#they should’ve done him over the john reynolds way

[allysah]

me after rewatching dick garnett death scene 50 times in a row

[ridiculousn3sswrites]

The Reynolds Pamphlet

*Lafayette x Reader

*Summary: Lafayette’s nickname gets some awkward connotations and I have no idea how to write a summary for this.

*Warnings: Swearing

A/N: I really loved this prompt but it was so hard writing it you guys have no idea.

The night that the joke started was much like any other with the guys: the drinks were flowing, Alexander and John had to be held back from a couple fights, and Lafayette was drunkenly trying to pick up on you, despite the two of you already dating. “C’mon, Laf, there’s no way you’ve never gotten into a bar fight,” Alex tried egging him on after Herc forced Alex to sit at the booth once again.

“I have not, seeing as I’m always the one having to pull you out of fights, mon ami,” Lafayette laughed, taking another drink of his beer.

“No, Herc does too,” John slurred, leaning against the man in question.

“You know, we always call Lafayette either Laf or Gil, but we never use any of his other names. What if he wants to be called Marie just once?” you pondered, looking at the drink in your hand.

“I’ve never heard any of us call him Gil, what’re you talking about?” Herc asked, lightly shoving John away from him as he looked at you.

“Jefferson and Madison do,” you replied nonchalantly, trying not to set Alexander off on another one of his rants. The second Alexander’s head perked up, you knew you’d made a mistake.

“She has a point there,” Alex said, slightly shocking you. “How about it, Laf? Do you want to be called Marie.”

“I’ve never thought of it,” Lafayette shrugged, putting an arm around your shoulders. “I’m fine with it as long as it’s not all the time.”

“Then here’s to Maria,” John said seriously, raising his glass. He looked confused when the rest of the group burst into giggles, lowering his glass and looking to Herc for an explanation.

“You idiot, his name’s Marie, not Maria,” Hercules explained through his laughter.

“Are you sure?” John asked, trying not to burst into giggles but failing.

“Yes, John, I’m pretty sure my name is Marie,” Lafayette snorted, pressing his head slightly into your shoulder as he tried to control his laughter. The group dissolved into even more giggles as John tried to argue that he was pretty sure Laf’s name was Maria. The night was kind of a blur beyond that. You could remember the almost obnoxious laughter that had nearly everyone in the bar staring at your table, John giggling ‘Maria’ every now and then, and finally passing out with Lafayette in your shared apartment.

The whole ‘Maria’ thing became a running joke in your group after that night. It was mainly backhanded comments, jokes made to Laf if he was acting a bit strange, nothing too serious. You wanted to make sure Laf wasn’t bothered by them, and checked in to make sure he was actually fine after a particularly heavy day of the jokes. “Hey, Laf?” you asked, hugging him from behind as he washed dishes after dinner.

“Yes, mon amour?” Laf questioned, enjoying the feeling of your face pressed against his back. You held him a bit tighter, going over you next words in your head before speaking again.

“Do you really not mind the Maria thing? Just say the word and me and Herc will make sure it never happens again,” you replied, loosening your hold slightly. Lafayette finished drying the last dish before turning to face you, wrapping his arms around you and delicately tilting your head up with one of his hands.

“Chéri, I really do not mind it. If I did, I wouldn’t have let it start in the first place,” Laf told you, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. “Your concern is adorable, though.”

“Shush, it’s my job to be worried about you,” you laughed, bringing him down for another kiss.

That was the last time you spoke of the nickname, other than when it was used. When the Schuylers joined your group due to Alexander’s involvement with Eliza, there was a brief explanation. Everything went downhill with the nickname a few years later, with the arrival of The Reynolds Pamphlet.

You had been out to lunch with Angelica, catching up on her life since she had left to London with her husband. She had gotten a call halfway through, her getting up and giving you a rushed apology as she left, silently fuming. That was your first clue that something was wrong. You left soon after, just wandering around the shopping district since you were supposed to spend your entire afternoon with Angelica. You passed by a newsstand, and that was when you found out exactly what happened.

There, on the front page of nearly every newspaper, was Alexander’s official White House portrait. You grabbed a few dollars from your purse, nearly shoving it into the vendor’s hands as you grabbed the newspaper. You ripped open the paper, scanning the brief details the paper provided since they didn’t have enough resources to print the entire thing. As you read, you could feel yourself becoming more and more heated, your anger at Alexander rising. You shoved the paper in your purse, turning back in the direction of your and Lafayette’s apartment.

“Laf!” You yelled as you burst through the front door. “I’m about to kill your best friend!”

“What did Hercules do, chéri?” Lafayette asked from his spot on the sofa, looking up from his laptop.

“Not that one, the idiot that doesn’t know when to shut up,” you fumed.

