Welcome back to The Strain-ger Talk, where each week we breakdown and discuss this week’s new episode of FX’s The Strain. We will be going over major plot points, the game plan from both sides of the upcoming war, best action moments, new types of vampires, and of course the Tongue-Punch of the Week! It sure feels good to be back talking about my favorite love/hate show. But lets not dwell on missed time and jump right into this week’s episode. Now a lot happened this week that we need to cover, so without further ado, lets talk some Strainge!

*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! IF YOU DO NOT WANT THIS EPISODE SPOILED THEN STOP READING*

Breakdown:

 This week’s episode opens with Eph and Dutch playing chess. Its good to see that two of the most isolated characters in the show have found companionship in each other. Their game of chess is quickly ended though by a pack of wild Strigori. Now that The Master has no body, the Strigori are running rampant and are evolving. It seem without someone controlling them they are free to learn and remember more, evolving at a rapid pace. This is a problem as the gang believed that this would help slow down the rising Strigori threat, but instead its spreading faster than mono at a middle school spin the bottle party. While this is happening, Eph and Dutch are working on a new way to combat the Strigori. It seems as though Eph’s bio-weapon has shifted from 100% fatal to “not as bad as herpes.” Eph and Dutch take the remaining Strigori and bring it back to the compound for further testing.

Back at the compound, the two have been testing on a few Strigori to see how their communications/brains operate. They stumble onto the fact that microwaves disrupt the Strigori’s central brain. Dutch then comes up with a device that would emit concentrated microwaves. They first test the device on strapped down Strigori, which works in cutting off the Strigoris “Wifi”, but when it comes to test it on a freed Strigori shit goes wrong and fast. Since the death of Bolivar’s body and The Master’s worm crawling into the drain, we have been lead to believe that The Strigori have devolved into dumb blood suckers. This episode proves this is not the case as through out the episode Strigori are showing evolution and adaptation. One of the major examples of this is when Dutch and Eph try to test their microwave gun on a “freed” Strigori. The device affects him momentarily before he then unlocks the cage he is in using a key. I have problems with all of this.

I apologize to everyone involved here, but what the fuck was a microwave emitter going to do? Were they hoping to turn everyone into Hot Pockets? How the fuck was this going to be a practical device to use on a large scale and how would you be able to control the microwave emissions so they wouldn’t harm humans? I get it, Eph and Dutch are trying to science wicked hard to find a new way to defeat Strigori after the bio-weapon busted its nut too early. But seriously, this device is as useful as using a hair dryer on an attacker. Would it hurt and bother them? Of course. Would it take a wicked long time to be effective? Yes, yes it would. I am not saying their plan was stupid or ill conceived, I understand they are chasing any leads they can get. But how was this practical? At least this is helping them to understand how the uncontrolled Strigori operate.

On the opposite end of practicality we have Fet who has been busy stapling tracking chips to the back of Strigori’s heads in order to figure out how they have been getting into safe areas. Apparently, the Strigori have learned how to use tools and power machines to dig tunnels beneath the city in order to infiltrate the safe zones. This leads Fet to a large nesting area underneath central park.

Apparently when the Strigori have no Master they become like rats, tunneling their way to food. This is a huge issue as previously cleared areas and tunnels are now compromised. Fet’s fight with a couple of Strigori near a digging machine was a highlight of the episode. Fet is caught off guard by the Strigori using tools, I was more caught off guard by the Strigori wearing proper safety gear. After discovering the giant Strigori nest are he then goes to Feraldo with his findings.

Feraldo has been having some rough times dealing with the press, her police force essentially enslaving people to go on suicide missions, having a worm bury itself into her eye, and now her safe zones are being breached. Its very clear in this episode she is almost at wit’s end with everything happening. Her face clearly states she is in a state of desperation and a crushed spirit. While her new facial scar is bad ass, she is becoming desperate to make and hold progress, eager to jump at any opportunity she can get. She yells at Eph for not being more active in trying to address the Strigori threat in a way that gets her results sooner. Towards the end of her story this week Fet tells her about the massive Strigori nest and she immediately wants to through everything at her disposal to attack it. We’ll learn next week if she’ll be successful with The Battle of Central Park.

Just when you think Palmer couldn’t look any worse, his health continues to fade. While talking with Eichorst and a new player in their plan, he falls down. Eichorst comically takes pleasure in Palmer’s struggles. Understandably so since Palmer’s actions from the previous season caused them to lose The Lumen and ultimately lead to him losing The Master for the time being. The “transaction” between Eichorst and Palmer further solidifies Eichorst distrust and distaste in Palmer. Palmer is no longer the power player he once thought he was, which is leading down a dangerous road of double crossing those he aligned himself with. The conversation brings up the fact that they are trying to get another box from across the sea across the port authority. Eichorst refuses to tell Palmer any details about the shipment and its contents.  So what is the box?

Quinlan and Abraham continue to try to decipher The Lumen only this time its with scans of the book, as Abraham no longer trusts Quinlan. Understandable so, but it has been hindering their work over the past week. Quinlan brings up stories of Strigori hunters being loners and eventually falling into madness. This triggers a flashback for Abraham taking place in 1972 when he tried to sell a fake Lumen to a willing buyer. Abraham was trying to flesh out and destroy Eichorst. The encounter ends with Abraham chopping up the awoken Strigori, putting him in a box, and dumping him in the ocean. Back in modern times, then come across a passage about how ancient Egyptians were able to stop one of the plagues, but it doesn’t say how. After Quinlan regains enough of Abraham’s trust back, Abraham bring the actual book out. That is when Abraham has a revelation. If the book was bound in silver, what other tricks did the makers have in order to prevent Strigori from discovering its secrets. Abraham and Quilan quickly run up to the roof. Abraham discovers that the book has hidden passages that can only be seen when held up to the sun. It reveals that they were able to strip one of the ancients’ power by putting him in a box lined with lead and silver. Could The Ancient that was stopped by the ancient Egyptians be in the box that Eichorst is trying to get into the city? Why would they want two potential Masters running the show?

The Continuing Adventures of Young Abraham are always a welcomed break with the show. This story doesn’t disappoint as it has everything. Amsterdam prostitutes, glitter bombs, disassembled body part and an intense torture scene. Abraham’s slight slip into madness shows him giving into his emotions as he is reminded of his time in the concentration camps when he enter the Strigori’s torture room. Did he go too far? Hard to really say. The Strigori was a murderous psychopath before being turned and continued to be a piece of shit after. Abraham’s actions may have been a step or two far and a bit unprofessional, but its hard to argue with his motives. This flashback was to solidify what Quinlan and Abraham need to do in order to stop The Master once and for all, but they have no idea where or who he is now. So they contact the one person who might be able to give them that information.

When Palmer and Abraham first meet under the bridge Palmer rolls up in a black SUV with a posse, showing that he still had power left. This time he rolls up in a wheelchair alone. He has fallen so much since he landed on The Master’s shit list one can almost take pity on him. Abraham asks for his help to find out how to locate The Master. Palmer still wants the formula for the white, but Abraham refuses to give it to him. Instead, he gives a small amount of the white, this way he can have Palmer in his pocket. They once again make an alliance. Whether each man sticks with their promises is still up in the air. We will have have to see as we are half way through this season.

Continue to the next page for Tongue-Punch and Best Action Scene of the Week, Final Thoughts, Next Week, and more shots from this week’s episode!

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