This week’s episode explores Fae history and tradition by weaving these elements in a plot about living, dying, and fate. Once your destiny is foretold, can it be changed? Thwarting fate is the driving force behind Bo’s current case about two brothers with an 80-year-old grudge.
This is a recap, so there are spoilers.
Bo works out with a sword. She has been staying away from all things Fae lately because of recent events. Bo is still upset that she did not get to learn more about her mother from Lou Ann, who she thinks is dead, or from Vex, a Dark Fae who claimed to have knowledge about Bo’s origins. People want to see Bo; Trick actually contacted Kenzi to encourage Bo to come to a party at the Dal Riata, Trick’s pub that is the neutral hotspot of the Fae world.
Kenzi convinces Bo to go to the party. It is not just a regular party. Today is La Shoshain, the holiest, most sacred day in Fae culture. On this day, over a thousand years ago, the Blood King brought peace between the Light and the Dark Fae; to commemorate the occasion, the Fae must obey a set of laws written by the Blood King. Fae are only allowed to use their powers to protect another, and they are not to feed on humans. During La Shoshain, both sides can interact with each other; they can relax, drink, and fornicate without any ramifications. When Trick tells Bo and Kenzi about the fornication, I wonder how many Fae babies have been conceived on this day and if Bo is one of them.
A woman plays the harp. She stops playing, stands, and screams. Trick immediately ends the party. He orders everyone who is not of the five families to leave. There are five noble Fae families and five noble human families. The woman is Siobhan, a banshee. A banshee does not cause death; they predict death by wailing to mourn the upcoming death of a member of a noble family. Since Bo is secular, she can use her powers and engage in all physical activities on La Shoshain. At first Bo doesn’t want any part of the investigation because she feels she needs a “fae-cation,” but Dyson tells her that she could be a noble, so could be in danger. Bo wants Kenzi to come along, and Trick wants Kenzi to leave, but Kenzi wants to stay and enjoy more of the free food and drink.
In a private room in the pub, Dyson sees Trick pack a few things. Trick reveals that he interfered with Lou Ann’s execution because she was the midwife for Bo’s mother, so they owe her. Dyson wants Bo to know about her mother, but Trick wants Bo to be kept in the dark because there will be a reckoning when Bo’s mother finally arrives.
On the elevator ride to Siobhan’s talent agency, Dyson explains that the day is about sacrifice to honor the sacrifice the Blood King made to bring peace to the Fae about 1000 years ago. Bo wants to know more; Dyson tells her that the written laws remain, so she can read a book. The agent tries to lie, but a sneeze from the closet reveals Siobhan’s hiding place in the closet. A banshee can get away with using powers on La Shoshain because the power is unconscious, and the rules only forbid conscious or intentional use of power. The prediction is buried in her subconscious, so it has to be forced out of her. Dyson purees a liver; banshees are allergic to iron, so the puree will make her talk. Bo forces Siobhan to drink. She violently convulses, and her eyes go white. Banshees are bound by the old laws to cry for the five families; she cries for Shawn Kavanaugh, who will die by sundown. After the prediction is revealed, Siobhan projectile vomits on the agent.
Kenzi flirts with a Fae at the party. They joke about starting a death pool. They play a game with dice and a board. Kenzi loses, so she wants to know if he used his power. He says he wouldn’t on La Shoshain. Kenzi asks about his power, and he says that it is impolite to ask a Fae about his power, but she tells him that she could be the one marked for death, so he gives in to her charms. He is good with money; he attracts money, and he uses his power as an accountant for a charity.
Bo and Dyson return. Bo announces the name of the marked person. The man Kenzi has been kind of flirting with raises his hand. He is Shawn Kavanaugh and has until sunset to live.
Kenzi brings Shawn drinks. She suggests that he drinks and stays in the pub to wait it out, but Shawn tells her that a banshee’s prediction is set. Kenzi then wants him to make a bucket list.
In a back room of the pub, Trick gives Bo the writings of La Shoshain, the Blood King; Bo can’t read the language, so he gives her a translation.