“Ah, what happened with Alexander?” Lafayette asked, still confused as to why you were so upset. You tossed the paper on top of his laptop before speaking.

“Look for yourself and give me one good reason why I shouldn’t go over there and kill him right now,” you seethed, now pacing in front of him. Lafayette’s eyes darted across the paper, taking in every detail. You knew he got to the main point when he bristled, but he soon looked up at you with a playful look in his eyes.

“I have never fucked Ham, and if that were the case, he would be paying me,” Lafayette joked, a dopey grin on his face. You let out a small, shocked laugh before dissolving into giggles and sinking onto the couch beside him. “And, if you kill him you’ll be sent to jail and I’d be forced to attempt a prison break.”

“Not a good enough point, Eliza’s probably broken over this,” you told him, snuggling slightly into his chest. Lafayette put his laptop on the coffee table, giving you room to move onto his lap. You took the invitation, Lafayette’s arms wrapping around you.

“I won’t be able to hold you close and there’s no internet or Netflix in prison,” Lafayette told you, placing a kiss on your neck.

“You should’ve started with that,” you laughed. “But I’m still ready to kill Hamilton.”

“Give them some time, mon amour, they will figure things out. But I’m not opposed to us yelling at Alexander, he deserves that much,” Lafayette told you. “And I doubt that Angelica has not already done as much.”

You let out a small ‘oh’ of realization when it finally hit you. Laf looked at you, tilting his head slightly in confusion. “Angelica got a call when we were at lunch and left, this was probably what it was about.”

“Then God have mercy on Alexander, that is one woman I fear with all my heart,” Lafayette joked. You laughed, and knew that Lafayette had a point about Alexander and Eliza. But that wouldn’t stop you from getting all the details and sharing Angelica’s fury later.

[desperatepenguin722]

Sunrise

Pairing: Lin Manuel Miranda x Reader

Request: @constellationsniall “Hey!!! I just had an idea for a linxreader fic, and i was wondering if you would be willing to write it??? so my idea is that lin is hosting a ham4ham show before one of the shows. He is in love with the reader, but the reader doesn't know it, and on the ham4ham show that day he brings out a lot of the cast to sing some sort of love song (you could choose), and he seems to be singing more directly to the reader than anyone else?”

A/N: So this is my second Song fic and my third hamilcast fic so, I hope y’all like it! Requests are always open!

You took a steadying breath, looking out the window of your dressing room down at the quickly gathering crowd. Excitement bubbled up and formed into a small smile that settled upon your lips. But, along with that excited feeling, a sense of dread soon followed at the inevitable ending that would be coming in less than five hours.

It was your last performance as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds.

Sure, you’d only been playing the roles for a little over a month, but at two shows a day six days a week, you’d grown quite a fondness for, as Lin liked to call the characters, “Sober (Y/N), and drunk (Y/N)”. You’d disagreed with a scoff, but you hadn’t exactly done anything to prove him wrong. Although you hated to admit it, you knew the role wasn’t the only thing you’d miss. You’d miss the cast. 

You’d quickly grown fond of your quirky partners-in-crime, there was something in each of them that drew you. To your happy surprise, they were just as ready to accept you into their family, not hesitating to give you a chance as soon as Lin excitedly went on and on about your vocal range after he’d heard you at a karaoke bar one night. If you’d have known he’d be there that night, you would’ve sang something less sexual than “Earned It”. But maybe not. You’d never forget the way he rushed up to you after the song, rambling on about his show and how, “You’d be perfect for the role of a forgotten sister and an seductive mistress”. You shrugged an okay.

Now, two months later, you were here. Sitting at the window peering down at Ham4Ham fans with a boatload of memorable shows stored forever in your mind. Shows where you played Peggy, the innocently adorable little sister. Shows where you played Maria, the not-so-innocent young mistress of Alexander Hamilton. Shows where you got to repeatedly kiss Lin...

You shook your head, a dark blush settling on your cheeks. They were just stage kisses, that’s all. You told yourself. Even if you had felt something in those kisses, there’s no way Lin did. No way he’d felt those fireworks you’d felt since the first rehearsal, since the first time his hand caressed your sides and you felt his breath on your neck, since the first time you’d entangled your fingers into his jet-black locks, since the first time you had told him to stay.

He would’ve said something by now, Lin wasn’t one to hide things. Even on a TMI level. 

“Yooo,” A familiar head of curls appeared in the doorway, “How’s it going?” Daveed, dressed in a gray tank-top with ‘Fuck Gender Roles’ written in a white graffiti font and dark blue jeans, walked towards the window you were standing at.

“It’s going...” You shrugged, turning your eyes from the crowded street below to him.

