Wayward Points S02E10: Ashes, Ashes

"There is no 'greater good.' Only good, however small the act."

***

What we already know:

• Wayward Pines, under the rule of Jason Higgins and the First Generation, has become dangerously low on resources - they're nearly starving to death, are running low on medicine and only have enough cryo chambers to send 48% of the surviving population back to sleep.
• They can't regrow crops inside the Fence because there is something wrong with the soil underneath Wayward Pines.
• At the beginning of the season, a revolution was being staged by Ben Burke, Xander and a few others to rise up against the First Generation. Ben Burke is presumed dead after having been exiled by Jason, but Xander has a few stolen weapons that the remaining rebels can use to fight, if necessary.
• Rebecca Yedlin helped design Wayward Pines. She and Adam Hassler, who did not die in the wilderness during Season 1, had deduced that the Abbies, led by the super-smart Margaret, are digging tunnels underneath the Fence.
• Rebecca and Xander were married in Wayward Pines before Rebecca's real husband, Theo, showed up. Rebecca and Xander are now separated, but we learned that she is pregnant with Xander's baby. Theo isn't thrilled.
• Margaret broke free from the Complex, killed Mrs. Fisher (yay!) and has recovered enough from her injuries to lead the army of Abbies against humanity. The Abbies are bent on destroying the humans because of a long-standing grudge against David Pilcher, who, unprovoked, killed many of the original Settlement Abbies in order to clear room for the construction of Wayward Pines.
  
• Jason plans on putting the citizens of Wayward Pines back to sleep until the Abby uprising dies down, but, as previously mentioned, there aren't enough functioning pods to protect everyone in the town.
• Dr. Theo Yedlin has become what many believe to be the new leader of Wayward Pines. His leadership and medical expertise have set him at odds with Jason throughout the season and Theo refuses to spend any more time being ruled by a spoiled brat.
• In Episode 9, a shocking revelation came to light - that Kerry Campbell gave birth to Jason Higgins before being abducted and sent to Wayward Pines. Jason was awoken years before Kerry and had no idea of their relationship. Pilcher told Kerry that he sent her son to Texas, so she was also unaware. When Jason discovered the shocking truth (that he had been in a romantic, intimate relationship with the woman who gave birth to him), he and Kerry got into a scuffle and a gun was fired. Both Kerry and Jason collapsed, bleeding, on top of the miniature model of Wayward Pines inside Pilcher's old office - but who got shot? And who will survive? Only time will tell...

Wayward Points:

• THE AFTERMATH

• The episode begins with Jason being rushed to the ER at the hospital. Kerry appears to be fine - a little bloody, but well enough to walk herself to the hospital, apparently. Theo quickly begins surgery on Jason, extracting the bullet from inside him, but too much damage has been done to Jason's lungs and, without proper medical supplies to aid in the procedure, Theo pronounces Jason Higgins dead. Kerry watches in horror.
• Theo assumes leadership of Wayward Pines, promising safety to its citizens and encouraging them to honor Jason by fulfilling their fallen leader's dying wish - that the town survive.
• Oscar (shut up) accuses Theo of intentionally skipping steps in the procedure to save Jason's life.
• Oscar realizes that Jason and Kerry have the same rare blood type. Theo realizes that this means Kerry was Jason's mother. He breaks the news to Kerry and she proceeds to vomit into a garbage can.
• BEDTIME

• CJ suggests that Jason's plan for saving citizens be followed: save intact families first (two parents and all children) - this would account for about 300 of the 571 functioning pods - then children, leaving behind "non-essential" adults, in order to better control any unforseen turmoil. CJ suggests saving the 571 first without telling the others that they will not be receiving a cryo pod.
• Jason already made decisions about who should be saved, despite Theo's belief that selection should be made randomly. CJ believes Jason's plan should be followed, but he explains to Theo that there are 300 cryo pods that are currently occupied that could be emptied to free up more space for current citizens, if necessary.
• Frank and Lucy are separated into two different extraction groups. Frank is restrained by force as Lucy's bus drives away. Rebecca and Xander are also separated. When Rebecca protests, the guard says their separation "has something to do with the sequencing of the pod room."
• As night falls, we see that Arlene and Xander have yet to be rescued. Some rioting and looting begins on Main Street. The chaos spreads to the checkpoint outside the Complex. One of the extraction guards at the gate gets his throat slashed and citizens begin banging on the gate. CJ fires a gun into the air to disperse the mob.
  
• Theo rescues Frank and Xander from their impending extinction and alcohol addictions. Arlene, who was not initially selected, is allowed entry to take the pod of the extraction guard who was murdered at the gate. She greets Theo with a big ol' kiss on the lips.
• CJ greets Kerry at the Complex, explaining that her inappropriate relationship with Jason was not her fault. "We all believed in things here that weren't real," he says. He explains that Kerry survived Pilcher and Jason because of all of her positive qualities and encourages her to use those things for "good" the next time she wakes up. However,
  Kerry says that one fresh start was enough and she gets out of line at the sanitation area.
• END GAME

• Theo discovered at some point that David Pilcher had access to three types of deadly bacteria - the kind that cause bubonic plague, typhoid and the Marburg virus. Theo intends to inject himself with all three viruses, wait until the incubation period is over and then walk outside the Fence to sacrifice himself to the Abbies, thus infecting the Abbies and wiping them out swiftly. He estimates that one-third to half of the Abbies would die from the bubonic plague, alone, and the rest would be killed by the other two viruses.
• When Kerry left the line at sanitation, she went to the medical bay, where she discovered Theo's voice recording, explaining his plot to destroy the Abbies. Without Theo's knowledge, Kerry injected herself with all three viruses, saving Theo's life and sacrificing herself for "good."
• CJ initiates cryostasis at the Complex. After everyone enters their pods, CJ's wife appears to him in vision, again asking, "Was it a mistake?" CJ appears ready to decide on "pod termination," whatever that means, but ultimately decides to continue cryostasis, setting a timer for 60 seconds and ultimately entering a pod of his own.
• Kerry is shown leaving the city limits through the Fence, injected with three viruses and some morphine to make her immune to pain.
• As the episode (and season) comes to a close, we are shown a glimpse of a family of Abbies, including a mother with a brand new infant in her arms.

What we learned:

• The Settlement of Abbies is much larger than we had previously seen. They've got an entire dang civilization out there!
• There were over 300 people who were never awoken from cryo-sleep.
• Kerry knew that Pilcher changed her file, but did not know that Jason was her son.
• Frank and Lucy's last name is Armstrong.
• We learned more about Theo's abduction: He was once asked (by Sheriff Pope in Hawaii) whether he would save 1,000 lives if he had the chance. Then, Theo says, "some crazy nurse drugged me, kidnapped me and brought me here."
• Theo assumes that Pilcher was saving the viruses for some eventual form of germ warfare.
• One small soil sample was shown at CJ's harvester headquarters with plants growing out of the dirt, so apparently whatever he was doing was about to yield results, but it's too late to do anything about that now.

