The episode begins with the Fairborn Council demanding Nathan (Jay Lycurgo) to come outside. When a frightened Nathan emerges, men ready their guns. Soul (Paul Ready) and Reutger (Franc Ashman) stand nearby.

Reutger informs Nathan that he’s prohibited from residing in Britain as a Blood Witch. Esmie Byrne (Kerry Fox) asks if they are going to kill Nathan. Reutger says her mum wrote the prophecy, “His own blood will kill the wolf” on the night of Nathan’s birth, so she’ll train him to fight his father. Nathan asks what if he refuses.

As Nathan’s involuntarily removed, Esmie says he’s 16 and belongs with her. Nathan assures Esmie that he’ll be back before asking Soul to inform Annalise (Nadia Parkes). Soul suggests not getting her involved before Nathan is forced into a vehicle and driven away.

Taylor (Kaine Zajaz) claims they’re trained to kill Blood Witches while he’ll be kept safe up north. After being beaten by a group of people, Nathan stumbles his way back to the vehicle. His wounds are healed by the time they reach their destination where Ceelia (Karen Connell) is waiting.

Nathan asks if there’s a Wi-Fi password. After informing him that he’ll be trained to fight his father, Ceelia says there’s no guarantee the training will keep him alive. When she refers to him as a Blood Witch, he curses her before denying the allegations. She shows him where he’ll be sleeping in a cage. He angrily tosses his things inside as she suggests the training get start immediately. He assures her that he can fight. She asks how his previous fight turned out. He reminds her that it wasn’t fair. She asks if he can only win fair fights before saying everyone who has gone up against his father has died. When he swings, she grabs his arm and punches him. He falls to the ground in pain as she describes his technique as “terrible.”

Jessica informs Soul that some of the cadets make comments about her to Nathan and his father, Marcus Edge. He assures her that it’s out of her control before claiming to have been involved in the “Peace Massacre.” She apologizes. He says regardless of his achievements, people will always remember him as the man who invited a wolf into their home.

Bjorn (Fehinti Balogun) informs the cadets that Fairborn Witches heal 10 times slower than Blood Witches. He says 9mm bullets infused with a spell formula made of composite. When Jessica deems them “magic bullets,” Hazel Clark (Harriet Cains) says no one calls them that.

A sketch of what looks like Annalise lies on the table. She sends him on a 5-mile run while she times him. After struggling through the course, he’s forced to repeat it. He has a flashback of Annalise walking in on him beating Niall (Misia Butler).

Ceelia flips Nathan’s sketch over to find another sketch of a girl. Nathan’s in his cage while it downpours. He has a flashback of Annalise questioning why they don’t leave him alone. He asks what if he’s a Blood Witch. She assures him that he isn’t his father, regardless. He admits to really wanting to hurt Niall when he provoked him. She suggests he stop feeling sorry for himself because it’s his least attractive quality. He asks if she believes he has attractive qualities. She demands he shut up.

When Annalise visits the caravan, Esmie informs her that he isn’t there. Esmie assures her that it’s no concern of hers. Annalise admits to being concerned about Nathan. Esmie suggests she move on with her life.

Nathan and Jessica continue their training. Hazel and her boyfriend (Billy Gunnion) laugh when Bjorn says Jessica must do better.

As Jessica emerges from the showers, Hazel tells her that she might hit the target in two weeks. Jessica assures her that she hit the target plenty. Hazel says if they’re to be the best, plenty won’t cut it before asking if her stepdad trained her to kill. Jessica denies ever meeting her stepdad. Jessica suggests she utilize her shape-shifting power to shape-shifts into someone other than a traitor. After shape-shifting into Hazel, Jessica pulls back her towel and says don’t be ashamed. She then shape-shifting into Hazel’s boyfriend, pulls back the towel, and says his frustration is understandable. Hazel orders her to stop. Jessica shape-shifts into Hazel’s father (Daniel Coll), drops the towel and asks if she’d like to discuss daddy issues. Hazel describes her as being “sick.”