He smiled, ruffling your hair like an older brother. Daveed had become one of your closests friends in the past two months as well as a protecitve big-brother. He’d constantly insist on walking you home, even if you already had an Uber. he’d walk you to the car and make you sure had enough money to get back to your small studio apartment. “Gonna miss this place? I won’t ask if you’ll miss me, I mean, that’s kind of inevitable.” He tossed his hair back with an aura of cockiness.

You rolled your eyes, still smiling. “Are you Jefferson or Daveed?”

“Neither.” He bent down, mock whispering in your ear. “I am actually Lafayette.”He made his typical French accent even thicker, causing you to giggle. “There’s my girl, no being sad on your last performance. I mean, Maria Reynolds was sad but you’ve gotta wait until The Reynolds Pamphlet to show that. Until then, you’ve got to be all ‘Hey Lin, let me kiss you and seduce you with my curves and shit’” He ran his hands slowly up and down his sides and pretended to swoon.

The action should’ve sent you into a fit of laughter, but all it did was cause your cheeks to catch fire and your eyes to widen. “I-I’m not trying to seduce Lin, I-I’m just playing the part.” You quickly explained, hoping he wouldn’t notice the blush spreading down your neck.

He cocked a brow, stopping his show. “I was just kid-” His eyes widened, “Holy shit. You like Lin. Like, like-like him.”

You rolled your eyes, internally cursing yourself for being able to blush so easy. “How eloquent Diggs.”

“And she doesn’t deny it!” He grinned, clapping his hands.

Anthony walked in, his hair already tied back but still wearing his usual plain navy-blue tee and black jeans. “Doesn’t deny what?”

You groaned. “Daveed don-”

“Her crush on Lin.”

Anthony nodded, shrugging his shoulders. “You’re just now catching onto that?”

You furrowed your brows. “Wait, what?” You sighed, rubbing your temples. “Does anyone else know?”

“Yeah, practically the whole cast can see the chemistry between you two up there. It’s kind of awkwards sometimes when we don’t know if y’alll are actually gonna start getting it on.” He chuckled, dodging the box of tissues you threw at him.

“Well, tell the man how you feel girl!” Daveed blurted.

You rolled your eyes. “Great idea Diggs, ‘Hey, I know we only met like two months ago and you’ve had to kiss me almost every night since then but I actually really like you so since I’m leaving and your schedule will be far too busy for me, want to go grab coffee? Oh, you don’t feel that way towards me and I’ve just ruined our friendship? Okay, excuse me while I go and pass out in shame.’ “ You shook your head. “No.”

Anthony smiled at Daveed, pulling out his phone and typing something. A minute later, Daveed’s phone buzzed and he started typing. This went on for a few minutes and finally you rolled your eyes. 

“Guys, i’m standing right here. You aren’t as slick as you’d like to think.”

“Shh! No time for that now, we’ve got a ham4ham to perform in!” Ant declared, grabbing your hand. Daveed gave you no time to respond, quickly ushering you out and down to the back door.

“I don’t know what the hell you two are up to, but I swear if you-” Anthony opened the door and pulled you out before you could finish your threat. John had just finished his rendition of “Helpless” with Lin, the audience erupting in a mix of cheers and laughs. You couldn’t help the smile that fell upon your lips at John making eyes at Lin and Lin making eyes right back.

“Alright alright! John, stop fawning over Lin and make some noise for (Y/N)(Y/L/N)!” Anthony declared, pulling you next to Lin. The audience cheered at you, Daveed and Ant’s appearance. You gave a little wave and a smile, facing the audience so you wouldn’t have to look into Lin’s hypnotizing eyes.

“So,” Daveed began, grabbing the megaphone from Lin, “We all know it’s (Y/N)’s last show.” The audience erupted in cheers and groans, something that made your eyes start to tear. “I know, I know, we’ll all miss her. Some of us more than others.” He more muttered the last part, eyes darting momentarily to Lin before continuing. “On that note, who thinks (Y/N) and Lin need to have one last song?” The crowd cheered and clapped, screaming excited Yes!’s. You glared at Daveed, mouthing, ‘What the hell are you two up to?’ to Anthony. 

He responded with a smile and shrug, taking the megaphone Daeed held out. What the hell were they planning? You looked over at Lin, who appeared just as lost as you felt. “Anybody from the audience have any suggestions?” He cupped his ear and leaned to the side as the crowd shouted so many songs at the same time. “Did I hear someone shout “Sunrise”?”  Shouts of agreeance and excitement erupted and your stomach dropped. Sunrise. One of the biggest love songs from ‘In The Heights’.

You sent a glare at both Ant and Daveed, hoping they felt the fire you were trying to shower them with. This is what they’d been planning. You turned back to Lin, who smiled and shrugged.

“I’m down. Come on Nina, let’s do this!” 

