When a guy hops off a plane, sweating and not able to look anyone in the eye, you know he’s hiding something—usually of the smuggling variety. Gary Lester is doing just that when he arrives in Atlanta from an intercontinental jaunt from Sudan. He’s accosted by the TSA and that agent who just HAS to do what he’s asked not to, in this case touching the bottle Lester was trying to sneak into the States. When he does and drops it, some harsh looking flying bugs get free and make a home down the agent’s throat. Game on.

At a park, Constantine and Zed are enjoying the free air where the dark arts dabbler (his words) speaks to her about control. “Sometimes,” he tells her “control is about letting go.” In order to fully tap into her abilities, Zed needs to lower her walls. She does just that and sees pennies from heaven, pennies that signal Manny’s arrival. The mysterious angel speaks a bit to Constantine but doesn’t give anything away, but we all know his appearance means something is on the way. When they return to the millhouse, Gary Lester, Constantine’s former mate, is waiting for them—or stuck in an anti-grav trap. The two haven’t seen one another since Newcastle and, at the tension that surfaces at the mention of the city, Zed knows there’s a whole lotta bad she doesn’t know about. The story of Astra is put on the backburner when Gaz relays his story of the demon in a bottle to Constantine. The demon, still in the TSA agent, makes its host gorge on any and everything until said host dies and it transfers itself into another unwilling participant.

Constantine takes a head trip with Nommo

Constantine’s ready for the beastie courtesy of the Seal of Solomon he carves on a bottle. He lets Zed in on Gaz’s history and some resentment for Gaz’s drug addictions. When the “virus” becomes newsworthy, Constantine readies to do his thing. Gaz wants to be by his side but Constantine, very harshly tells Gary “You’re the last person I want by my side on this.” He contests Zed’s thoughts that people can change. “Bollocks,” he contends, “we are who we are.” While Constantine faces off against the Hunger demon, Gaz fills Zed in on Newcastle. When they touch, she’s privy to the pain and heartache.

Though Constantine’s unable to contain the demon in a bottle, he does trap it in storage freezer. He needs help and, with Zed’s sketches in hand, pays a visit to Nommo, a friend and shaman. He identifies the Hunger demon as Mnemoth and, during their psychedelic trick with a drug that stays with you forever (thankfully there’s a counter agent) Nommo and Constantine view the history of the demon as well as what must be done to stop it.

Constantine returns to find Zed out of it after Gaz’s memories of addiction have scrambled her brain. She’s felt Gaz’s guilt and shame, believing the best of him but Constantine knows his former mate’s addictions and find him being worked over by two drug dealers. After offering them a trip to forever (thanks to the herb from Nommo) he listens to Gaz’s guilt for what happened with Astra. Constantine absolves Gaz, accepting his apology and partnering up to take Mnemoth down. From Nommo’s information, they break into a museum to steal the ceremonial knife, the Kusa, to trap the demon. Before they obtain the knife, Manny reappears, asking if Constantine’s sure he’s ready to do what must be done. The two track Mnemoth to a theater where Constantine comes clean about the plan. The only way for the Hunger demon to be dealt with is to trap it inside a live human host. Shocked, Gaz realizes that was Constantine’s plan all along…but he’s not made. Instead, he sees it for what it is. “My chance to finally make my life mean something.”

Ready to take down the demon…but at what cost?

Before it kills its current host, Constantine calls Mnemoth forth and into the willing Gaz. He carves the containment sigils onto the man’s skin and takes him back to the millhouse.Zed is livid when she sees it as Constantine’s plan from the start but the exorcist doesn’t apologize, reminding her “people around me die. If you can’t handle it, go!” Something in his eyes makes Zed understand the life they are to lead won’t be pretty and there will be casualties. Gary Lester is today’s casualty. As he remains strapped to a bed, Gaz screams in agony as the demon feasts upon his insides, a brutal and unforgiving death, though one he will not face alone. Constantine holds his friend’s hand, refusing to let Gaz suffer alone. The enigmatic Manny joins as well, silent in his support.

Sacrifice, Forgiveness

  • Unlike the first few episodes, there are no words or epic wisecracks voiceovers as the screen fades to black. Just the suffering of a man who has volunteered to pay the ultimate price to save others from a ghastly fate. It’s an homage to the truth behind sacrifice. Oftentimes, it’s something shared with only a scant few, with those saved never being privy to the price being paid for their safety. Gary Lester’s life may not have been what he wished it to be, but he was able to go out on his own terms.
  • Despite Zed being in Gaz’s corner on people changing, Constantine’s cynicism is crafted from losing those close to him time and time again. Zed’s presence may be what he needs to see that the world, though filled with demons and death, can be saved. And, more importantly, people can change.