The Outpost – The Dragman is Coming

By:  Patience Kapfer

This anticipated season finale of “The Outpost” returns us to our heroes traversing through the desert and into a small cave with Plagueling bodies strewn about. As Janzo (Anand Desai-Barochia) explores the cave further, he finds some type of fly eggs, but Talon (Jessica Green) is sure the substance is colipsum. It’s at that moment that Janzo realizes that these fly eggs and colipsum are one and the same. So, this means that if someone has colipsum in their blood then they also have fly eggs in their blood. Fly eggs in someone’s blood means that if they are injected by a Plagueling, the eggs hatch and the male flies turn into the parasite in an individual’s throat. That’s why Garret (Jake Stormoen) hasn’t turned into a Plagueling yet – because he doesn’t use colipsum. Now that Janzo has put all of the pieces together he’s also realized that since he brought back so much colipsum more people will be at high risk of turning into Plaguelings. While Janzo worries about the thousands of people that could now become infected, Garret realizes that the Plaguelings tied up in that cave mean that the Greyskins have been using the colipsum as a weapon.

After their vast realizations and new information, the group makes it back to the Outpost and waits entry. Garret and Talon make the climb all the way to the top of the wall and are greeted by none other than Ambassador Dred (Philip Brodie) himself before they can pull Janzo up. Dred orders one of his men to begin pulling Janzo up and uses him as a threat to Talon not to attack Dred and his men on the spot. Talon reluctantly puts her knife away but makes sure to remove The Book of Names from her bag and hide it in a trunk before Dred can take her hand and cut it to show her black blood. Dred then takes Talon to dungeon where he ties her up and proceeds to tries to force her to use her power and say her demon’s name. Since she refuses to use her power, Dred tells her that she will watch each of her friends die until she proves what she really is. He then takes Talon and all of her friends to the center of town and places nooses around their necks to try to publicly force her into proving the Blackblood prophecy is true. Talon tells Dred that nothing will happen if she reads the demon’s name, but he doesn’t believe her and begins to tighten the noose around Garret’s neck. Talon finally acquiesces and says the demon’s name, as Dred removes his sword, preparing to fight the demon. Since the demon died fighting the Greyskins, nothing happens when she says its name causing Dred to order the execution Talon and all of those working with her.

As the group stands and waits for the floor to drop out from under them, a collection of cloaked figures enters the Outpost and begins stealthily killing the guards.  They make their way to the center of town, weaving their way through the townspeople while the guards in the tower alert Dred of an army approaching with yellow banners. At that moment, the cloaked figures kill the soldiers in the town square and those at the wall and then opening the gate to allow Gwynn (Imogen Waterhouse) and her army to enter. Help has finally come! Before Dred can execute Talon, one of his soldiers cuts her rope sending her through the trapdoor. Gwynn’s army and the townspeople all battle Dred and his soldiers with Garret and Talon rushing into the fray of fight. Talon sees Dred and makes it her mission to run after him, picking up a knife and sword along the way. She chases him into a room filled with colorful curtains, making it difficult to see where Dred is, thereby giving him the ability to sneak up on her. Talon isn’t easily startled and is prepared to fight, easily keeping up with Dred and fighting like equals. That is until Talon kicks the sword out of Dred’s hand and knocks him to the ground, preparing to kill him with the blade that belonged to her mother. At the moment she intends to kill him, Gwynn and Garret rush in shouting at her not to kill Dred because so many people deserve to see him brought to justice with a proper trial.

Following the battle, they are able to finally give Command Calkussar (Michael Flynn) a proper funeral and pay respect to the fallen soldiers. Later that night they take Dred to await his trial in the square. Gwynn lists Dred’s murders and declares that his sentencing will be carried out at sunrise in accordance with royal law. Then, Gywnn announces to the people that “today they buried the dead and tomorrow we prepare for war.” Following Gwynn’s speech, she asks to speak with Withers (Andrew Howard) and offers him the position of gate marshal again. Withers accepts and offers his condolences to Gwynn about her father before heading out to find Mr. Higgs (Jake Suazo). Unsurprisingly, Withers finds Higgs robbing the Outpost of tax money and attempts to stop Higgs before he can make a break for it. In his efforts to escape, Higgs picks up a crossbow and fires at Withers, but Danno (Charan Prabhakar) jumps in front of the arrow at the last minute saving Withers life. Withers is then able to kill Higgs before rushing back over to Danno and telling him “you’re a fine watchman,” causing Danno to smile one last time before closing his eyes.

Janzo goes to the Mistress (Robyn Malcolm) to tell her the problem with the colipsum, but of course the only thing she hears is that he knows how to manufacture the colipsum. As the Mistress continually puts down Janzo as having conspiracy theories that aren’t true, he finally stands up for himself and tells her that he won’t let her sell this colipsum anymore. He won’t let her put people at risk of turning into Plaguelings and dying just to make a profit. Despite the Mistresses threats, Janzo opens the door in her floorboards and removes the bag of colipsum and leaves planning to burn the rest of the colipsum. After burning the colipsum Janzo rushes to see Talon who’s studying The Book of Names closely. He opens one of the books and reads a quote from it to Talon “only the Dragman can hear the fire-song of the Vex Rezicon” and then takes the Vex Rezicon and places it in the fire. The fire causes Talon to hear voices whispering from within the Vex Rezicon, but she cannot understand them. Janzo reminds her that only the Dragman can understand the voices so they need the Dragman in order to translate what she’s hearing.

While everyone is tending to their own business and the guard sleeps, Naya (Medalion Rahimi) sneakily frees Dred from his shackles and cell under the promise that he will free her family. While Talon is telling Janzo how much he means to her, Dred bursts through the door wielding his sword. Talon manages to push Janzo out of the way just in time. Unfortunately, Dred then grabs Janzo off of the floor and holds his sword to Janzo’s neck, causing Talon to throw her sword to the ground and demand that Dred let Janzo go. Dred orders Talon to get on her knees, which Talon reluctantly agrees. While Dred is focused on Talon, Janzo slowly reaches for the fire poker and brings it up quickly to Dred’s face. As soon as Janzo stabs Dred in the face with the poker, Dred stabs Janzo in the side. Talon rushes forward and grabs her sword, engaging in a sword fight full of rage while Janzo lies whimpering on the floor. Talon allows Dred to escape in order to help Janzo. She uses the poker to cauterize his wound and in an effort to distract him from the pain without using colipsum she kisses him. She realizes in that moment that she truly cares about Janzo, but only as a brother.

The end of the episode sets up a very interesting potential second season. Dred makes his escape and meets with Essa (Sonalii Castillo) who demands her gold for destroying The Book of Names. However, he tells her she will see it when he is safely returned to the Prime Order and he will pay her double.  Meanwhile, Gwynn is in her chambers solemnly addressing how she feels that she has no one to turn to for guidance anymore. Naya emerges and tells Gwynn that she can trust her. Talon notes that Janzo’s wound is turning green and he tells her to run back to his basement to get a powder that will help. While she’s in the basement, Garret rushes in to tell her that Dred has escaped and he’s putting together a team to go find Dred. Talon says she can’t go because she has to look after Janzo. While she sits with Janzo, Talon takes the Vex Rezicon and once again begins to hold it over the fire, but she hears the door open and turns abruptly dropping the Vex Rezicon into the fire. In walks the small blond girl (Elizabeth Birkner) who Dred seems to keep for some unknown ability. She sits down and begins writing in a large book and tearing out the pages to give to Talon. When Talon asks who she is, her reply is “I’m the Dragman.”