His confidence and smile melted your heart and you found yourself only able to nod, grabbing a mic that one of the crew handed you. You and Lin walked about five feet from each other, the audience quieting and the cast gathering around behind the two of you. Lin sent yo a thumbs up and tied his hair back. Shame, it always looked so nice down, but it looked really cute up, too.

You sent one back, clearing your throat and beginning. “Are you ready to try again?”

Lin smiled, nodding. “I think I’m ready.”

“Okay, here we go. Esquina.”

“Corner.” He sang back.

“Tienda?” You cocked a brow.

“Store.”

“Bombilla?”

“Lightbulb.”

“You sure?” you teased, smirking at the crowd. You turned back to him just as he playfully rolled his eyes and answered.

“I’m sure.”

“Three outta three, you did alright.” 

“Well teach me a little more...” He took a step closer, making the space between you smaller. You took a quick breath, heart pounding at the fact that by the end of the song, you two would be mere inches from each other. 

“Calor.” You took a small step forward, the crowd slowly fading as your eyes focused on him.

“Heat.” His smile grew smaller, but still remained.

“Anoche.”

“Last night.” He sang, winking at you.

You felt calor fall upon your cheeks again, but suddenly didn’t care whether he saw or not. This is the time you’d be able to express how you felt to his face, without really telling him at all. You weren’t really sure if you were Nina singing to Benny, or you singing to Lin. “Dolor.” Your voice dipped, and you tried not to let the emotions through too much. Just enough to put on a belivable show.

“Pain.” He nodded, walking forward then stopping.

You bit your lip, looking down. “That’s right.” You glanced up at him through your lashes. “Llamame.”

“Call me.”

“Azul.” It was your turn to walk, but you suddenly felt glued to your spot. You were afraid that if he saw the way you were looking at him, the way your heart was coming out in every lyric, he’d back away.

“Blue.” He moved forward.

“Amame?” You tried to make it come out as a question, but it sounded more like a plea.

Lin was only a foot away now, and he reached out and grabbed your hand. Your eyes shot up, this wasn’t part of the plan. “...Love me?” His plea matched yours and suddenly, your courage rose along with your voice.

You nodded slowly. “Perhaps...I do.”

He paused for a moment, pulling you gently to him by the hand. You couldn’t speak, couldn’t ask if this was part of the act or not in fear that if his answer was yes, you wouldn’t be able to finish the song. “Well,” He tilted your chin up so your eyes met and brushed a strand of hair behind your ear, “How do you say, “Kiss me”?”

“Besame.” You whispered into the mic you were white-knuckling.

“And how do you say, “Hold me”?” He held his hand on the small of your back, holding you as close to him as he could.

“Abrazame. Al amanecer. At sunrise.” You tore your eyes away, looking up and past the audience at the sun, hanging high in the sky.

He guided your chin back and looked deeply into your eyes, smiling nervously and tilting his head slightly. You took a breath, preparing to sing with him. 

“Anything at all can happen just before the sunrise.” The cast echoed the last word, everything flowing in perfect synch.

“Sunrise.” You repeatedly, your nervous smile matching his.

Now it was his line.

You waited, along with the cast and the audience, time itself standing still. Everyone waited tensely for Lin to continue the song, you waited to continue so you could focus on something other than the way his lips were only an eyelash length away from yours or the way his chocolate eyes were gazing down into yours or-

Suddenly, his lips were on yours. And he kissed you like no one had before, slowly, tenderly, lovingly. Your eyes shut as you wrapped your arms aroujd his neck, melting into the kiss. His lips seemed to be speaking the only language you ever wanted to use after this, one of understanding, of care, of passion.

You only noticed the cheers and whoops of the audience and cast after you pulled away, breathless. You opened your eyes, unable to keep a smile from your face. Luckily, he was beaming just as hard as you were.

“Benny, I think it’s your line.” You chuckled, some of the crowd laughing with you and most of the crowd still “aww”ing and snapping photos. 

“Right.” He rested his forehead against yours. “At Sunrise.” He sang.

A whole new meaning coming to the word.

[briangroth27]

Sleepy Hollow Season 4 Review

Full series spoilers…

I loved Sleepy Hollow in Seasons 1 and 2: the chemistry between Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison), Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie), Jenny Mills (Lyndie Greenwood), and Captain Irving (Orlando Jones) was infectious, the twists on American history and Washington Irving’s original story were ingenious, and the supernatural plotlines were often fearlessly bonkers in the best way. They boasted some great villains, like the iconic and terrifying Headless Horseman (Neil Jackson, Jeremy Owens, Richard Centrone, Craig Branham), the architect of the apocalypse, Moloch (DJ Mifflin, Marti Matulis, Grant Spingdale, Austin Filson), Ichabod’s lost son Jeremy/Henry (John Noble), and Crane’s wife Katrina (Katia Winter). I enjoyed most of Season 3, even if the villains were ultimately underwhelming and Abbie’s death was really poorly done; the magic was still there. Season 4 opened with an uphill battle following Abbie’s death and a complete change of scenery as the series left Sleepy Hollow. I didn’t think the show could—or should—go on. Though the series definitely wasn’t the same, Season 4 largely proved me wrong: there was still life here.

