While that line just scratches the surface of what this show's about, it is appropriate. Especially considering the next episode is titled Monster Swamp.
We now know what Tulip is after, what the apparently un-killable Fiore and DeBlanc really are, and what the mysterious superpower residing in Jesse's stomach is. Though this episode provides us with some answers, they're the kind that only lead to more questions.
Tulip, Danny and Carlos
Tulip has dropped in not to take part in some caper, but to get revenge on Carlos, an old enemy from her and Jesse's past. She discovered his whereabouts through one of her criminal associates, an average-looking woman named Danny. The mere mention of this guy's name was enough to prompt Jesse to briefly drop his godly persona and join Tulip on a path of revenge.
Jesse quickly decides against this course, though, after a surprise ambush by Donnie reminds him of the importance of the power he holds inside of him. Tulip is naturally pissed, and Jesse continues to blow her off. I'm kind of hoping we resolve this conflict between Jesse and Tulip soon. It's getting old, her trying to tempt him and him giving her the cold shoulder. And it already seems inevitable that they will be together, since it's clear that Jesse can't escape his violent nature and Tulip's scene with the cop makes it clear that she's not ready to let him go any time soon.
Anyway, about that power.
Jesse's Word
My favorite bit of this episode was Jesse revealing his power to Cassidy, who is, of course, "stoked." We got to see how the Word works firsthand, with Cass acting as Jesse's willing guinea pig. Notably, the power can only compel someone to do something they can literally do. Cassidy can shadow-box really fast and confess to liking Justin Bieber while hopping on one foot, but he can't fly and he can't sing songs he doesn't know. It also seems like the power has an overwhelming effect on Jesse; if he's not careful, he can get carried away with his ability to control people.
This scene is doubly interesting because Jesse and Cassidy don't just fool around with the power, but actually discuss it like real people. Cassidy encourages Jesse to not look at his great power as a curse, but to instead see the potential a man like him could do with it. Cass was probably speaking from personal experience, since he definitely is not one to dwell in the melancholy most fictional vampires inhabit.
Cassidy's advice seems to be what causes Jesse's epiphany when he nearly forced Donnie to blow his own brains out. But Cass isn't the only one interested in Jesse's ability.
Cassidy vs. The Angels Part II & III
The mystery men, Fiore and DeBlanc's second attempt to reclaim the force inside Jesse -- this time heavily armed and with "no surprises" -- goes about as well as the last, with Cassidy easily running them down with the church van while their backs were turned. I loved that he recognized their corpses and immediately assumed he was dealing with clones. I suppose that's more reasonable than their actual explanation upon popping back to life again and simply talking to the deadly vampire that keeps killing them.
Fiore and DeBlanc do indeed work for the government. They are heavenly angels, and the force inside Jesse is a dangerous, unearthly abomination that they stress cannot ever be used and must be contained (in a coffee can); so Jesse may not have been wrong when he told Cass that inside of him was all of God's creation. Cassidy very helpfully decides to be their middle men, stating that he will slowly inform Jesse of their intentions.
The revelation of their holy origin clears things up, at least a little bit. It also livens things up, since they now work as comedic relief as well as Cassidy. Their slightly off (in the case of Fiore, extremely off) human mannerisms remind me of Castiel from Supernatural. I also love that, despite being angels, they apparently don't know what vampires are.
Tracy the Living Dead Girl and Arseface
People are finding out about the preacher's gift fast, as he keeps performing "miraculous" actions. His command to "open your eyes" works on Tracy Loach, who I correctly predicted to be still brain-dead, but her mother knows it means something. In turn, she lets Emily know Jesse's hiding something big from her.
Eugene expresses a desire to visit Tracy, which is quickly shot down by his father. This confused me a bit. I'm not sure if Sheriff Root was so against this, demanding to know if Eugene wanted "to get yourself killed", because he fears how other people will react to his son's face or because there's some type of history involving Eugene and the Loaches. Given Root's paranoid tirade, I guess we can assume it's the former.