Wayward Lines:

• Voice over P.A.: "Attention, citizens of Wayward Pines: extraction teams are on their way. Gather your families and your belongings. Only take with you what is essential for survival. Those who have not been picked up, remain calm. Shuttles will be coming back for the next group shortly. Reminder: once you do leave, you will not be returning home."
• Theo: "Time of death, 0-7-3-3."
• Theo: "I know that many of us did not ask to be here. I know I didn't."
• Oscar: "You never make mistakes... Was that on purpose, Dr. Yedlin?"
• Arlene, to Theo: "I-I just wanted to tell you what a wonderful little speech you made out there and I know you're very busy, but I just wanted to confess to you - I've had a lot of different professionalities in my life. ... I've been a toll booth operator, I've been a hockey mascot, I've been an adult bookstore manager, but, of all those jobs, this has been the most satisfying. I feel like I've really made a difference, and it's all because of you, and I just want to say I feel like I can really make a difference in the future, and I feel like, together, you and I could change humanity." Theo: "Yeah..." Arlene: "I will see you in the mountains. Tally ho! ... I will see you... in the mountains!"
• Theo and CJ, about Jason: "You knew him as a boy." "I did, but I did not know the man he would become."
• CJ, on the consequences of Theo changing Jason's selections: "...For every action, there is an equal, opposite reaction. ... You will be granting a pardon and a death sentence at the same time."
• Kerry and Theo, on Jason's death: "Did he suffer?" "Did you want him to?"
• CJ and Kerry: "Are you all right?" "No."
• Theo to CJ: "We're not saving just one life. We're saving the human race. ... It's completely different."
• CJ to Theo: "You've been saving the world all along, Doctor. You just didn't know it."
  
• Theo, on a voice recording: "I hope whoever hears this understands this more than I do, but you need to know that David Pilcher was wrong about everything. In an effort to save humanity, he created a town that is ruled by inhumanity - an effort he had no right to undertake."
• Theo, on a voice recording: "There is no greater good. There's only good, no matter how small the act."
• Frank and Xander: "I wish I was born somewhere else." "Unfortunately, there is no 'somewhere else.'"
• Theo, after rescuing Xander and Frank: "Let's not make a moment of this."
• Arlene to Theo, upon learning she was not selected: "You say hello to the future for me, ok?"
• Xander and CJ: "Are things going to be different?" "They have to be different."
• CJ to Kerry: "You certainly deserve a fresh start."
• Theo: "I guess the future needs ice cream."
• Rebecca to Theo: "We couldn't save our marriage. You can save the town. Only you can."
• Kerry to Theo: "Humanity needs you - and more people like you - in the future... and less people like my son."
• Theo: "Good luck to us all, and hopefully I'll see you all very soon."

The Rules:

• None mentioned specifically, although instructions are given several times over the P.A. speakers, to which the citizens all react quite obediently and calmly.

Wayward Whines:

• When Jason was being rushed to the ER, the gurney he was being carried on was leaking a trail of blood. When Oscar was shown running to get help, there was no blood on the floor. Continuity, people! Come on!
• CJ says Jason wanted intact families to be taken together, however, the extraction team is shown splitting up a family by sending the mother and two kids up to the Complex, while restraining the father, who would be sent up in Group 2. Also, we see that many of the children at Wayward Pines Academy are left behind to be taken later. Not sure I understand... Maybe Theo made changes to Jason's selections?
• Rebecca is afraid of being "alone again" without Xander. She has the least to complain about because, sure, she arrived in Wayward Pines without Theo, but then she got married to Xander in the meantime, so it's not even like she was without a partner for that long, anyway. Pssssh. Rebecca...
• At this point, we must assume that Ben Burke truly did die in the wilderness outside the Fence. Their choice not to show the face of his body when Hassler brought it back to the harvesters (and Theresa) is a bit baffling to me. Like, what? Was Charlie Tahan not available to film a three-second shot that week or something?

Wayward Signs:

• "Wayward Pines Hospital"
• "Proceed through security to medical checkpoint"
• "Procedure: Relinquish personal effects, collect pod suit, change into pod suit, proceed to Sanitation for antiseptic spray"
• "Wayward Pines Academy"
• (Inside Wayward Pines Academy) "You are the future"
• (On school bus) "Emergency Exit: Operates from inside only"
• "Student Council: Sign up here!!"
• "Welcome to Wayward Pines"
• "McGonigles Ice Crea         Emporium"
• "PI ES"
• "2 Cryogenics"
• "Pod Termination?"
• "Risk of death: Return to Wayward Pines. Beyond this point you will die."

Easter eggs:

• The voice over the P.A. system in Wayward Pines had always previously been Jason or Kerry (fairly confident in that), but the voice heard at the beginning of this episode was a different man.
• The shot where Theo addresses the crowd outside Wayward Pines Hospital mirrors the shots of Margaret overlooking the Settlement Abbies from high up on the cliff.
• Three paintings of David Pilcher are shown, including the oft-removed painting in Dr. Yedlin's office. Speaking of which, Theo removes the painting one final time, smashing it on a desk and sending shattered glass across the office.
• CJ asks Kerry if she is all right. She responds by saying no. This mirrors the same question and response posed by Kerry and Jason in Episode 9 (see "Wayward Lines" section).
• As he is rescued by Theo, Xander grabs one last Wayward Vine from his store.
• Theo mentions ice cream!
• The sign at the Fence that says "Risk of death: Return to Wayward Pines. Beyond this point you will die." is shown in the closing moments of the pilot episode in Season 1.

Who survived?

• The following main characters were shown in pod suits and entering cryo pods at the Complex: Xander, Rebecca, Frank, Lucy, Arlene, Oscar, Theo, CJ

What we don't know:

• Did Theo's plan for Kerry actually work? This would imply that Kerry is dead (she's basically dead either way) and that the Abbies are all going to get fatally infected by the viruses.
• Did CJ fix the soil? And what was wrong with it in the first place? We may never know...
• Where is Adam Hassler? Still out wandering in the wilderness?
• Will there be a Season 3?

Obituaries:

RIP Ben Burke

Season 1 - Season 2: Episode 4 (or earlier, presumably)

RIP Jason Higgins

Season 1 - Season 2: Episode 10

RIP Extraction Guard, Molotov Cocktail Rioter and Abandoned Father

Season 2: Episode 10

RIP Kerry Campbell

Season 2: Episode 1 - Episode 10 (presumably)

***

Well, there you have it! What did you think? I was hoping for a bit more conflict in this finale. I thought there was going to be an all-out war with the Abbies, but it looks like that is either going to have to wait until Season 3 - or perhaps it won't ever be shown at all, depending on when the survivors wake up. Maybe all the Abbies will be dead by then! We finally got the death of Jason, however anticlimactic it may have been. Probably would have been better if Kerry just straight-up shot him like Pam did to Pilcher in the Season 1 finale, but this gave Theo a chance to, technically, "kill him," which is kind of what he wanted to do all season, anyway. I'm glad Theo didn't have to sacrifice himself like Ethan did in Season 1 (RIP, baller), so we can assume that Jason Patric will reprise the role if there is a Season 3. I'm also super happy that Arlene survived. "Tally ho!" (Fun fact: Siobhan Fallon Hogan, the actress who plays Arlene, has now appeared in more episodes than any other character [16], just ahead of Toby Jones' David Pilcher, who has appeared in 15.)

