Welcome back to London, 1814.
What lies ahead may contain details of the episode so if you haven’t watched yet and do not want to be spoiled – time to leave. This is our Taboo Episode 3 Recap.
A man lies dead on the shore, a gaping hole in his chest-crabs have taken up lodging where the heart used to be. A small band of children notice him, and pick his pockets. His death grimace has a glint of silver, and it does not go unnoticed. Miss Winter herself leads this group of urchins, and she has the tooth removed.
We see James (Tom Hardy) is not faring much better, and is being tended to by the American doctor, who had been having James watched. As payment for his care, James tells him what he wants: a correspondence with President Thomas Jefferson himself regarding Nootka Sound. James limps home, and readies his home to fight any more assassination attempts, with Brace’s abrasive input.
They go to see Atticus, James to get his guns and make arrangements. Atticus already knows what has happened, and is not above making fun of his pain.
James Keziah Delaney is ready to set his plans in motion. He makes a will, leaving everything he owns to America if he dies. This does not sit well with the Crown or the East India Company. Killing him is no longer profitable.
What Lies Ahead
It’s horrible that James is wounded, but seeing his half naked form is no punishment for the viewer. He treats his wound and goes to the cellar, ever in search of the treaty. Winter is there; she saw what James did to the man, and he is amused to see she offers the silver tooth to him as his rightful spoils; she wants him to teach her magic. No treaty is to be found, his next place to search is his mother’s room. There is no treaty, but a mark inside the chimney, left by her. It matches one on him, one that was not unnoticed in Africa. James again confronts Brace about what he isn’t telling. James leaves Brace to find his mother’s grave at Bedlam and, standing over it, he seems more vulnerable, more sympathetic than he was under the doctor’s needles.
The King’s representative and East India’s meet, trading barbs and sly hints about their spies against each other. They reach an agreement as much as two friendly competitors can-the widow Lorna Bowe must become their pawn. Also, much snuff is snorted. The King’s agent goes to the theater, as does James. There are major spoilers on both accounts, and I won’t tell them here.
What’s Going On With James
James begins corresponding with his sister, the incestuous nature of their relationship is hinted at, his sister Zilpha husband notices. James comes home one afternoon to an unpleasant surprise-Lorna Bowe with a letter of intent that James uses as kindling instead of reading material. Lorna triggers something in him, triggers his flashbacks, and Brace makes her a place in the home.
James opens his father’s own business to find his brother in law waiting, who tells him in the crudest way possible that he knows the incestuous secret, and to even taunt James to make him jealous. Zilpha writes James to meet her at a chapel, and there she straddles him, taunting him.
Not Everything Is What It Seems
It seems that Zilpha is not the puritan we were led to believe. It is my opinion that she is very manipulative regarding her older half brother, and not the other way around. Is this part of some other secrets yet to be revealed?
We see that Lorna is hard headed, and against James’s protestations, she decides to perform on stage that night. We also see that Brace is not a fan of canaries.
Zilpha and her husband converse, and we again see hints at her inability to conceive, much to his chagrin. Lorna is set up, just as James had predicted, and he rescues her, making arrangements for her to go to Paris.
Pictured: Jessie Buckley as Lorna Bow.
CR: FX
This series is banging on all cylinders, and Winter is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters.
I am not a fan of the incest plot that echoes Game of Thrones, hated it on that show(which I quickly abandoned) But the incredible writing, acting, and sets dare you to watch. What you’re seeing may be Taboo, but you can’t look away.
Catch a preview of next week’s episode here:
Taboo airs Tuesdays at 10 on FX, while we live tweet every episode at @FANdemoniumNet.
