on. Jake going straight to Cassandra and complimenting her very sweetly and Jones said that Cassandra would always agree with Jake on every plan they hatched. Seems that after they left the Library and spent more time together Jake & Cassandra started to see that there was something between them though they don't see it yet themselves. Jake is even sharing his feelings and inner thoughts with Cassandra. Though if they do become a couple there will be one shadow hanging over their heads...

Jones is a tech guy not into analog

        Cassandra has that brain tumor that is a constant threat. Things got really heavy when Cassandra said she chose a day to die. That will come up in conversation about Jake and Cassandra's future if they decide to date. However, Cassandra did get an offer to join an exclusive Lady of the Lake club though Jenkins advised against it... maybe not against but just gave a light warning to take care. It'll be a temptation for Cassandra because when faced with actual death anyone would consider immortality as an alternative. Or perhaps Jake will try to find a way to save Cassandra? 

I knew he was evil. It was the sexy accent 

         Flynn and Eve were the only couple on the show but now it seems another pair is getting some attention which I'm glad for. Right now Eve and Flynn are going through a rough patch leaving Eve open for the smooth criminal Moriarty but also we can focus on other romantic story lines. 

The Originals: War of the Sire Lines

No vampire can resist a party

            Klaus lost custody of Hope and there's a serial killer on the loose in New Orleans. Could this get any worse? Well there are some blasts from the Originals' past that are already painting the town red. The first vampires that Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah turned have arrived in the Crescent City and war is brewing. But will this war bring the brothers together or will the family be torn apart as the prophecy claims?

A handsome off!

           You never forget your first. Lucien was turned by Klaus by accident but our troubled Hybrid considered Lucien a friend so we could understand that if Klaus knew what his blood could do that he would choose to turn Lucien first. Tristan was turned by Elijah but we have no idea why yet. Tristan seemed more like future Klaus where he's over protective of his sister and sadistic. He also seems like a tool to me. Elijah sought to turn curious minds who wanted to change the world for the better but turns out they were all maniacal sociopaths. It's okay, Elijah, we all have that "make the world a better place" ideal in our youth. Then there's Aurora who must have been turned by Rebekah. It's the only thing that makes sense since this is a war of Sire Lines. Aurora has made her way to New Orleans and already removed an important player: a witch with visions of the future. But what do the new trio of trouble want?

Come on dude let me be your wing man like in the old days!

         Lucien has another werewolf bite cure that he's not sharing and we still don't know what that stuff is? What I can gather is that Lucien is into self preservation. Which also debunks him as the serial killer (for me anyway). Why would he endanger his standing with Klaus and draw attention to himself? Lucien came to New Orleans to protect Klaus and be his hype man. And killing Elijah would be out of the question also directly because Klaus and Rebekah would hunt Lucien down. Lucien doesn't want to be on the run but like Tristan said he may try to influence events that lead to Elijah's death. 

Great it's the head of Elijah's secret fang club

         Tristan is an entitled, sadistic, calculating killer making him a perfect candidate for the serial murders. It certainly screams his style of torture and it would ruin Lucien's standing with Klaus as well as draw attention away from him. But there's this nagging doubt in my mind that says he's not the one doing or ordering these killings. Tristan's goals seem to be world domination. He does head a cabal of vampires that have manipulated events in the past to suit their ends. Still don't know enough about him to make a fair assessment. He's the kind of guy who plays it close to the vest, subtle and in the shadows so he's not going to show all of his cards until he's won the game. Hayley saw Tristan as incomplete. A clue into finding out what Tristan wants. 

Just finished slicing through monks to let you know
my vacation is over. See ya in NOLA

        Aurora's goals are perhaps more enigmatic. Tristan wanted her kept under wraps. Mostly I can see is because she's a bit... erratic and emotionally unstable but in a promo she seeks Klaus (her ex) out. Whether this is for romantic purposes or to destroy Tristan and Lucien or BOTH remains to be seen. You can be sure that she'll be causing trouble.

Is this the vampire secret society handshake?

        Alexis saw Klaus die but we know that if that happens then there are no more Vampire Diaries either. I don't think Elijah and Klaus or Rebekah are going to die but maybe they'll be put out of commission temporarily. Only more episodes will tell us the whole story.

TVD: The Mystery Hunter

I'm sorry did I step onto another making of Die Hard
instead of TVD?

               Been a very long time since I posted a blog post since the cancelation of SyFy's Dominion. But now I think it's time to get back on the blogging horse and I'm starting with The Vampire Diaries. So far we've gone back and forth between the "Present" and "3 Years from Now" not knowing which is the real story but what seems to be the constant is this mystery Phoenix Stone and an unknown violent hunter that's after our heroes. My theory is Jo.