Speaking of Season 3, I'm fairly confident at this point that it will happen next summer, unlike last summer, where we all basically thought that the show was a 10-episode event and was over after its first season. The "Wayward Pines" social media team had been referring to last night's show as the "season finale," as opposed to last year, when they called it the "series finale," so that's a good sign, right? What would you like to see in a potential third season? My prediction is that Theo will save Wayward Pines and give us a happy ending, bringing the show to its actual finale. Season 1 was the mystery, Season 2 was the conflict and Season 3 will be the resolution. It will be interesting to see where "Wayward Pines" goes from here.

Overall, I thought Season 2 was quite good. It started a bit slow and I think I, just like most other viewers, took a little bit of time to get over the fact that Matt Dillon (RIP) was not returning to the show. I thought the reign and fall of Jason Higgins was a good arc to follow and the bomb that Kerry was his mom was the high point of the season, in my opinion. Theo was a baller (though probably not to the extent of Ethan Burke, who is forever a television icon in my mind), and he had some of the best one-liners of the summer. I thought the script and the dialogue, especially, was fantastic, giving me, the Easter Egg Hunter of Easter Egg Hunters, a lot of fun stuff to delve into. I had a great time each week, whether I was transcribing some hilarious Wayward Lines or annoyingly pausing the episode to catch every detail of Kerry's sealed file. Was it better than Season 1? I think probably not. But "Wayward Pines" is undoubtedly a heck of a ride and remains my favorite serialized TV show in recent memory.

How I love my weird little town in Idaho. Thanks for joining me in this year's journey.

Until next season,

Work hard and be happy.

Concert review: Weezer, Panic! at the Disco and Andrew McMahon

USANA Amphitheater was rocking last night as Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Panic! at the Disco and Weezer appeared in concert on July 26. It was my first time seeing all three of the bands in person and my group, consisting of three siblings and a friend, had an interesting experience, so I figured I'd blog about it. It's a first draft and is by no means the award-winning journalism that I'm sure your accustomed to me producing, but here are my rambling thoughts about each of the acts:

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

Andrew McMahon, formerly of Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, and his new band started promptly at 7:00 PM, as we were making our way into the venue. We made it to our seats about half-way through the set and were able to listen to the final few songs the band performed. I was previously only familiar with two of Andrew McMahon's songs ("Cecilia and the Satellite" and "High Dive"), so my expectations were set pretty low - hopeful, but low. With that said, they did about all I could possibly expect from an opening band - put on an enjoyable performance that got me interested enough to go home and look up the rest of their stuff. Andrew seemed to be having a good time (I had no idea where he was for like five minutes because, apparently, he was out in the crowd and not up on stage), singing his hottest songs, rattling off some inspirational mumbo jumbo about parachutes and ultimately jumping up and doing some good, old-fashioned stomping on his piano keys. I mean, if you're going to play the piano for a living, why not, right?

RATING: 7 out of 10

Panic! at the Disco

Unlike their predecessor last night, I am familiar with a bit of Panic! at the Disco's music. They've got some fun stuff from the past 10 years or so (12, to be a little more precise), so I was a little excited and anxious to hear what they'd do in concert. They kicked things off with "Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time" from the 2016 album "Death of a Bachelor," which I had listened to a time or two in the days leading up to the concert, transitioned to the 2013 song "Vegas Lights" and launched into one of my favorite songs of theirs, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa," and the show progressed from there. Panic! would go on to play songs including "Nine in the Afternoon," the profanity-laden "Crazy=Genius," "Miss Jackson," "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" and (their closing number and most recent success) "Victorious." The highlight of their set was almost undoubtedly their cover of Queen's legendary mega-hit "Bohemian Rhapsody," which, I thought, was tremendous.

When I go to concerts, I try to give bands I'm not entirely familiar with the benefit of the doubt - I genuinely want to like them. This has worked out well for some bands (Guster, for instance) and unfavorably for others (Ben Folds Five, for instance, who followed Guster and was horrible). As much as I didn't want to say anything, I found lead singer Brendan Urie's otherworldly falsetto to be WAY out of tune for most of their set, especially in the opening three or four songs. (I've got video recordings to prove it.) The other problem I had was that -- now, I don't know if they just didn't realize that they were having an issue or whether they didn't properly do a sound check beforehand or whether it was just that I don't know the words to most of their songs -- but I couldn't understand a bloody thing the dude was singing. It all pretty much sounded like screaming and random wailing, for the most part. When Brendan talked to the audience, there wasn't much of an issue with clarity, but when the music kicked up, it almost all sounded like muffled, garbled garbage.

Music completely aside, I do have a bone to pick with Panic! at the Disco, and their aforementioned lead singer. As far as a front man goes, Brendan Urie is pretty much everything you want. The dude has got swag up the wazoo, is a heck of an on-stage dancer and has an incredible voice. But I knew we were in for it when he took a moment to pause from the music and explain that he was born in St. George, Utah, and raised by his parents in Las Vegas, where he said, "they thought it was a good idea to raise a Mormon kid." At first glance, it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the guy has intentionally distanced himself from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he came straight out and said it, himself, to put all speculation to rest. He referred to Mormons as "very smart people" and said he has nothing against them, but had no issue taking slight jabs at the Church throughout the evening, at one point jokingly mocking the LDS repentance process by telling the audience that he wanted to confess a childhood sin like he would to a bishop. He prefaced his religious commentary by saying he didn't want to preach to us (because he got that for the first half of his life - a veiled reference to Mormon culture), but what he did for the remainder of the set was exactly that - he preached to us. Now, he wasn't preaching doctrine or trying to convert us to a different religion, but he bombarded the audience with constant suggestions that willy-nilly, premarital sex is what "we're supposed to" do here during mortality, which I didn't think was a great concept. Brendan also made a point to tell us that, since it's 2016, nobody has the right to tell us what to do - and if they try to, we should simply give them The Finger and say, "F--- you." Direct quote. How kind.

By far, the most humorous moment of the night was what Brendan referred to as "Hardcore Positive Thursday," which consisted of him screaming into the microphone for a minute and a half. (Listener discretion is advised if you decide to YouTube that, by the way.) It was an odd and fascinating metamorphosis from emo-punk rocker to scream-o monster. I'm sure he was trying to make some kind of profound statement or if he was just goofing around, but his surprising stream of F-words was shocking at first, but had us laughing the entire way home. What a fool. Honestly, what was he trying to prove? How "un-Mormon" he had become? It was all just very strange to me. Whatever makes you feel good, dude. I'm not going to judge him because what he chooses to say and do really have little-to-no lasting effect on my personal life, but I lot a lot of respect for the guy after his shenanigans last night. More than anything, I'm just disappointed in the guy.

Something that I believe many people don't understand about life in this P.C. society of ours is that you can disagree with people and not hate them. People leave the Church. I get it. But why do they have such a hard time leaving the Church alone? Sing your songs, do your thing, but leave the bitter-ex-Mormonism out of it, please.