Kieran (Hector Hewer) suggests Jessica smooth things over with Hazel. Jessica tells him that her door’s open if she wishes to apologize. He admits to understanding Hazel can be difficult. Jessica says his dad and uncle’s status in the Fairborn community have secured him a privileged life. He assures her that he worked hard to get where he’s at. After reminding him of the bleep test that he took to get in, she says she’ll doesn’t show weakness. As he prepares to leave, she invites him to stay, which he does.

Nathan tells Ceelia that he wants to call Annalise. After reminding him of there being no cellular, she suggests he draw a picture before pulling out his sketch. He demands she return it to him. When she refuses, he angrily curses her saying he wants to go home. She tells him that he can if he takes her book. He reaches for the book when she grabs his arm. She slaps him across the face with the book before ordering him to take a 5-mile run.

When he finishes the run, she forces him to repeat it. During the run, he has flashback of kissing Annalise. He later encounters Ceelia who describes him as looking like his father.

Bjorn tells the cadets that a distress call from Wales may be Blood Witches. Someone asks if there are Fairborn Witches based there. Bjorn says yes but they want to investigate it. Upon arrival, the cadets enter the home without warning. They discover a decapitated body lying on the bed. An injured victim pleads for help. Bjorn warns them that they’re nearby because suffocation curses act quickly. When the attic door is pulled down, body pieces fall on the floor. Hazel vomits. Bjorn calls for backup. Jessica reminds him of the victims. He tells her that the house will be burnt unless she has an explanation for the 10 bodies to the fains. Kieran utilizes his power to determine the killers’ direction.

Soul gives Annalise three gifts on her 17^th birthday. She drinks the family’s blood to become whole. Reutger questions how the killers took out the whole hunter squad even though all their backup was dispatched there. He admits to having no idea how they managed it. She asks if Marcus was there. He tells her that it’s doubtful. She assures him that their identities will die along with her. He suggests the victims’ hearts being intact is a sign that Marcus probably wasn’t there.

Nathan tries to pick the lock when Ceelia approaches to free him. After she hits him several times, he asks what is the point because he’ll never defeat Marcus. When she swings again, he intervenes. She reminds him that he couldn’t accomplish that a month ago before hitting him again.

Annalise tells her pet rat that she assumed Nathan would’ve written a letter for her birthday. She spends time with her friends at the bowling alley. While in the restroom, she has a flashback of drinking her father’s blood. On the ride home, David (Jack Dune) suggests doing what they did the last time they were in his car. She admits to having no idea what she wants to do. He reaches over to grab her left. She doesn’t respond until he moves his hand up her leg. When she screams his name, he asks her to make it stop before crashing the vehicle.

Bjorn and the cadets enter the cornfield. Jessica walks upon a Blood Witch (Dylan Devonald Smith) choking Hazel. She shape-shifts into Hazel while he strangles her before shooting him. When Kieran approaches, she claims to have arrived too late.

Penelope (Liz White) and Soul are present when Annalise comes through. They inform her that she was in a motor vehicle accident. Annalise asks where is David. Penelope says he’s down the hall but badly injured. Soul asks if she has any recollection of the accident. After a flashback of the accident, she says not exactly. Bjorn calls Soul to alert him of the killers being taken down. Soul congratulates them on an excellent job. Bjorn says a new recruit was killed. Soul asks if it was Jessica. Bjorn says it was Hazel. Soul informs him that he’ll update Reutger now before ending the call. Bjorn has a confused look on his face.

Soul finds Reutger deceased without a heart inside her home. He says Marcus’s responsible. Aoife (Shereen Martin) asks where were the guards. He claims they found pieces of their bodies before informing her of the insurgency in Wales. She reminds him that Reutger was the only one alive out of the 10. He tells her that Reutger has seven broken fingers. She asks what it represents. He says it was the length of time it took for her to give up their location. After suggesting they flee, she tells him that their power is plants and illumination. Showing her Reutger’s mum’s prophecy, he says Marcus will be looking for Nathan.