How does Oscar keep slipping through your fingers, Damon?

        
          We just brought back Jo from the dead with the Phoenix Stone but I have a feeling that it's going to go real bad real soon (because it's TVD of course). Oscar's experience with the Phoenix Stone wasn't that great. He murdered a whole bus of tourists. Without the magical purgatory spirits are basically at peace in another far older Otherworld where humans and supernaturals co-mingle in peace. Dragging Jo back from that spirit world will have more dire consequences. Then in a 3 years from now flash back Alaric is father to twin girls and twins run in Jo's family so they must be Alaric's children with Jo though it's still unclear if these are the same twins from before Jo died or are a new set. But it does beg the question of why isn't Jo in the picture. Also several times I've heard Stefan and Damon refer to their attacker as a "her" or "she" so definitely a woman. 

So this sets the body on fire... onto the next necromancy
spell then...

        Next there's that curious "X" symbol carved into one of Lily's Heretics and the ones in several of Bonnie's violent visions. This may have happened before and Lily could have something to do with it. She wants the stone for who knows what reason. A vampire doesn't really need a spell for necromancy. I feel like Julian is connected some how... maybe he's part of a different story. All I can say is Lily is a bad judge of character when it comes to romantic relationships. Julian is like Guiseppe but the only difference is he hides his cruelty well. 

Hot Stranger Danger!

         Something happened to split our team up. Something bad. There has to be a reason why Alaric left to raise his twin girls and why Damon is coming to him for help. Alaric said that someone must be dead if Damon is coming to see him which means Jo is the killer. Until this theory is debunked I'm going to keep thinking that. 

Dominion: Top 10 Favorite Scenes From Season 2

1 Last Warrior Pose Bitches!

                   Couple of days since the announcement of cancelation of Dominion. It's really sad because I feel that the show did more than earn a third season. I was going to do a Favorite Scenes of each episode of the season if Dominion was coming back but I'll settle for the top 10 out of all of season 2. There were so many incredible scenes but these stuck out the most for me. 

Good Morning Vietnam!!!!!!!

     1. 2 Archangels 1 Homemade Toaster ("Lay Thee Before Kings"): Opening scene of this episode is perhaps my favorite. So full of tension but at the same time very entertaining. Julian had the 2 infamous Archangels Michael and Gabriel and he couldn't wait to use his new toy on them but neither of the Archangel twins showed any hint of fear. Acting wise Simon, Carl, and Tom were flawless. Julian's character reminds me of Gabriel from season 1: confident, maniacal and sadistic with an endless supply of snark and some hidden Daddy issues to go with it. Showing no fear, Michael and Gabriel traded Julian's ridicule and boasting with equally mocking comments at the Dyad's sly character. The dialogue alone made this scene memorable. I could listen to Julian and Gabriel trade sarcastic comments all day! Setting wise everything was on point. Fluorescent lights in a dusky garage with dark brooding colors and an endless cast of shadows was very horror movie. All 3 characters were wearing dark clothing. No sign of innocence there as all of them had blood on their hands so on that level they were all equal despite the fact that Julian was the one in control at the moment. Everything fits perfectly with a serial killer's basement type of feeling to give you a bit of chills. 

Time to fly this crazy coop... Oh...

     2. Wings on Display ("Reap the Whirlwind"): Noma tearing her wings off was my favorite WTF?! moment. It was so shocking my heart stopped for a few seconds. In terms of character and dialogue this was an ultimate test of Noma's loyalty (and love) to Alex. Even Gabriel was surprised at Noma's ultimate sacrifice. Interesting how Gabriel was covered with heavy shadows while Alex and Noma were more or less more light. It could mean that even though they were all in the same boat but out of all 3 Gabriel was still an enemy. Or it could have been Gabriel's own darkness that he continued to wallow in. He remained bitter. He told Alex to find Michael and make a run for it. Gabriel may have been drenched in his own darkness but his love for his brother Michael remained a constant.  

Hm 3 beautiful women, an archangel & a big bed...
I like where this is going ;)

    3. Gabriel and the Sirens ("The Longest Mile Home"): I like the sirens scene before the orgy scene. It showed Gabriel at his most vulnerable. Why have "Claire", "Arika", and "Noma" seduce the dark Archangel? Could be because Julian mentioned them before Gabriel went under. Or it could be because these 3 specific women opposed him, they represented the enemy in life as well as in Gabriel's mind. If Gabriel wouldn't surrender to his enemy Julian then why not to the 3 beautiful women that continued to spite him? It was only 1% attraction in my opinion. The scene revealed that deep down Gabriel feared being alone, he felt unloved and abandoned by his Father and his family and here were 3 people who "wanted" him. Add in fatigue from Julian's torture of electro-shock therapy and Gabriel gave up without any more fight. 

