Emotionally significant episodes of Lost Girl remind me of another show that frequently stumbles through the little things but pulls it all together for the big moments: Glee. At most points during the season, I can’t stand Glee, but when there’s a regional competition at stake, the show shifts naturally into a different gear that renders the rest of the series irrelevant long enough to count as a better show. These emotionally packed episodes are my favorites, advancing the plot in significant steps while also defining emotional progress through much more subtle maneuvers.
Kenzi has a moral dilemma to parse throughout this episode. Nate is hopelessly devoted to her, and basically does whatever she says in the relationship. But to keep him safe, and ensure her own safety in the impending Garuda war, she and Nate would have to take their relationship to the next level of commitment and run away together to a safe outpost. This follows Trick and Bo’s advice, but Kenzi just can’t bring herself to go through with it. Instead, she breaks up with Nate, fully committing to Bo’s arc, even if Lachlan seems less than trustworthy. She makes the choice bcause Bo is the only real friend she’s had in years, and because no matter how many flattering gifts Nate buys to shower her, the spark just isn’t as strong as it should be to sustain a marriage.
Kenzi can’t even tell Nate the whole truth about the Fae and the world she works in, which is different thatn Laruen and Nadia. After Nadia’s blood has exhibited unusual anomalies, Lauren attempts to curb violent outbursts by referencing a childhood venue for uninhibited fun. It’s a great idea, but because this is obviously a downward spiral structure, everyone in the show knows how this will end.
Trick’s commands and Bo’s advice don’t mean anything to Kenzi, who chooses fierce loyalty to her first friend in the series over her own safety to remain by Bo’s side. Finding a human that loves her is of no consequence if she can help protect Bo. It’s an admirably selfless act, but it remains to be seen whether or not that actually pans out, or if she's just throwing away the first person to come along to truly care about her because she wants to be involved in the Fae world. The Bo/Kenzi friendship is the central relationship on Lost Girl, more important that Bo/Dyson, Bo/Lauren, or really any sexual relationship that the show can concoct, and it's a testament to Ksenia Solo and Anna Silk that they play women who have such a valuable friendship that passes the Bechdel Test.
But Bo has her own shifting loyalties to worry about. The Glavie—mother of the unruly Fae teenager that Kenzi looked after a while back—may in fact be forming an alliance with the Garuda as a means of protecting herself and loyal Fae, and Lachlan wants Bo to neutralize The Glaive. This conflicts with Bo’s strict “no killing” policy whenever possibly, but after investigating the Oprah-level charity and thankless praise, it’s clear that The Glaive is up to something. When Bo delivers the goods to Lachlan, it feels a bit like bounty hunting, but Bo is on a bigger mission to protect the entire Fae world from descending into civil war, which justifies her limited participation in the rounding up Fae infiltrating the world.
Bo manages to dispatch the Glaive without a ton of effort, but the slow, heart-wrentching demise of Nadia is tough to watch. She grows out of control, first pulling a Psycho on Lauren in the shower, then blacking out completely when she tries to dig up more information on Bo. I’m not convinced that this is a Garuda virus or some other kind of sabotage, but a residual effect from a five year coma works in the framework of the show.
After all the buildup, Bo’s confrontation with Lauren and Nadia lasted only one scene. Sure, she’s been infected by some unknown ailment that lingers past her condition in Africa, but once Lauren tells her the truth about the Fae and Bo’s place in that world, she grows suspiciously aggressive. Once Bo shows up, she presumes it’s the Garuda, which may or may not be true, but Nadia determines one thing is certain: she has to die in order to protect Lauren. It’s over quickly, but it leaves a laundry list of questions.
Lost Girl throws together enough compelling elements to form an enthralling hinge episode, necessary for everyone to watch. But that falls into the Glee category of only rising to the occasion when the artificial stakes within the narrative warrant extra effort.
The Bo/Kenzi freinship is the strongest relationship on Lost Girl, so it makes sense that an episode full of emotional reveals and weighty decisions would end with the two of them. Kenzi is resolute in her choice to remain by Bo’s side, jettisoning Nate as an uninitiated member of the group, and Bo clearly wants Kenzi at her side despite the inherent danger. The Garuda may be approaching—no direct orders have been relayed to Bo other than bounty hunter specifications from Lachlan—but the battle lines have been drawn in a stark fashion. Bo knows who is absent, and who’s with her to the end. And Kenzi’s presence may not be such a heavy distraction, but an emotional boon to Bo when relentless battles wear her down.
Stray observations:
- Dyson is gone this week, but that actually works out in the show’s favor, since it allows for more creativity from week to week.
- Hale attempts to help both Trick and Lachlan through spying, but brings them both together, revealing their true identities as Blood King and Naga. It’s another seemingly helpful step, though Hale is always the last to know the details.