Tom Mison still seemed game to play the time-lost Ichabod as he moved to Washington DC and continued trying to acclimate to the 21st century (while maintaining his Revolutionary style, of course). His reactions to the present were as good as always and I’ll miss him now that the show has been cancelled. I thought it was smart to put him in the capital of the nation he helped found and I loved that he finally got his American citizenship in the finale. That felt truly fitting; the perfect way to end his onscreen arc (though the adventure always continues!). Yes, it also ended with his soul bartered away to the Devil, but I loved the confidence Mison exuded in that closing scene: it was just another problem they’d solve, like the kraken. Carrying on in the face of impossible odds has always been a hallmark of the Witnesses (and the best heroes), and Crane exemplified that perfectly. Ichabod as a guardian/pseudo-stepfather to Molly created some fun moments (like his soccer “battle” speech!) and brought a new side to his character, which was a clever contrast to the tragedy of being robbed of the chance to raise Jeremy. It was great to see Mison and Noble play the next evolution of their father/son relationship, even if we only got to see initial baby steps of that this year. I would’ve liked to see that develop in a potential fifth season. Mison definitely lost an incredible scene partner with Berhie leaving, but Ichabod and Jenny had great chemistry too and their friendship carried the show for me this year.

If there had to be a new Witness, I wish Jenny were the chosen one; I remember the new Witness being said to be someone from Abbie’s bloodline anyway (though I missed it if that connection was ever explained this season). Having her sister’s destiny forced onto Jenny would’ve been a strong arc, particularly as this year found her bristling under the responsibility of staying in one place for so long; she’s always been a treasure hunter and clearly wanted to get back into the field. A Witness who didn’t accept the title, even though she was already in the fight, would be an interesting wrinkle (as would Jenny living up to Abbie’s legacy, if she went all-in with the mantle). Still, I liked her investment in making sure her sister’s legacy was carried on and I love that even with Agency 355’s introduction she still held her position as the show’s occult object expert (a weak point in Season 2 for me was that Matt Barr’s Hawley seemed to largely do Jenny’s job for her). While she didn’t have a sweeping arc of her own this year, Jenny worked well as a stabilizing influence for Crane in his new surroundings, Molly in her role as Witness, and for me as a viewer; she was a steady dose of classic Sleepy Hollow as it transitioned into something new. Greenwood was one of my favorite parts of the cast and always a delight onscreen. If FOX were interested, I’d definitely be down for a Jenny Mills: Supernatural Treasure Hunter spinoff starring Greenwood!

Maybe it’s because the show nailed the character chemistry right out of the gate, but I’ve consistently had trouble accepting new cast members on this show, particularly if they’re playing roles the core four characters already held (though there were exceptions, like Zack Appelman’s Joe Corbin). I liked Agency 355’s Jake Mills (Jerry MacKinnon) and Alex Norwood (Rachel Melvin) best of the new additions; Mills as an Ichabod fanboy was fun and Alex’s “OK, the supernatural is real; makes sense” non-reaction to monsters made sense this far into the series (also given their job, even if they hadn’t encountered real proof yet). Plus, Alex’s aptitude for building arcane devices wasn’t a skill we’d seen before on the show, so it really felt like she offered something unique. They had good chemistry and their slow-burn romance was sweet, if a little well-trod. There was a problem were a few times—even if Alex discovered a map or an artifact—Wells would explain how it was used or what it led to. Why not just let her do it? I also couldn’t help feeling like we didn’t need another semi-skeptic/believer pair, especially with Ichabod/Diana (Janina Gavankar) replaying dynamics we’d already seen repeated last year to various extents with Sophie Foster (Jessica Camacho) and Daniel Reynolds (Lance Gross), and of course Abbie in the first season. This far in, did we really need three new set of eyes (four if you count Molly) on the supernatural, especially when Ichabod and Jenny could’ve served as the audience surrogates into the government’s Agency 355 and their way of doing things? Why not put Diana in 355 as well and make her, Wells, and Alex already knowledgeable about what’s really going on, and at least somewhat experienced at fighting it? Flip the setup so Crane and Jenny still bring new skills to the team, but they don’t have to retrain everyone and they’re the newbies to how the Agency deals with monsters. It already seemed like this scenario was set up in Season 3’s cliffhanger and I wonder if something changed in the development process. I also wondered why Crane had never come looking for 355 with Abbie; he clearly knew it existed in his time, so why didn’t he ever bother to see if it still did? I feel like looking for fellow soldiers in Washington’s secret army would’ve been one of the first things he did upon waking up. In any case, Agency 355 made me really wish we’d gotten an X-Files/Sleepy Hollow crossover instead of (or in addition to) the Bones one from last season.

