The Outpost – Because She’s Worth It

By: Patience Kapfer

At the end of the previous episode Garret (Jake Stormoen) received his purpose from The Three and Gwynn (Imogen Waterhouse) managed to revive the Outpost into a bustling little village with the help from the Mistress’ (Robyn Malcolm) money. Unfortunately, we know that Gwynn’s new found prosperity and calm at the Outpost cannot last. Those at the Outpost, including Tobin (Aaron Fontaine), have been put back to work and are working to strengthen their defenses. At the beginning of the episode Gwynn is caught watching Tobin work with the other men by the Mistress, who calls her out for staring at such a handsome man. When asked if she’s sure she doesn’t like Tobin, Gwynn assures the Mistress that she doesn’t like him and knows he’s still trying to woo her just using a different method this time. Before the Mistress leaves Gwynn to “reflect on her royal obligations,” she makes sure to tell her that her and Tobin would make “beautiful babies.” We’ll have to see if this not so subtle subliminal messaging works to wear down Gwynn’s resolve on Tobin.

While Talon (Jessica Green) is out Zed (Reece Ritchie) finds the key that Talon had hidden and is furious that she didn’t tell him she had it, especially after she told him she had no idea what it was and had never seen it before. She informs him that she was planning to tell him about it once she decided she could actually trust him, which she obviously couldn’t since he went through all of her belongings while she was gone. While Talon is justifiably angry that Zed went through her things, Zed is also angry that Talon lied to him when they need the key to help their people. Zed says he can’t remember how to work the key because he doesn’t remember all the stories from when he was a child and part of the key is still missing. Talon explains to Zed that is all there is of the key, but he shows her the picture again and there’s a stone in the middle of the key that is missing from the one that Talon has in her possession. When Talon sees the picture she has a flashback of the stone around her attacker’s neck, but still just tells Zed that what she has is all the Dragman gave her. Now it seems that Zed is less likely to trust everything that Talon says.

As Talon is trying to keep Zed hidden the townspeople inform the Mistress that their animals were attacked and they’ve been finding them dead all week. While the Mistress is trying to handle the situation it attracts the interest of Gwynn who comes to tell the Mistress that she’s received word that the miners are already talking about striking because they are still not being paid fair wages. When asked what the problem is with the townspeople the Mistress is quick to tell Gwynn that Talon is not obeying her orders and that a demon has been killing all of the animals. Gwynn assures the townspeople that the creature will be dealt with and tells the Mistress to straighten out the situation with the miners. The Mistress’ solution to dealing with the miners is to meet with the foreman who requests thirty gold beads to make the situation disappear. However, that solution does not please the Mistress who puts the foreman face-to-face with a plagueling in order to threaten him to simply make the issue disappear without being bribed. Gwynn is obviously infuriated that Talon disobeyed her orders and storms into Talon’s home and arrests Zed while instructing her soldiers to find Talon.

Gwynn’s soldiers bring Talon to the throne room and Talon again reminds Gwynn that Zed is the reason Gwynn is still alive, to which Gwynn tells her that “clearly she wouldn’t need saving if you Blackbloods just stayed where you belong.” That statement makes it seem as though Gwynn might be as prejudiced against the Blackbloods as all of the other humans after all, despite her claims that she’s different. Gwynn backtracks and says she just wants to keep her people safe and that requires getting rid of the demon. Talon pleads with her to allow her to send Vikka back and let Zed stay because he’s teaching Talon about her history and her people. After her pleas don’t work Talon threatens that if Gwynn will not allow Zed to stay she will just leave Vikka out in the forest to kill as he pleases. This tactic works and Gwynn agrees to let Zed stay as long as Talon forces Vikka back through the portal.

After a long talk with Zed he agrees it’s best to send Vikka back in order to be able to stay and help Talon free the rest of the Blackbloods. That night Talon and Zed go outside the wall under the watchful eye of Gwynn and her soldiers and summon Vikka back. Zed tells Vikka to go back through the portal, but it is very clear Vikka doesn’t want to leave. It’s sad to watch Zed have to yell at his friend to go back without him to what has been described as a horrible place. Vikka finally follows orders and sadly walks back through the portal. Zed tells Talon that he and Vikka have been together longer than Talon has been alive. Now that Zed proved he is trustworthy Talon tells him she knows where they can find the missing part of the key.

While Tobin is at the Nightshade having a drink (against his orders) he is summoned by Gwynn. So, in Janzo’s (Anand Desai-Barochia) attempt to sober Tobin up enough to be presentable for his audience with the Queen, he tells Tobin that Gwynn just lost the love her life and isn’t going to just open up her heart for Tobin. Tobin asks what was so special about Garret to which Janzo tells him that Garret had a good heart and sense of duty. Now it’s time to see if Tobin uses his newly found information about Garret to his advantage in winning over Gwynn. Gwynn feeds Tobin a nice dinner and tells him she sent for a particularly fine vintage of wine that she’s sure he will enjoy, but to her surprise Tobin turns it down telling her he no longer partakes in the drink. He also tells her he’s trying to be a better man and gives her his sincerest sympathies about losing Garret. His tactics seem to work as Gwynn opens up to him about Garret and he also seems to soften Gwynn’s resolve against Tobin. Tobin also tells her that when he was young he watched his father pledge his loyalty to the Prime Order and then watched as they killed his sister in front of everyone. Tobin says he intends to fight against the Prime Order in order to put an honest and compassionate leader in their place for his legacy. Things take a turn when Tobin mentions that he heard it was a traitor who gave Garret up to the Prime Order. Naya (Amita Suman) takes that moment to refill Tobin’s goblet as Tobin tells Gwynn he will find the traitor and make sure they hang for what they did. At that Naya flinches and spills the water she was pouring. Both Gwynn and Tobin look at Naya for her mistake, but it seems Tobin might have noticed something that Gwynn has not – that Naya might very well be the traitor.

To add to Tobin’s suspicions Naya receives a letter that says her mother is still in the care of the Prime Order and she is to send information or they will have to “end their arrangement.” While this places Naya in an extremely difficult situation it’s made even worse by the fact that Tobin sees her receive the secretive message. Tobin investigates where the message that Naya received came from only to find out it originated from the Capital. He then waits in the shadows for Naya to ask her where she’s from and ask her where the message she received was from. He finds it suspicious that Naya says both she and her sister can write even though they are from a very poor part of the Capital. Now Naya definitely knows that Tobin might know what is really going on.

Talon and Zed head out on an adventure to find the missing part of the key. Zed tries to get Talon to bring Vikka back to help protect them, but Talon says she swore an oath to Gwynn and will not let him return. No amount of convincing moves Talon on her position and she remains steadfast that Gwynn is a fair Queen. Unfortunately, their trip is not without danger. However, this danger Talon could never see coming. They set up camp for the night and Talon heads out to hunt while Zed is left to make a fire. While out hunting Talon hears a horse and sees someone on horseback on the road and hides to watch them. She prepares her bow in case it’s an enemy, but when she sees it’s Garret she goes to him in total disbelief. Talon rushes to give Garret a hug, which he returns. Garret then removes his knife and stabs Talon in the side. As the episode comes to a close, we are left with Talon looking at Garret with her eyes full of pure betrayal and sadness.