#i was so upset that the otters would disappear (in the version before this) that when i found otters id just spend a fucking HOUR taking pic

[adventures-in-teyvat]

can i just say im so fucking happy that they added otters who are around all the time and dont just exist for the purpose of a chest and then disappear. like they are just always there. and i can die happy now

THEY DONT FUCKING DISAPPEAR IM GONNA CRY I CAN LITERALLY NAME THEM NOW I NAMED THIS ONE BY THE WINDOW PONCHO

[for-dramas-sake]

12 Monkeys Recap: “Guardians”

Hey Guys! It's recap time! Episode 2 "Guardians"...What a fun episode! I LOVE that Jennifer back and in full crazy Jennifer mode. She is my favorite character and deserves much love.

The last episode was mostly Cole moping and Cassie searching (it was more fun that it sounds) and then there was poor Cassie dealing with her pregnacy and the freaking cult that worships her baby. Talk about pressure. I would need serious therapy if I was her. In this ep, we get a lot of emotions from Cassie and Ramse, poor Ramse.

Before we go onto episode 2, a note: I refer to the four mysterious characters in this episode as Horsemen (as per Jennifer's description) but then I switch to Guardians (per the Pallid Man's reference) near the end. I'm sorry if it's confusing. LET'S GO!

The year is 1921. The place: Paris, France. We open the episode with the arrival of the 4 Horseman of the Apocalypse. They all wear splinter vests and carry a box with a red symbol for Titan on it. The box hums with technology from the future.

Switch to Jennifer, our favorite Primary with a head full of crazy, in Paris. She's writing postcards to James "Otter Eyes" Cole in 2046 to come get her. She's been "left behind". By now, she speaks French fluently and dresses like orphan Annie pre-Daddy Warbucks.                                          

She sends postcards out to the U.S. via a priest and they are to be mailed in 95 years to which the priest replies "We'll all be dead" and she says "Then get God to do it". Jennifer still has great responses even in the 20s.

Her other method to get the attention of Dr. Jones is the theater. She sneaks into La Vision then performs some tap dance to peak the owner's interest. Okay, she's crazy, but she's a performer. And oh the performances she puts on. She does her one person plays of films anyone from 2016 would recognize:

Charlie Chaplin

E.T.

Alien

Jaws

and then... her own version of the Army of the 12 Monkeys, the Witness' destruction of time. It's her versus the Witness, who sounds like he has a cold.

How awesome is Jennifer on stage? She’s a one-woman show and the crowd loves her, except for the last one. I love the little praises she gives herself on stage. It's so Jennifer. She puts her craziness to work and it helps make her star. But this new 12 Monkeys play is not a hit. She barely gets a response, which is not what she wants. This was supposed to be her way to get noticed by Jones who used a newspaper from Ramse in the past.

She is so lonely and desperate to get home. Her dressing room is cluttered with sketches she has done of the four horseman, the Witness, and her friends. Meanwhile, someone has discovered her 12 Monkeys play and he's not a good guy. I mean, have you seen his hair? Ugh, mutton chops.

He comes to Jennifer's dressing room. She recognizes him as one of the 4 Horsemen. He calls her "primary" then pulls out his already bloody knife. Jennifer pulls down her cabinet which smothers him with junk.

Jacques, the owner, has been killed.  Jennifer runs to the stage then literally into the Horseman, who used his splinter vest. Cheater.

Mr. Mutton Chops notices  the props of the 12 Monkeys play. He goes to kill her, but then is gunned down by none other than Cole and Dr. Jones! They've come to rescue her!

Jennifer's reaction: "Finally!"

But it's not the reunion that Jennifer was hoping for. First, the guys from the future didn't find out she was in 1921 through her acting or the postcards, it was the newspaper article indicting her as the murderer of her boss. And Second, they don't ask how she's been since her disappearance. Cole goes straight to asking if she knows anything about Cassie or Ramse.

Jennifer blows up in anger. She's been in Paris for 5 years and survived World War I. Did they not notice or even care? Then she pulls out another clue that she left for "Grandma Time" aka Dr. Jones. Haha.  She created an album that literally said "Rescue Me from France". One of her songs was titled "Jones, what's taking so long?" Haha!

Then Jennifer clues in Jones and Cole on the 4 Horseman and their paradox in a box ("para-box" as Jennifer calls it).

They look at the splinter vest that was on the Man with the Mutton Chops. Jones is fascinated with the vest. That plus this box, which may or may not be weapon, means something big is going down with the Monkey army. Cole asks about the other three Horsemen.

Meanwhile in Enemy Headquarters Paris, France, those other three are concerned that Mr. Hockley (Mutton Chops) has not returned yet.

Back at Titan, Cassie wakes up from a nightmare that was real. She had given birth to the Witness.

Mallick visits her to tell her that the Witness is safe. When Cassie asks to see her son, Mallick refuses saying there's no need; however, he agrees to take her to see him.

They arrive in a room decorated with more leaves from the red forest and items from the Witness' past. A mask stands on a pedestal in the middle of the room. Music from the 1920s plays on a phonograph. Cassie recognizes the grandfather clock from the house in 1959. There is the giant timeline with the corner missing.