I wasn’t a fan of how Season 3 rewrote Abbie’s Witness role to be something handed down over the centuries instead of it just being her and Crane as originally presented, mostly because it seemed to make Abbie’s look less essential/important than Crane instead of them being equals. Losing Abbie should’ve had much more of an impact beyond Crane having to protect a secret identity from the new characters early on: it should’ve weighed on him and hampered his fight against evil. A friend pointed out they also skipped over Ichabod dealing with killing Katrina (to move past an unpopular storyline?), and it felt like a similar thing happened here. I did, however, love the scene of Crane visiting Abbie’s grave and updating her on the world; I just wish we’d gotten more about what Abbie brought to the role that Molly maybe wasn’t or couldn’t yet. If I were running things, I wouldn’t have introduced a new Witness at all. Make losing a Witness a major win for the forces of evil; something they were never supposed to be able to pull off. Instead of making Abbie the latest in a long line of replaceable Witnesses, make her loss matter. Make a significant hole in the team that can't be filled by slotting in some other character as the (latest) Chosen One; not only do you honor Abbie’s sacrifice by crystalizing what made her special and important (both in terms of Abbie as a person and as a Witness), but you raise the stakes for everyone still standing.

However, this is the story they went with. As it played out, I thought making a kid the new Witness yielded a good, fresh dynamic between Crane and Molly (Oona Yaffe)—Mison and Yaffe had an easy, fun rapport—but her age and Diana’s protectiveness ultimately hampered how much she could contribute to the point where it seemed like we didn’t need a second Witness for most episodes. While Diana’s function on the team as the official law enforcement officer felt very similar to Abbie and Sophie’s (making it feel a little stale, as if they were keeping the character dynamic status quo), I liked the added wrinkle of giving her a kid to worry about, particularly as Molly was drawn further and further into the supernatural. I think Molly could’ve been special for some other reason without having to be a new Witness, but I have to admit scenes like her pulling Crane back to the real world from the Sicarius Spei were powerful. Gavankar and Yaffe felt like a real mother/daughter family unit and it felt like the writers were (successfully) going for a Sarah Connor Chronicles “I’ll fight the monsters so my kid won’t have to” thing, particularly given how the season played out. Introducing “Lara” (Seychelle Gabriel) as adult Molly was a surprising way to invert the Rip Van Winkle premise of the show with a Days of Future Past twist (and a fine full-circle connection to Ichabod’s initial time travel). I liked that Lara was so skilled at magic, but I wish her skills had paid off Ichabod and Jenny training her as a kid more directly, because having Lara eventually take the Witness mantle from Molly made all the attention paid to her feel a little pointless. I definitely wish they’d met.

I liked Benjamin Banneker (Edwin Hodge) recurring in the flashbacks and J Street was a neat idea. Banneker’s concern for everyone’s standing in the new country, not just white people’s, made for a smart reminder that as idealistic as the American values are, we were never perfect. He and Ichabod also had a well-developed friendship and I liked that Banneker’s concerns challenged Crane’s adoration of what the Revolution was building. Banneker’s presence was also a cool use of a Revolutionary figure I’d never heard of; I loved that—supernatural twists notwithstanding—you could learn new things about real history on this show. Uncle Sam (Rick Espaillat), Sacajawea (Dayana Rincon), Davey Crockett (Daniel Parvis), and Paul Jennings (Zae Jordan) were a cool Revolutionary-era Government team. I wasn’t expecting something like that at all, but it fit perfectly in with the tone of Sleepy Hollow: that they were some sort of early American supernatural Fantastic Four was exactly the kind of crazy idea the show excelled at. I would’ve liked to see more of their exploits.

Jeremy Davies’ business mogul Malcolm Dreyfuss was the season’s weakest link. He never came off as threatening or imposing in any way to me; he just seemed eccentric rather than evil. I’ve been increasingly bored with businessmen villains in superhero fare (there are other evils out there!), but more pressingly, the execution of Dreyfuss’ goals seemed so small-scale. He gains immortality, gathers his Horsemen, kidnaps the President…and then waits for the army to attack him, so he can display his power on TV? Why not attack them first? Waiting—seemingly so Team Witness could organize and mount a defense—felt contrived. It would’ve been much more dramatic if Ichabod and Co. were scrambling to catch up. I didn’t see the need to connect Malcolm’s immortality to Ichabod and Death’s first fight by adding the Philosopher’s Stone ritual either. However, it was clever that the Philosopher’s Stone made Headless weaker, allowing Crane to behead him and Headless’ part of the ritual required his return, so that’s cool. I just thought the tie to Ichabod’s death was unnecessary and a little confusing: until I read reviews of that episode, it seemed like another retcon had occurred and the Stone was what made Ichabod immortal for his sleep, not Katrina and her coven.