Annville's Discontent
Though Mrs. Loach's grief may have been temporarily alleviated and Eugene's hopes briefly restored, the same can't be said for the rest of the town. The scene on the school bus reveals that Donnie and Linus have both been knowingly and irreparably victimized by Jesse, twice in Donnie's case. And, of course, we've seen what Jesse's godlike power did to poor Ted, who spent this episode being cremated and finally laid to rest.
Jesse's epiphany could lead him to do great things someday, but it may be too late for him to save Annville.
The Man in White
Like last week, this episode opened by slowly introducing us to another fearsome, highly-recognizable character from the comics. Like I said, Tulip exchanged information with her friend, Danny. The information Tulip delivered has something to do with "Grail Industries", and Danny proceeds to visit a building in Houston, where a snuff film festival is being hosted. She delivers the information to a bald man in a white suit, who calmly watches the torturous death taking place on screen and shoos Danny away with a wave of his hand. It takes it even further than last week, never once revealing the man in white's face.
Bits and Pieces:
* We've got an opening credits intro now. It is very AMC, and reminds me of The Walking Dead's opening credits.
* In contrast to the super fast-paced comic, the show is very deliberately taking its sweet time. This episode's first scene opens with Danny slowly describing a way her husband could be murdered, with Tulip ultimately declining the suggestion. It has nothing to do with anything, but it lets us know what kind of person Danny is?
* Tulip's scream during the flashback was odd.
* The flashback did give us a glimpse of Dominic Cooper sporting Jesse's hairstyle from the comics, though.
* Seems like some time passed between the pilot episode and the rest, since Cassidy and Tulip's hairstyles are slightly different.
* I might be more interested in the direction they're taking Jesse and Tulip's relationship if it wasn't so damn similar to what we saw between Matt and Elektra in the second season of Daredevil.
* Something's rumbling underground. I think. Could it be Hell?
* The Man in White isn't the only bald fellow who likes the sounds of slaughter. Odin Quincannon spends his free time alone in his office listening to recordings of cattle being butchered on a loop. He also trolls Donny, his "right-hand man with no right hand", without a hint of joy.
* The world continues to mourn Tom Cruise. The news reads, "Losing Cruise: Emotion Impossible."
Quotes:
Cassidy: Now there are three possibly explanations here. Number one, John Travolta, you know the movie where he gets his power from a brain tumor. Number two, Jason Bourne, gets his power from a secret government agency. Or, and it's the least likely, but it's my favorite scenario, you're a Jedi. Now, assumin' it's not number one... How unbelievably stoked are we, huh...? All right. Not very stoked at all, it might seem.
Cassidy: What does it feel like?
Jesse: ... It's crazy.
Cassidy: I know all kinds of crazy, all right. Just tell me what it feels like.
Jesse: It's like there's a big blender in my gut. And inside that blender there's everything. Love, hate, fire, ice, polonium, ice cream, tarantulas, everything. All of God's creation... Inside of me. You know that kind of crazy?
Cassidy: You're in shock. Just a power like this coming out of the blue. I don't know what it is. It's very shocking, it is. I mean, sure, it might even feel like a curse, but... Just you consider this, all right? It doesn't have to be. I mean, someone like you... with something like this. Come on, padre! You can just imagine the possibilities here, huh?
Donny: (to Quincannon) You want me to pay this guy a visit? Kick his ass, make him cry?
Of course, grown man Donny applies the exact same bully mindset to his job as his adolescent son does in the schoolyard.
Tulip: Rat bastard money-stealin', child-killin', life-ruinin' son of a bitch.
So Carlos sounds like a real nice guy.
Jesse: I ain't gonna squeal for you, Donny.
Donny: No? Well, then you're gonna die for me.
Jesse: Not that, neither. But I will make a deal with you. Cops find your body, I'll make it look like a suicide. No reason for the whole town to know I beat you like a bitch twice.
Cassidy: Honestly, you fellers think I'm a handful? Jesse's a bloody wrecking crew. You keep coming at him with coffee cans and chainsaws, you're gonna wish you were never born. It's no good.
Overall The Possibilities felt like an even more amusing retread of the last episode. I'm still giving the show the benefit of the doubt since we're only three episodes in. Three out of four angel corpses.
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