The Outpost Review: Dying is Painful (Season 3 Episode 8)

Being a hero isn’t always what it is cracked up to be. Impossible decisions often rear their ugly heads demanding you make a choice right then and there — even though both options are far from desirable. 

The Outpost Season 3 Episode 8, “Dying is Painful,” explores this idea thoroughly, putting our favorite characters to the test.

Garret, Talon, and Zed are still at The Capital trying to figure out a way to save Gwynn. The kinj is slowly killing her, and no one is quite sure how long she has left. At this point, killing Gwynn and teaming up with a villain seems like the only option.

Wow! What a predicament.

Sneaky Garret and Talon use their stealth skills to get the upper hand on Tobin and Gwynn rather easily. With one of them half-dead already, it isn’t much of a struggle. The real challenge is getting them into prison.

At this point, I don’t fully understand what is going on. I figure maybe they are going to imprison both of them as they did earlier in the season.

Obviously, that seems like a bad idea since they escaped before. What is stopping them from doing it again?

As they search the prison for someone in particular, they find exactly who they are looking for — the mysterious Two. This brings our heroes to their first difficult decision.

Garret and Talon know that killing Gwynn is the only way to relieve her from the kinj and Yavalla’s control. Of course, they don’t want their friend to remain dead because that would defeat the purpose of saving her. They need Two’s kinj and cooperation to revive their friend after the kinj leaves her body.

The main catch is getting Two on board with the plan.

Two hates Talon and Garret. She has tried to destroy them both on multiple occasions forming bad blood between them.

Unfortunately, Garret and Talon are at her mercy. They need her quite desperately because she is the only one who can help them.

Two decides to use this to her advantage. 

With most of the land taken over by The United, Two knows The Outpost is her only sanctuary. Her wish is to get there safely.

Ouch! It is one thing to free your enemy from prison, but letting them into your home is a whole other ordeal.

Can you really trust someone who hates you to treat your home with respect? The answer is simple, no.

Against their better judgment, Garret and Talon agree to grant her the freedom and refuge she desires. After all, they really don’t have much of a choice. 

After Two is free from her cell, she decides to unveil another unsavory surprise on them — her kinj only works when a life is traded for a life. 

Sure, this is something Two could have brought to their attention earlier, but then they might have reconsidered their options. 

Most heroes worth their own merit dislike killing people. It doesn’t look good on their application and decreases their karma points. A hero with unwarranted blood on his sword looks more like a blood-thirsty vigilante. 

Talon doesn’t like the sound of this and looks to Garret for guidance. Garret’s undying devotion to Gwynn drives him to protect her at any cost — even if that means him acting in the worst of fashions.

With several prisoners in cells, Garrett and Talon question Two on why each one is there. Two has no qualms about giving up the goods on her fellow prisoners, selling each one out for their crimes against humanity. She proves to be far from a hero, only looking out for herself.

As Talon and Garret listen to each prisoner’s story, Talon’s conscience kicks in. Can they really trust Two’s words against these people? 

Again, the answer is no, but what choice do they really have?

Talon: I know you are in there, Yavalla. Go to hell!

Listening to the voice of reason, Garret decides on sacrificing the crazy man over the young boy. It isn’t the easiest of decisions, but at least they can put the insane one out of his misery. 

Killing is killing, and even though Garret makes no motion to takes the man’s life, his blood is still on Garret’s hands. 

With the deed done, a soul is traded for a soul bringing Gwynn back to life and out of Yavalla’s control. At this point, I ask myself if the end justifies the means. 

Surprisingly, the answer is yes. 

Although these prisoners have been serving their time peacefully, the loss of their lives will save countless others. The unexpected freeing of Gwynn from Yavalla’s control gives Talon and Garret a hand up in the fight. This isn’t necessarily the royal flush they need to win the game, but it keeps them from having to fold.

Janzo has some major decision making of his own on the other side of the episode. Lives hang in the balance as the people of The Outpost begin to starve under Jaaris’ rule.

Jaaris is despicable. A mean-hearted man with whimsical power lording over people he could honestly care less about. Janzo hates him, rightfully so, but must serve him to keep the people alive.

Jaaris’ attitude towards Janzo, Wren, and Warlita is enough to make anyone want to hall off and smack the guy clear across the face. Janzo must choose to swallow his feelings to sweet-talk Jaaris into allowing them more rations.

Plain and simple, it sucks being nice to your enemy. 

You barely want to even look them in the eye but your hands are tied. You must hold your tongue and swallow your spite for the greater good. While this isn’t actually harder than trading a life-for-a-life, it probably feels like it. 

Janzo is trading his livelihood for the people he cares for — sacrificing for the greater good in hope that it at least buys them a little time. 

Fortunately, his actions buy them just enough time for Talon, Garret, and the others to break into The Outpost and overtake the soldiers. 

The fight that ensues between Jaaris and Talon nearly has me on my feet, cheering on our favorite Blackblood as she dishes out exactly what Jaaris deserves. 

To see this man get his just desserts is a perfect ending to this rather intense episode. At each pivotal moment our heroes come across, the tension builds into a ball of fury that we, as viewers, let out along with each fist Talon lays on him. 

It is an incredible relief we feel as Talon pulls her blade from Jaaris’ chest, leaving him dead. I truly feel spent. 

This episode is a hard-won battle that takes us for a moral roller-coaster ride, whipping us in circles before spitting us out into victory. 

Our heroes prove themselves to be just that, mere mortals with the ability to overcome the hard decisions with logic and faith. Faith that they are serving the greater good, and that their sacrifices will all be worth it in the end.

What did you think of this episode of The Outpost? How long will it be before Yavalla realizes that Gwynn is still alive? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Outpost airs Sunday at 9/8c on The CW.

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