#criminal minds 2x01 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

addictiedtocrimedrama · 2 years

Text

26 Years Chapter 2- Chapter 1 - 2x01, Lost Souls

Summary: It's been almost a year since Clara rejoined the IRT and things are back to normal and the team still oblivious of her and Jack's relationship (or so they though).

(as the title suggests this is set before/during/a bit after the season 2 premier aka "Lost Souls")

Author's Notes: Sorry I haven't updated in months but school events and exams got the better of me and got be bussy/forget to work on this chapter.

Anyways, this is gonna be the start of the story. I will just let you guys know that this fic will include/mention characters from CSI: NY, FBI (TV 2018), and Law & Order. When the jet lands it's around 6:50 PM on a Saturday and Isa had a group call for a class at 7:20 PM since her school is in the Philippines, so it would be a Sunday if we're talking Philippine time, and she's also gonna be studying online. This fic takes place during season 2 because it feels like this is when Jack and Clara's relationship finally gets revealed. After all, there are so many times I feel like they couldn't keep hiding and tell the team. But I'll take my time with that. I should also let you guys know that the first two parts of this chapter takes place right before the season 2 premiere. The dialogue is mostly taken from the episode/s itself and I might skip a few lines here and there. Starting from this chapter onwards will quotes used at the start of every chapter which would be the bookend quotes from each episode. I'll also at bits of angst here and there throughout out the story, so beware. The characters at times may feel OOC, but it's fanfiction, so I don't care. Any and all mistakes are mine.

WARNING: I DON'T OWN CRIMINAL MINDS: BEYOND BORDERS, IT BELONGS TO ERICA MESNER AND CBS.

As usual gif credit goes to @shannyfishwriter bucause it's from their blog where I saved this gif. Also please consider this gif as a spoiler for what's gonna happen near the end of the chapter.

Little by little, a little becomes a lot. - Tanzanian proverb

Clara puts her mug in the cabinet and sighs. Another case is solved and she and the team are heading home. She's glad about that, especially since none of them's gotten a full night's sleep because they've been getting case after case since last week. She takes a seat on one the couch and sighs again. Then she hears someone approaching her.

"Though I might find you here." She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She gave a small smile before replying "Can't really hide from you can I." she said turning to Jack.

To a normal person, it sounded like she was asking a question, but in reality, she was telling a statement. Jack chucked "Well I guess you're stuck with me SSA Seger or should I say SSA Seger-Garrett," he says taking a seat next to her. She gave a small laugh at that and slightly snuggled next to him.

They knew keeping their relationship a secret from the team was a bad idea, but neither of them ever dared to tell the team. They stayed like that in silence for a few minutes until Jack asked, "What's on your mind?" Clara gave a deep sigh and then said, "Nothing really, just ready to go home and finally get a full night's sleep." They once again stayed like that for a few more minutes until they both silently agreed to finish up the files on the table.

They worked in comfortable silence until they heard what sounded like Isa arguing with either Mae or Emma. When they came into view they realized that Isa was arguing with Mae about waking her up 25 minutes until the plane would land. Clara silently chuckled at the fact that Isa knows so much about aircrafts just by watching a TV series and that she makes a big deal that she's woken up 25 minutes before they land like it's that if she doesn't get into her seat 30 minutes before they land it's like she's gonna die. When the plane landed, the team packed up their bags and went home.

______________________________________________________________

When they get home, it was 6:50. Isa went to the room that she shares with Emma since her some of her classmates had a group call that was going to start, and Emma was with RJ working on their homework with a bit of help from Jack and Clara. After around 50 minutes, Emma and RJ are done with their homework, and they're talking about what they're going to have for dinner.

"What do you kids want for dinner?" Jack asks RJ and Emma. "I want to try this new restaurant I saw on the way home from school, I couldn't remember the name, but the sign had a chicken holding some kind of drink over the name of it," RJ said sadly. After a few beats, Emma spoke up "We passed by that restaurant on our way home right mom" she said enthusiastically "We did are you talking about this restaurant RJ?" Clara asked showing RJ a photo of the restaurant, "Yeah that's the one though it said that they're only serving take-out." Jack and Clara glanced it had been a while since they had take-out at home. "Okay we'll have JJ's tonight," Clara said, "Can either one of you two ask Isa what she wants for dinner?" she added.

"I'll do it, I need to head to my and Isa's room to grab my headsets anyway." Emma said "Okay Em but be quiet since I'm pretty sure that she's still in one of her classes" Jack replied after checking his watch. She nodded and headed to the room she shares with Isa.

She quietly opened the door, so Isa can't hear her and waves at Isa and mouths (grabbing my headsets) to her, and after she finds them, she asks Isa, who just removed her headphones "Hey mom and dad asked what you're gonna have for dinner since we're ordering take out from JJ's." Isa thought for a moment before saying, "Can you tell them I'll have the Adobo Flakes with the egg sunny side up and Sago't Gulaman." the only reply Isa got was "okay". Before she leaves, Emma asks her, "You guys already done or something? I saw you removing your headphones." Isa shakes her head and replies saying "Nah, we just took a quick break since this project's going to take longer than we expected." she simply replied "Okay, just curious" then she left.

A few minutes later, their order arrives. "Hey RJ can you give these to Isa," Clara asks, giving RJ a take-out box and cup with a straw and a spoon and fork. "Okay, mom" was the only reply RJ gave his mom. Later, when RJ comes back down, he eats with his family at the dinner table. After dinner, they cleared up the table, took a shower, and got ready to go to sleep, which Emma was relieved about. A few hours later Emma checks the clock in the living room to see it's a quarter to 11 which she knew was when Isa usually logs off and just does the rest of her homework in the morning. Emma enters her room to see Isa just about to shut down her laptop.

______________________________________________________________

The next day was a Sunday so Matt spent time with his family at the park, Mae and Monty were having brunch together, Isa was doing her homework, and Jack, Clara, Emma, and RJ went to mass. Later that day, the team got a case involving a Church group that went missing in Tanzania.

"We've got 23 missing Americans in Tanzania. They're members of the Brunswick Mission Church in Texas" Jack said as they boarded the jet. "They spent a week volunteering in villages before they disappeared. They were last seen en route to a rural retreat. Uh, the conductor had eyes on them about 2:30 in the morning, their time." Monty said giving them details about the church group and the case. "Well, That was 12 hours ago. A lot can happen between now and then." Simmons said, bringing up the time gap.

"Have the local police searched the area where the train stopped?" Isa asked the question that was on all their minds. "That's the thing. They didn't stop." Monty replied. All of them were confused, how could 23 people vanish from a moving train. Clara decided to ask that question, "Well, you're... you're saying people vanished from a moving train?", "Yes, but all the employees insisted there were no stops, no commotion." Monty said in a matter-of-factly way.

