“Please don’t slip away, cause I’ll just keep breaking…”
Five minutes.
We had five minutes of happiness in Midnight before things started to fall apart. With Colconnar defeated, everyone seemed at peace with their particular circumstances…and then Creek left. Here we are, three weeks into the new season and that contentment has been turned on its head and now, many of our oddly wonderful favorites of Midnight are just hanging in there, pummeled by forces often out of their control.
And that’s just their personal relationships. Who knows what big bad is still in the shadows waiting for its opportunity to strike…
After being knocked unconscious by touching Kai’s curious collectible of a severed head, Manny wakes up to find Patience tending to him. He comes clean with Patience on his foray into their office and she assures him that the big, ugly head behind the painting is nothing more than “where Kai gets all his juju from”. It’s a curious artifact, but oddities are the norm for Midnight. These two have a very interesting chemistry; it’s both awkward and honest, showing itself on multiple occasions this week and hinting at the inevitable. Though Manny’s a bit more laid back in the flirtation, Patience is not quite as subtle. Part of that seems to be her open and honest (as far as we can tell) nature but it also speaks to the connection she has with Manny. Once she and Manny cross that line and Kai undoubtedly finds out, the not-so-good fireworks will fly.
Even if he’s being pulled towards Patience, Manny still has a job to do and this time it’s helping Fiji contact her Aunt Mildred. Said aunt has been banished to Hexennacht (Witch Hell) and may have the answers to why Bobo’s continually finds himself straddling near-death accidents of the most insane variety. To pull her spirit from Witch Hell requires a trade and Manny does just that; voluntarily crossing over long enough for Fiji to find answers. Unfortunately for her and Bobo, the news isn’t good. Turns out that, 800 years ago, a group of dark witches cursed Fiji’s family. The long and short of it is that, as long as Bobo loves her, he’s going to die. It’s a brutal curveball where, after getting the news, we all know where it’s headed. Still, it doesn’t lessen the blow.
While not in the same category of heartbreak, but a profound loss nonetheless, the Midnighters lose
another of their rank when the Rev finally leaves Midnight. Always a man who hated his weretiger nature, it not surprising that he asked Kai to remove the supernatural beast within him. The minor flashback of Rev’s first visit to Midnight was supposed to add weight to his decision to leave but it was both unnecessary and rushed. It offers a bit more perspective on Rev’s decision to change himself but came off more as an unnecessary filler, stealing a bit of the emotion from his exit. But his conversation with Lem saves Rev’s story and helps frame it as the emotional catalyst of “To Witch Hell and Back”.
It’s a catalyst that builds until the final, inevitable moment where Fiji, to save Bobo’s life, pushes him away in heartbreaking fashion. It’s the right thing to do but, damn, it sucks. Yet, that’s where it succeeds. It’s a gut punch to ‘shippers of the most oddly named couple around, especially taking the unlucky history of both their past romances. But there’s not much drama in happiness so, along with Bobo and Fiji, we too must suffer.
Yay, us…
Midnight Mile
- Though he’s already gone, the Midnighters have their own goodbye to Rev with a candle lighting ceremony. As each couple steps up to the dais, their future is whispered by the amazing background song—one that has eluded even Google’s power to discover—framing what we are likely to see…
- For Olivia and Lem, “please don’t slip away” encompasses the uncertainty their blood sharing has caused. If they cannot find a middle ground, despite their feelings, their marriage may not last.
- For Joe and Chuy, “Dark water’s caving in, you were the lion I knew”. Though he doesn’t know about Joe’s connection with Walker, Chuy senses something not quite right with the man he loves. It’s only a matter of time before things come to a head with Walker discovering Chuy’s demonic heritage, forcing Joe to make a decision that may save Chuy’s life but not their relationship.
- And then there’s Bobo and Fiji. Even if this maddeningly unnamed song encompasses the relationship of all our Midnighters, it speaks about these two most. “Don’t know how to pretend, cause I’m not bulletproof,” is the lead-in to Fiji telling Bobo he’s “not the one” is a hurt we feel for both parties. It’s the hardest thing Fiji’s had to do and, while it may be necessary for now, that last whisper of “don’t let this be the end” encompasses what we all feel.
- And here we thought Madonna Reed was supposed to be a friend. Working covertly with a Philip Charity, she sneaks off with a few drops of Olivia’s blood. Blood is a powerful thing and can be used in a myriad of spells and/or curses. Who the hell knows what this ends up being but it can’t be good. Whether this ‘Philip Charity’ is a minor speedbump or all-out Big Bad remains to be seen.
