Tandy and Ty realise that they must act quickly to stop Deschaine from achieving his apotheosis, but must turn to some questionable sources to locate him. Tandy learns more about Lia’s personal history.

One thing Cloak & Dagger seldom is is straightforward, and this week’s instalment is no exception. We are getting into some really murky territory at this point – Brigid is now half sane normal person and half brutal, vengeful murderer, Adina has murdered O’Connors, and Ty is beginning to realise that the sort of ‘everyone gets to be happy and free and good’ justice he thought he was here to pursue is a pipe dream.

For Tandy’s part, her journey in this episode relates back to fundamental things we know and have learned with the character over the course of the whole show. Monsters aren’t born, they’re made, and that’s a truth which she has had to confront more than once since the show began. Here, there’s a revisiting of that theme as she finds herself alone with Lia and Brigid/Mayhem, as she is forced to realise once again that the world isn’t ever as black and white as she might like it to be.

On a similar journey, Ty comes to the realisation that he can’t be the perfect, shining hero who will save the city – that the reality of human nature in general will force him to compromise that ideal in favour of just doing as much as he can, as well as he can. It’s essentially the character being forced to really accept the responsibility his powers grant him – to acknowledge that no matter how otherworldly and fantastical those powers may be, he can’t fix the whole world with them, but that doesn’t stop him from doing some good.

And the episode also gives us some background for Deschaine himself, as we see flashbacks of his journey from happy musician to migraine-struck wreck to the first steps on his journey to becoming what he now is. It’s hard to miss the evident hunger for fame and recognition even in ‘good’ Andre, just as it’s hard to dismiss the tragedy inherent in his situation, or that none of this can possibly excuse the hurt he has visited upon others for his own benefit. What’s clear is that Ty and Tandy really can’t afford to let this man become a god, given how ruthlessly and carelessly he has deployed the power he already has.

Verdict: Other shows might have endless fight scenes, big action and happy endings. Cloak & Dagger prefers to deal with the world – and the people in it – as they really are, even against a backdrop of some of those people having amazing, otherworldly powers. And that’s why I love it. 9/10

Greg D. Smith