RECAP: BATB S4 E12

No Way Out




Bad beasts don’t go to federal prison, they go to underwater dungeons run by shady soldiers. We also learn that beasts can be an illusion and that men suspected of terrorism like to hang out at the 9/11 memorials.

As you might recall Vincent and Cat were arrested, leaving the rest of the gang to plan not one, but two prison breaks. Cat’s is easy enough. She doesn’t even get the chance to get used to the fact that orange is the new beast [because Beast is the New Black, duh], since JT and Heather pull all their money and post her bail. Vincent’s release, on the other hand, is not as simple. Mostly because no-one knows where they took him!

We know V is not in a federal prison, we learn that from Tess. And we know he is in a shady black ops interrogation site. We learn that from the cavernous setting and free-for-all-torture treatment they are giving him. And just as I was thinking that V’s ‘holding facility’ could totally be B613’s headquarters, the guy from Scandal walks in. So there you go, confirmation that Command is behind all things Beast. And you know what they say… “You can’t take command”

Anyway, B613 GUY is not playing around. He is well-versed in every torture technique in the book AND he knows V is a beast, so he knows exactly how to hurt him. In summary, V is accused of murdering Garrus, Ecklund and probably Jimmy Hoffa. Like seriously, it’s a full on game of “have a murder? Pin it on the beast!” And not only that, the sadist interrogators from hell are also convinced that Vincent has another target and are determined to find who it is [Where are they getting all their info?!]

At some point we find out that the “target” is some sort of Prince of Persia or something and he is the fourth member of the “Cabal.” First of all, I must have been distracted because I can’t remember since when the “Cabal” is the official denomination for the baddies. But none of this is important at the moment, so let’s move on [I am assuming it will be important next week because otherwise it was a terrible waste of time!]

While V gets waterboarded and electrocuted and God knows what else, Cat and the gang try to come up with a plan to find the other beast. Unfortunately, it becomes increasingly evident that there is not much they can do. Even if they find the beast, they don’t have Vincent to fight him [or her]. Completely broken, Cat goes to her mother’s grave. Heather follows her and, in a very poignant moment, Cat finally comes to terms with the truth. She should have let go of the fight long ago. She had noble reasons, but there would always be another fight and now, her pursuit of justice may cost her everything.

BACK AT THE CAVE OF BEAST TORTURE, B613 guy brings up “love” as part of his psychological attack on Vincent. It kind of backfires though. Talking about love makes Vincent think of Cat, who, in a way has always been his guiding light. Thinking [and hallucinating] about her clears his mind and gives him the determination to escape. So he kill-bill’s his way out of the… underwater [as it turns out] prison.

In the midst of the escape, V has an epiphany. And this is where I start feeling we need a BIG BAD flowchart or a handy board, like they did on The Wire. Anyway, V realises that they will never find the beast who took down Braxton because THERE IS NO BEAST. Oh, and Braxton is alive. So… basically there is no Big Bad behind Braxton and there is no killer Beast either.

BRAXTON = BIG BAD = IMAGINARY BEAST PUPPETEER = BEAST FRAMER

So… in summary, Braxton, Garrus and Ecklund created a new batch of beasts that malfunctioned [The why is still a bit unclear]. Braxton realised that Garrus and Ecklund were going to sell him out to the State Department so he orchestrated a supercomplicated plan to flush a beast out [Vincent] by sending bounty hunters after him. Then he tricked V into thinking there was another beast… no idea why, but the point is that Braxton killed everyone and V was conveniently placed in the middle of it, ready to be framed.

At least I think that’s what’s going on….

Anyway, after V escapes he reunites with Cat. He agrees with her conclusion that their obsession to right all the wrongs in their past has put them in a precarious situation and maybe they need to let go of it. But… they have a final fight. Find and defeat Braxton… I think. I mean… who knows what’s going on at this point.

It shouldn’t be that hard, assuming Braxton is the final objective [and there isn’t a surprise big bad, beast, vampire or zombie behind him]. After all, Braxton is only a man and V is a beast with magical tracking abilities. Right? Wrong. Vincat follow Braxton’s trail, but they fail to realize that he is closer than they think. So it is Heather who comes in contact with him first. Little Chandler spent the entire episode feeling guilty about the whole “My boyfriend sent my sister and the love of her life to prison” situation. So, she decides to play hero and go after Braxton herself. She gets shot. Why didn’t she use her pepper spray!?

But fret not, Heather is OK. Unfortunately, everything else is falling apart, but the episode was almost over, so things had to be quickly wrapped up. Cat accompanies her sister to the hospital, while Vincent runs away [because he is still a wanted man]. And, naturally, he runs away to… lower Manhattan and visits the 9/11 memorial fountain. As you do… when you are wanted for domestic terrorism.