I initially thought Malcolm’s bodyguard Jobe was a little bland, but I liked the deeper implications that he was involuntarily tethered to this guy who’d cheated the Devil out of their bargain. I would’ve liked to see what Jobe was like when not stuck as an enforcer for Lucifer’s contracts or Malcolm’s errand boy. Is there something he could’ve done to undermine Malcolm and ensure the contract was fulfilled beyond assisting Team Witness? Did he want to? Did he have goals and aspirations of his own (perhaps ambitions to displace the Devil himself?)? I don’t think we saw enough of the Devil (Terrence Mann) to judge whether I liked this portrayal or not, but he didn’t really leave a menacing impact after villains like Moloch. I enjoyed the depiction of the entrance to the gates of Hell, but I was underwhelmed by the business office appearance of Hell itself once Ichabod and Lara got to the Devil. That’s probably intended as a connection to Malcolm, but it just came off as a metaphor that I’ve seen as far back as Angel at least; I would’ve liked a more distinctive feel to the Underworld that matched the show’s historical side. Perhaps depicting Hell as a distorted Continental Congress would’ve been more in line with the show’s roots; maybe Ichabod signing his soul away could be framed as him signing a twisted Declaration of Independence or something.

Whether it was designed to get back to the glory days of the show or not, Dreyfuss’ plan to start the Christian apocalypse Moloch failed to accomplish certainly felt like they were trying to play their greatest hits instead of striking out into new territory. I understand the impulse to go back to what worked, but playing it safe was never what made this show great. Sure, we finally got to meet the Horsemen of Pestilence (Robbie A. Kay) and Famine (Kathleen Hogan), but they didn’t do anything of note beyond their introductory episodes. I liked Season 3’s apparent idea that each season could feature a different culture’s apocalypse as the Witnesses worked through their seven years of trials; as inhibited as the Hidden One was and underutilized and rushed as Pandora was last year, at least they were something new. That shows like Supernatural and Constantine lean so heavily into the Judeo-Christian religions for their adversaries and allies also served to make returning to those standards stand out less. And hey, the US was blatantly founded without a national religion, so continuing to explore what else the world has to offer would’ve tied in nicely with the American roots at the core of the show. Since it felt like we’d been through all this before, it didn’t spark my imagination like the show had done in the past.

The callbacks to the show’s glory days that did work, however, were the returns of Headless, the series’ best, most iconic villain, and Henry Parrish. Henry being something of a better man thanks to being reconstituted from Crane’s memories was a clever way to bring him back from the abyss, both literally and morally. I wish there’d been more time to explore his new status: his resurrection is wholly original and could’ve yielded the ultimate “I’m not what my father wants me to be/thinks I am” arc. I liked that their relationship took on new levels when Ichabod sacrificed himself and briefly became the Horseman of War; I hadn’t seen that coming at all! I do wish it had lasted for more than an episode to fully explore both Crane as War and any new understanding of Henry he gleamed from the experience (that they both ended up as the Horseman of War had a nice poetic flair to it, though). I also would’ve preferred Henry become War again in a ploy to save Ichabod instead of an attempt to get his power back; he seemed to go evil again a bit too easily, and becoming consumed by the evil of War in a bid to save his father would've been tragic. I’m glad Ichabod was able to convince Henry to withdraw from the final fight, so he’s still out there somewhere.

Most of the new monsters of the week worked well. The demon John Wilkes Booth (Alexander Ward, Adrian Bond) possessed himself with and used to kill Lincoln was a nice chance to explore America's secret occult history beyond the Revolution. The Sicarius Spei (Ward), with its dream torment, was possibly the best new monster of the season, combining a creepy monster with a unique problem with personal stakes for Ichabod and resulting in the eventual resurrection of Henry. Malcolm’s former partner Ansel (Bjorn Dupaty) gaining power through the demonic sigils burned into his body was intriguing. He seemed to do more with his power than Malcolm ever did and bending the supernatural torment inflicted on him to gain the power to fight back made for an interesting, desperate anti-hero. The Barghest (Ward again; the monster was from Little Red Riding Hood) was a good demon, even if it was predictable that it had taken the place of Molly’s dad Mitch Talbot (Bill Heck). Still, it allowed for a good, well-executed opportunity to explore Molly’s family life. Similarly, Mr. Stitch (Derek Mears) was a great villain who personally affected Molly. That episode was probably the best use of a kid as the Witness, with Molly having to save Ichabod and deactivate the Vault’s lockdown protocols by herself. I liked the Hunger Demon (Ward) and its connection to the Donner party; another nice look outside the Revolution. 