They took our show AND my cookies

    4. This Too Shall Pass ("The Narrow Gate"): Some of the best flashbacks happened in season 2. My favorite was when Michael and Gabriel were attacking Sodom & Gomorrah. After Gabriel killed a human for the first time and Michael demoted Lyrae for his sadistic love of torture, Michael finally realized enough was enough. This was a huge turning point for Michael who for an eternity was God's instrument of wrath. He wanted Gabriel to punish him but he refused. Gabriel's own fire of compassion would go out soon enough but in that moment Michael took comfort in that flame. Gabriel gave Michael confidence that he could one day be redeemed. There was a moment where Gabriel was almost mesmerized by the blood that stained his hands. This wasn't a turning point for Gabriel but it was a dark foreboding about the future. I loved the heavy shadows (in fact the whole season was draped in heavy shadows half the time) and the prominent color of red (there was a rouge kind of tint mixed with the candle light and other soft lighting). Red capes and of course the blood. Red means a great many things in this case it describes an angel's nature: violent, passionate, and deeply troubled. 

That dagger wasn't empyrean steel. Michael...

     5. Michael's "Swan Song" ("The Narrow Gate"): Michael and Gabriel had such a strong bond and my favorite part of this scene was when Michael stabbed himself in the heart and Gabriel felt it. Their bond was so enduring that no matter the distance they could feel each other in a very emotional moment. My own heart skipped for a moment. Michael was a man of deep regrets. Haunted by his past he would go to extremes to protect others and in this case he protected his new lover, Laurel as well as an innocent town that helped to redeem his faith in humanity. Of course only empyrean steel could kill an Archangel so Michael came out with only dust on his wings. Dialogue wise I was mesmerized by Michael's confession. Setting wise there weren't that many shadows except when we went to Gabriel on that cliff outside of New Delphi. Michael was in the light of the church, a sign of his redemption while Gabriel stayed in the darkness, a sign of his continued bitterness. A yin yang kind of scene. Loved every minute of it!     

The moment my heart broke for Gabriel... again

     6. Gabriel's Ultimate Grief ("Lay Thee Before Kings"): Seeing Gabriel weeping over his foster son David's body broke my heart. No joke I cried! Carl Beukes really brought it this season as we delved deeper behind Gabriel's anger against mankind. Gabriel was once so happy and compassionate. He was even charged with raising David, God's chosen king of Jerusalem. Gabriel was as proud as any father and showed the same amount of grief that any father would have shown if their child died. The look on Gabriel's face when he saw David's broken and bloody body was devastating. He just shattered into a million pieces. That compassion quickly turned into resentment and bitterness. Carl delivered his lines perfectly as he sat in front of David's humble grave. It gave us a better understanding of Gabriel's hatred for mankind. It wasn't just God leaving that triggered a war but Gabriel's heartbreak that caused him to believe that humanity wasn't worth saving anymore. Setting wise as I've said before, very heavy shadowing in the scene in the hut to give us a sense of dread as we watched Gabriel break down. The tears were flowing for me. 

Alex has a guardian angel looking out for him. Literally!

     7. Smile the Worst is Yet to Come ("Heirs of Salvation"): It's sad we won't be able to see Alex and Gabriel working together in a season 3. Would have been interesting as we've seen before in the first episode of season 2, Alex and Gabriel did more than butt heads. Starting with dialogue it was very acidic and heated. In season 1 Gabriel was very cool and confident but 3 months with Alex and he'd become unhinged. Gabriel was more impulsive as he made threats and ordered Noma's wings to be pinned. Yet despite the heat Alex remained cool. His tattoos began to move again but instead of cooperating Alex decided to continue to test the Archangel's patience by drawing a smiley face. 

Those bitches blew up my evil club house

       It was hilarious actually. After so much tension Alex's blatant mock of authority became like a stress reliever until Gabriel ordered for Noma's wings to be pinned. Then came the boom! Alex had a chance to kill Gabriel (though a nail even made of empyrean steal wouldn't have been enough) but Noma got him out before any of Gabriel's surviving henchmen could get to them first. Setting wise the many candles they had to light! Very phantom of the opera in my opinion but gone were the pillows, the velvet curtains. Gabriel's lair went from the Playboy Mansion from Babylon to a place of serious work with tables and bulletin boards covered with symbols. It showed that Gabriel was done playing games and was ready for the other part of his plan but he didn't count on Alex being so stubborn. If Alex wasn't going to take crap from Michael then he wasn't taking any from Gabriel. Gabriel learned that the hard way.

