The episode begins with a brief recap of the series showing all that has happened. Then a fairy tale like story begins, hence the Once Upon a Time in the title.The fairy tale is about the villain I love to hate Jason the dictator of Wayward Pines.
Theo does not believe that the Abbies are gone after his assistant tells him. Two days without Abbies and Jason is assured by himself that they are gone for good. Such a foolish man-child. Carrie warns if Ben is dead and I hope he is not, that Jason killed him.
Theo won’t stop asking questions even if it kills him. At Jason and Carrie’s house, Nurse Pam a villain from Season one reappears after being presumed dead. Jason the first born son of Wayward Pines grows as the town begins too. I love how they brought Djimon Honsou into this flashback showing that he has been in the universe a lot longer, legitimizing his character as a strong force.
Pam always the manipulator tries to guide Jason again. He’s a son to her and she will make him need her once again, even though he can’t stand that he killed Pilcher.He parades her in front of the citizens and tells them that he forgives her and they will all move forward with her.
Pam talks to Theo about his wife and practicing medicine in Wayward. She sends him off saying that she needs to tidy up and takes a syringe.What is Pam going to do with this Syringe?
Jason continues to grow, but as he does the world shrinks because of the vicious fence. The teacher of Wayward Pines talks to Jason about Pam and her brother the first Dictator. She convinces him to return to his party saying that they will always be behind him.
In class, the teacher is pairing people for the future. Some of the children haven’t waited and are already pregnant or working towards it like she want them too. Pam walks back into the compound and it shows Pilcher’s murder once again. I’m curious to see what her goal is in coming back so strongly. The teacher rolls in as Pam is stealing bio-hazardous materials from the lab. Clearly these two women are at odds with each other and always have been.
Theo talks to Rebecca again and asks why she isn’t wearing her ring, she states she didn’t get it. Pam heads back to her house and sees fresh kids running away after spray-painting Murderer on it. Pam shoves the syringe into the bottle and is about to use it when Theo walks in to talk she is thoroughly shaken by his appearance. Theo questions her about her brother and why she did what she did. He asks why he wasn’t the only reason they were there. He certainly does ask the tough questions, but can she answer them? She sends him off with nothing because she is clearly hiding something.
As soon as he is gone she shoves the needle in her arm like a junky. Apparently it contains Fairiola Major.
In a meeting with Jason, CJ, and Carrie Pam walks in and kisses Jason on the lips. Theo walks in and tells them to stay where they are except for Pam. Looks like her endgame isn’t savory in the slightest. Fairiola Major turns out to be Small Pox and Pam wants to kill everyone with it.
She says that they have lost sight of what they first wanted. She wants Jason to lead his people to peace and now he has to kill her. The fairy tale continues with Jason coming after Pam killed Pilcher. He killed all of the rebels of season one in front of them, a vicious move in a small community. Pam hates what Jason is, as there is no humanity in murder as she says.
I enjoy seeing Pam in her final moments as sick as it sounds, she is just as tyrannical and evil as her brother. She gives Jason an ultimatum when he comes to see her in her chamber, to kill her or let her die. Jason calls Theo a hero which surprises me because Jason clearly doesn’t give out compliments often.
Jason never heard the end to his own fairy tale but it was all a lie anyway. She tells him that he will never take the out lands from the Abbies. He chokes her to death in a moment that will haunt him forever I’m sure. She was his mom and having him kill her actually makes him a more realized character. Of course right after he talks to send out the first group beyond the wall, reminds me a little of Attack on Titan.
Theo wants to find his watch because it was the only gift his father ever gave him. He shares his first beer and then continues to do at 5:30 for years until he is taken for the Wayward trip. He is saddened by the thought of his father continuing to go to the bar for their weekly beer but never seeing him again. This is such a visceral and real moment, a moment where you see Theo as a real person and that is a good thing.
Of course Pam’s body is burned in a pyre so her toxic soul is burned to ash. CJ watches sad as the classical music twists.
This episode included many amazing scenes and a lot of good character development. Pam’s resurgence brought out Jason’s will to take over everything and we learned about these character’s past.Now, fueled by her words Jason is going to really heat things up in the pines, and it will be up to the rebels and Theo to take him down when he finally loses it like his parents.
It will be exciting to see the next episode, “Exit Strategy,” next Wednesday!