Nathan returns from the 5-mile course to find a group of Fairborn Witches waiting. Ceelia informs him of Reutger’s death. After claiming his father is responsible, Taylor says they were ordered to provide him with more protection. Ceelia warns that his father may have concerns about him. Someone refers to him as “Sunshine” when asking about his training. Nathan challenges him to a fight, which he accepts.

Ceelia tells him that his getting easily beat looks bad on her. He suggests she should have trained him better before asking if his father will come there. She admits having no idea. He says maybe he’ll rescue him. While assuring him that it wouldn’t be a rescue, she serves his meal. He asks if she learned a new recipe. She says it keeps her busy. He sarcastically says she spends her time beating him. She tells him that bad dreams keep her awake. After reminding her of what she said about him looking like his father, he asks if they met. She says her parents who were Fairborn Council members took her to the Peace Massacre where she saw his father. She adds that he shape-shifted into a wolf before murdering them all. He asks what she did. She has a flashback of being a young girl watching the wolf from her hiding place.

Nathan and Annalise light a match around the same time from different locations.

Nathan returns from his 5-mile run to have Ceelia punch him and ask his weaknesses. When she throws another punch, he warns her not to underestimate him before flipping her onto the ground. Lying on the ground, she smiles up at him.

Ceelia informs Nathan that Marcus can shape-shift into different creatures, increase his speed and size, and control water, weather, and rock. Soul sits at his desk alone as Ceelia continues to explain Marcus’ powers to Nathan. He loads his gun before heading to meet Rowan (Tim Plester). Rowan assures him that Marcus ripped out Reutger’s heart before asking if he’s hunting him. Soul tells him that he’ll fight Marcus. Rowan describes the family’s power to fight as “ineffective.” Soul asks if he remembers his father’s leather book with a unique symbol. Rowan reminds him of how they were beaten for looking at the book. Soul admits to having kept it after their father’s death. Rowan warns him that “old magic should remain dead.” Soul says he wishes there was another option before shooting him.

After Rowan dies, Soul pours a potion into the wound before collecting the blood to draw a large “X” on the wall of the greenhouse.

Nathan returns from his 5-mile run when a bird captures Ceelia’s attention. He asks what is it. She informs him that he just accomplished his quickest time so far. He takes off for another run as the episode comes to an end.

 

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself Review

Reutger ordered Nathan to be taken to a remote location where he’ll train to fight his father. He’s brutally beaten by his captors in route. His wounds heal before he reaches his destination where Ceelia awaits. She ordered him to start his training immediately by taking a 5-mile run through various terrains.

Annalise visited Esmie in search of Nathan. Esmie suggested she go on with her life and never return. Annalise celebrated her 17^th birthday with her father, Soul giving her several gifts and his blood. She believed Nathan voluntarily ignored her birthday. Her power became apparent when David refused to stop touching her leg. When she forcibly says his name, he lost control of his car. They ended up in the hospital with her injuries being minor and his more severe.

Marcus lured Bjorn and the cadets away from the Fairborn Community to Wales while he killed Reutger.

Jessica started training with Bjorn. She is mercifully teased by a Fairborn Witch named Hazel. During a confrontation in the shower, Jessica shape-shifted into Hazel and then her boyfriend. Hazel ordered her to apologize but she refuses. The cadets are sent to Wales to hunt for Blood Witches that killed members of a community. Jessica didn’t intervene until a Blood Witch strangled Hazel to death. She told Kieran that she arrived too late.

Soul informed his brother, Rowan that he has his father’s book of magic. He killed Rowan and creates an “X” out of his blood.

Ceelia and Nathan’s relationship appeared to take off after a rough start. She confided in Nathan about how Marcus murdered her parents at the Peace Massacre when she was young. She witnessed the murder of nine Fairborn Council members.

Another decent episode but I will say, Nathan’s beatings got old pretty quickly. I felt they pushed it a bit too far. It was a relief when he defended himself and improved his run time.

The episode deserves a 7.5. Get more The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link.