"Then what's their explanation?" Mae asked, still not believing that 23 people disappeared from a moving train. "The Rapture." Jack said, reading from the case file in hand. All of them turned their heads towards Jack, shocked to hear the local's explanation. "Like... "plucked from the Earth and taken to Heaven" rapture?" Emma asked, not convinced it's the best explanation for how the Americans went missing. "The one and only." Jack confirming what she said.

"Yeah, well, we have to assume that it wasn't a miracle that took these people." Isa said, not believing that they were taken by the rapture. "How does an Unsub take 23 people?" Emma asked, still bewildered at this case, "Well, we can't figure out the how unless we know the who." Clara pointed out, "Who has the skills to pull this off?". "It'd have to be an organized group who's done this kind of thing before." Matt said, "And I bet they're heavily armed." Isa said trying to make sense of everything. "Well, criminal gangs and rebels have surged into Tanzania to escape their own unrest. I mean, travelers are easy prey." Clara said thinking that they could be looking at a criminal gang or rebels who took the Americans.

"Monty, any luck on getting us the passenger manifest?" Jack asked the analyst, "No, because most tickets were purchased in cash. However, I am trying to figure out how many more passengers there were on the train by going through the background in social media posts." Monty said to his boss. "The Americans posted these on their way to the retreat, before the cellphone service went out." he added, showing the team a video of the Americans having fun on the train. "Do all the missing have active social media accounts?" Mae asked, "No. About half of them. Why?" Monty replied, not sure where Mae was going on this, "Because their loved ones are gonna be expecting an update soon." She replied. "Yeah, we should get ahead of this, reach out to their families." Clara said, agreeing with Mae.

"Monty, we need to control what gets out, so it's best they come to you. That's a lot of people. Maybe the B.A.U. can help." Jack said, knowing that he might need help with the families. "Both governments have agreed to wait 24 hours before releasing a media statement. The clock starts when you land." Monty said, letting them know they have a day until the American and Tanzanian governments would release a statement. "Well, a day doesn't give us much time to find 'em." Clara said a bit grimly. "Well, let's hit the ground running. Local police have started a search, but the area is so vast, they need us to help narrow it down. These people were out to help others. I'm not about to let them get punished for it." Jack replied.

______________________________________________________________

"Some things to keep in mind... avoid touching people of the opposite sex since this could upset some people." Clara told them as they drove to the station where the train that the missing Americans rode is located. " And always keep your left hand to yourself, since it is considered dirty." she added. Almost all of them glanced at Isa who said jokingly, "Hey, I can only control myself, not how others respond to me. And before anyone asks, yes that was a direct quote from Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders: The Reboot episode Harvested where the team went to India." they all laughed at her since they all know how much she loves the show. For the rest of the drive, they talked about a lot of other things until they reached the station.

______________________________________________________________

When they got to the train, they saw a man they assumed was their liaison. They got out of the jeep and approached him. "Inspector Polino" the man introduced to them offering his hand to Jack. "Unit Chief Garrett. This is my team... Agents Simmons, Seger, Rubirosa, Jarvis, and Garcia." Jack said, introducing himself and the team. "Agents, please come this way." Inspector Polino gestured for them to follow him. "We saw no forced entry, and it looks like the belongings of the Americans are still on board." he relaid to them as they walked next to the train.

"We need to speak with the employees who discovered this." Jack said, "I hope you get more out of them than I did." Inspector Polino replied, "Are they cooperating?" Isa asked, silently hoping that they wouldn't give any of them trouble. "Yes, just insistent on their beliefs. But I believe there's someone responsible." was the reply of Inspector Polino, "Does this look like the work of any militias or rebels around here?" Clara asked, wondering if her theory on the jet was right. "There are legends out there... men who go beyond just stealing what they can and leaving tourists stranded, ones who want to punish." said Inspector Polino. "Can you lead us to these men?" Matt asked, "They are who they are because we cannot catch them. They attack and move on. They are the most dangerous ones." replied the Inspector. "We understand that, but right now, they're our best lead, so we need to track 'em down." Emma said, trying to figure out how to track them down.

"Clara, Emma and Mae, you start on victimology from what's left on the train." Jack said, "Simmons and Isa, the two of you should look at routes and talk to the conductor who found the empty car." he added. Turning to Inspector Polino he said "Inspector, I'd like to talk to the search party." the Inspector replied saying "They are gathering here soon. I also have officers searching the route, but they are overwhelmed. The train traveled overnight, no stations between. Where do we begin?" Jack, understanding they have a lot of area to cover, said, "Well, give us an hour. We'll have a starting point."

______________________________________________________________

Emma, Mae, and Clara got on the train and were going through what the victims left. "So the youngest is Nicholas... 7 years old. Son to single mom Rebecca." Clara said, while also going through some photos on a tablet, "That's brave to bring him all this way." Mae responded, "Well, yeah, but they were traveling with their church, so it's essentially an extended family." replied Emma from the far end of the train car they were in.

Mae looks around the train car and notices something "That's weird" she said. "What is?" Clara replied, looking up from the tablet in her hands. Mae looks around the train car again to make sure her suspicions were right "If this has anything to do with money, it's strange the UnSubs didn't take any of the valuables." she answered as Clara approached one of the seats "This attack was quick and efficient. They prioritized." she added to what Mae said.

"Maybe they were holding out for something more, like ransom." Emma suggested as she rejoined Mae and Clara. "Yeah" Mae said as she turned to face one of the seats and notices something. "Also forensic countermeasure" she added, then held up one of the phones to Clara and Emma. "There's no reason for us to track the GPS, since their phones are right here." Emma then checked one of the windows then said "And like the inspector said, there's no sign of forced entry."

As they continued to look around the train car, Mae notices something then proceeds to approach the door of the train car, "The only thing is this door." she said as she picks up a screwdriver that was on the floor near the train car door. "Maybe the UnSubs were on board." Clara said as she turns around and walks to Mae. "Yeah, but a jumping would have caused a lot of injuries" Mae countered, bringing up the fact there was a lack of a struggle. "Unless this is an inside job." Emma suggests as she looks out one of the windows. Mae and Clara walk towards Emma and also look out the window. "Yeah, this would make sense if one of the employees was in on it." Clara added, agreeing to what Emma was implying.

______________________________________________________________

While Emma, Mae, and Clara were going through what's left of the train, Matt and Isa along with Inspector Polino went to talk to the conductor who found the train and look at routes the train could have traveled.

When they approached the conductor, Inspector Polino spoke first saying something in Swahili neither Matt nor Isa could understand. "Yes, Gervas." the man replied. "And I speak English." he added. "Thank you for helping us. So were you the last one to see the Americans?" Matt asked. "I did rounds at 2:30. Everything was fine." Gervas replied. "And you arrived here at... at 6:30 this morning" Matt said. Gervas simply replied with a simple, "that's right". "So somewhere in the span of those four hours, the Americans disappeared. Do you know what happened?" at that question, Inspector Polino turns to look at Gervas while Isa carefully watches him.

