Wynonna Earp Review: Afraid (Season 4 Episode 4)
Wow, things have really changed over at Black Badge Division (BBD).
On Wynonna Earp Season 4 Episode 4, “Afraid,” Wynonna gets to know the new BBD, and they are….different. The only menacing thing they seem capable of doing is setting up a border around the ghost river triangle and making some badass weapons.
It’s strange to write them off as not a threat, but they really aren’t. Wynonna manages to march in there, make her demands, and abscond with her nerd and a re-instated Purgatory BBD office, which is a totally unexpected move.
Hopefully, we see everyone suiting back up as BBD, and it isn’t just something Wynonna said to get Jeremy and then is forgotten about. It’ll be fun seeing them jump through some hoops and most likely clash with Deputy Assistant Director Naomi over how the job should be done.
I’m excited to see everyone suiting back up and having the authority of the BBD badge. The badge should force Sheriff Holt and Cleo to back off a bit, although I’m sure they will be reluctant to do so.
Potentially this means that they might try to reclaim the BBD office at the Sheriff’s station. They need a better workspace than the Homestead, let’s be honest. Waverly needs a place for her powerpoints and color-coordinated notebooks and pens to shine! Are you excited to see Wynonna and company back working for BBD?
As with Wynonna Earp Season 4 Episode 3, “Look at Them Beans,” the true bad guys of the hour are humans, not demons. While there is a creepy reaper after Wynonna, it’s only after her because Cleo ordered it to attack her.
It turns out that Sheriff Holt and Cleo are Clantons, and Clantons really, really don’t like Earps. Their grudge goes back to Wyatt Earp and the O.K. Corral. And, like the Earps, the Clantons were also cursed because apparently curses were very common back then.
Instead of a curse to hunt revenants, the Clanton ancestors somehow turn into reapers, and I have a lot of questions as to how that happens. They are creepy little buggers, that’s for sure.
Wynonna: You are definitely evil and creepy as hell, and I respect you.
The Clantons come with a lot of questions. We don’t know much about their curse, and I’ll be forever traumatized from watching Billy yank something out of his mouth.
And while we’re never really touched on the size of Purgatory, how is it this is the first time Waverly and company are learning about Clantons being in town? You’d think that they would be vocal about the rivalry and would have been a thorn in the Earps side for as long as Waverly and Wynonna could remember.
Instead, they are familiar with the Clanton vs. Earp feud, in terms of the history of it, but didn’t realize certain people in town were Clantons. This might be something we just have to make our peace with and move on, but it is a little weird that their paths have never crossed before.
It’s awful to say but the best part of the reaper storyline is seeing Wynonna face it without peacemaker.
This is the first time the weight of peacemaker being gone is really felt because you can see how completely terrified Wynonna is as this reaper attacks her. Melanie Scrofano is utterly fantastic in those scenes.
She feels utterly defenseless without peacemaker. Sure, she starts off making her standard Wynonna quips, but once it shreds Jeremy’s gun as if it was made of paper and Wynonna realizes she is completely alone, the terror sets in.
Wynonna being terrified is a brand new look for her, and I love that we are seeing more of her vulnerability and fear over not having peacemaker. She has kicked demon ass before, but never without peacemaker.
Stray Thoughts
- There are only two (!!) more episodes after this! Then we have yet another hiatus.
- WHAT IS HAPPENING TO NICOLE?!
- I’ve missed seeing Waverly in research mode. She’s adorable when she’s researching.
- I want to see more of the demon culture/hangouts in Purgatory.
- Can we get Wayhaught sex every episode? Please and thank you!
- It’s great seeing what Rachel gets up to in Purgatory.
- There have been too many cosplay references for us not to see Nicole and/or Waverly dressed up. Give us a Halloween episode!
What did you think of this episode of Wynonna Earp? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Wynonna Earp airs Sunday at 10/9c on Syfy.
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Allison Nichols
Allison is in a love affair with television that doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. Slightly damaged fictional characters are her weakness. She loves to spend her free time curled up with a cat and a show to binge-watch. Allison is a Tomatometer-approved critic (Rotten Tomatoes).