Some liquid courage? What are they looking at?

    8. A Conflict of Philosophies ("A Bitter Truth"): Michael and Gabriel scenes were the highlights of the series. Carl and Tom had such a chemistry that it brought a wave of emotions to every scene they did together. Even though they were on opposite sides Michael and Gabriel still managed not to kill each other. I guess you can say that they had little cease fires over the course of the war (though in this scene is started out violent). This was one where they mourned the loss of their sister, Uriel and debated about on their Father's Will. It happened in little pieces but I'm stringing them together as a whole. It's minor but I loved that they shared a flask between them. Nothing brings two people together better than alcohol. Loved that in the end Michael asked Gabriel to join forces with him. They had a very complicated relationship. I wouldn't call this alliance a marriage of convenience. For both brothers I think they hoped the other would change their minds or join the other after this rescue mission.  Dialogue was down right spot on in this scene. As I've said Carl Beukes and Tom Wisdom had a strong chemistry. Setting felt ideal out in the open air. The Archangels let themselves vent where nothing could get damaged except each other of course. 

This guy was way too trusting or I suppose more optimistic

    9. A Hard Lesson Learned ("The Seed of Evil"): Shivani's character Arika was someone who was calm, calculating and in control but thankfully we got to expand on that character in season 2. Specifically to the last moment where Arika lost her father. She went from a sweet somewhat frightened girl to a fierce pragmatist. Arika seemed so timid but then when her heart was broken she changed completely. Very similar to when Gabriel completely changed after losing David. The most interesting aspect of the scene was when we zoomed out to see the name of the plane was Helena. Arika named the city after the plane in memory of her father; in short to remind her about the perils of trusting others and that survival was more important though Arika kept a slight compassionate view only for her own people. The emotion stood out most for me more than the setting.

Goodnight sweet Princess

   10. The Last Goodnight ("Sine Deo Nihil"): Claire's death scene had me choking up. I didn't expect Claire to die but she went down fighting. It was a very emotional scene between Alex and Claire. They had been through a lot together being driven a part by fate and losing a child. This loss hit Alex pretty hard. Enough to keep him on his knees until Noma got him to his feet. Alex realized before that he was really in love with Noma but Claire held a special place in his heart. I really can't think about it without coming to tears myself. Though a dark scene there weren't that many shadows instead Claire was in full light. Probably a sign of her "heading towards that bright light" so to speak. Her end was near but she wasn't going to leave Alex in shambles but instead gave him more comforting words to soothe him in her passing. Claire was always a selfless person especially when it came to people she loved. I think Claire's exit was perfect though very tragic. 


   Honorable Mention:

Hello new Black Sheep! Let me be your guide!

       I Believe... ("The Longest Mile Home"): Luke Allen-Gale's performance can't be forgotten. My favorite scene of him was when he was giving a sermon in the V1 bar. William came out of the desert a changed man; a crazier man that is. But there was a reason Gabriel chose him to be his spy and lead his Black Acolytes: William was a fantastic orator. When he talked people listened and the patrons of the bar were rapt by his eloquence and intensity of character. After you hear about how William was tortured by 8balls in the desert you kind of understand why he was willing to believe that he was the Chosen One. He experienced something horrible and wanted to find meaning in it like anyone who suffers a trauma such as that. Interesting how we were given clips to Gates and Riesen as William gave his speech. Gates coughs up blood and Riesen becomes a Dyad. William may have been sending a message of hope but in reality we knew things were going to get worse before they got better. Lighting was spot on (so to speak) with William in the light metaphorically and literally and everyone else at the edge of the light, waiting to be illuminated. Luke gave a fabulous performance. A shame William died in the end. 

No more Dominion... The saddest 3 words I've ever heard

           Never has a show inspired me this much or given me this much pleasure to watch or write about. Dominion was certainly a treasure and it'll remain one of my favorites forever. The writing was on point, the actors brought their A-Game (both new and familiar), and the music by Bill Brown helped tie the whole thing together to weave a fantastical story full of drama and emotion. As someone who loves story telling I wish we didn't end on a cliff hanger but the TV industry is a business first. Maybe Vaun can at least finish the story one day in a graphic novel. I would definitely read that! For now I'm content that at least we have 2 seasons (21 episodes in all) to enjoy. Thank you everyone who worked on this show! Your hard work paid off in my opinion.