So compared to the last two episodes this one took somewhat of a slowdown, but that’s not entirely a bad thing. You would think it would give our cast a moment of reprieve to soften up the pain of their collective loss, but as we surely know there is no time for that. What was briefly a time for mourning quickly became a time for action, vengeance, and purpose. As I thought before, there might have been a way to get Brandy and Kelly back and I was delighted to see that even if that plot point may have seemed predictable, it was very much hoped for. While it can seem shallow or cheap to bring someone back from the dead, which can lead to a “no life is sacred” mentality (haha comics), it’s not without its purpose.
That’s also something that sets Ash vs the Evil Dead apart as one of the best examples of good fan service among series of the same nature. The creators and writers know what their long time fans want to see and that is exactly what they offer. Sure, bringing our favorite characters back from the dead may seem like a shallow way to get our affections, but it goes so far beyond that. Even creating this show was an homage to fans of the original films. Plus, the first two seasons have not been a quick cash grab relying on nostalgia, but rather they’ve offered completely new ideas and directions that die hard fans have been only happy to accept as something new and fresh to experience.
Recap
The episode opens in the aftermath of the massacre at the high school in Elk Grove. As the morgue comes to collect the bodies of the dead, we see that Ash is once again a fugitive of the law and still being blamed even though everyone kind of saw him kill the clone. He and Pablo discuss the vision he had of Kelly in the rift, which takes Ash back to Evil Dead 2 and the professor’s spirit trying to contact him. Ash now has the idea to open the portal to the rift, which he believes will lead to the trapped souls of Kelly and his daughter in order to rescue them. Meanwhile in the Deadlands, Brandy sees various people sneak around hiding from a shadow stalking the poor souls trapped within. Then, an unexpected character returns to save Brandy: Dalton! Who I still don’t like…
Back in the real world, Ash and Pablo steal the coroner’s van before an autopsy can be performed, though there’s more than one body bag in there. Ash gives Pablo the wheel as he turns to the back to make sure one of the bags has Brandy in it, and we get a sentimental moment for Ash as he ponders his failure to protect his daughter. However, the body of the girl who was taken at the Deadlands begins to stir in her bag. Clearly this is how the deadites control the dead.
Dalton and Brandy trade death stories as they begin to move and avoid the Dark Ones. The two are surprised by Kelly as they run into the a movie theater that opens into a bar, apparently random doors lead to random places.
Ash and Pablo return to a deserted rift cellar, with Zoe, the last knight, missing. Pablo has his reservations about sending Ash into the rift because of what happened to the last guy, but he tells Ash that he may need to die by the dagger or a demon to end up there. Ash reluctantly agrees for the sake of Brandy and Kelly. The two work together to kill Ash and he ends up in the Deadlands. Ash wakes to the green glow, and his hand back, and goes in search of Brandy, encountering the weird room changes as he goes. Back in the real world, Pablo has a new threat to deal with as he thinks Brandy’s possessed body has awakened, though we know better.
Ash and the team are finally reunited when he ends up in the bar from the Cyrobank, and we get a heartwarming scene. Kelly, of course, yells at him for killing himself. He tries to let them know his plan when they are interrupted by the dark ones back on the hunt. Meanwhile, Pablo hunts down the deadite within the department store as Ash’s cardboard cut out attacks him. Behind it is the deadite of another high schooler who died.
The group in the Deadlands form a plan to get back to the cellar and use the rift to return, but their plans are foiled when the door he thought would lead them back only leads them outside. After discussion, Dalton sacrifices himself as a distraction so the other three can find the rift without being taken. They get into the dead version of the Delta and they are instantly set upon as Ash tries to start it. Dalton does not last very long and is quickly taken; serves him right for kissing Kelly! Ash gets the car started as it’s pulled into the shadows by the dark ones. Yet, just like that it comes right back out. They speed off and find the rift.
Back on the other side Pablo is working against the clock fighting the deadite instead of opening the rift for them. He eventually kills it by squeezing its head apart and quickly runs back to the rift when he see’s Ash’s face in static television. Pablo opens the rift and as they begin to walk towards it, Kelly is held back by a barrier. Before they can figure it out, Ash and Brandy return to their bodies while Kelly says goodbye. Ash and Pablo run back to van to set Brandy free. The episode ends with Kaya dragging Zoe to Ruby and exclaiming her fear of the Dark One’s return. Ruby obviously has plans for her, as she holds a knife in her face and says, “You’re going to help us re-write our destiny.”
Review
While not as action packed or grief filled as the previous episodes, this one had a lot to offer. I’ll start with the ending. Clearly Ruby and Kaya plan to use the book for something sinister. My guess, is they plan to offer another rift, but not one that will take them to the Deadlands. I think they’re going to use it to go back in time. “Re-write our history” sort of gives that away. Ruby has seen that trying to defeat Ash in the present presents a greater challenge than she thought, even with a clone of him. What Zoe has to do with it I can only speculate. Perhaps she plans to use her blood as the ink or to use her body to infiltrate the Knights in order to get to Ash? We already know that Kaya can jump into a vessel, so what’s to stop her from abandoning Kelly’s body?
That brings me to my next point. I believe that Kelly not being able to leave the Deadlands is directly connected to Kaya having control of her body. Obviously, this presents a big problem in getting her back into the real world. Yet, if Kaya truly does plan to abandon her Kelly suit, considering it’s already compromised, the group will have absolutely no way to tell that Kelly is Kelly and not a deadite. What if, when Kaya leaves Kelly’s body and suddenly Kelly comes back to life, the group doesn’t believe her and tries to kill her? These are questions that will keep me up at night.
I’m not usually this mean but haha, bye Dalton!