Less impressive villains included the Sphinx (Marti Matulis), which seemed largely limited to being an arrow-shooting deterrent rather than its own force. I was disappointed they didn’t show the Sphinx’s riddle and just had it solved offscreen; this was a chance to test the heroes' intellects rather than their physical skills in a way few villains on the show could. I'm imagining a monstrous Riddler here, with Team Witness racing to solve its brain teasers before people die (or to access the piece of the Philosopher's Stone before they die, as the case may be). The Dyer sisters (Sara Sanderson, Courtney Lakin, Kelley Missal) and their infernal machine were cool, particularly as Washington allies who’d gone bad, but ultimately I wish they’d gotten to do more. Even if they weren’t going to have the presence of Katrina and her coven, I wish the show had explored the parallel between them and Ichabod as time-lost Washington agents. The Djinn (Fedor Steer) and his Pictagram pestilence was a neat way to update the supernatural via social media stars, but he was ultimately underwhelming when it came time for the final showdown. I did like the explanation for spontaneous combustion and the tie to history, though.

Thanks to the show’s new setting, when they did go back to Sleepy Hollow, it truly felt like an event (as did the focus on the memory of Abbie in that episode). At the same time, the new DC location worked well and felt appropriate given the Revolutionary history of the show. I enjoyed the added historical facts, such as the meaning of “Colombia” in D.C. However, while writing this it occurred to me that there could’ve been a much more effective use of the DC setting: why not set Ichabod against a government perverting what George Washington set in place or at least using methods to fight the supernatural that Crane would find unacceptable? What if a demon-involved government were using the supernatural to further their own goals? Instead of a single businessman aiming for immortality and world domination, what if it was a significant portion of the government? What if after all his fighting in the Revolution and in Sleepy Hollow, Crane found out the government had teamed up with different demons a long time ago? I’m reminded by Wikipedia that Ezra Mills hinted the government division he was connected to became split in its goals and the mystery men who kidnapped Ichabod at the end of Season 3 certainly seemed to be working for the government, so the seeds were already there. A corrupt government plot would’ve paid off Banneker’s fears about how idealistic the new American government really was too. More pressingly, it would’ve truly tested Ichabod’s desire to be an American and what that means nowadays compared to the ideals of his time. Has he outlived the American Dream? They could’ve taken a page from Captain America to ask if Ichabod is still fighting for the country he thought he was, whether “his” America could be improved upon at all, and where he and the country could go from here. This line of questioning would’ve been especially timely and important now, as Ichabod is an immigrant, not an American citizen. The other characters could all be tied in easily too. How would Jenny react to knowing the system that locked her up for speaking the truth about demons was deeply involved with the paranormal all along? What happens to her black market connections if she’s tied to a government agency that wants to control the supernatural? Diana, Wells, and Alex could’ve become the Black Widow/Sharon Carter/Sam Wilson to Ichabod’s Steve Rogers as they realized how corrupt their bosses were and joined him in rebelling against their leaders. Molly could’ve been earmarked by someone in the government to be used in one of their nefarious plots, putting her in much the same danger Malcolm did. What if the show were totally bold and had Ichabod instigate a new revolution to reestablish American values (and demon-free living)? Even without a full-on revolution, Ichabod vs. America would’ve been thematically perfect and the biggest hurtle the show could’ve thrown at him after losing Abbie. Perhaps this was the plan for Season 5, since this year ended with Ichabod working for the government and threads hinting at its corruption were still dangling. Signing up with a compromised government would parallel Ichabod literally selling his soul too. If that’s the case, I wish they hadn’t waited and it’s a shame we won’t get to see it.

Despite some plot choices I didn’t agree with over the years, I still loved Sleepy Hollow and I'm sorry to lose it. It was a fun, inventive show that never feared going totally crazy with supernatural twists on historical events. That's one of the lessons I'll take from it as a writer: absolutely nothing is too outlandish if you ground it in your characters and fully commit to it. The characters, particularly those core four originals, were great and the actors were perfectly cast. Importantly, the show also featured a diverse cast of actors. Like Captain America and the National Treasure movies, Sleepy Hollow’s use of American history���and Ichabod’s reverence for the founding American ideals—made me proud of what this country was founded to be. Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of my all-time favorite stories, and this show was a great (if very lose) adaptation. I would’ve come back for a fifth season and wish we could’ve gotten more.

So long, Sleepy Hollow. It lost a step or two along the way, but when it was good, it was great.