And then there was the annoying Panic! fanbase, who could be easily identified out of the sold-out crowd by their tattered clothing, ridiculous haircuts and penchant for vaping. Stereotypically, they seemed to be the fanatically crazed type of millennial girls and emo-kids who go wild at the mere sight of a man taking his shirt off or discussing how his friend has been sober for two years (great news for the guy, but, like, why are we screaming at the top of our lungs for him? - he can't hear you!). Again, just kind of weird to me. Thankfully, a lot of the Panic! fans sitting around us left about 20 minutes into Weezer's set.

RATING: 4 out of 10

View the setlist here

Weezer

Weezer has been my favorite band for more than a decade, but I had never before seen them live in concert. Needless to say, when tickets went on pre-sale months ago, I bought mine immediately. My excitement for this show could not have been greater. I listened to every Weezer song in my iTunes library in the 24-hour period before the concert, so I was ready and raring to go.

Let me tell you this, Weezer could have stopped playing three songs in and still have blown away Panic! at the Disco. From the get-go, Rivers and the crew blasted "California Kids" from their new "White Album," then moved to "Hash Pipe" and their classic, "My Name is Jonas." From then on, it was an hour and a half of the band's greatest hits, including "(If You're Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To," "Perfect Situation," "Beverly Hills" and "Island in the Sun." They also were sure to include new songs like "King of the World" and "Thank God for Girls," to which I am proud to say I rapped along the entire time. Mid-way through the set, they broke out a medley of five songs that would have been nice to hear in their entirety, but I was happy to hear, nevertheless. The high point of the set, in my opinion, had to have been "Say It Ain't So," which practically broke into a gigantic audience sing-along. (Check my Instagram for a quick video. Watching it makes me a little emotional. I'm a nerd.) Also, it's worth mentioning that the gigantic, head-banging Troll dolls on the screen during "Say It Ain't So" were the greatest things ever. Weezer closed the night with an encore of "El Scorcho" and "Buddy Holly" to crown things off.

Front man Rivers Cuomo was everything I imagined (#mancrush), sounding identical to his recordings and embodying the rock dreams of nerds around the world. The man is like a modern-day Elton John, with some hilarious wardrobe changes - a sombrero, a Hawaiian lei and a cap/crown combo. During "Perfect Situation," Rivers made his way through the audience, down the aisle probably 15 feet away from where we were sitting (I slightly panicked and failed to get a picture due to nervousness), and later randomly encouraged the audience to join him in singing a partial cover of fun.'s "We Are Young."

Rivers is a legend. That's all I can say.

Admittedly, I'm a bit biased when it comes to my thoughts about Weezer. I was more prepared for this concert than any other that I've ever attended and was stoked out of my mind the entire time, but I genuinely feel that they have a lot of singable songs that made the show fun for everyone in attendance. However, as biased as I was, I can definitely say that Weezer shattered the ridiculously high expectations that I set for them. With most bands, I'd be good seeing them once in my life - and, to some extent, that's how I felt Weezer would be, as well - but, after the show they put on last night, I would love to go back and see them again the next time they're in town. My only regret or critique was that it was a little too short; there were a couple songs that I would have liked to hear that they didn't have time to play, so the next time I see them, I'd prefer for them to come alone, without another major band to share the stage with. I want more Weezer!

Overall, I loved the show and know that everyone that I went with did, too. They put on a heck of a performance and it was all certainly worth my hard-earned money.

RATING: 9.5 out of 10

View the setlist here

Were you at the show? If so, what did you think? How would you rate the bands? Let us know in the comments below. Have a good one - and remember, "if it's too loud, turn it down."

Wayward Points S02E09: Remembrance of things past

"I'll always be me. It's already been written. The Book of Life."

***

What we already know:

• Kerry can't have kids because of the Abby (A-B-B-Y) attack that happened earlier in the season. Jason wanted to repopulate the town like Adam and Eve, but that's gonna be a little difficult if he intends on doing it with Kerry.
• Margaret the Abby busted free from containment at the Complex and she remembers, Jason... she remembers!! She got shot by Xander and may potentially be dying, but she's back with her people, the Settlement Abbies now.
• Speaking of dying, Wayward Pines only has a month's worth of food left and is running out of medicine. There's something wrong with the soil so they can't grow crops inside the Fence.
• Rebecca has discovered that the Abbies are digging underground tunnels to get inside the Fence. They're preparing to wipe out what's left of civilization. Oh, and Rebecca's pregnant with Xander's child.
• Theo can't stand Jason, just like the rest of us.

Wayward Points:

• REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST

• The episode kicks off by showing a flashback where Pilcher is visiting a private school called Walcott Prep in Chicago, Illinois. He's there to check on an adoption he has lined up. One of the students is pregnant and Pilcher will be taking the child. We quickly deduce that this is a young Jason Higgins. The girl's name is Abigail (strange name, all things considered...) and Pilcher is an excited future father, although it be by an alternative means.
• When Pilcher discovers that something has gone wrong with Abigail (a miscarriage, perhaps?), he leaves Chicago and heads to Boise, where he makes a generous donation to the hospital there in order to expedite the adoption process for another baby boy.
• The hospital will get the adoption taken care of in order to meet Pilcher's time frame, but the case worker insists that Pilcher meet the mother first. Pilcher heads into one of the rooms and meets the young lady - and it's... KERRY??? HOLY CRAP!!
• As Pilcher is getting to know Pre-Wayward Kerry, he discovers that she is "street smart" - maybe not strong, but she knows how to survive. She tells him that she wishes she had new memories - a new life - to replace the ones she already had. Well, it just so happens that Pilcher is in the business of giving people new lives... of giving people an escape from their past...
• DON'T THEY KNOW IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD?

• Back in the present (future), Jason thinks the citizens should all go back into cryo-sleep until the Abbies die out. However, CJ examines the pods and discovers that some of the chambers don't have sufficient energy to put people back to sleep. Only 571 chambers are fully functioning. That's gonna be a bit of a problem.
• Jason orders Theo to run a physical on as many people as possible, in order to determine which citizens are best suited for survival. Theo suggests a lottery method of choosing who gets a pod and who doesn't, but Jason disagrees. Theo sarcastically suggests that anyone who could be seen as "defective" should not be chosen. This would include Kerry, who cannot reproduce. When Theo suggests to Kerry that she will not be chosen for Jason's selections, he urges Kerry to take Jason out. She refuses.
• Families peacefully begin lining up at the Complex in order to secure a spot in the Complex. Just imagine what's going to happen when they find out that some of the pods don't work. Ha.
• MAMAMIA, MAMAMIA!