"I think it was the Rapture." Gervas said simply. "They were delivered to Heaven." he added. Isa, who wasn't convinced, said "You think they were the chosen ones?". "I do." was his reply. "But you were not." Inspector Polino said equally, if not more, unconvinced than Isa. At that Gervas turned his head to look at Inspector Polino and said "It's okay. I have many responsibilities here. ". "Do you have children?" Matt asked. "Yes. Do you?" he replied. "Yeah." was Matt's reply, "And I keep thinking about those parents are going through back in the United States." at that Gervas walked to the side of the table separating him and Simmons and said, "They should be happy. Their loved ones are with God."

When Gervas said that Isa and Inspector Polino getting a little irritated which made Isa snap and say "You cannot prove that". At that, Gervas backs away a bit from Isa. Matt intervenes by stepping a little in between Gervas and Isa, then he turned to face Gervas and says "Listen... I can't do my job unless I look at all sides. The thing is, we do believe they were chosen, just not in the same way you believe in. And whoever took them was watching and waiting for them to be vulnerable. We think they're organized, and patient, we also believe that they needed help from the inside to pull this off." at that Inspector Polino was glancing between Matt and Garvas while Isa was giving him a mild glare. Though that glare might have been more intense than she was projecting since it was enough to scare him. "Now you're saying the train never stopped." Matt asked, hoping to finish this soon before Isa's temper gets the better of both herself and Gervas. "That's correct." was all he said.

Matt knew that the next question might be hard, but he knew he had to. "Well, forgive me for asking, but if someone were to threaten your family, would you do whatever it took to protect them?" to which Gervas simply replied "Of course". "Would you stop a train, so they could kidnap Americans?" Isa asked in a bit of a harsh tone, harsher than she was hoping for, if was being honest. At that Gervas backed away more then said "Listen, I swear on my children's lives that did not happen. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" in a bit of a half panicked, half defensive tome. "Look, if I'm lying, my children will be damned to hell. Look, I had nothing to do with this. I swear to you, I did not do anything. Please..." he added.

Matt, trying to calm him down said "Okay, okay, okay." with that Gervas release a sigh. "Alright. I believe you. I need your help. You've worked this train for years, right?" Matt asked. Gervas simply replied a simple "yes". "Alright" Isa responded. Though she didn't mean it, her response came out a little sarcastic, which she internally winced about. Then everyone goes to the table where Matt asked Gervas "So there's 400 miles between when you last saw then and when you arrived here in Arusha." to which he simply nodded. "Can you us any terrain where you may have slowed down, even a little bit?" Matt asked. "Yeah, I can do that." Gervas replied, then proceeded to do as Matt asked.

______________________________________________________________

Jack was waiting for the search party to arrive when he saw Clara, Emma, and Mae getting off the train, "What did you guys find out?" he asked. Clara the first to get off said "Well the UnSubs were definitely on boar and like what the Inspector said there's no sign of forced entry. We... Aaahh" though she wasn't able to finish what she was saying because she lost her footing and trip. Thankfully, Jack was able to catch her before she fell flat on her face. "Better watch your step next time, Clara." he said, helping her straighten herself out. Clara rolled her eyes and said, "Yeah, yeah".

"There were also no signs of any resistance, so it could be an inside job." Mae said being a bit more careful as she got off the train. "If this was an inside job, was one of the employees in on it too?" Jack asked her. Emma was getting off shrugged then said, "We won't know until Isa and Matt get back. And there's no chance of us using GPS to track them, since they left their phones on the train". "I also noticed that the door was jammed from the inside with a screwdriver." Mae added, to which Jack nodded then said "That could strengthen your theory that it's an inside job". "Yeah, and the UnSubs also didn't take any valuables, which told us the attack was quick and efficient and that they also prioritized." Clara added. "Which mean they could be holding out for something like a ransom demand." Jack concluded.

Emma turned her head a little then exclaimed, "That's what I thought ". Just then the search part came, then Jack left to address them. Almost instinctively, Clara followed in suit.

______________________________________________________________

Jack quickly scanned the small group of people who had come to help them. "First, I want to thank you all for volunteering your time. We believe we're dealing with a specialized abduction, requiring many offenders. They're confident, organized, and have the means to hold 23 people hostage. They likely have access to encampments, vehicles, and weapons. We're narrowing down a starting point for the search and can begin to canvass as soon as we confirm. Thank you" then Clara who was standing to his right said "Asante tena (Thank you again)."Just then they saw Isa and Matt jogging up to them. "Hey guys, we got a possible point of attack." Isa said, slightly panting. Jack made a quick glance at Clara as he said, "Let's go."

______________________________________________________________

As they exited the vehicles they saw a trellis to which Matt pointed out saying "So the train slowed down here to get over this trellis." Jack added to this, saying, "This could be the snatch-and-grab point, but it's doubtful they kept them here". "There's not much around. They were definitely exposed." said Emma as she commented on the lack of vegetation. "And look over there." Clara said, pointing towards the hill right next to the trellis. "They must have come down that hill". "The footprints... they were all scattered." Inspector Polino said as he pointed to the many footprints on the ground. "It would have been chaos, but they gained control." Isa said.

There were a few seconds in between when Isa asked, "Which way did they go?" and Mae calling out saying, "Guys, I got something here." then gestured for them to come to where she was. Which they did, and she said, "It looks like one of the leaders... Jacob Ross". Jacob was covered in blood with what looked like multiple stab wounds to his abdomen, bloodied knuckles, and blunt force trauma to his skull just to name a few.

After a while, they seemed to notice that they were being watched. "They've got eyes on us, up on the ridge" Jack said, looking up to a camp at the top of the ridge, then asked Inspector Polino, "What do you know about those rebels?". "The flag is a Somali rebellion that's wreaked havoc all over the continent." he answered then added saying, "They are at odds with everyone". "If the Americans are held hostage inside that camp, I'll lead the negotiation. I'm not calling in armed forces. Their presence could inflame the situation." Jack said then Clara responded saying, "Yeah, but we do have one thing on our side." she elaborated on it by saying, "In Somali culture, there's something called "kobigana ukiketi" which roughly translates to "fighting while seated." Those at odds can be civil, unless they're on the battlefield". "Okay, then. Simmons, Polino, and I will approach. Clara, you, Isa, Mae, and Emma lead the search party. We found one body. There could be more." Jack said to Clara.

A while later...

