‘Lovecraft Country’ Season 1 Episode 9 ‘Rewind 1921’
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 Diana still cursed but being nurtured by Ruby and the others at home. Trying to determine what could free Diana of the curse, Atticus realizes they’ll need the help of Christina.
The lost pages could be used as collateral to help with Diana, but Letitia admits she has already given the pages to Christina in exchange for invulnerability. Ruby tells everyone that she can get Christina to help.
Christina lets the family know that she can restore Diana with the blood of her closest relative which would be Montrose who decides in that moment to admit to Atticus that George may be his father. Atticus is clearly in disbelief by the revelation. Once Diana’s fever is broken, it is time to attempt the restoration but just before the process begins Hippolyta returns.
The restoration seemingly works for Diana but it is only temporary. Hippolyta decides she wants to head to the observatory to get the entire Book of Names from Tulsa which would mean traveling to Greenwood on the night of the massacre.
Atticus and Hippolyta get the time travel machine to work again. Hippolyta — who was gone only a few days (but spent 200 years in another time and space), connects the machine to her wrists and is able to open the portal up to the day of the Tulsa Massacre. Montrose, Leti and Atticus jump through the portal.
Montrose is already shaken by his memories as he, Atticus and Leti witness his younger self being beaten and berated by his father in public. Dora steps in to stop the beating of Montrose who ultimately runs off. Present day Montrose follows after his younger self unknown to Leti and Atticus. Once they discover Montrose is gone, the pair decide to split up. Leti stays back to get the Book of Names from Atticus’s family, and Atticus goes after Montrose before he stops the course of the future.
As we move into the second part of the episode, things become very painful and very real. Once Atticus catches up with Montrose, he realizes Montrose wants to warn his friend Thomas that he will be shot and killed by a white mob. Tic tells Montrose he can not warn Thomas because doing so could alter the course of Montrose relationship with Dora and ultimately Atticus’s birth. Montrose expresses his love for being Tic’s father but also tells him that Thomas was the first of many sacrifices he made to be his father.
Right before the white mob appeared, young Montrose tells Thomas they could not be friends anymore because Thomas was gay and he was not. The mob appears and shoots Thomas in the head right in front of Montrose. Dora and George come to the park to help Montrose, however George is missing the bat that saved their lives that night. Atticus realizes he and Montrose have the bat and since he is a stranger to the younger trio, he comes out of the alley to stop the mob.
Meanwhile, Leti is chased by a group of men to the front of the Freeman family home. Montrose’s father and Dora’s father both come out with guns and scare the group away for the time being. Leti is invited in to the house where she attempts to search for the Book of Names. Atticus great grandmother catches her searching for the book and threatens her. Leti explains she is there from the future. She tells Atticus’s great grandmother about the family and why she needs the book. As the home is fire bombed by the white mob, Atticus’s great grandmother retrieves the book for Leti knowing that everyone must die there for the present and future legacy of the family. Leti prays with Atticus’s great grandmother as she burns in the house fire.
Montrose and Atticus return to the hotel where the portal is located. Attempting to wait for Leti to arrive, Montrose realizes something is wrong. Atticus jumps through to check on Hippolyta who is struggling to keep the portal open. Montrose looks on to the street where he watches death and destruction. He recites the names of actual victims from the Massacre including a real life surgeon by the name of A.C. Jackson that died in Greenwood that night.
As Leti walks through the streets, a poem entitled “Catch the Fire” by Sonia Sanchez is being recited. Such a powerful and painful scene.
The portal is reopened by Hippolyta and the trio return with the Book of Names. Now Diana has a chance to be completely cured by the curse. This also means Atticus must prepare to head to Ardham with Christina as promised.
Takeaways:
We finally see Montrose’s pain. The horrible beating prior to his first crush/friend being killed in front of him. The amount of trauma in that one night, set the tone for his relationship with Atticus.
Michael K. Williams and Jonathan Majors were stellar tonight.
The pain of meeting these family members and the desire to want to save everyone but knowing you can not was such a major catch 22 tonight.
Next week is the season finale and it appears so much will be tied in. I truly am not ready to say goodbye to this show.