• While looking through files in Pilcher's office, Jason discovers that Kerry Campbell is his mother. (Such a great twist, in my opinion.) We are approaching McFly Status here, people. Nay. We have SURPASSED McFly status!
• Jason confronts Kerry about her confidential file, asking why she never told him that she had a baby before Wayward Pines. Kerry says that the baby went to Texas 2,000 years ago. Jason becomes infuriated, demanding how she know that the baby did, indeed, go to Texas. She says that Pilcher told her - which means that now Jason realizes that Pilcher lied.
• A fight ensues and a gunshot is fired -- BUT WHO GOT SHOT?!?
• In a flashback, we see a younger Jason Higgins sitting on a bench near the carousel. He is reviewing files of eligible women to select as a partner, like a post-apocalyptic version of Tinder. (#WaywardPinesTinder). He chooses Kerry Campbell to be awakened from cryo-sleep. We see Jason greeting Kerry as she wakes up in Pilcher's office. She seems confused about there being an accident in Chicago (see "What We Learned").
  
• In the closing moments of the episode, Kerry and Jason are shown lying on their backs on top of Pilcher's model of Wayward Pines. Jason says, "Walcott Prep... they taught you well..." and blood is shown running (literally and symbolically) through the miniature streets of town. But whose blood it is, exactly, we cannot be sure at this point. Kerry had blood on her shoulder and Jason appears to have sustained a bullet wound to the right hip.
• DOCTOR ABBY
• The Settlement Abbies continue nursing Margaret back to health after her severe gunshot wound to the hand in Episode 8. At the end of the episode, Margaret has enough strength to sit up and growl commands to her subjects. She rolls over to the side of the cliff and we see an entire army of Abbies howling and raring to go. It's showtime, ladies and gents...

Who we met:

• Abigail: A pregnant student at Walcott Prep in Chicago, Illinois. She liked playing badminton "to keep up appearances." David Pilcher was set to adopt her baby until something came up and the adoption had to be called off. The baby's name would have been Jason. 

What we learned:

• Before arriving in Wayward Pines, Kerry was physically abused by several close relatives. She was born on August 27, 2013, and raised in a small town outside of Boise and got pregnant by a man she'd known since she was seven. She had dreams of traveling the world.
• Upon investigation of Kerry's file in Pilcher's office (I paused it), her biography says that she attended Walcott Prep in Chicago. That she was a math wiz, a debate champ and a wonderful athlete. But that's not true. That's not true at all! Kerry's face and name have been matched up with Abigail's personal information.

Wayward Lines:

• Pilcher: "At the end of the year, I'm planning a long trip."
• Pilcher: "I want to leave a legacy ... of service and future leadership, a legacy of love - unconditional love for humanity."
  
• Abigail reads from "Animal Farm": "The creatures outside looked from pig to man and from man to pig and from pig to man again, but it was already impossible to see which was which."
• Abigail, on "Animal Farm": "This doesn't describe my world." Pilcher replies: "Not yet."
• CJ explains cryo-preservation: "We turn you off so we can turn you back on again."
• CJ, after examining the cryo-pods: "We have a problem."
• Jason Higgins, leadership personified: "Dr. Yedlin, I need you to stop what you're doing and I need you to do something else."
• Jason: "I need to make selections."
• Theo to Jason, about Kerry: "You know Pilcher wouldn't take her."
• Kerry: "What good has truth done anyone here?"
• Theo: "Sad irony of Wayward Pines: you starve to death or you get eaten alive."
• Kerry and Theo, on Jason's priorities: "He loves me." "He loves Pilcher more."
• Pre-Wayward Kerry: "I guess I was just focused on the 'being pregnant and giving birth' thing."
• Pre-Wayward Pilcher, on Idaho's geography: "I only know one small town around here."
• Pre-Wayward Kerry: "This may be Idaho, but we're not that twisted."
• Pre-Wayward Kerry: "The past... You carry it with you wherever you go, no matter what you do. You can't run from it. You can't control it. I'll always be me. It's already been written. The Book of Life."
• Kerry and Jason: "Hi. Are you all right?" "No. I'm not all right."
• Jason to Kerry, upon her awakening: "I wanted to be the first face you saw when you woke up."
• Jason to Kerry: "Walcott Prep... They taught you well."

The Rules:

• Pilcher tells Abigail, "Sometimes Rules are good - essential, even."
• Phones ring around town. We can faintly hear as they begin to be answered.
• Jason mentions to Rebecca that bearing children is the most important way citizens can contribute to Wayward Pines. When he begins quoting Rules to her, she cuts him off, saying, "Enough with the Rules, Jason."
• Pre-Wayward Kerry mentions that she was focused on pregnancy. This becomes a high priority in Wayward Pines, as well.
• Pre-Wayward Pilcher tells Pre-Wayward Kerry not to dwell on the past. "Let's not even discuss it," he adds.

Wayward Whines:

• WHYYYYYYY was this episode so awesome??

Wayward Signs:

• "Cryopreservation: What YOU need to know"
• "The Science of Cryo-preservation"
• "Time flies!"
• "Privileged & Confidential - Pilcher Access Only / Resident: Clarke, David"
• "Privileged & Confidential - Pilcher Access Only / Resident: Campbell, Kerry"
• "Sensitive and Confidential Information"

Easter eggs:

• Theo is shown walking into town on Main Street, similarly to how Ethan (RIP) and Ben (RIP?) Burke were shown at points in Season 1.
• Literary works:
• For those who are into this kind of stuff, Abigail was being forced to read "Animal Farm" by George Orwell.
• Pre-Wayward Kerry and Pilcher discuss Proust's "In Search of Lost Time/Remembrance of Things Past." (It is of note that "remembrance of things past" is forbidden by the Rules in Wayward Pines.)
• In Episode 6, we learned that there were only 1,177 citizens remaining in Wayward Pines. That means only 48.5% of the population would get a working cryo-pod.
• The first family that shows up early to enter the Complex is the same family that Xander secretly gave apples a few episodes ago.
• The scene on Main Street where the hanged body is being cut down would have taken place in the time frame immediately following the Season 1 finale. Jason even has the same ice cream cone he was shown eating in the closing scene of that episode.

What we don't know:

• What's wrong with the soil in Wayward Pines?
• Is Ben Burke still alive?
• And WHO THE HECK GOT SHOT????

Obituaries:

WHO GOT SHOT??

***

I've liked this season. It's been a bit different than Season 1, but it you're not totally digging this season after Episode 9, you might not have a pulse. This was, by far, I'd say, the best episode of the season and probably ranks right up there in the top four or five in the series, at this point. The twist in revealing Jason's mother was mind-blowing and the ramifications will be disastrous, one way or the other. Another thing that's worth mentioning is this script! This script has been incredible. It may just be that I've trained myself to listen more closely than usual in order to hunt down WP Easter eggs and meaningless trivia, but there are so many great one-liners (usually from Theo, but Pre-Wayward Kerry had some good ones and Pilcher is always fantastic) and the immense depth of Pilcher's philosophies have really impressed me. Episode 9 got me right in "the feels" a couple times as I watched. Man, I felt bad for Kerry. What a rough life - before and after her abduction. What an episode! I'm still taking deep breaths and trying to recover, and I hope for heck's sake that somebody out there is reading this, which means, most likely, that you've also been watching. "Wayward Pines" has been a wild ride and it's a real shame that so few of my friends are giving it a chance.

One more show left, people. Next week, it's humans vs Abbies and things are bound to be crazy because there ain't enough room in this town for everybody... Thoughts? Comments? Predictions? Hit me with your hot takes in the comments section.


