LoveCraft Country: Season 1 Episode 4 “A History of Violence”
Culture Editor Bianca Gregg is back with her recap column, this time spotlighting HBO’s newest series “Lovecraft Country.” Get introduced to the characters, memorable scenes, and plot-twists as we dig into the racially-charged supernatural guilty pleasure.
Tonight’s episode opens with Montrose clearly still suffering behind the loss of Uncle George. He is crying and looking at old pictures while reading from the Order of the Ancient Dawn bylaws book. He reads a passage about Adam and Eve — setting the book ablaze, right after. As the book burns, Montrose can be heard saying “Smells like Tulsa.” Montrose, Dora and Uncle George all originally came from Tulsa, likely after the Massacre of Black Wall Street.
Christina Braithwaite is riding in her silver Bently while Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money” plays in the background. In this case it’s “Bitch Better Have My Orrery!” Christina got Leti to purchase the home for the orrery which is essentially a solar system model — the same solar system model Hippolyta was fixated on last week in “Holy Ghost.”
Of course the next scene let’s us know Hippolyta took the orrery and it is now in her position. So why is this orrery so important? As the episode moves along, Christina has a conversation with Captain Lancaster which reveals the orrery is a time travel machine and clearly it is very important to Christina.
Oh Lord Hippolyta, you better watch out!
Tonight’s episode gave us plenty of adventure which was very reminiscent of “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” Atticus, Montrose and Letitia decide they must head to a museum in Boston to retrieve the missing pages from the Book of Names. However, Hippolyta, Diana, and Seymour tag along for the trip.
We discover Hippolyta’s love for all things astrology as she and Diana look up at the star exhibit at the museum, which may explain some of her fixation with the orrery. Meanwhile, Atticus and Letitia narrow down where they must look for the missing pages, the Braithwaite wing of the museum.
Montrose works his connection with the security officer and he promises to leave the doors open for them to return that night.
This episode also gives us a deeper look into Ruby. She goes to the department store she had hopes of working in only to discover they had already hired a Black woman. Disappointed, Ruby goes to the bar to sing the blues, literally. Already a bit intoxicated, Ruby sits down at the bar to enjoy a drink that had been purchased by Christina’s side kick, William.
Before long Ruby was pouring out her feelings of being a Black woman in a world that makes it harder for her then her white counterparts. William promises Ruby that he could change her life. The two of them ultimately have sex with each other. However the strangest part was Ruby ignoring the odd scarring on William when he removed his shirt.
Ruby girl, you must have been gone off the Henny to not notice that!
Atticus, Montrose and Letitia return to the museum that night on their quest to get the missing pages. Somehow Montrose figures out the moonlight is the key to open up a secret underground passage way that leads to the entrance of three separate cave tunnels.
The trio pick the tunnel they feel will lead to the pages and head that way. Let me tell you, Montrose is not feeling this little journey.
Reason one, Montrose is just older and does not feel like going through all of the heroics.
Reason two, Montrose has already read up on this situation and is very knowledgeable on what must be done.
At the end of the tunnel is a very long and narrow plank leading to God knows what. The trio must cross it to continue looking for the pages. Of course the plank is booby trapped and disappearing as they cross it. Eventually they get to a door and it turns out the key to open it was the passage from the bylaw book Montrose had been reading earlier.
Montrose finally admits to Atticus that he had read the bylaw book but burned it immediately after which angers Atticus momentarily as Letitia discovers they are at the bottom of her house. The elevator from her home as well as the neighbor that had disappeared in “Holy Ghost,” both appear.
They continue on to another door which has an arm stuck in it. Atticus puts his arm through and his blood happens to be the key to open it.
In the room are a bunch of ancient dead bodies. One body is holding on to what appears to be the missing pages. As Atticus goes to grab the pages, the body comes to life. It is that of a non-binary woman that details in their language that Titus imprisoned them and killed their native people. They grab the pages and Yahima and head to the elevator. Letitia and Atticus kiss on the elevator and the group discovers that Yahima has become a siren. Her scream prompts Atticus to knock her out to keep her quiet.
When they get upstairs, Atticus and Letitia head to bed leaving Montrose and Yahima. In a shocking turn of events, Montrose walks behind Yahima as she is seated in a chair and slits her throat presumably killing her.
Takeaways:
In the car ride back home, Diana shows Hippolyta the map Uncle George, Atticus and Letitia used on their trip. Hippolyta is closing in on getting her answers about her husband and it won’t be pretty.
Emmett Till makes another appearance in this episode which makes me wonder if we will get an episode that will address his death. If so, I am not ready.
Seymour ends up revealing to Atticus that Montrose and Sammy have been seeing a bit of one another. Hmmm.
