Warner Bros. Television
This week’s episode of Doom Patrol gave us some bittersweet, heartbreaking moments that could have a major impact on two of our team members moving forward, while two others face some new issues that could have an impact on everyone else.
I loved how this episode is still locked into the ‘Jane Patrol’ episode from two weeks ago, this time picking up from the moment the Negative Spirit re-entered Larry’s body. Actually we were first taken into another of the visions Larry experiences when the Spirit leaves him. Larry found himself at an unfamiliar motel when there was a banging on the door and someone saying it was the Military Police. It turned out to be John, Larry’s secret love, and he was also wondering why they were at this particular place they’d never been before. Then he thought maybe he was dead, but Larry assured him he was not. After spending some time together, Larry finally told John that he loved him and just before John could respond, the Spirit returned and we picked up with Jane and Cliff returning from The Underground. Everyone left the lab, but Larry remained, begging the Spirit to take him back to the hotel.
Back in his room, Larry begged again to go back but this time the Spirit took him to a bar where he saw John and some friends. Larry was uneasy there, but John assured him he was safe. Larry even agreed to one dance even though he didn’t like the thought of anyone watching them, really wanting to go back to the hotel and have some privacy. But for John, that’s been Larry’s problem this entire time — privacy, not allowing himself to be who he is. John was a bit upset with Larry and left the bar, but Larry was given a clue that would lead him back to John and he took it. Larry found the now elderly John, pretty much on his death bed, and the two reunited like time had never passed (and John was quite surprised that Larry was still in such good shape some 50 years later). But this was exactly what Larry needed and wanted, and it became clear now that the Spirit was somehow connecting the two of them, their own spirits in these memories of times spent together, of the love they truly had for each other. It was a short-lived reunion though as John quitely slipped away while the two enjoyed some time alone on the porch of his home. It was such a heartbreaking moment, but finally being able to talk to John in a real setting, to open up about all the mistakes that were made after Larry’s accident, may finally set Larry free … and perhaps this will set the Negative Spirit free as well. Larry had been desperate to know what the Spirit was trying to show him, and he finally got that answer. Now that he has closure with John, what comes next?
There was more heartbreak, and possibly closure, for Cliff as he learned his former friend and current nemesis (in his head) Bump Weathers died, attacked by an alligator in Florida known as Frances. Seeing this as an opportunity to reconnect with his daughter Clara, Cliff wanted Rita to go with him, but before she could object, one of Jane’s personalities transported them to Florida and left them there. Luckily she dropped them off at the bar where a memorial was in progress. While Rita was being wooed with a basket of chicken by one of the locals, Cliff discovered that Clara was working at the bar and he tried desperately to get up the nerve to talk to her.
And then she gave a speech about Bump Weathers, the man she regarded as her father, the man who raised and nurtered her as his own. And to show her gratitude and love for him, she gave him the watch she had gotten from Cliff and had it engraved … and now that watch was in the belly of the gator that ate him. Aha! That’s how Cliff will win Clara back (and the two had a brief moment where she didn’t even bat an eye that she was talking to a giant robot man, nor did any of the patrons seem taken aback, thinking this was some kind of costume Bump made): find Frances and get that watch back. Rita’s not too keen on rowing down a swampy river in search of a killer gator, and when it seems all hope is lost Cliff tells her she can leave. Not long after, however, Frances flies out of the water with Cliff in her sites. But Cliff returns to the bar with the watch and tries to give it to Clara, but after hearing that speech about how much Bump meant to her, he decided he wasn’t going to reveal his identity, instead leaving the watch on the table for her to find. Cliff seems to understand now that he can’t go home again, his daughter is a grown woman and he needs to move on. But has he really closed the door on this chapter of his life?
Warner Bros. Television
Back at the manor, Vic and Jane are dealing with their own unresolved issues. Vic is concerned about his software after the mishap with his arm cannon while fighting the Beard Hunter. During that time, the Hunter revealed that Vic was keeping a big secret from everyone, but did he know something about Vic that even Vic didn’t know yet? While doing a check on his programming, the system told him that he’s becoming more cyborg and less human, apparently by design. Cutting open his arm, he saw that it appeared his bones were transforming into metal. Which freaked him out a bit. What he doesn’t know is if this is intentional or some freak reaction, but he’s relcutant to contact his father to question him about it. He may learn a truth he’s not prepared to accept.
And Jane. Until now, Jane has been intent on finding Chief and bringing him home, mainly because he’s her father figure as well as a father figure to all of them. But ever since that visit to the original Doom Patrol where Jane learned Niles had a room waiting for her, she’s been intent on finding Chief to know why he has that room for her. But she’s so focused on that one thing at this point, she’s forgetting to ask herself if that was even real. Most of what they experienced at the facility was a projection from Mento, not to mention all the little bits of untruths Mr. Nobody planted in their heads to tear the team apart so he could prevail over Niles. At this point, even if she does find Niles and he tells her what she saw was not real, will she believe him? Nothing else seems to matter to her at this point as she takes Vic and rushes off to meet someone who may be able to give them some information. Except … it’s a set-up by the Bureau of Normalcy. Jane manages to take out a couple of agents but Vic isn’t so lucky, now in the possession of the Bureau.
Another terrific episode full of emotion this week. I love how these character live in a world where robot men and guys dressed like The Invisible Man can roam freely without anyone seeing them as anything strange or frightening. Would that we all lived in a world like that.
Doom Patrol streams new episodes each Friday on DC Universe.
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