Until next week,

Work hard and be happy.

Wayward Points S02E08: Secret Tunnels

"She's not a trophy."

***

What we already know:

• Margaret, the female Abby, broke out of containment, killed Mrs. Fisher (hooray) and is on the loose.
• Xander stole some weapons from the armory a few episodes ago. He didn't play a big role in last week's episode, but they teased this storyline to open the show.
• Relationship drama - Jason and Kerry had considered having children. Theo left Rebecca. Xander wants back in with his Wayward wife.
• Jason killed three Abbies that were being held in containment, greatly endangering Margaret's trust of humans.We also learned that the Abbies are hostile towards humanity because Pilcher and his men destroyed their settlement to create Wayward Pines.
• Theo's research showed that Margaret's brain is twice as large as a human's. Hassler says the brand on her palm means that she's the leader of the Abbies. The male Abbies are congregating around the Fence again, intending to free Margaret.

Wayward Points:

• MARGARET BUSTS LOOSE

• Margaret escapes the Complex, causing a complete shut-down of Wayward Pines. All citizens are ordered to remain indoors. Margaret leaves a trail of bread crumbs by killing a soldier, carrying him around on her shoulders and leaving a trail of blood to send any search parties in the wrong direction. Well, it worked, as Theo and Hassler wind up lost in the woods with Margaret running amok around town.
• Xander, Rebecca and others, including Frank and Arlene, formulate a plan to use the weapons Xander stole to help track down Margaret. Two rebels head out to search independently. They bump into several soldiers from the First Generation and, in their confusion, one of the rebels (Tom) and Mario (the African-American militia officer we have seen before) are shot. Tom dies and Mario is left in critical condition in the hospital, having PTSD-like panic attacks.
• Toward the end of the episode, Margaret has a showdown with Rebecca in the middle of a quiet street. It is implied that Margaret can sense that Rebecca is pregnant. A flashback shows the Settlement Abbies taking care of young babies. This seems to be a main source of the Abby hostility. Xander shoots Margaret in the arm to save Rebecca (and the baby) and Margaret scampers back off into the woods.
  
• Hassler tracks Margaret to an entrance to an underground drainage system. He has her at gunpoint but lets her go free, then follows her into the tunnel. Later, Jason orders the First Generation to collapse the pipe with grenades. Hassler escapes out the other end of the tunnel and immediately finds himself surrounded by Abbies. Marge calls off the hounds and Hassler walks away unharmed.
• Margaret stumbles off, further into the woods, and is shown struggling for life as the episode draws to a close.
• TROUBLE AT HOME

• Throughout the episode, Xander urges Rebecca to talk about their pre-existing relationship to Theo, but Theo hasn't been home in two days. We discover that Rebecca is carrying Xander's baby.
• Rebecca questions Kerry's relationship with Jason. Kerry counters by asking why Rebecca is with "him." Rebecca responds, "He's strong. He's interesting. He challenges me." Kerry says she was referring to Xander, not Theo. Rebecca says she was, too. Rebecca says she is not defined by either of her husbands and urges Kerry not to be defined by Jason, either.
• Jason has prepared a safe room at the Complex in which he, Kerry and their future posterity can re-enter cryo sleep in the event of a catastrophe. There is only room for them, not for the rest of the community. Kerry tells Jason that she sustained injuries earlier in the season which have resulted in her inability to have children. Jason is devastated by the news.
• THE PRIDEFUL PRINCE OF WAYWARD PINES
• Jason pays tribute to Mrs. Fisher (and gets surprisingly emotional) while speaking aloud to her dead body in the Complex. He hides his tears when a member of the First Generation interrupts his private moment with his late longtime mentor.
• Jason is not a great listener. She attempts twice to tell him that she cannot bear children, but he cuts her off both times before she finally tells him on her third attempt.

Who we met:

• The Rebels: A group of citizens aligned with Xander who decide to take matters into their own hands by using Xander's stolen guns to hunt for Margaret. One of them, Tom, is accidentally shot and killed by the First Generation.
• The Settlement Abbies: This name will refer to the colonized group of Abbies outside the Fence that were shown taking care of Margaret at the end of the episode.

What we learned:

• Dr. Yedlin's medical research showed that Kerry can not bear children.
• Rebecca is pregnant with Xander's child.
• "It's 'A-B-B-Y,' not 'A-B-B-I-E.'" Whoops.
• The number of Abbies outside the Fence has tripled. They are headed to a point where the Fence meets the eastern base of the mountain, which Rebecca deems as a weak spot in the geographical layout of the town. Xander and Rebecca theorize that the Abbies are using their large pits to dig in the woods a tunnel underneath the Fence.
• Margaret has a very good memory. She is constantly shown remembering her interactions with humans, neglecting to kill Frank, who she met innocently at the carousel, but tearing apart a man in military fatigues after remembering that the First Generation held her at gunpoint before locking her up in the Complex.
• Margaret appears to have some "sixth sense" that allows her to sense human pregnancy.

Wayward Lines:

• Voice over PA system: "Good citizens of Wayward Pines, this is the dawn of a new day. We must unite as one and stand together against our enemy. We will not let this threat outside our walls drive us into hiding. We will find peace in our normal way of life. This time will pass. Go to school. Work hard. Be happy. Enjoy your life in Wayward Pines."
• Theo, on trust between humans and Margaret: "That was destroyed in three gun shots."
• Voice over Complex PA system: "This is a Code Red. There has been a security breach in the lab. All personnel, get to your posts."
• Xander to Rebecca: "He'll know it's not his."
• Lucy to Frank: "Is this it? Are we dead?"
• Arlene to Rebecca: "You're a very well-informed hairstylist!"
• Arlene: "I watch birds. ... I mean, there aren't a lot of birds, but I like to watch them. I mean... It's not like I use them to watch my neighbors."
• Xander and Arlene: "I'll go get the binoculars." "They're in my bedroom..."
• Rebecca: "I am my own person, Kerry. You should be, too."
• Jason to Kerry: "This is our chance to survive. You and me, like Adam and Eve."
• Kerry to Jason: "I can't have children."
• Theo: "Shut up, Oscar."
• Mario to Theo: "I think that having a happy and productive life in Wayward Pines is the most important contribution I can make to the preservation of our species, sir."

The Rules:

• The void over the PA system tells citizens to go to school and quotes, "Work Hard. Be Happy. Enjoy Your Life in Wayward Pines."
• Kerry becomes upset when she learns that she cannot have children. Theo asks if this means that Jason will make her "disappear, like the others" who could not get pregnant.
• Phones ring to alert citizens of Margaret's escape. A phone is shown being answered while Arlene falls asleep in a hairstyling chair.
• One schoolmate mocks Frank for obeying the order to go inside. Frank responds, "It's what they said to do." Frank then disobeys the Rules by taking Lucy to see Rebecca.

Wayward Whines:

• At the end of Episode 7, Margaret clearly walks through the puddle of Mrs. Fisher's blood. Yet, when she is sneaking around the Complex in the opening this week, she leaves no footprints at all. (Maybe she got smart and washed her feet off.)

