Last week we left Swamp Thing captured at the hands of Avery Sunderland and Dr. Jason Woodrue. Word on Alec Holland has spread outside of Marais to the CDC, linking him back to Abby. All the secrets of the swamp are starting to surface. People are missing, coming back from the dead, getting locked up. No one is safe! Swamp Thing is back with more gore and lore with only one episode left!
Most of this episode our hero is laid out on an operating table. This is where we get our best look at Dr. Woodrue. Sure we felt some compassion for Woodrue and his wife. We’ve seen him as a shady inside man for Sunderland with Abby at the hospital but this is where we get to meet the real Dr. Jason Woodrue.
Seeing Woodrue dissect Swamp Thing with as much interest as pleasure is chilling. The dialogue between Woodure and Swamp Thing is fascinating. Swamp Thing pleading, begging with Woodrue to stop. Only to have Woodrue mock Swamp Thing while simultaneously being amazed at his biology. It is one of the horror highlights of the show a wonderful twisted moment between doctor and patient. It was somewhere between juggling our hero’s appendix or heart that Woodrue drops the ultimate knowledge bomb on Swampy that turns his world even more upside down. Woodrue’s one-liners should be considered bad dialogue but he has the perfect amount of mad scientist charm to pass. Every time Woodrue speaks you hate him more and more. Woodrue in the lab is a combination of Human Centipede and The Dentist. Surgical horror at its finest and the wrong man holding the scalpel, more than enough to make any of us shiver.
Bravo to the costume design team and actor Derek Mears. Mears facial expressions really shine through that mask and makeup. With every saw, grimace and scream you can see the pain that Swamp Thing is going through.
While Woodrue is playing the role of butcher Avery is back in town with a vengeance. Maria might have thought she had the upper hand on her husband but Avery does what he does best. Using his connections to his advantage to get his own wife committed. By owning the legal system Avery used the incident with Maria, Abby, and Susie in the swamp to regain control of his assets. Avery Sunderland is really proving to be a small-town Lex Luthor. If you are going to try and kill Avery Sunderland you better succeed.
While the best scenes this episode involve the title character Blue Devil makes his live-action debut in stunning fashion. The Phantom Stranger again makes a joyous visit to Daniel Cassidy. Leaving Cassidy to yet again pick his own fate as well as the fate of others. Finally getting a chance to see Blue Devil I felt like I was looking at a smaller version Dave Grohl from his cameo on the Tenacious D music video “Tribute” only surrounded by a blue glow. While the appearance was short and sweet the action scene it took place in was one of the creepier moments in this show giving me vibes of the Alien franchise.
We now are down to one episode of Swamp Thing left. Swamp Thing now knows the truth about himself. Avery seems to have eliminated his main obstacle in Maria but still has Sheriff Cable out to get him.
What is next for Matt Cable and Daniel Cassidy? Will Swamp Thing get his revenge? Can he bring justice for Alec Holland?
Are Swamp Thing and Avery going to “face-off”?
Is the Floronic Man going to make an appearance?
We have so many questions and only one-hour left to explain. Looks like we are going to get one hell of a season/series finale! – Pete Verra
GRADE: B+
