In episode seven of Deadly Class, Marcus reveals what happened at the boy’s home, Scorpio goes full-on Silence of The Lambs, Chester introduces his cousins, Willie gets laid, and both Gao and Maria run into someone from their past.
REVIEW
First, The Breakfast Club, then Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and now, Silence of the Lambs – I’ll admit, film parody is amusing but it’s starting to break the vibe of the 1980’s. Scorpio’s silence of the lambs’ bit is fun in this episode, but I had issues with how little oversight they had for such a dangerous serial killer. We’re not even told of Scorpio’s fate by the end of the episode – which to me is a large plot hole.
I’m also confused as to where the monks are for the umpteenth time in the series during Scorpio’s escape. Whether intended or not, Gao is right – Lin is failing this school. The staff is unruly, the murders are rampant, and the kids are always running away. Atop this, Lin has some serious problems with his sister. Issues which are meant to be kept a secret. Yet one of the biggest things that bothered me, was how is living in a nice public suburban house and taking a daughter to music lessons in public – living in secret?
Atop this, I’m not sure where I stand with Maria’s storyline. I believe we’re supposed to empathize with her, but outside of killing Chico, she’s giving us little to work with. With how little screen time we get between her and Marcus, I don’t sense any sort of chemistry for their relationship to build off. This could be intentional; yet, for the sake of storytelling, makes Maria a forlorn victim. She is constantly being manipulated and this episode is no exception. It’s upsetting me, as fan.
Willie’s plot thread seems to be so far removed from the others. I’m not sure where his arc is going – though I hope it ties together with the main storyline. Meanwhile, Billy seems over his father and the rats seem to have become an afterthought in the series.
Overall, some of the plot has grown stale the past two episodes. We’re rounding the end of the first season, and I’m losing almost all compassion except for Saya and Billy. Still, I’d like to see how it ends.
Final Score: 7/10
RECAP
THE BOY’S HOME MASSACRE
Marcus journals in the courtyard about how he used to cry over his parents and the life he once had. Now, he’s just too far gone, always waiting for the next messed up thing. Saya arrives asking why he called her there. Marcus admits that they’re in trouble. His old roommate Chester is holding onto Chico’s body and is threatening to reveal it to his family unless he finds him in 24 hours. Marcus wants to keep this a secret from Maria, as she’s barely holding it together mentally. Saya gets angry, as Maria is the one who killed Chico in the first place. Marcus feels bad for involving Saya, but she condemns him as he didn’t have a choice. He shares his journal, detailing what happened at the boy’s home.
We see a flashback. At the textile sweatshop beneath the boy’s home, Marcus plans his escape by hiding needles inside the inner flesh of his cheeks. When they find needles missing at his station, he is called into Mrs. Rank’s office, the leader of the orphanage. Marcus is strip searched and put down, then taken back to his room.
Chester harasses him for a sandwich and Marcus gives him one. We soon learn that it’s poisoned. Marcus pulls the pins out of his cheek and adds them to his concoction. He reveals to Chester, the instructions he found in his anarchist cookbook, and shows off his makeshift pipe bomb. Marcus calls in the guards to help a dying Chester, as he hides behind his bed mattress, and then detonates the bomb.
He grabs the guns from the guards and finds Mrs. Ranks. Instead of killing her, he pushes the button to opens all the cell doors. Freeing all the children causes a riot, one which Marcus hoped would expose Mrs. Ranks. Instead, from the ashes Chester found a gun proceeded to murder every single person at the boy’s home, as Marcus escaped.
Marcus admits to Saya that Chester is the “Fuckface” killer on the news. He confesses that he has kill him. Saya corrects him, saying, “We have to.”
COUSIN CHESTER
Chester is having conversations with Chico’s ice bucket head, though it mostly tells him what he wants to hear. He is living at Shabnam’s house with Dwight (Brian Posehn) still being held prisoner. Dwight requests to Chester, if it would be alright if his cousins would stop stabbing him. Chester regretfully says no, as he needs to keep the extended family happy.
We then meet Chester’s many cousins, also living in the house. He promised them wealth from when he becomes famous. Soon after, we discover that his family is trying to reenact Chester’s murders for him, as it’s faster in spreading the “Fuckface” reputation on a wider scale. His cousin, Jimmy John, his first murder by forgetting to leave the “Fuckface” graffiti in blood. As punishment, Chester drunks Jimmy John’s face a toilet filled with his own shit, that he was just using.
Later, Chester shares with Chico, that Marcus is the one who started everything by destroying the boy’s home. Chester’s just took it toward its natural progression. He admits that he misses the home as he felt structure there. Chester shares that he loved a dog once, one that his father made him put it down, and so he murdered him in return. Chico is supportive of Chester’s quest to be famous and get on Donahue, though again, it’s all in Chester’s deranged head.
SILENCE OF THE SCORPIO
Marcus sneaks with Saya, to find Scorpio Slasher (French Stewart) locked away in the lower levels. He asks the psychopath for help in finding Chester, in an obvious homage to Silence of the Lambs. However, Slasher dislikes Marcus, and is also bored with his story. At least, until Marcus admits Chester likes to fuck dogs, which then piques Scorpio’s interests. He offers him a quid pro quo to help if they take him to a taqueria to enjoy a carnitas burrito. Scorpio then gets up out of his chair, revealing he’s not as weak as led on to believe.
