Raised by Wolves Review: Nature’s Course (Season 1 Episode 4)

Death looms large on Raised by Wolves Season 1 Episode 4, “Nature’s Course,” as both the homestead and those who follow Sol look to life for hope.

The episode may have some bumps along the way, mostly with how Campion isn’t thinking beyond the here and now, but around that is something rather profound: the value of life, and the value of death.

Life and death are intertwined on the show. Compassion over sustenance is a great topic, but it feels a little too surface level. It’s in the life and death arena where the episode truly shines.

Life is precious on Raised by Wolves, but it is a hard thing to maintain. The survival of someone and the end of another is a hard idea to grasp for a child, especially as a concept of where meat comes from.

Campion hasn’t learned about anything past crops, and so while Campion’s objections to killing the creature are certainly valid and expected, it’s handled a little clumsily. He is seeing death as a finality, at least initially, but hasn’t really built any connection to the monster or shown any compassion toward it.

When it’s paired with the conversation with the other children about how non-humans don’t have a soul and don’t carry on beyond their death, it makes some sense. His case for releasing it is fairly flimsy, and while it’s admirable the androids allow for some wiggle room, survival is a bit more important at this point.

The death of the creature plays into the bigger point of Father needing to exert his standing, which makes for the episode’s best theme. His kindness is viewed as a detriment in this harsh land, and his efforts to break free from that push him toward losing that kindness.

But what he is failing to see is that kindness is like gold in this environment. That will be needed, especially if Marcus uses his newfound standing in the wrong way.

The death of the creature ends with a tragedy, learning the creature is pregnant after its death, and it may be a tough lesson for Father. His reaction at the sight is human, almost in horror at the realization.

In trying to save those he wishes to protect, he has unwittingly taken an innocent life. Given how Father does have some range of emotion, it will be curious if this affects him in any way. He may look at everything differently now, and adjust back to care and compassion.

It’s where Father is at his best, anyway.

One small nitpick, though: allowing the creature to suffer after the first stab is not a great way to leave things for the whole day.

The show’s descent into death is another place of intrigue.

Ambrose, by using their android to try and take out Marcus, is showing his hand too much for his own good. The way the android immediately tries to shoot Marcus because the earworm isn’t successful is pretty solid proof that its mission is to put an end to him, after all.

Marcus and Sue poisoning the group against their leader looks to be a smart strategy, as it’s covering up their own faults along the way. Marcus’ faults on previous episodes and Sue not knowing the lullaby should be damning for them, but they have cast enough suspicions that they have successfully passed the blame.

It’s not exactly a flashy way to gain power, but it’s clever.

But when Marcus puts Ambrose to flame and essentially takes over the group, it’s not out of greed or opportunity: it’s like an awakening. Is this the moment where Marcus becomes a true believer, or at least grapples with the idea of power beyond his means?

We don’t know yet why the strange object suddenly turned almost molten, though it is cause for speculation. Now that Mother can make someone fall asleep just by saying so, is it completely out of the question that there could be some form of magic, religious or otherwise, at play?

Perhaps the object reacted to Marcus’ anger, his rage building the object into a fire. Or it could simply be that it emanates heat from time to time, and this happened to be an incredibly opportune moment.

But it leaves Marcus as hearing voices (which we hear, too, so he’s telling the truth), and potentially claiming the title of leader. It could be a great flip of his character, to have him embrace Sol and this religious crusade as he grows drunk on power.

Sue is definitely nonplussed by his confession to her about the voices, because she will likely see it as him growing power-hungry or finally going mad. She knows him, and he’s starting to change from the man she knows. But everyone in the group sees how Marcus takes advantage of the sudden heat, and may look upon him as a vessel for Sol now.

These are the kind of ideas that Raised by Wolves could become a great show with. Lofty notions about life and death, and belief and faith, are elevating the slower nature of the series. It’s looking to deconstruct its characters and their ideals, and is all the better for this reason.

This helps dig even deeper into what makes everyone tick, and shows their strengths and weaknesses in a cold light as we see what they are capable of when power is at hand.

Some stray thoughts on the episode:

• Godspeed, Mouse. It’s a shame he has to succumb to the pit, especially immediately as the episode starts, but it helps settle Paul and the other new children’s views of Mother and Father at the homestead.
• Mother also finds a pod on her search for Paul, hinting toward others from the Ark having escaped (though they may have perished similarly to this pod). Given how massive the ship is, it does seem possible there are others beyond the motley crew.
• The creature design, now that we see it in better letter, is really well done. Its face is like a cross between a human and a bird’s beak, and its long, lanky limbs are creepy.

 

What did you think of this episode of Raised by Wolves? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Raised by Wolves streams Thursdays on HBO Max.

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