"What did you find up there? Do they have the Americans?" Clara asked them as they rejoined the rest of the team. "Well, it wasn't those guys. I mean, they're horrible, but they haven't got the space to hide anyone there." Matt responded. "And they're not organized enough for a mass abduction." Jack added, then turned to Mae and asked, "What have you got?" to which she replied saying, "Looks like Jacob Ross suffered multiple contusions from multiple sources. Put up a hell of a fight. He has defensive wounds all over. The C.O.D. is still undetermined, since I can't properly examine the corpse out here, but right now, I'd say it's a tie between the blunt force trauma to his skull or the stab wounds in his abdomen".

After hearing what Mae said, Isa asked, "Overkill anyone?". "The UnSubs may have taken the whole group, but I think that the target of their rage was Jacob." Mae said, to which Emma responded saying, "Well, he and a handful of others has volunteered in Tanzania before. Maybe they made enemies". "We should look into their previous trips, see if there's any other conflicts." Jack said. "Well, they were organized enough to plan forensic countermeasure, like dumping Jacob's body near the Somali rebel camp." Isa said, trying to get into their UnSubs head. "Well, the overkill tells us there's a personal connection, and they want them to be punished. Killing Jacob is proof that they mean what they say." Matt added. "We should look for secure locations where they could keep 22 people." Inspector Polino suggested. Clara, however, was a little doubtful and said, "Yeah. Problem is, if they have vehicles, they could be long gone by now."

______________________________________________________________

"When we looked at the things left behind on the train, women were the only ones who had personal items. The men traveled light." Mae said as she joined everyone else. "That sound stereotypical." Matt replied. Just then Emma's phone ringed telling her she got a message, she pulled the device out and said "Except it gets weirder." as she read the text. "Monty said he's only been able to get a hold of the missing women's families because they all had social media accounts". "But none of the men had any social media presence at all." Clara added, "Zilch." Emma confirmed.

"Go ahead, Monty" Jack said with his phone on speaker with Monty on the other end. "So Jacob's estranged wife is here, and she got really anxious when I mentioned the church and, more specifically, Elijah Ward. She said that Jacob would follow Elijah anywhere, and actually referred to him as a "loyal subject."" Isa scrunched her eyebrows then said, "Well, that's an interesting choice of words". "So they're not the partners that we thought they were. Elijah's the leader." Mae said, a bit stunned. "And Jacob was killed by someone he knows." Clara added. "Let's focus on Elijah." Jack said, as they got to work on a profile.

______________________________________________________________

"Elijah started this devout group, initiated Jacob as his right hand, and then 11 more men joined over the next few years." Mae said as she circled Jacob, Elijah, and 11 other faces in a group picture. "Elijah and his 12 disciples" Jack commented. "And then he slowly recruited nine more women, including Rebecca Moore, who brought along her son." Clara added. " According to their loved ones, all these women struggled with abuse and were searching for help." Monty informed them over the phone. Then Emma realized something, then said, "Which would make them easier to manipulate." which in turn made Isa realize she's on to something. "You think these women were taken against their will?" She asked her. "Yeah, I mean, they were far from home, which gives Elijah the ultimate power and control over them. They'd be too afraid to revolt." she replied. "We were looking in the wrong direction. The UnSub's on the inside." Matt concluded. "This is a radical cult, and Elijah is their charismatic leader." Isa continued. "He groomed these women to trust him. He used their faith against them." Jack added, then he finished by saying, "We can't let him get away with this". "So... where would Elijah take them." Matt asked as he placed a map on the table they were using.

A while later...

Jack rejoined the team with Inspector Polino and said, "Our initial profile was correct. This is a mission-oriented group, but Elijah is their leader". "And it took years for him, years for him to plan this." Clara continued. "Everything he does, he does for a reason. He chose all of these villages." Isa added, pointing to different parts of the map, then asked, "Do they have any meaning to you?". "These spiritual leaders are extremists." Inspector Polino replied. "Probably recruited those men to help set up the commune." Emma suggested.

"Elijah suffers from a religious psychopathology referred to as a "Moses complex." He doesn't think he's God, but believes he speaks for Him." Jack said. "And he believes he was chosen by God to lead his people to the promise land." Clara added. Then Emma got a text from Monty, then she said, "Hey guys, Monty just sent this. "Elijah was born and raised by a delusional young couple" who believed that he could speak to God". "And they named him accordingly. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet in both books of Kings and in the Old Testament." Isa said trying to remember a lesson is her CLF class. "His parents were arrested "for severe abuse to their other children." All were taken away, but it was too late for Elijah." Emma said as she continued reading Monty's text. "He was driven to make his parent's belief his life's mission." Clara concluded.

"He wasn't afraid to kill for it. Jacob's murder unleashed a homicidal rage. And if he's showing signs of euphoric stress, it could fuel him to take more risks and hurt more people." Matt said. "What were his sibling's names?" Jack asked. "He was the youngest of eight. Kids were Ezekiel, Isaac, Ruth, Caleb, Miriam, Rachel and Samuel." Emma replied as she finished reading Monty's text. "Why" Inspector Polino asked. "All names from the Old Testament. It was drilled into his head. He planned the train ride to get them close to the Olduvai Gorge." Jack answered. "And historians believe that's the original Garden of Eden." Isa said remembering it from a one of show she watched. "I know a shortcut." Inspector Polino said promptly. Then they all swiftly left the room and quickly got on the road.

______________________________________________________________

As they arrived near the Olduvai Gorge, they all quickly got out of the jeeps all geared up, with a few people already having their guns out and with flashlights in hand. There they saw what looked like a school bus. Jack was about to check it out when Mae spoke up and said "Jack?" then motions to the path in front of them. "They'll be protective and convinced we're attacking. We don't want another Waco. We go as a peaceful negotiation." Jack said, addressing the team and the backup force they had. Then they slowly walk to the path which would lead them to Elijah and the other Americans were.

[in the building where Elijah and 21 other people are]

They slowly enter the building, with Jack taking the lead. Then they saw Elijah and the other people turn, almost as if on instinct. "Who are you?" Elijah asked. "My name is Jack Garrett. I'm with the FBI." Jack answered, which made Elijah sate flatly, "You don't belong here, Jack." to which Jack countered by saying, "Neither do these people". At that, Elijah turned to fully face them, and everyone who was armed drew their guns. "We are on our own path. It's not for you to judge." he said. "I'm not judging. I'm protecting those who didn't choose to be here." Jack answered to which Elijah reasoned saying, "Every choice they made has brought them to this very spot." then Jack took a few steps forward and said "Maybe that's true, but if anyone's here against their will, that's against the law".

At that, Elijah addressed the members of the church group and asked them, "Brethren, do you recognize Jack?" he continued on saying, "He is the serpent that wants us to deny our truth!" to which Jack replied saying," I'm only advocating free will. We both believe in that. Does anyone want to leave?" at that, everyone who had their guns drawn tighten. "No one is in danger here, but your souls will be if you run back to the life you know, to darkness, to demons! We can start over here. I have built a safe place for you. Remember why we left! This is our destiny! Don't let them scare you." Elijah said, trying to convince the church group members to not go to the IRT and local police. "God's work is to spread the light, not hide it away from the world." Jack said then added, "Why would you hide everyone away?" to which Elijah replied saying, "Because the world isn't safe. And It's my fate to help others".