While escaping, the trio find Billy in the puzzle room, trapped. It’s the only secret exit out of the school, but only if you can solve the puzzle and not die. Saya gets to work on it. After being updated on what’s happening, Billy asks Marcus why he didn’t ask for help with Chester. Scorpio admits that Marcus and He are alike, though Marcus denies it. Saya solves the puzzle and they find a secret way out of Kings. They attach a leash on Scorpio which Billy holds.
In the city, Scorpio gets his burrito. He asks Marcus why he wants to kill Reagan, in an again homage to Clarice in Silence of the Lambs. Scorpio says Chester is a product of his environment, which upsets Marcus, as it diffuses responsibility. Annoyed, Saya yanks at Scoprio’s chain which he responds by easily taking the table knife and pressing it against Saya’s jugular. He lets her go, then requests for ice cream, claiming that he’ll cooperate once he’s had one.
Billy takes Scorpio for Ice Cream. Outside, Marcus freaks out to Saya that they’re wasting time, walking around with serial killer on a leash. Saya tells him about the red string – A Japanese belief that some relationships are bound by fate. Marcus rebuffs at first, but she tells him myths come from somewhere. Scorpio joins them outside, ice cream in hand. He admits that he and Marcus being the sole family survivor of tragedy is shared pain – yet, Scorpio tries to destroy society as a result; Marcus seeks justice to make sense of losing his parents. While the two disagree on everything, their mutual hatred for wealthy society does seem in par with one another’s beliefs. He helps Marcus find his roommate.
That evening, as they walk the streets, Scorpio says dog people are weird. Billy condemns him, as he killed teens in cars because they were sexy. Scorpio proclaims that everyone he murdered is going to paradise with him as a slave when he dies, thus he has a reason. He doesn’t respect Chester because it lacks a reason. Still, he ends their journey at the San Francisco animal shelter, at an unwanted Dog drop off he deems basically, an orphanage. They hear screaming from around back. Saya and Billy investigate, just as Scorpio admits he’s “fucking amazing”.
The group finds Chester, ready to murder a girl for abandoning a puppy. Marcus intervenes and Chester is amazed that he found him. Suddenly, Billy brings Scoprio and then lets him off his leash. Cousin Jimmy John comes at Scorpio with a knife, which the serial killer turns against him, and uses to disembowel him quickly. Scorpio introduces himself to Chester, the boy admitting that Scorpio’s his hero. Chester then retreats to his car. Saya chases after with Billy and Marcus, but Chester drives off.
WILLIE GETS LAID
Willie goes over Gabrielle’s house. They share a moment, talking about the afterlife. Willie shares that when his pop’s died, he didn’t feel like that guy was his dad. He discloses that whatever death is – he just hopes it treats his dad right. Gabrielle calls Willie out asking if this is how he does it? Act all vulnerable, then hope she drops her panties. Willie says no and admits he doesn’t do this with anyone. She then jumps his bones.
After sleeping together, Gabrielle goes to the bathroom to get dressed. Willie gets a message on his pager and must leave because of a family emergency. Gabrielle tells him he doesn’t have to go if he doesn’t want to. He chooses to leave anyway.
MADAME GAO LOST SOMEONE
At King’s dominion, Maria beats Lex relentlessly with her fan during a sparring match – which Lin breaks up. He comments on how adrenaline got the best of her, though Madame Gao thinks Lin isn’t doing enough. Maria storms off, and Marcus wants to follow, but he is stopped by Saya – who reminds him to keep their cover.
Madame Gao expresses concerns to Lin about Jurgen’s escape, Chico’s disappearance, and now Maria. She mentions his failures have become unforgivable. She wonders had Lin’s family lived, would he have sent his daughter to King’s Dominion – keeping the honor of their family’s tradition of service? Lin reassures her absolutely, and then questions her resolve. Gao reinforces that the death of her son has made her hardened. Yet for Lin, his family’s loss has made him soft – she questions why that is.
Later that evening, Lin takes his daughter home from Pipa lessons and Gao greets them in the lobby. She admits, she hasn’t seen her niece since she was a baby. Lin’s daughter shares that her name is, Naya. Gao says it’s a beautiful, family name, one that they’d called her as a child.
She asks Lin why he put them in this position, as he casts shame upon the family. Lin reasons only she could’ve caught him. Gao reprimands him, that any parent who had lost a child could see through his false grieving. Gao leaves, telling Naya that she’ll see her soon.
MARIA GETS TO WORK
Maria is called in the office by Madame Gao after beating Lex. There, we meet Diablo (David Zayas, from Dexter) who hugs Maria, but then confesses shame, as she wasn’t enough to protect Chico. She proclaims dedication – that Chico is her only love. Which Master Lin supports by defending her honor.
Diablo asks Lin if he has children. He lies, saying he had a daughter. Diablo admits that he’ll never give up searching for his son – and will claim vengeance on the families of those responsible. He leaves Lin’s office with an ominous message: “He was in your care”.
Later, Diablo’s enforcer visits Maria in her room. He confesses the boss is disappointed. She has 24 hours to get results, or else they will return to murder her.
In a party at a club, Yukio, the Asian kid who ratted out Saya – uses the bathroom. Maria slashes his throat from behind, then escapes. However, his friend soon find Yukio’s body, and Maria is forced to hide in a hallway. A waiter serving cocktails finds her and notices the blood. She tells him to hush, but he starts screaming. She murders him as well, with blood on her hands as she exits through the back.
Maria enters a car. Diablo tells her she’s done good.