Bo goes back to the main part of the pub. Shawn tries to tell Bo what he wants to do, but stumbles, so Kenzi tells Bo that Shawn wants to reunite with his jerk of a brother before he dies. His brother Liam was the first in the family to decide to be a member of the Dark Fae about 80 years ago. This is an interesting piece of information. I thought Fae were born into a side, but there is a ceremony all Fae go through and announce their decision. Just because a Fae was born into a clan that is Light, the Fae can select to join the other side at a certain age. Bo has to be the one to bring Liam to the pub; she wants Dyson to come along. He is reluctant; this is his one day off from everything, being a cop and being a Fae, but he agrees.
They go to Liam’s office. His latest pyramid scheme is over, and the people involved need to clear out the office space. One of Liam’s victims is there, but others escort him out. Liam doesn’t want to go to Shawn; he blames Shawn for his decision to turn Dark and says Shawn should be asking him for forgiveness. Liam does not care that the banshee has wailed for Shawn.
Shawn and Kenzi are getting drunk and playing darts. There is a woman he is interested in. Kenzi tells him to go for it. He tries, but he gets rejected. Bo and Dyson return, and Shawn has to tell the complete story. When they were younger, Shawn and Liam worked for their father. Only the three of them had access to the safe. One day, Shawn discovered $30,000 missing. Shawn accused Liam of the deed because Liam was a bit of a minor screw-up, so he fit the profile. Shawn, wanting to teach Liam a lesson, called the cops on his brother. Afterwards, Liam ran away and became a member of the Dark Fae. Their mom kept in touch with Liam, but she died recently, so Liam is alone now. Shawn is frustrated about waiting to die. Above the table, a chandelier sways, then falls. Kenzi gets Shawn away from the table before he could get hurt.
Kenzi wants Shawn to live a little before he dies, so she shows him how to steal a car. They go to his father’s place, an estate; his father is focused on settling his affairs before he dies. Shawn doesn’t want to spend his final hours doing paperwork, so he leaves. Before she leaves, Kenzi notices that he likes to bet on horses.
Bo and Dyson stake out Liam. Dyson tells Bo that everything he does and has done is because he wants to protect her. She knows; she still trusts his motives. Bo reads the book Trick gave her. She sees Liam; she confronts him. Bo uses her persuasive touch to subdue Liam. She learns that Liam still has a chip on his shoulder; he hired someone to kill Shawn. He waited until his mother was dead so she didn’t have to see her son die.
Kenzi takes Shawn to her place. They drink. The assassin arrives; it is a goblin. Since it is a creature, the laws are not being broken. Shawn wants to get his death over with, and he doesn’t want to put Kenzi in danger (he says she is “wonderful”), but Kenzi makes him fight; she believes you make your own fate, and she kisses him. Bo and Dyson arrive. The goblin touches Dyson, and the touch weakens Dyson. Bo fights the goblin. Dyson shoots the goblin; since he protected another life, Dyson has not violated the rules of La Shoshain. Dyson will call the Ash so a cleanup crew can get rid of the goblin, and the Ash will file a protest because the assassination is not sanctioned. Shawn, not wanting to put anyone else in danger, takes Bo’s crossbow. Kenzi tells Bo that she thinks Shawn is going to Liam.
Shawn threatens to kill Liam. Liam says that is against the rules; Liam hired an assassin before La Shoshain, so he is fine. Bo, Kenzi, and Dyson arrive. To prevent Shawn from killing his brother, she invokes a rule to force the brothers to take, she calls for Agallamh. Dyson informs Bo that if the brothers do not come to an agreement, she will have to forfeit her life because she is the one who called for the meeting. Bo thinks that La Shoshain will save her, but Dyson tells her that it would not be an act of violence, it would be a sacrifice, and La Shoshain is all about sacrifice.
Trick is angry at Bo. He has been in a sour mood most of the day, and her actions are not improving his temperament. He cannot believe she is risking her life for this meeting. Bo tells him that she has come to him so she can do the ritual correctly.