Jack took a few more steps towards him and said, "I know how you feel. Sometimes, I... take a leap of faith. Other times, I deal with hard facts, like in this case. You tricked the women to join you here." to which Elijah said, "No, I'm saving them from the abuse they have suffered". "Have you told anyone what happened to Jacob Ross?" Jack asked. At that, everyone turned their heads to face Elijah. "He was brutally murdered. It's the way he was killed that told us the most. It was personal. He showed signs of fighting back... bloody knuckles, skin under his fingernails." Jack continued then asked Elijah "Who did that to your face?" then he responded "Why would I kill Jacob?". "He threatened your leadership, and you punished him for it. Then you sacrificed Jacob to lead the investigation away from your paradise." Jack said, then added, "You're a false prophet and a murderer". Jacob, getting a little defensive said, "How dare you come in here and spill those lies?" then Jack quickly countered saying "All you men are trusted disciples. How much longer before he kills you?"

"I'm scared." Nicolas said, then ran to Jack. Then one of the armed men nudged Rebecca to do the same, then both her and Nicolas ran to Clara, who guided them out. "Free will, right?" Jack asked. As soon as Jack said that, all the women from the church group ran towards them, with Mae telling them reassuringly, "Come on. This way. Okay. You're safe now. Come on, come on".

Then, when they thought they were able to talk Jacob down he grabbed one of the armed men's guns and points to Jack, at the same time he draws his own gun and points it to Elijah. "You've ruined everything." then Jack replied, saying, "Don't you see? This was their fate". At that Elijah points his gun to his head in response to this, Jack said, "See if that's yours." Elijah replied, saying, "My blood will be on your hands. You will have sinned".

Jack slowly walked towards Elijah to try and make him let go of the gun, as he did so he said, "All you ever wanted was power and control. You have that now. Now go ahead. Be a martyr. Killing yourself makes you a sinner in the eyes of your followers, and you don't want that. Elijah, give me the gun. Let go of the gun". At that, Elijah lets go of the gun and surrenders.

______________________________________________________________

The case was finish, and they were on the way back home, everyone was asleep except for two certain agents. Clara took a seat in her usual chair at the wooden table and release a heavy sigh, then said, "That was one hell of a case". Jack hands her a mug of tea then took a seat right next to her and replied saying "Yeah, I have to agree with you on that." Clara then releases another heavy sigh before she took a bug gulp from her tea, then said, "It's always the ones you don't expect." Jack responded half teasingly, and half lovingly said, "That would be you sweetheart".

At that, Clara chuckles then with a smile on her face said, "Same with me, the last person I expect to do something is always you." her smile however disappeared as she turned to look intro the dark pool of her tea then back to Jack and said, "Do you think we should tell them?" finally addressing the elephant in the room. "About us, I mean." she clarifies since Jack was looking at her questioningly then he asked, "Where'd you get that from?" to which Clara replied saying, "Well ever since the accident at the train station I was almost 10% certain Mae was eyeing us".

At that, Jack sighed then said, "I feel like we should since there're gonna find out sooner or later." Clara nodded in response then said, "Yeah, I also feel like our luck is running out and something's gonna happen that'll be a factor for us telling them". Soon after saying that, Jack chuckles, then asked her, "What are you now, a psychic?". Clara herself couldn't help but let a laugh out and somehow managed to nudge him then said, "Hey, I'm just saying..." she wasn't able to finish what she was saying because a yawn escaped her lips then said, "You know what, I gonna head to the bunks and get some sleep before we land. You coming?". At that Jack nodded and said, "Yeah, I think we both deserve it, especially after the case we just had." Clara quickly left to return the mug she used to the cabinet and quickly came back to see Jack still there. As they walked to the bunks, she felt his arm wrapping around her waist.

______________________________________________________________

As Jack was headed towards the elevator, he saw his sister. Before he could ask what she was doing there, she said, "I saw the news. I thought you could use a hug sooner than later." then gave his a reassuring embrace with Jack simply saying "Thanks."and Karen replied saying, "Thank God you found them". As they parted, they saw Clara and Emma join them. Clara greets her with a smile and says, "Hey Karen." then said as they parted, You know, some of them didn't want to leave. They devoted their lives to that man." she responded, shaking her head, and said, "I have to believe they'll find a safer place to live".

When they heard footsteps, they turned to see who it was. They turned to see Ryan, who said, "I saw you guys landed. Great job." then patted Emma on the shoulder to snap her out of her 'trans'. At that, Emma smiled and looked up at her older brother and said, "Thanks". "Are you headed off?" Jack asked, to which Ryan simply said, "Yeah" at that Clara said, "Like father, like son". Ryan smiled at his mom's comment, then said, "I guess this case means R.J. doesn't stand a chance for his Dominican Republic trip." Karen turned to her nephew a little surprised then asked, "He hit you up, too?" to which he nodded then said,"Yeah. For what it's worth, he is way more driven than I was at his age, and he is a smart kid". Jack nodded and said, "Yeah, I know. Guess I have, uh, have to have a little more faith that he'll be all right." the second she heard that, Clara turned to her husband and asked, "Is that a "yes"?" Jack replied saying, "He's brave. I'm the one who's scared, so I can't let that get in his way. ". "Nice, Dad. He's gonna be stoked." Ryan replied.

After a few beats, Karen looking questioningly at her brother and nephew asked, "Did you two make calls? You have connections in the Dominican Republic." as Jack responded simply saying "yeah" as the five of them entered the elevator, then added saying, "Well... we know a few guys." to which both Karen and Clara nodded as the elevator doors closed.

______________________________________________________________

IRT fam (without mom and dad)

11:57 p.m.

Mae: hey guys

Monty: wtf Mae it's almost 12 am

Isa: Sheesh Mae couldn't you chose anytime but you chose NOW

when almost everyone in the gc is suppose to be sleeping and when I'm suppose to be reviewing.

Mae: melodramatic much

Isa: {Florida and Louisiana; woooooooow.gif}

Mae: uuuummmm sorry?

Emma: Mae why are you messaging in this gc when it's almost a quarter past 12 anyways?

Mae: oh hey Emma

Emma: don't

what do you even want to talk about that is so urgent yet don't want dad and

Isa: Em what is she talking about?

Monty: Mae me and Isa are clueless about what you're talking about

Matt: uh guys why are you talking in this group chat at quarter part 12 in the morning

Isa: Oh hey Matt. To answer your answers, first Mae started this crap, second we have no freaking clue why she did or even what the heck she's talking about.

Emma: uuuummmm Mae?

