When Max doesn’t return to the Inner Circle compound, Reeva puts the whole place on lockdown while she searches for the spy she’s convinced is in their midst. Lauren suffers through the effects of the serum as Reed and Caitlin decide whether or not to keep using it on her. Turner has a new mission that will spell trouble for Erg and the Morlocks.

So as we know, Marcos’ attempted pickup of Max didn’t go so well last time out, ending with Marcos wounded and Max’s car blowing up with him inside it. However, lacking the benefit of the audience’s omniscience, Reeva simply knows that one of her valuable assets is missing, and until she’s found out what’s happened to him and more importantly, how, she’s not taking any chances. That means the compound going into complete lockdown and the Frost sisters doing their thing, leaving Lorna feeling very nervous indeed.

Meanwhile, the Struckers are fretting over what best to do about their daughter. As Lauren goes through what appear to be a very intense set of fever dreams and exhibits at least one unusual new ability as the serum courses through her system, Reed and Caitlin face a difficult choice – watch her suffer like this and possible lose an important part of herself, or let her powers flourish and risk losing her to her brother and the inner circle?

And supplied with intel from an inside source, the Purifiers execute a new raid on the tunnels where the Morlocks live. This is an important moment, one senses, in the journey of ex-Agent Turner, whether it’s in the loaded conversations he has with his number two about how they ‘have each other’s backs’ or in the realisation of exactly what he is doing, one senses that the finale will see Turner falling very distinctly one way or the other and it’s a tribute to the strength of the writing and performance that I have no idea really which way that may go.

Still, with the Purifiers closing in, the Morlocks have to turn to the Underground for help, meaning that John and Clarice must try to work together for a higher cause. Having told John that fighting for a lost cause is stupid rather than noble, Clarice might want to try applying her words of wisdom to herself.

There’s also a nice little flashback that explains a little more about the origins of the relationship between Reeva and Benedict Ryan, but leaves the larger question of exactly what is in this for Reeva unanswered, other than perhaps she just wants a human/mutant civil war at all costs. You know what might help with that? That mass of escaped mutant prisoners from what feels like forever ago who still don’t seem to be getting mentioned…

At its heart though, this is a tense episode that channels an awful lot of emotion and demands a lot from its cast. Emma Dumont in particular gets the opportunity to really explore a vulnerable, scared side of Lorna which we really haven’t seen before as Reeva’s net closes in around her and she worries about being discovered. It’s a clever episode too, playing with expectations in several ways and never afraid of making big choices to match its stakes. Sure, there’s some stuff that is a little obvious, but overall we are headed for a satisfying conclusion to the season next week.

Verdict: Tense, emotional and densely packed. One senses that the third season is likely mostly planned out if not already written. I for one cannot wait. 9/10

Greg D. Smith