There are three circles on the floor in the main part of the pub. Two small circles are on each side of a larger circle. The brothers are in the larger circle. Bo pours a substance around the perimeter of the larger circle. The brothers drink from the same cup. Bo takes a candle and lights the substance on fire. The fire is brief. Kenzi holds a book so Bo can follow the directions. Bo stands in one of the smaller circles. She says the Agallamh is opened and cannot be closed unless there is a sacrifice. If Shawn dies before the Agallamh is over, then it will be considered a failure, and Bo will have to die. She needs someone to volunteer to kill her just in case; Dyson volunteers and steps into the other smaller circle.
The brothers argue. Bo reminds them that they have to speak to her, but they still argue. Liam wants to end the ceremony; he claps, and a goblin arrives. Liam wants Bo to take his petition of closure taken to the community. Kenzi whispers in Bo’s ear. Bo calls for a recess; one is allowed every four hours. Kenzi leaves. Dyson tells Trick that the Elder could save Bo; Trick does not like the idea.
Kenzi goes to Shawn’s father’s place. Back at the pub, Trick is in his room; he unties a pouch. The idea of using what is inside fills him with trepidation and dread.
The recess is over. Bo tries to stall for time, but Liam calls for closure. Bo takes it to the community, and someone seconds the motion. Bo stalls for more time. Kenzi arrives with the brothers’ father. He enters the large circle with his sons. Kenzi whispers into Bo’s ear again. Bo asks Mr. Kavanaugh why he stole $30,000 from his safe; he tries to lie, but Bo reminds him that lying while in the circle is punishable by death, so he confesses to the crime. He didn’t want to ruin the family name and risk his wife leaving him. He thought bailing Liam out of jail would be enough. Shawn apologizes for accusing his brother of the crime; he removes his necklace and gives it to Liam. The necklace is the symbol of the family, by giving it to Liam, Shawn sacrifices his control over the family. Liam accepts the sacrifice. If his father will move his mother’s body to neutral ground, Liam will pay back the money he took from his victims. With both making a sacrifice, the Agallamh is a success, and Bo can end the ceremony. Kenzi hugs Shawn.
Bo, Kenzi, Dyson, Shawn, and Liam are outside. Kenzi thinks the banshee’s prediction has been beaten. The brothers finally clear the air, and they hug. The man seen in Liam’s office approaches them. He has a gun. Shawn protects Liam. Shawn is shot in the back. Kenzi is shocked that Shawn dies. A banshee’s prediction is never wrong.
Back home, Kenzi is still very distraught about losing Shawn.
Back at Trick’s room in the pub, Dyson and Trick have a drink. Dyson wants to know if Trick would have used his blood to have saved Bo. Trick does not answer. Dyson was impressed that Bo stayed calm while facing death; he wants Trick to tell Bo the truth. Trick does not want to because he knows Bo has the potential to be great, and people of providence often bring pain to themselves. Dyson raises his glass and says, “To the Blood King. And all you’ve sacrificed.”
Trick in not only an Elder, he is the Blood King. Over a thousand years ago, he used his power to bring peace to the warring Fae sides. Considering the look on his face when he thought about using his power for Bo, the process of using his own blood to make law must be painful.
It was great learning more about Fae culture while following Bo on this adventure. For a moment, I was with Kenzi, thinking the fate had been outwitted, and I was shocked and saddened when Shawn died. Shawn and Kenzi had great chemistry, making their connection believable.
The mystery about Bo deepens. Who are her parents? Why is she special? What does Trick know? There are four episodes left of the first season, so more answers are likely on the way. Since Bo’s mother is the one the characters discuss the most, I suspect we will meet her soon. Trick said a reckoning will happen when she arrives. Since there is a second season, we know Bo lives, but we don’t know how the events will affect her, and I am anxious to see how Bo handles the upcoming maelstrom.
Missed the previous episode? Be sure to read our ‘Lost Girl: Vexed’ recap.