Wayward Signs:

• At Pines Theater: "WPA Recital, Mon- Fri 8 PM"
• The sign is later changed to say "PINES! A Musical Celebration"
• "Wayward Pines Barber, grooming & hairstyling"
• "Survival depends on you"
• "City Limits, Mile 2"

Easter eggs:

• The introduction to the episode, which had previously always been read by Theresa Burke or Mrs. Fisher was read in this episode by Kerry.
• For the first time, we actually see people riding the carousel on Main Street.
• ICE CREAM! An ice cream truck is shown driving around town. (RIP Sheriff Pope.) Also, Ice Cream Kid from Hassler's hallucination is briefly shown licking an ice cream cone inside his house.
• Frank reminds Lucy that "it's 'Pilcher,' not 'Pilchner.'" Rebecca referred to David as "Mr. Pilchner" when they met in a flashback several episodes ago.

What we don't know:

• What is wrong with the soil in Wayward Pines?
• How will Jason deal with Kerry's inability to get pregnant?
• What does the brand in Margaret's palm mean, if anything more than that she is the leader of the Abbies?
• If Margaret dies (unlikely), who will become the new leader of the Abbies?
• Is Ben Burke still alive?

Obituaries:

RIP Deployed Soldier (actual soldier not pictured)

Season 2: Episode 4 (presumably) - Episode 8

RIP Rebel Tom

Season 2: Episode 8

***

A bit of a slower episode this week, in my opinion, although it did drop a couple pregnancy bombs - that Rebecca is and that Kerry can't. Theo was as ill-tempered as ever, with tensions growing between himself and Xander - and with Rebecca seemingly choosing a side - so it will be interesting to see how that all shakes out. I'm guessing that the mild cliffhanger this week will light a fire under the Settlement Abbies' thirst for human blood and it looks like we're getting set up for a monumental war here in a couple weeks. If this is just a 10-episode arc, which I assume it is but am too afraid to verify on IMDb, that means we've got but two episodes left. Thoughts? Leave them in the comments section below. Peace.


Until next week,

Work hard and be happy.

Wayward Points S02E07: Marge in Charge

"Was it a mistake?"

***

What we already know:

• The Abbies are going crazy outside the Fence - and they're coming for the humans. Margaret, the female Abbie being held at the Complex has a strange mark on her palm and doesn't react like the rest of the monsters. She remains calm in her cage.
• The Abbies have burned most of the crop fields and CJ believes that Wayward Pines will starve to death within six weeks if nothing changes. CJ and Jason are both concerned about the town's ability to grow new crops because there is something wrong with the soil that Wayward Pines was built on.
• Adam Hassler was in love with Theresa Burke. He sent Ethan (RIP) to Wayward Pines so he could have Theresa for himself. Well, last episode he killed her (RIP), so there's that. On another note, Hassler seems to know what the brand on Marge's hand means.
• Mrs. Fisher and Theo have been running tests on Margaret, during which they discovered that the Abbies' brains are twice as developed as a normal human brain would be. Theo believes she might be able to communicate.

Wayward Points:

• THE MORNING BREAKS

• This episode was largely about our friend CJ Mitchum, who, we learned, woke up from his cryo sleep chamber every 20 years between April 19, 2034 and April 19, 4014 to check on the conditions of the world around Wayward Pines. (More on that in "What We Learned.") It turns out that CJ is much more than simply a harvester - he was hand-picked by David Pilcher to help usher in the dawn of Group A.
• Each time he awoke, CJ would check for news broadcasts and radio chatter, which eventually stopped completely by the year 2514, at which point humanity had been wiped out by the H1R3 virus, as Pilcher predicted. CJ would also walk around outside the Complex to gather soil samples and collect currency, which he kept in a cup inside the building. In the same year, 2514, CJ encounters a man named Griffin in the woods. Griffin has clearly been affected by H1R3, but CJ notices something even more disturbing about him - he has elongated fingers and long, pointy fingernails.
  This man, CJ would later figure out, was in the early stages of becoming an Aberration.
  
  The two discuss earth's deteriorating conditions and spend most of an entire day together, but CJ slips away as Griffin falls asleep. Griffin wakes up, finds himself alone and tracks down CJ, then begging the harvester to allow him to enter the Complex. CJ is forced to kill Griffin with his bare hands in order to protect the future residents of Wayward Pines.
• During the 1,980 years of monotonous labor, CJ struggled to maintain his sanity, at one point wondering if he was finally going to be "called home" by his wife, but he eventually made it to the appointed day when Pilcher, himself, would awaken and start up his utopian society. That plan came to a screeching halt, however, when Pilcher discovered that Abbies had created a settlement inside the intended borders of Wayward Pines. At that point, did not seem hostile - and CJ argues that they might remain as such if unprovoked - but Pilcher hastily decides that the Abbies must be driven away by force. They would be cleared out immediately and a Fence would be built to keep them out.
  
• Wayward Pines came fully to life in the year 4016, but CJ couldn't help but wonder if it was all a big mistake. He expresses his concerns to Mrs. Fisher, accurately predicting that Group A would not be able to handle the Truth. It was only a matter of time before he was watching the community self-destruct with tears in his eyes. Poor CJ.
• ABBIE COMPREHENSION 101

• After discovering that the Abbies' brains are twice as developed as a human brain in last week's episode, Dr. Theo Yedlin is determined to communicate with Margaret at the Complex. He devises a simple series of image-recognition exercises to to teach her simple words like "yes," "no," "friend" and "leader." He attempts to communicate to Marge that humans are friends and that Jason is the leader. (This concept is rejected by the female Abbie, who recognizes Theo as the leader.) It is also discovered that Margaret shows empathy for the other three Abbies being held in containment.
• Hassler barges in at one point in the episode, demanding that Margaret be released immediately. He says that the brand on Marge's palm means she is the leader of the Abbies, and that is exactly why the Abbies are swarming the Fence again. Theo and Kerry believe that Marge needs to remain contained for the time being, as Dr. Yedlin appears to be making progress communicating. Hassler also points out that the Abbies are hostile toward the humans because Pilcher's people destroyed an Abbie settlement in order to build Wayward Pines.
  
• To further illustrate the fact that humans are friends, Theo opens the cage of one of the male Abbies in the Complex by entering a pass code on a numerical keypad. But as Theo attempts to enter the cage, the male Abbie violently grabs his arm. Margaret angrily growls at her counterpart, signaling for it not to harm Theo. This solidifies the theory that Margaret is controlling the Abbies.
• Jason, yet again, is upset with Theo being right, and he angrily shoots the three male Abbies in the head, killing them. Margaret is understandably furious about this and, for the first time, shows hostility toward the humans by snarling at Theo. Kerry tries to talk some sense into Jason - and we see the softer side of Jason when Kerry suggests that he doesn't trust her - but, alas, Jason storms out of the room.
• MARGE IN CHARGE
• After Jason's murderous rampage in the Complex, Theo decides to go take a shower to clear his head. Kerry and Hassler also depart, leaving Mrs. Fisher alone to do research with three dead Abbies and Margaret still in her cage.
  
