Actually, that's not true. That's not true at all. Would've been a hell of a twist, though, if for no other reason than it would help fuse the currently fragmented MCU.
Never the less, this entry in the series stands as a pretty strong one. It keeps things moving at a brisk pace, gives the wide cast things to do, and provides more than a few highlights for the season. Heck, even Hogarth is tolerable. Considering how she's been depicted this season, that in itself deserves massive kudos.
It was surprising how long it took to clear Jess' name in regards to the murder of Pryce's flunkie. Even Jess notes that it was a sloppy frame up (or possibly an unintentional one?) I guess that's just bureaucracy at work, though they do justify it a little by saying that some of the cops have a grudge against Jessica for past actions.
Or maybe they have a grudge against "vigilante superheroes" in general. The idea has been brought up before in prior Netflix shows and one of the cops does make a crack about how "those people" like to team up. Jessica does seem to gain an ally in one of the cops. It makes for some further character development and gives the apparent plot cul-de-sac some longer lasting impact.
On other fronts, we learn about Griffin's true intentions. I have to say....I called it. It turns out all his mysterious conversations were about planning an elaborate engagement proposal event.
I did find it weird that her response was "thank you", and not necessarily a yes. You'd think that the fact that she put the ring on her finger would be enough, but Griffin is smart enough to pick up on the fact and does discreetly follow up by making a more private inquiry later.
Trish's response is a bit odd. It doesn't really mesh with what we'd seen of their relationship up to this point. Maybe it's supposed to be a sign that the drug is having an effect on her psyche (it is clearly shown to have effects on her physically even after it's "worn off") or maybe it's a fear of commitment, I don't know. It's still strange.
Whether this is the end for Griffin remains to be seen. Maybe this jilting is the beginning of a face-heel turn? It wouldn't surprise me, but hopefully, the show avoids going down that road. It has bigger fish to fry.
One such fish is the main villain, whom Jessica continues to tail by pursuing a new lead: the man in prison for another one of "Leslie"s murders.
He's not all too helpful, nor is he particularly menacing. It subverts the old "Silence of the Lambs" dynamic a bit and gives Jessica a chance to show her compassionate side. More than once, she knows when to back off when her interrogation seems to be doing more harm than good.
It's a decent enough scene, but I couldn't get over how they kept referring to "octopuses". I thought that was one of those faux-words, like irregardless, but maybe not. I still found it cringe inducing every time a character said it, as I thought that "octopi" was the correct term. Doing some light googling, apparently, it isn't. I still say that "octopuses" sounds weird, though.
We also get some brief development about the antagonist. Apparently, she's learning to play the piano. It sounds trivial and mundane, but it does put the villain du jour in a different light. She also has an overly cheerful neighbor who brings her baby over to hear said music.
You can tell that the woman is trying to be pleasant, but when the neighbor's baby starts crying, it's only a matter of time before the anger issues bubble up to the surface. Thankfully, the family books it before they can become the target of her rage.
This scene does present something of a contrast to Jessica, though. Sure, it's meant to highlight their emotional issues, but Jess largely deals with it by being in a perpetually sour and snarky mood. This woman, on the other hand, seems to take her cues from the Hulk. She's initially more pleasant, but is more prone to going into "Smash!" mode. That poor piano never really stood a chance.
The episode's big ending is a bit of a let down, however. While Jessica does discover a figure from her past and does run into the woman again, the confrontation is cut short when the two book it. Why she's running when she's stronger than Jessica is beyond me, but she does break the aquarium glass.
The cliffhanger is supposed to imply some tsunami type flood coming Jessica's way, but I don't think the tanks were that big. I just see it cutting to Jess' POV and seeing the water spilling out onto the floor creating a puddle across the room. I mean, the animals would likely die and that would be tragic in its own way, but it doesn't really have the same umph that the producers might have wanted it to.
Still, this was a solid entry and a good point to get back in. After the haitus, this managed to move things along in such a way that it didn't take too much mental effort to get caught up. It also raises enough questions that I'll want to sit down and watch the next episode a lot sooner. I might not be able to binge, but I can at least get into a steady viewing pattern as we move closer to the show's halfway point.
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