Mae: yeah?

Emma: are you talking about what happened at the train station?

Mae: YES

Monty: uuuuhhh what are you guys talking about I'm clueless

Isa: Same but I have a feeling this happened while me and Matt were talking to the conductor

Matt: Mae just spill it so we don't have to play the guessing game

Mae: okay fine

so as Isa guessed this happened while she and Matt were talking to the conductor and me, Emma, and Clara were getting off the train after we finished on victimology.

Clara got of first and as she was taking the last step and trip

Matt: was she okay?

Emma: she's fine thankfully dad caught her before she could fall right on her face

Isa: Oh.My.Gulay is this why you're chatting us this late Mae?!

Mae: I would've asked how you mean that but I've known you long enough to know now

Monty: can we get back on track please? I really want to get this over with and go to sleep

Mae: sorry

anyways to a normal person it wouldn't have seen more than a friend helping another friend

Isa: buuuut

but as a profiler you/I see more than that

Emma: WTF MAE

ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT MY DAD AND AUNT CLARA ARE TOGETHER

Mae: uuuuuummmm yes???

Isa: Okay that's it I'm out. I don't wanna handle this crap anymore. I just wanna go to sleep.

Emma: same

Monty: yes please

Matt: yeah

Mae: ouch

Isa: MAE PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF CHIKAHAN DON'T. WE CAN PICK THIS UP TOMORROW.

______________________________________________________________

Aaaaaaand that's the end of the chapter. I decided to add the group chat thing as I was supposed to finish editing this fic but I got inspired by the fic "Sibling Chats" by JWritesFanAccount on AO3 and decided instead of making it an entire other fic I decided to add it to the end of each chapter and have the rest of the team (Isa and Emma included) talk about Jack/Clara or as I'll start referring (maybe) to them Jara (I know bad but it's the only thing I got rn). As for why Emma addressed Clara as "aunt" and not just buy her first name or accidentally slip and say/type "mom" while talking with everyone (minus her parent) is because technically they're off-duty and that's all I'm gonna say.

I would also like to add that from now on I'd like you guys to know that updates will be irregular because I'm still a student.

2 notes · View notes

where-theres-smoak-2 · 2 years

Text

Shadow and Bone 2x01 Review

I have just finished watching ep 1 and overall I think it was a solid episode and a good start to the season. It does a good job of getting you back into the swing of things and refamiliarizing you with the characters. It’s also got some interesting additions to the character list. So here are my thoughts on everything, obviously there are spoilers, there will also be some book spoilers so show only fans tread carefully, I will put a * before and after any book spoilers so you can skip over it if you want.

Opening Scene

Right from the get go the show sets the tone with the opening titles, the shadows coming and ripping at the sign, it sets a much darker tone for the season. What’s interesting is how that is juxtaposed immediately afterwards with a shot of Alina observing a peaceful town with a smile on her face. However the peaceful image doesn’t last long as a flock of what I think are crows fly over the town. What’s interesting about this is that crows are said to be an omen of death due to how they would flock over battlefields, they are said to flock over places where people are expected to die soon. True to the myth right after these birds fly over, the fold expands and swallows everything and everyone in its path. What is interesting is in this nightmare that Alina is having once inside the fold she cannot use her powers. I do think this is symbolic of how helpless she feels and how helpless she felt when Aleks expanded the fold into Novokribirsk. She then sees Aleks appear and begin to approach her while calling her name before she wakes up suddenly. *Obviously I do think this nightmare is connected to the mind palace/tether bond and the connection that exists between her and Aleks and she just hasn’t recognised that and thinks they are just dreams.* With her needing Mal to tell her that Aleks is dead repeatedly I do think that deep down she does know that he is still alive and she can feel that pull to him. She does eventually discover that the fold really is growing though and honestly I felt so sorry for her in that scene. The nightmares are scary enough it must have been terrifying to realise that its happening in real life too. It does make me wonder something though, is Aleks deliberately expanding the fold or has it grown out of his control and is just now growing by itself?

The Crows

Ok not going to lie I did find it low key hilarious when Jesper makes a joke about them arriving back in Ketterdam and no one was there waiting to kill them, yay, but then two minutes later they are all being held at gun point and wanted for murder. I did really enjoy the crows storyline this episode as it had quite a few call backs to the first ep of season 1 and we see a few characters that we haven’t seen since the beginning of season 1. I must admit I did laugh a bit when Dreesen makes his reappearance and the first word he says in ‘criminals’ I did love that call back. We also saw Pekka Rollins again and it seems he has been busy since the crows left, Tante Helene is apparently dead and the crows are wanted for her murder and Pekka Rollins now owns not just the crow club but the Menagerie as well and so by extension Inej. I did love how the moment Kaz realises that Rollins is a threat to Inej he tries to protect her by getting her out of dodge using the excuse that Alina needs her because he knows that is something Inej feels strongly about and would therefore more likely convince her to go. I also love that Inej doesn’t go for it and instead chooses to stand with Kaz and reassures him that she is not leaving him. I really liked her line about ‘what happens to the saints is fate, but what happens here is up to us’.

Going back to Dreesen, Kaz was back to being Kaz in that scene where Dreesen had him and Jesper captive and he just assesses the room and figures out that Dreesen wasn’t the real boss but Sturmhond was. *Book readers will know that Sturmhond is actually Nikolai Lantsov the prince of Ravka.* One thing I do love about Kaz is how he is able to assess a situation and with some quick thinking turn it in his favour. I also do think its interesting how they linked Sturmhond back to season 1 with having him being the one to hire Dreesen, making him a player the whole time, it is interesting to me that he was looking for Alina since the beginning.

I haven’t read the six of crows books so the crows are very interesting to me as I know next to nothing about them outside of what we learnt in season 1. So I cannot tell you how shocked I was when its revealed that Jesper is grisha, a durast. The funny thing was when watching season 1 there’s a scene towards the end of the season when Inej talks to Kaz by the fireplace, she opens the conversation by telling him Jesper fixed his cane and I remember thinking how the hell did he do that? I did wonder if he was grisha but then dismissed it and told myself that was just silly and I was looking way too much into it. But then it turned out he actually is grisha and it was so cool to see him use his powers to change the coin into a key, I also love that Kaz just knew all along pretty much.

