Sleepy Hollow Episode 108
“Necromancer"
Written By: Mark Goffman & Phillip Iscove
Directed By: Paul Edwards
Original Airdate: 18 November 2013
In This Episode...
Ichabod wants to interrogate the Headless Horseman. Of course, he doesn’t have a head, so that makes conversation a little one-sided. Abbie suggests they use Andy to communicate with the Horseman. They wait for Andy in the little cubby in the tunnels where he has been living, and Andy does not feel comfortable with the idea. His soul no longer belongs to him and if the Horseman gives him a command, he is unable to resist.
Ichabod’s first round with the Horseman doesn’t yield much. the Horseman is not feeling chatty. Ichabod taunts him, speaking directly into his neck hole. He even grabs him by the collar - and a necklace falls to the ground. this rattles him. It belonged to Katrina, and the Horseman isn’t ready to divulge all his secrets just yet. Through flashbacks we discover that before Ichabod, Katrina was betrothed to another, Ichabod’s best friend and a man of wealth, Abraham. Abraham gave Katrina the necklace, but it was Ichabod who picked it out. Katrina knew that instantly and admits to Ichabod that she is calling off the engagement that night. It was an arranged marriage, and her heart belongs to another: Ichabod.
The Horseman reveals that Ichabod was his sole mission, then and now. He blames Ichabod for Abraham’s death (or rather, whoever called upon the Horseman blamed Ichabod for Abraham’s death) which infuriates Ichabod. The power goes out, meaning the UV lights that weaken the Horseman are dead. He is still hexed, but Abbie insists on pulling Ichabod out of there, at least until she gets the full story.
So let’s back up a little bit. The captain brings in Jenny at Abbie’s request, thinking she may have some insight. While at the station, she hears that an incident just went down at Adams’ Antiquities, a place Jenny knows, and goes with the captain to the scene. The place has been ransacked but expensive jewelry and cash haven’t been touched. Clearly, whoever broke in was looking for something very specific. Jenny checks the vault and finds Adams in there, shot in the leg. The men who broke in were German and they took a sort of warlock stone that would only be useful in removing a hex. The pieces fall into place pretty quickly from there: these were the Hessians who want to break the hex on the cell that is holding the Horseman. The other thing they would need to do is break the power grid. The captain and Jenny head down to the power grid. The captain is impressed with the way Jenny handles herself, and between the two of them and the SWAT team that meets them there, they arrest the Hessians without incident. Well, except for the bomb that blows up, knocking all of Sleepy Hollow into darkness.
Back to Abbie and Ichabod. He tells her the rest of the story, again in flashbacks. He and Abraham were tasked with taking the Declaration of Resolves, the precursor to the Declaration of Independence. It was an extremely important and delicate mission, but Abraham, having just been dumped, was too distracted to focus on the mission. Ichabod - for whatever reason - decides to tell Abraham that he was the one Katrina was in love with and they would be married soon. Abraham is enraged and forces Ichabod to duel. He keeps trying to lay down his sword, but he gives in and the men fight. Abraham gets the best of Ichabod, pinning him to the ground at sword point - but then he is shot. Hessians dressed as Red Coats appear, and Ichabod runs for his life. So the assumption is that Abraham sent the Horseman after Ichabod for revenge.
Jenny and the captain arrive. They don’t have the medallion, but the only way it would be useful is if the men broke into the cell and used it in there. Ichabod is left to stand guard over the Horseman while the others go load up some weapons and check the exterior doors for weak points. Now remember, Andy is still in the cell with the Horseman. With everyone gone and Ichabod still wracked with guilt, no one pays attention as he digs into his belly with his bare hands and removes the medallion. He chants over it and the hex breaks. Ichabod finally takes notice and rushes into the cell, grabbing the medallion from Andy. He apologizes weakly, but it is too late. The Horseman is breaking free of his chains. He “faces off” with Ichabod, then leaves, returning with two swords. He wants to finish his duel. For you see, Abraham is the Headless Horseman. After the Hessian Red Coats shot him, they made him one of them and sent him to kill Ichabod.
In an effort to make up for what he has done, Andy reminds the Horseman that the master forbids killing Ichabod. He says another incantation, and the Horseman and Andy disappear into bursts of flame. Ichabod is heartbroken - he essentially created his own nemesis. But then he reconsiders: Andy and Moloch wouldn’t let the Horseman kill him. “If I am not meant to be the Horseman’s kill, who am I meant for?” he ponders. Another realization: that Katrina is being held in “escrow” for the Horseman. Katrina is his weakness.
Dig It or Bury It?
Solid. I feel like Sleepy Hollow really benefits from episodes that directly move the mythology along. Monster-of-the-week episodes tend to slow the pace down.
I know I complained about it last week... but seriously, how can the Horseman hear what people are saying? I totally get that he can hear and see and speak through Andy, but he seems to respond to voices without Andy around. Look, it’s a dude riding a horse without a head - there is no doubt that there is supernatural nonsense going on here, so it makes sense that he has some kind of supernatural connection through Andy. I know, I’m obsessing over this one thing. I promise to let it go.
Douchey Time Traveler Thing to Say
Abbie tries to teach Ichabod how to do a fist bump. He doesn’t get it, but seems pleased to be included.
Prophecies?
A haunted house story!