I really enjoyed watching this episode, which made me sad because the show is ending! I feel all this plot could have come a lot earlier in the season [and stretched out over more than one episode]. We got so many filler episodes and then suddenly we have the twist and the countertwist of the twist and just way too many twists that weren’t properly set up. Oh well… Even with all the circular plotlines, there were a few highlights that made me like the episode overall. I loved the scene at the graveyard and Jay was remarkable in those torture scenes. I felt for him. [He is NOT a monster, damn it!] Plus I am all for flashbacks when shows are about to end [but not time jumps… please don’t have a time jump! There is so gonna be a time-jump...]

Random comments

  • I was happy with the baddie of the week. One, because I think he is very good at playing evil and shady, but also because I always though he kinda looks like Mark Pellegrino and if I can’t have the real thing I’ll have to settle for a lookalike.
  • At one point I started thinking that the other beast might actually be V in some sort of split personality situation. But this isn’t Mr. Robot, we definitely don’t need Mr. Beast!
  • Who is giving Agent Dylan information? And how much information does she have? Is she in league with B613 guy? Is she OK with the Guantanamo setting he has going on? And… did V flood the prison when he escaped?
  • There was so much talk about V’s bros this ep, I also considered the possibility that one of them was going to show up and turn out to be the biggest bad or something. That could have been a neat twist but NOT at this point so… glad it didn’t happen.
  • Kyle is not a beast!
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TVEmpress

The TV Empress is a Media Management graduate, screenwriter in the making (and financial engineer in the meantime). She has serious plans to take over global television. You can follow the TVEmpress on twitter @TVRepublik

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7 comments:

  1. yup agree with your review .. i did enjoy the episode and there were some great scenes namely the interrogation ones and the graveyard ones. there were also some major plotholes but f..k that.. the main thing that majorly threw me off is the complete lack of Vincat (their scenes were so blunt) and this is not what i want to see in the penultimate episode of the whole series. but yeah, if the last 15 minutes had played out differently i would have loved it, not just enjoyed it

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    1. It really bugged me that when Vincent shows up at Cat's she didn't run to hug him....he was being held in a mystery black ops prison FGS! plus I'd hug V every time he walks into a room...just because

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    2. It really bugged me that when Vincent shows up at Cat's she didn't run to hug him....he was being held in a mystery black ops prison FGS! plus I'd hug V every time he walks into a room...just because

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    3. exactly! that and then all the emotionless interactions thereafter.

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    4. Thanks. I actually liked the episode minus the lack of Vincat. I think Vincat was absent for like everything except the last 15 minutes, together I mean. Just not how the 2nd to last episode should be. Them together make the show. Sad bc we only have 1 ep left and they were barely together in the previous 2 ones. And I totally agree with the comments above. Where was the emotion and love shown between them? The hugs? Comfort? I'm looking at the writers and actors here. Run to him KK/Cat. Hug him because he was just tortured! Kiss him! He kissed her once and it was like no big deal. This is why I think the actors were over it at this point or over working with each other or just figure they know the show is ending so not focused on the characters as much. The real VC would have been way more affectionate after that drama. And seriously, does anyone know why KK was made a producer on the show or what she actually did differently than when just an actor? It seems like something they did bc she wanted to be 1, but I don't get why they did it. Maybe to get her not to quit or to do press? Also, I could have sworn they were hinting Cat was pregnant. I bet there will be a time jump, Alex. Prepare yourself. I need one though so I'll have to disagree with you. I wanted these intense eps earlier and the boring ones at the end so it ended w/ us seeing plenty of happy times not end with 30 seconds of happiness. I know Vincat won't die, but I'm really worried about the other 3, especially JT. Anyone!? I need reassurance. LOL Also, I'm sad the show is ending and although I admit it's time creatively...I'm still really sad. It meant a lot to me in s1+2 and still does...I bet the actors have moved on because they finished filming almost a year ago and we're just ending the show now since it took forever to air. I just wish it wasn't the end...

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  2. Thank you for your review,I thoroughly enjoyed the humor reading it.I loved the episode,& I agree we needed more VinCat time,the flashbacks were fantastic I felt,the emotions Vincent was going through I felt too,"Bravo Jay",the scenes were fantastic,Tess/JT...Heather/JT...Cat/Heather...Tess/Cat...Vincent/Cat,I am sad to say the last episode is Thursday night,I'm not ready for the show that I love so much to end,all I can say is I wish all the cast & crew the very best for their future & Thank You for the last 4 years...Love you...Jay/Kristin/Austin/Nina/& Nicole...Our Scooby Gang...Our Beastie Fanmily

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  3. I don't get it.... If Braxton was behind the killings, why did Vincent see some weird shadowy figure murder Ecklund? Shouldn't he have seen Braxton do it in the first place? I get they wanted to keep the mystety going for one more episode but I don't think it turned out a coherent story. Did I miss something?

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