Something else that intrigued me was what looked to be flashbacks of Kaz’s past. Honestly those flashbacks have me very worried they don’t look like a barrel of laughs. Also it did seem like they were triggered by touch, like every time that guy accidently brushed against Kaz’s leg he had a very visceral reaction and it almost seemed like it was triggering for him, like he had a near on panic attack. It was hard to make out the flashes because they happened so quickly but one looked like two kids sitting in the rain and the older one was coughing, I’m not sure which one is Kaz but did Kaz have a brother maybe? There was also a shot of Pekka Rollins asking ‘how are you feeling boy?’ there was also a shot of a boy with some kind of sickness like small pox or something and then another shot of that boy lying on what disturbingly looked like a pile of bodies. Now that I think about it the little boy was in more of the shots so it would make sense that he is younger Kaz, so maybe the older boy from the shot of two boys sitting in the rain is Kaz’s older brother? My theory is that Kaz and his brother were homeless and this lead to them getting sick, oh no please tell me Kaz’s brother doesn’t die from this disease? Was the sickness what lead to Kaz’s leg injury? It might explain why it was the touch to his leg that triggered these memories. But also how does Pekka Rollins fit into it all because he was in the flashbacks and it was clear in season 1 that Kaz had some history with Rollins but that Rollins doesn’t remember Kaz. Anyway I am very very worried about learning Kaz’s background because just from these small flashes I feel like I am not emotionally ready for what I am about to see.

The crows also add a couple of people to their ranks this episode with Nina and Wylan. We also get an explanation as to where Kaz got that phosphorus flash bomb from that he used against Aleks in season 1, turns out it was Wylan who made it for him. Again I like that link back to season 1 and how they are tying these new characters in. I also thought the reaction the crows have to Nina really funny especially as Nina is so surprised they know her name, but again its that tie back to season 1 and the conductor and how that was a link between these characters who kind of have history even though they have never met before. Also as a brit I must admit I did enjoy Wylan’s line of offering everyone tea, the correct action in those circumstances if you ask me, I thoroughly approve. I am curious to see all the new dynamics between the crows and these two new members, it seems like Inej and Nina immediately liked each other and I could see them becoming fast friends. However whilst it seemed like Wylan seemed somewhat in awe of Jesper it didn’t seem like Jesper was all that impressed with Wylan despite wanting a demolitions man. Also have these guys met before because it seems like Wylan knew who Jesper was but Jesper didn’t seem to know Wylan?

I am not sure how I feel about Kaz giving up Alina to Sturmhond and its clear that Jesper definitely didn’t feel good about it but at the same time Kaz did have a point about how Sturmhond already knew what ship they were on and that he would have been able to deduce where Alina went from there eventually and so they might as well get some of the money back. He did also attempt to send help to Alina later when he suggested Inej go find her, though I do think that was more for Inej’s benefit than Alina’s. I also do think that it was very in character for Kaz, he’s very calculating and at the end of the day he is always going to prioritize his crows over anything else. For him it was all about getting him and Jesper out of that situation and that just ranked higher on his list of priorities than keeping Alina’s confidence.

Sturmhond, Tamar and Tolya

Some other new characters we meet in this episode is Sturmhond, Tamar and Tolya. I think all three, despite not having a ton of screen time in this episode, got really good introductions. Tamar and Tolya both look very cool and badass and also very intimidating, they seem like characters I am going to like. I also loved Sturmhond’s introduction, again mentioned it before but I like that they tied his character to the story by making him Dreesen’s boss. I do wonder why he wants Alina, I am assuming as some kind of political chess piece but it seems like at the moment he believes she was working with Aleks, but he also seems really eager to find her. I do think its funny that in the end, after all that time searching for her and hiring Dreesen etc, Alina willingly puts herself on his ship, it reminded me so much of when she climbed into the crows carriage herself, what is it with Alina essentially unwittingly handing herself over to her own would be kidnappers?

I did think that Sturmhond’s character was very charismatic and entertaining, I loved how he made the distinction that he was in fact a privateer and not a pirate. I am really looking forward to seeing more of these characters as the season goes on.

Malina

Ok so fair warning to fans of Malina who may be reading this, you may wish to skip over this part as I don’t talk very favourably about them. I wouldn’t say I hate on them necessarily but I’m sorry I just really don’t find them that interesting.

The thing is I will admit that show malina is alot more tolerable than they were in the books, but the truth is I just find their relationship to be a bit bland. Also I’m sorry but when they were attempting to flirt, god was it just me or was it really cringey, I don’t remember them being this cringey in season 1. The whole conversation about the warming stones for example, just it didn’t seem natural at all it just seemed forced, like hey they are talking about beds tee hee hee. Also not going to lie the mention of warming stones only made me think of darklina and their scene in episode 4 at the fountain when Aleks asks how Alina is adjusting to the LP and she replies she’s never had warming stones in her bed before. So that scene only reminded me that whilst warming stones in his bed might be a new thing for Mal its not new for Alina and for me it just highlights that difference between them and how their experiences don’t match anymore, its not something they will be experiencing together for the the first time. Also side note but did they retcon Mal’s lifelong dreams in this episode? Because I remember Alina saying in season 1 that she always dreamed of travelling but Mal always dreamed of settling on a farm somewhere. But then in this episode whilst talking about how they are now travelling Mal says that when he was in the trenches he used to imagine exploring the world because of Alina’s maps, essentially that he dreams of travelling too. But then Mal doesn’t exactly talk very favourably of their travels so far talking about how they haven’t eaten or slept, so I am getting mixed signals here.

And then there’s the whole there’s only one bed scenario, that scene just seemed really awkward to me. To be fair to them I think it was supposed to have that awkwardness to it because its the first time they’d be sharing the bed and most scenes in films and tv shows that have that troupe have that slightly awkward feel to them but those scenes also usually have an underlying sexual tension to them and I just didn’t get that in this scene it just felt awkward.

I don’t think that they have bad chemistry necessarily, I think their chemistry is fine, the problem is its just fine and it doesn’t hold a candle to darklina’s chemistry. Like the kiss scene on the bed, that moment should have been hot and sexy but instead it was kind of meh. Compared to darklina’s desk kiss it was like tepid soup whereas the darklina desk scene sizzled with passion and energy. I think the problem is malina have a very quiet kind of chemistry and if darklina wasn’t in the show then maybe the show could have gotten away with it but darklina do exist and because the chemistry and magnetism is so strong between them it just completely outshines malina. Like there is a moment in one of Alina’s ‘dreams’ where Aleks reaches for her face and she gasps at the contact, that one like millisecond moment had more sexual tension in it than all of malina’s scenes in this episode combined.

I appreciate that everyone has different perspectives and ships and no disrespect to anyone who does ship malina but they just don’t do it for me, I just find them boring. Maybe they’ll get better as the season goes on, at the very least I hope they dial back on the cringe a bit, in season 1 I did think they were very cheesy, but cheese I could bear cringe on the other hand is a big no, no for me.

Darklina

So there wasn’t loads of darklina content in this episode but I won’t lie I found the one scene we got really interesting. It was interesting that the space that they meet in during that ‘dream’ scene was the same tent where he put the collar on her. I do think that space has different significance to them both. For Alina its the place where she truly did feel betrayed and wronged by him. Where he took her power. This comes through when Aleks asks what she thinks this is and she says more veiled threats and empty promises. I really do think she is thinking back to the last time they were in that tent together and the threats he made towards mal and the promises he made that they could do anything together. For him I do think this place holds some feelings of regret, its a reminder of how he hurt her. But I think they are both pushing those more complicated feelings aside and are instead hiding behind their anger towards each other.