• Mrs. Fisher wheels over to her desk and begins to work and then her head bobs... Like, we're talking about hardcore head bobbing action. She must be really tired, I guess? She looks down at her feet in horror and we see a pool of blood forming beneath her wheelchair. Blood is running down her leg. She turns to see Margaret, out of her cage and holding a scalpel. Her final word is "Margaret..." and, at long last, the Abbies gave Mrs. Fisher the bloody death she's deserved (and we've been waiting for) since the middle of Season 1. RIP, Megan Fisher. RIP.
• We learn that Margaret watched as Theo entered the code to open the male Abbie's cage. She memorized the code and let herself out of her own imprisonment without anyone noticing, creeped over and slashed Mrs. Fisher's paralyzed legs. Dang. As the episode comes to a close, Margaret walks through the puddle of blood and out the door of the Complex containment bay.

Who we met:

• Griffin: A man infected with H1R3 who stumbles upon CJ in the woods in the year 2514. Griffin catches fish with his bare hands, snarls like a beast and doesn't react well to fire... because he's in the early stages of Abbie-dom.
• CJ's wife: She appears to him in a hallucination in the year 3214.

What we learned:

• The cryo chambers had automatic timers to allow individuals to be awakened at specific, pre-determined points in time.
• CJ's full name is Christopher James Mitchum.
• CJ was the first person awake at the Complex. Waking up in 4014 would have been his 100th time coming out of his cryo chamber.
• The plague that destroyed humanity was called the "H1R3 virus."
• Last week, Theo complained that Wayward Pines was running out of basic medical supplies.
  
  This week, we learned that he has started growing penicillin from moldy bread.
• Margaret is approximately 30 years old, which chronologically would make her an original resident of the Abbie settlement that was destroyed to make way for Wayward Pines.
• I saw a complaint online this week that we didn't know what the Abbies in the Complex had been eating. Stupid complaint, but I guess this person thought they look too healthy to be starving. We learned this week that the Abbies were being fed pellets from leftover food rations.
• Margaret is super smart.

Wayward Lines:

• Mrs. Fisher and Theo during Abbie Comprehension 101: "Am I supposed to eat one of these now?" "If you perform well."
• Theo to Mrs. Fisher, after teaching Margaret the word "leader": "Bow to me a little bit."
• CJ and Griffin: "You've lost someone?" "Didn't everyone?"
• CJ to Griffin, after killing him: "There were so many people we couldn't save... All I can save you from is what's coming next."
• Theo, on whether humans could beat the Abbies: "It's math. And they have the numbers. And they will win."
• CJ's wife: "Miles to go..."
• Pilcher to CJ: "What a privilege for us to prepare for Group A's awakening..."
• Pilcher, seeing an Abbie for the first time: "This isn't any animal, CJ. It's mankind gone wrong. These things stopped being human quite some time ago."
• Pilcher: "Don't worry. Humanity will win."
• Theo: "Territoriality is not solely a human trait."
• Kerry, condescendingly: "Even Megan has been swayed, now that an actual medial professional has weighed in."
• Hassler: "This really is the inmates running the asylum."
• Hassler to Theo, on the Abbies' place in history: "You may be Jason's replacement, but they are ours."
• Theo to Mrs. Fisher: "You're so indoctrinated that you can't see that the only animal in this room... was Jason."
• Jason: "I assure you, humanity will win."

The Rules:

• None that were prominently mentioned.

Easter Eggs:

• In an effort to keep himself sane, CJ is shown having a fake conversation with Beverly Brown, who was Reckoned in Episode 2 of Season 1. He tells her not to listen to Harold (Ballinger). Harold and his wife Kate were the ones who called in Beverly's Reckoning.
• CJ is also shown talking to Harold Ballinger's files.
• CJ witnesses the self-destruction of Group A.
• Wayward Pines completed construction in 4016, which verifies that, if she was awakened immediately, Kate Hewson would have been in the town for 12 years before being reunited with Ethan Burke. This also implies that she was part of Group A.
• CJ's glass of coins is shown in the year 4014. They have been rusted over by this point, which means that  these are likely the coins shown to students at Wayward Academy during Initiation.

Wayward Whines:

• ...to think that there was a point a couple weeks ago when I said (and I quote), "Um... none this week. Is this truly "Wayward Pines" if nobody dies in an episode?" HAHAHA I take it back.
• Were the comparisons to Christopher Columbus' takeover of America blatantly obvious to anybody else? Yikes... :-(

Wayward Signs:

• Green = Yes. Red = No. Hand = Friend. Crown = Leader.
• "Welcome to 4016!"

What we don't know:

• How did Margaret get inside the Fence in the first place? Did someone let her in? And if so, why?
• Did Theo mean for Margaret to see him putting in the code? I saw a theory online that says that it could have been part of his plan to negotiate peace - show Margaret how to escape so the Abbies don't attack the town. Makes sense, right?
• I still feel like there is more to learn about the brand on Marge's hand.
• It was implied that Pilcher's men basically terrorized the Abbies out of their settlement, but will we learn more about that incident moving forward?
• What is wrong with the soil?
• Is Ben Burke still alive?

Obituaries:

RIP Griffin
Season 2: Episode 7 (Year 2514)

Dennis, Max and their other imprisoned friend

Season 2: Episodes 1-7

Mrs. Megan Fisher

Season 1 - Season 2: Episode 7

***

I don't know about you, but I think this season is getting freaking good. It took a bit to get up and going, but now that the season is in full swing, I think it's great. The show is back to its good old "no one is safe" nature and, although none of the deaths, in my opinion have been as shocking as Sheriff Pope or Sheriff Burke (RIP), they've had some pretty big deaths here in the last couple episodes. I've been wanting Mrs. Fisher to die a terrible death for a full calendar year and they caught me quite off guard with last night's cliffhanger. Good work, people. Good work.

I thought this episode was particularly well-written, with lots of foreshadowing, including (most prominently) the conversation where Theo talks about understanding people from other cultures - you can decipher body language and vocal cues, like if you walked into the middle of an argument. Margaret did that exact same thing later in the episode. Theo caught himself, of course, and pointed out that, while they have been observing Margaret, she has been observing them right back. The ultimate culmination here was when she rejected Theo's explanation that Jason was the leader. Ah, that was a great scene.

Another thing I've really enjoyed is seeing David Pilcher play such a prominent role in Season 2. (While I'm thinking about it, never forget #LilPilcher!!) During Season 1, I think we all kind of wondered, "How the heck did this little town become so strange?" And, thanks to Season 2, we've gotten an up-close look at some of the stuff that happened before Ethan (RIP) woke up in the woods last summer. I certainly didn't imagine CJ playing such a big role with Group A, so that was a fun surprise.

What do you guys think? I've seen less people whining about Season 2 on the official Facebook page, so that's a good sign, and I saw an article on Twitter saying that ratings are up... Think we'll get a Season 3? With Theo Yedlin calling the shots?? That could be good. Theo is the man. Let me know what you thought about last night's episode - and what you think will happen moving forward - in the comments section below.

Until next week,

Work hard and be happy.