Raised by Wolves Review: Pentagram (Season 1 Episode 2)
The aftermath of an assault on their home leaves Mother and Campion on different footing on Raised by Wolves Season 1 Episode 2, “Pentagram.”
It’s an episode of table-setting, getting the lay of the land as the enemies regroup offscreen. The homestead has problems of its own with so many new faces uncertain of their future, and introduces an intriguing new threat in the process.
The most fascinating sequence comes from its beginning, which provides an entirely different context to Raised by Wolves Season 1 Episode 1, “Raised by Wolves.”
Marcus isn’t the diehard fanatic to the cause we first think he is, solely because it’s not Marcus we’re seeing. The imposter, named Caleb, has ingrained himself into the Mithraic society on the Ark, and while we don’t know yet if his partner and Marcus’ real son survived the Ark crash, it adds a whole new layer to the story.
Is this new Marcus doing so well that he has risen higher in the ranks since this flshback, or is he simply a grunt with his landing party as the summation of his power? He’s listed as Ark seat number 34, which sounds fairly high if it’s done by hierarchy.
Since everyone has been in cryogenic sleep since their departure, he may be at the same level as before.
The episode makes the battle on Earth look beyond post-apocalyptic, almost Skynet-like from the Terminator films with how little is left to fight for as the androids reign terror from above.
If Marcus does have high value within the Mithraic, their living situation when the imposters murder them shows how far civilization has fallen, with the single pot in a rundown, abandoned building as their source of food.
Or maybe this is how life is on the front, fighting the androids in the city streets. We don’t have a full picture of how badly the humans lose this fight beyond needing the Ark to leave it all behind, but hopefully the upcoming episodes keep filling in the blanks, as this was a very welcome surprise.
Father is back! Father continues to be a kind, warm character, where the mission is important to him but it’s quite clear the security of the children is above all else. It’s in stark contrast to Mother’s more stringent hold on the main mission.
The oldest of the new group, Hunter, mentions that Father is only a service android, which makes sense for why he appears more caring and open to interpretation for his directives.
He also calls Mother’s android version a “necromancer,” which is a rather clever nickname given the techniques she employed on the Ark to take down her foes.
The story on the homestead is rather slight, as it’s mostly setting up the conflict of Campion and the newcomers as Mother essentially holds them captive with the illusion of choice.
But there are signs of goodness in Mother still, like when she comforts the young girl as she reveals her sexual assault and coming child. It’s also apparent when she saves her from the new creatures, where she can still be in control in her guard/assault mode when compared to her all-out annihilation before.
Speaking of these new creatures, it’s interesting that they appear twelve years after the initial arrival. There may be more to Kepler 22b than we see, as these monsters look quite different to the larger remains that the homestead uses for their crops. Perhaps all of the bloodlust draws them in.
Mother’s eyes hopefully don’t become a repeatable plot device, where they can be taken or held as a maguffin of sorts. We know Campion wants to be rid of them, and so if it’s a continual thing where he and the other kids keep trying to take away Mother’s power, that could get old fast.
But if this is the only time, it’s an acceptable moment and a realization that Campion no longer trusts Mother, even as he (somewhat poorly) puts up a good front.
A few points during the episode feel a little clumsy, choppy, or heavily edited, as though the scene needed to be cut down to make it stronger or some shots weren’t available to clean them up.
It’s apparent mostly during the initial breakfast scene when getting to know the new children, though it pops up here and there over the rest of the hour, too (like Marcus getting knocked down the hole and being rescued, where it feels like pieces of the sequence have been cut to spice up the speed of the scene).
It’s rare and doesn’t hurt the overall episode, but is a little strange. It makes some scenes feel a little abridged, is all.
This episode is a great continuation of what’s come before, especially with its extended flashback sequence. While the Marcus in the present is literally caught in a cliffhanger, it’s his story’s imposter revelation that gives a whole new meaning to what’s come before.
It could have been more fun to reveal this deeper into the show so that his allegiances can be questioned, but if this becomes a way to know Marcus (and by extension Caleb) even better, it could be a great way in.
Mother and Father are still somewhat at odds, but Mother’s protection turns out to be more beneficial this time, and may win everyone over. It’s a good way to settle things down, now that they all know she’s still capable of protecting them.
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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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.