I also think their costumes are interesting as they aren’t the same clothes they were wearing when they were last in that tent. Alina is in her blue kefta and her hair is the same as it was when the had that horse riding/fountain scene in ep 4. What’s interesting to me about that possible link back to that scene from episode 4 was it was a scene where they were being very vulnerable and open with each other so its interesting that when Alina appears before him here it is with the same look as that moment they shared previously. It could also be in connection to the fact that she rejects his colours in that episode. They have a conversation in this dream scene where Aleks says she thinks she knows who she is now. So her coming to him in the blue kefta and not a black one could be like an act of defiance on her part to say I am not like you, I am not going to wear your colour. Aleks meanwhile is in the black kefta from season 1 and is scarless, he has come there in his former image the one that doesn’t bear the marks of what happened in the fold in the season 1 finale, in a way its the version of him before he hurt and then lost Alina.

I really loved their conversation about suffering and sacrifice, I thought it was very intriguing and raised alot of interesting questions. The whole you think you know yourself because you have suffered for a moment I do think is almost his way of warning her but it also pulls into focus that difference between Alina’s experience and Aleks’, yes Alina has suffered but so too has Aleks, only Alek’s suffering has spanned across hundreds of years. I also think he makes a good point that she won’t know the depths of her soul until that suffering becomes sacrifice. I do think Alina was being a little naive when she asked Aleks what he has sacrificed other than innocent lives. Don’t get me wrong its a good question one that does make you stop and consider what it is that Aleks has sacrificed. Luda, countless soldiers and friends, his freedom, his name, his pride, alina. But what I think is naive on Alina’s part is this believe she seems to have that you can win a war or a revolution without sacrificing innocent lives. It again highlights that difference in experience between the two, Aleks learned this lesson a long time ago, that sometimes you have to make the hard choices and that sometimes the cost of that is innocent lives. Alina has yet to realise that but the fact that they are having this conversation now tells me that at some point in this season, during her journey of becoming a leader she is going to learn this lesson. The most tragic part of war is the innocent lives that are lost, but sometimes to achieve the greater good you have to make sacrifices.

I do think the fact that when Aleks asks are you willing to sacrifice that which is most precious to you and he reaches for her face it’s supposed to indicate that he himself did sacrifice what was most precious to him and that happened to be her. He did look somewhat meditative in that moment. I did think Alina’s reaction to him touching her was very interesting as she gasps as if she felt this surge of energy from him. I am very intrigued to see more of these dream like scenes between them.

Grisha

I did like that we got to see Grisha from another country in this episode and to have that as a comparison of what life is like for the Ravkan grisha compared to other places in the world. Alina meeting the durast grisha in Noyvi Zem was a good example of how different life is for grisha in Noyvi Zem, there grisha all have one name which translates as ‘blessed’. I think this was a good interaction for Alina, to see someone viewing grisha powers as a blessing as again its a link back to season 1 when Alina very much saw it as a curse as opposed to a gift. But I also think it was important that the grisha voiced pity for the ravkan grisha because I think Alina has had a warped idea of the Grisha in Ravka, that they are privileged and like they don’t suffer. I am hoping that by seeing the way grisha are treated in other places around the world and seeing people have that pity for Ravka’s grisha it will help her realise that is not the case and it never has been.

Speaking of Ravka’s grisha they are in a bit of a sorry state at the moment. The first army literally have them locked up in cages. There was that scene where the first army officer was making a speech and he talks about how they have sacrificed for the grisha and fought for the grisha. Here’s what bugs me about this whole speech, yeah sure maybe some of that is true but lets be real they were mostly fighting for themselves and on top of that the grisha have also fought, died and crossed the fold in aid of the first army so it was a two way street. Also what they are planning to do to these grisha is pretty messed up they have them locked in cages and the plan was just to leave them there in the path of the expanding fold as some kind of human sacrifice to the fold and its volcra.

Honestly it might be mean of me, call me a terrible person, but I had very little sympathy for the first army soldiers when Aleks killed them. Yes I get the whole they were acting out of fear and desperation and I get that those can be powerful and corruptive forces but you still choose what you do with your fear, how you react to it and these first army soldiers decided to imprison and ultimately kill innocent grisha. Also if you are going to use the whole but they are being driven by their fear and desperation excuse for the first army’s actions then why can’t that also be used for Aleks because lets be real he is also acting out of fear and desperation, fear that his people will always be hunted and desperation to find them a safe place.

I think this really shows when he says ‘so this again, locking us up in cages? I shall have to overthrow the king now.’ He has once again found himself back in the same situation he was in when Anastas was King and honestly I can understand his anger, it must be really hard to see this happen to his people again and his reaction to this being I must wipe out the first army and the King makes perfect sense for his character as last time it was the first army and the king that made his people suffer so horrifically, it makes sense that he would want to remove them from the chess board, so to speak, before they can imprison and kill too many of his grisha, I think this view is only made stronger because he took the more peaceful route in the past and not only did it not work but it cost him dearly, it again comes back to that idea of sacrifice and how much you are willing to risk and ultimately lose to achieve your goal, what lines are you willing to cross? Also I know I am being petty here and this is most likely influenced by the book reader side of me but I do think its funny how the first scene we see of Alina is her essentially running away and hiding, though to be fair they have made an improvement in the show by having her looking for the sea whip, especially as it does give her that agency she lacked in the books. The first time we see Aleks (outside of the dreamscape) its him saving grisha yet somehow Alina is the heroine and Aleks is the villain? Like I fully support Aleks killing those first army men as they were only going to do the same to the grisha, although I will admit he was a tad bit dramatic when he threw that head out of the fold.

I do also want to talk about the nichevo’ya because omg do they look amazing. I love the aesthetic of them and the way that they move and the sound of them. I mean they really are very terrifying. Like 100% if I saw one of those things coming at me I would be running in the opposite direction.

Ok I think that is everything, I have come to the realisation that posting these reviews between episodes is going to make getting through the season a little longer but the bright side is taking the time to write the review lets me really mull over the episode and think about what I have watched.

Bonus: Favourite Lines of the Episode

‘Let’s all go back to Ketterdam. It’ll be fun. They said.’

‘He’s a very rich pirate.’ ‘Privateer actually. It’s an important distinction.’

‘You won’t truly understand the depths of your soul until that suffering leads you to sacrifice.’

‘I’m not leaving you, not now. What happens to saints is up to fate. What happens here is up to us.’

#shadow and bone #s&b season 2 spoilers #s&b spoilers #darklina #anti malina

10 notes · View notes