Vessels – The episode opens by expanding on Devil (Ned Dennehy) and Officer’s (Kirby) confrontation in Paris, France, six days prior. After he gains the upper hand and pulls her from the vehicle, she pledges her undying loyalty.
The bullet train touches down in London, England, and Muscle (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) quickly makes plans to retrieve the bag he stashed earlier. Officer pleads for her freedom as his zip ties her to Specialist (Niamh Algar), who is barely standing at this point because of the gunshot. At the lockers, Muscle’s dodgy behavior attracts the attention of several of the terminal officers. Although he’s unable to retrieve the bag, he uses the opportunity to listen to Jules’s (Kevin Vidal) emotional voice message. That is interrupted by a breach warning from the home security system. He manages to reach Jules and after a few close calls, guides him, Frankie (Maria Nash), and Bud (Baeyen Hoffman) to safety using the cameras. With Jules safely away from the home, Joe walks him through the next stage of of the escape strategy, which is to ditch the phone and head for the border towards Canada. The terminal officers are still blocking him from retrieving his bag, but outside he’s quickly picked up by Azar Mizouni (Tara Abboud) in a stolen station wagon. Specialist’s condition worsens but she and Muscle both make it clear a hospital is not an option. Muscle tells the group about not being able to collect the bag, but claims to know a guy that can help. Seconds later, he’s at the apartment complex of Colin Burnhart (Nathan Welsh). Colin lets him in, but it’s clear he’s uncomfortable with Muscle’s presence. Muscle quickly distracts him by asking for a coffee and claiming to need to use the bathroom. Once alone, he sets about collecting medical supplies, keys, and cash. Once he has what he needs, he leaves Colin with the coffeemaker. Outside, he demands to drive and takes them to Colin’s club. Officer is still pleading for understanding while Muscle zip-ties her to a rail and tends to Specialist’s wound. While he and Azar patch Specialist up, she reveals the truth behind her legend as a lion slayer. It turns out that the incident was a matter of life and death, although she did kill the lion with her bare hands.
Specialist’s wound causes Officer to recall the day of the heist when she was shot and how Muscle pulled her to safety.
In the present, Muscle learns that Officer was communicating with Devil by sharing map locations. Azar interrupts their discussion and suggests it would be much safer to kill Officer. Muscle says he doesn’t completely disagree but claims they need her with the death of Dianne Harewood (Gemma Arterton). He then lays out his plan to set a trap. As Azar volunteers to be bait, Officer continues to remind them that they are dealing with a professional killer and don’t even have a single weapon. Specialist remedies the weapon conundrum by revealing a nearby stash. While driving to retrieve the weapons, Muscle fails to reach Jules, but has several fond memories of them together. A short drive later, he arrives at a small storage yard where he retrieves a hidden cache of weapons from inside. Weapons collected, he returns to pick up Azar and springs the trap for Devil. At the arranged destination, Muscle shows Azar how to use a Taser and tells her to aim for the neck and chest. He promises that once she stuns him; he’ll be there in seconds. As the day turns to night, Azar is shown alone on the bench when an unseen man approaches. Without looking at him, she pulls a knife from her pocket and stabs the man several times before Muscle can intervene. As Muscle tries to Azar under control and deal with the body, it’s revealed that the man isn’t Devil. He is close though and watches them as they drag and load the body in the station wagon. On their way back to the club, Muscle berates her for diverting from the plan. He tells her killing him won’t dull the pain she feeling from the loss of Youssef Mizouni (Kamel El Basha). At the club, Muscle and Azar get to work on disposing of the body, while Devil sneaks into the club. Officer is the first to notice him, but is unable to alert the others because of the gag. Specialist gets a lucky break when he doesn’t spot her on the couch. She does see him and manages to shoot the pistol out of his hand. As she gets up to finish him off she’s too woozy from the wound and collapses. Both Muscle and Azar have heard the commotion, but neither has a gun.
Emerging from the backroom, Muscle witnesses Devil lowering Specialist’s body to the ground. As soon as he spots the gun nearby on the floor, Devil spots him. A race and fight ensue with the gun being randomly kicked near Officer. She kicks it to Muscle but he’s unable to capitalize. Devil ends up on top of Muscle in the full mount position but Azar has joined the fight with a fire extinguisher and knocks Devil out. Seeing Specialist’s body causes Azar to remember the day Specialist led her and Youssef to safety after backup arrived. The memory also reveals that it was Fixer (Karl Collins) who killed Right Hand.
Muscle takes a bit of pleasure teasing Devil before he begins questioning him, but it doesn’t last long because Devil realizes Muscle has no idea why they are being hunted, who’s hunting them, or what they stole. After a bit of questioning, Muscle does manage to learn that the people who hired Devil are looking for a key. Even after being assaulted, Devil refuses to reveal more. He does seem to be convinced that Dianne is alive and his belief convinces Muscle as well. Devil relentlessly taunts him, revealing that he knows everything about him, Jules, and the kids, before Muscle hears enough and shoots him in the head. As the episode ends, it’s revealed that Fuse (Mark Field), Dianne, and Fixer are working together.
Culprits Review
Easily one of the best episodes yet, although it was also filled with some of the most horrendous oversights. The carelessness of Muscle and Azar leading Devil back to the club? Muscle not carrying a weapon with him at all times while knowing he is being hunted by a professional killer? Azar saving his life? These oversights are something that someone in Muscle’s profession should not be making. Despite that, the episode was one of the most intriguing and suspenseful thus far. From the start to the end, I keep hungering for more and more. Can’t wait to see how the series wraps, and for that, I’d give this episode a 6 out of 10.
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