“The spirit you seek in the water
Is only a reflection of yourself.”

We’ve come across many a culture during Nick Burkhart’s four years under the ‘Grimm’ mantle but this week’s episode marks the first instance where we go deep into the worlds of Native American lore. Not only that, but we get a bit more insight into Juliette’s mental and emotional state and, let’s just say, things aren’t looking rosy for ‘Grimm’’s once solid couple.

Using the ever popular technique of throwing the viewer into the narrative in media res, we bear witness to Nick desperately trying to fend off an animalistic Hank whose face seems to have been merged with some sort of spirit form Wesen and…

NOW

The two detectives stop by Monrosalee’s for a much needed dinner but it’s not long before Nick’s lamenting the helplessness of his situation with Juliette and storms out of the house, wanting to do more to help the love of his life. Hurting for their friend, Rosalee suggests they speak to Renard in hopes that the Hexenbiest Grimoire holds the clues necessary to reverse Juliette’s current condition.

The detectives team up with Deputy Farris

That current condition? Frosty with a side of power hunger. It shows when Juliette strolls into a bar, is hit on by a young guy and shows off her powers enough to get her arrested. Nick gets the 411 on Juliette’s incarceration from Wu as the Portland detectives investigate the murder of the high school janitor (more on that later). The ensuing conversation between her and Nick—separated by prison bars—is one where the newly transformed Hexenbiest admits to being just a little bit in love with her new powers. She is a mix of bitterness and gratefulness, blaming Nick for her condition but at the same time loving the gifts she’s been granted. Though he promises he’d never hurt her, the sentiment isn’t necessarily mutual as she admits she’s not so sure she wouldn’t hurt him. Her final admission is she allowed herself to be arrested, just to see if Nick would come rescue her. He’s not bailing her out, believing the safest place for her to be right now is behind bars.

Back to the Friday murder mystery, Nick and Hank are reunited with Deputy Farris (“Highway to Tears”). They are given little information on the victim other than his anti-social behavior and the principal’s personal opinions on his involvement in the racial epithets written on Simon George’s locker, the lone Native American student in the school. George has been missing since he turned 18 and dropped out of school. Looking into Simon George (who we see wake up covered in blood and seeing a beastial reflection on a puddle of water) we discover his mother’s death during childbirth and his father’s murder when he was five. It becomes clear that, after the second murder victim is linked to the mauled janitor, a connection exists between the two former criminals with Gus George, but let’s humor the story path just a bit longer.

Farris, Hank and Nick pay a visit to Hector, the tribe’s Dream Reader/Spiritual Guide. He tells the officers that Simon is on a Power Quest; alone and in the woods with no way to contact anyone. “The search for one’s spirit guide,” he tells them, “can be the source of a person’s special power—spiritual and physical.” Somewhere in the wilderness, Simon calls forth his spiritual beast just as the police powwow unearths Max McClay—another former bad guy who ran in the same circles as the other two victims. The three cops make their way to McClay’s just as the beastial Simon attacks. They’re able to drive Simon off but not before both Farris and Hank see the same thing as Nick: a Wesen-like face.

Hank-ipeshu ready for vengeance…sounds like a Pokemon name

They revisit Hector at the reservation and he says it sounds like a Mishipeshu, a horned water serpent that can be called forth. But in order to gain the full story, they will need to enter the dream world and find Simon. Though all three officers sit down to partake, Hector recognizes something different in Nick and warns the experience could be dangerous for him. He sits it out and the onus falls to Hank who is thrust behind the eyes of a 5 ½ year old Simon watching as his father is beaten to death by three men: the two earlier victims and Max McClay. Hector tries snapping Hank from the trance but he breaks loose, tearing through the woods where he runs into the injured Simon and the Mishipeshu totem. Recognizing something in Hank, the spirit jumps into him from Simon, finding a healthy host to complete its mission of vengeance.

The Hank-ipeshu hybrid finds its way back to McClay’s where Hector, Simon and Nick are waiting. Nick fails to get through to his possessed partner but Hector drives the Mishipeshu out with a mysterious powder. Free of the beast but not the memories, Hank confronts McClay who knows the lack of evidence makes him a free man. And free he remains until the Mishipeshu pays him a visit in the end…and this time it uses Deputy Farris as its vessel of vengeance.

True Reflections

  • It seems as if the truth of power corrupting is alive and well. Juliette’s descent into the monstrous nature of her newly christened Wesen status and her conversation with Nick illustrates this. She even admits that, despite the blame she has towards Nick for dragging her into such a horrible world, there is a part of her that loves the power this Hexenbiest curse has infused within her. It brings up a very pertinent question: would she be open to a cure if Monrosalee eventually finds one and, if her powers are taken without her consent, would a part of her resent her friends for stripping them from her?
  • Renard continues to have the inexplicable happen within him. Beating down a rich stranger and taking his wallet only to not even remember his actions? The demonic hands reaching for him from the beyond in last week’s episode? The phantom wounds returning…we’ve yet to be given a hint of what’s going on with him but it’s serious and, I believe, a portent to something much larger than anyone may realize. It’s just a wait-and-see now and, if following the unwritten rules of conflict and worst-possible-scenario, it’ll hit the fan when the Royals make their big move.
  • Finally, has Deputy Farris been initiated into the wonderful world of Wesen? Though her act by way of Mishipeshu wasn’t exactly Wesen in nature, it does count as weird and she will most likely look to Hank and Nick as all three can admit to sharing in the weirdness of the Mishipeshu case. With no spoilers in hand, it’s all just a bit of speculation but Farris would make a good addition to the team and, if mine eyes are not deceiving me, an interesting match for the perpetually single Hank. Wesen in nature, it does count as weird and she will most likely look to Hank and Nick as all three can admit to sharing in the weirdness of the Mishipeshu case. With no spoilers in hand, it’s all just a bit of speculation but Farris would make a good addition to the team and, if mine eyes are not deceiving me, an interesting match for the perpetually single Hank.