Mallick explains this room represents the Witness' history. He is a child, a man, and their Savior. The man will return to the Titan and "lead the faithful to salvation" to which Cassie understands as the red forest. She spots an old fashioned watch enscribed with the words "For my Beloved E". Who is E?

Mallick offers his help to her. Is this a trap or not? Cassie believes him.

She won't leave Titan without her baby, but Mallick says she is no longer as important as she once was. Meaning: get the hell out of dodge, girl, because you are in danger! But Cassie begs for a moment to look at her son. He consents, but there is plenty of implication that she's not going to like it.

Back in 1922, Cole and Jones discuss the splinter vest with Jennifer commentating in the background.

Cole wants to learn where the other three Monkeys are. Jennifer is sick of helping them. "All I ever do is help you." All She ever wanted to be was a part of a team, not just the crazy girl who dishes out clues on how to save the world. She leaves.

Back in 2046, Ramse has joined up with Olivia and her band of rebels. They are headed to Ramse's son, Sam. Ramse is upset that they are taking too long to get to their camp. He's also upset that she's had him longer than he ever had... "for decades".

Olivia and Ramse arrive at the camp, but it's been wrecked by Monkeys. Olivia finds a note pinned to a tree by a knife.

Ramse finds Sam lying on a cot bleeding from several wounds. Sad father and son moment as Sam recognizes his dad.

Sam defends Olivia's choice to keep him by her side. Remember last season when Cassie controlled by the Witness kidnapped him? Then Sam disappeared when the machine went haywire? He was poofed back to 2023 and that was when Olivia picked him up. Ramse tells Sam he's going to go back in time and fix all of this, but Sam says no. He believes it's mean to be like this. Ramse says Sam is the only thing he doesn't hate himself for. "You're my boy."

Sam urges Ramse to save the world and him. At Sam's request, Ramse reluctantly suffocates his son to death. It's a heart breaking scene as Sam fights against him with Ramse whispering "It's okay" again and again. Then Sam dies and Ramse cries. And the whole time we're crying, right? It was so touching and heartbreaking. Poor Ramse. All he wanted to be was a father to his son, but let's face it. He barely got to spend any time with him at all! (tears pouring down my face)

In his rage, Ramse attacks Olivia.

Olivia urges Ramse to use his anger against the Witness.

Back in 1922, Jennifer recognizes one of the Horsemen from her pictures. She follows her to the Horsemen's apartment.

Cole and Dr. Jones have found Mr. Hockley's address and are on their way, too. As they enter the hallway, two Horsemen show up with guns. Uh-oh! Jennifer appears with a distraction dance.

Jones and Cole are hit but so are the two Horsemen. Jones kills one. Cole the other.

Mallick takes Cassie to the Red Theater where the Pallid Man is making yet another speech about the Witness. Is that all he does?

Cassie watches as her son is brought out to the stage. He is given to the Pallid Man. Cassie cries when her son makes baby crying noises.

Cole limps into the apartment. There is a phonograph playing the same music that was in the Witness' room in Titan. The parabox is in the center of the room humming.

The four Horsemen come to the stage. Magdalana is leading them to Cassie's horror. This is the moment she realizes that what Magdalana told her was true. SHE not Cassie would rear the child. Magdalana puts the baby in the box. The Four Guardians synchronize and disappear with the box and the baby. Cassie cries.

Cole approaches the box but Magdalana comes out of nowhere and hits Cole multiple times. He goes down.

Magdalana splinters away. Cole hears a baby crying. He crawls towards the box as Jennifer and Jones limp inside. Then the room suddenly changes. The box disappears and so does everyone else.

Jones and Cole reappear a day earlier where they had splintered to. Jones realizes that they--the Monkeys-- have restarted the timeline.

Now that time has backed up a day, we go back to Jennifer finishing up her Army of Monkeys play. Only one person claps: Cole. This time he sees his mistake. He says they need her and he's come back just for her. Aww!!

They return to 2046. Jennifer arrives in style but no one is impressed or even happy she's there.

Jones has figured that one of the four Guardians of the box splintered back to warn the others of the coming arrival of Cole and company. In typical Magdalana fashion, she activates the self-destruct button and burns up.

The Guardians leave Paris. The bad news: we have new baddies on the scene and we don't know where or when they went. The good news: We have Jennifer back!

Cole approaches Jennifer with the choice to go back to 2016 or stay. This was something he wished he had done with Cassie in 1959. Jennifer accepts to be a part of the team. Of course she wants to stay! Best friend hugs!

These two are adorable and I want them both safe and working together forever.

Before they go off to get Jennifer her own bunk, Jennifer announces that she knows a way to get Cassie back. She puts Cole's hand up to the light of the machine. "Do you feel that?" "What?" "Cassie. She's in there."

An alarm goes off. It's Ramse at the front door of the facility with Olivia in tow.

What an episode! So many emotions for Cassie and Ramse! They've both lost their sons, but how it will impact them remains to be seen! Jennifer and Cole are back together and ready to take on the army! Yes! Now Olivia is back in the picture! What will she do? Do evil things of course.

Next week I'll post my recap for "Enemy"! Thanks for reading!