Helix - The Ascendant - Review: "I'll be Your Family Now, if You Want."

Review Guide:
Episode 2.01 San Jose - Advanced Preview & Review
Episode 2.02 Reunion - Review
Episode 2.03 Scion - Review
Episode 2.04 Densho - Review
Episode 2.05 Oubliette - Review
Episode 2.06 M. Domestica - Review
Episode 2.07 Cross Pollination - Review
Episode 2.08 Vade In Pace - Advance Preview & Review
Episode 2.09 Ectogenesis - Review
Episode 2.10 Mother - Review
Episode 2.11 Plan B - Review
Episode 2.12 The Ascendant - Review
Episode 2.13 O Brave New World (Season Finale) - Review

Helix - The Ascendant - Review

Last week we saw Peter set Alan up to die, Kyle finally be cured, Landry walk free from his fall and Sarah and Julia trick Amy into believing she was immortal. Also, a rather satisfying end to Amy, so we think, when the island got gassed by the Navy.

"There's no going back now" Peter

Peter this episode confirmed our worst fears, that whatever his future maybe it won't be with the CDC team. Peter this episode is reborn as Eli, which means ascendant (I refuse to start calling Peter Eli), the "trials" he faced such as killing people and the truth test was Anne's way of seeing if he had what it takes to be a leader. He does and got given the position to become head of the Abbey. I only see two options for Peter now, either he manages to kill the CDC team or they kill him. There is no third option, it's literally killed or be killed now.

Peter and Anne this episode also shared an intimate kiss. It's been on the cards for a while now, but I was still rooting for Peter to see what he's doing as unspeakable cruelty. He didn't and now him and Anne have now something stronger than just a mutual understanding they have an intimate relationship. Speaking of intimate, Peter this episode had shower sex with Anne. In what was the easily the show's most sexually explicit moment, where Peter and Anne undressed and embraced each other in a steamy shower. I was quite shocked at the amount of nudity and sexual content within the scene, mainly because it's never really happened on the show before, there was that that one scene previously with Julia and Sergio in the bedroom, but this one was more passionate and intimate. Helix never involved nudity or any sexual content within it's first season, so it appears that the writers are upping their game in terms of holding nothing back. It's becoming a proper cable show, with all the cable qualities, which is not a bad thing at all.

Kyle, Sarah and Soren this episode were plotting to leave the island, much to Peter's dismay. The cult were hot on their tales, they were the cults prey. When Kyle, Soren and Sarah made it to the tower with the helicopter fast approaching I hoped that they would get picked up, but Peter ruined that and decided to shoot at the helicopter. Despite the CDC team being his friends if he were to let them leave he would come off as weak, and he doesn't want that since he's finally found a place he can fit in. With Peter knowing their exact location and with a gun I can see Kyle risking his life in the finale so that Sarah and Soren can leave, it would be the noble thing to do, but not necessary the right thing. Soren needs him; I don't think he would be able to cope if he lost someone else.

Speaking of Soren, this episode he had to witness the death of his mother, Olivia, at the hands of Peter. Soren has been through much more than a normal child would their entire life, and when things seemed to be looking up for him with his mother helping his friend Kyle, she gets killed. Peter I believe snapped her neck, with Soren watching on. It was a brutal killing, and just shows how far Peter has come to be able to kill someone without showing signs of remorse. It also makes a horrifying statement about Peter, if you lie you die. I was hoping that Kyle would cover Soren's eyes because that surely will leave a scar on him, but if he focused on his eyes Soren might have screamed or cried. Cameron Brodeur who plays Soren was fantastic the entire episode portraying the emotional response, and the vulnerability of Soren, he deserves to be praised for that. He is definitely a young actor to watch out for.

"That's just the thing, it was too easy" Alan

Elsewhere, Alan and Julia embark on a little adventure to find seeds from mother. What they found though was more than just seeds; it was the remains of the mother tree, buried right under the Abbey. Julia now has what she needs to prevent the impending outbreak from Ilaria, but with only a day left I'm wondering if everything she is doing will be for nothing. She and Alan also shared some emotional scenes this episode. Alan begins to question everything that's happened including Narvic C and her involvement with Ilaria.

I had thought that Julia wasn't at Ilaria because she wanted to be there, but because she was infiltrating them. Now it appears as if she is fully committed to their plans. It makes me wonder what might have happened to her to change her feelings toward them. She opposed them in Season 1, but has now become blinded by what they're doing. Yes, she wants to prevent genocide, but if she really took into account what Alan was saying she would see that some of the things he was saying made sense. Why would it take someone as brilliant as Hatake several years to create Narvic C? However, like Peter, she’s finally found somewhere where she belongs, even if it means siding with the enemy.

This episode is definitely the turning point in Alan and Julia's relationship, they're done. It was heart-breaking seeing Alan, a man with few emotions, confess that he would have killed over and over again for her. He loved Julia and tried this episode to persuade her to think about what she's doing. It didn't work and eventually Alan pulled a gun on her, but she had a gun also. Billy Campbell and Kyra Zagorsky deserve a round of applause for their work this episode, they both were fantastic. Billy Campbell especially pulled of one of the best performances I've seen from him throughout the shows run, and if I was on the Emmy board I would heavily consider him. The last thing we hear is a gunshot. The cliff-hanger was excellent, but really there are only so many outcomes that can happen, it's quite predictable how things will turn out. Julia can't die because she's immortal, so either Alan dies, which won't happen or they just get flesh wounds from the bullets. Either way the finale is going to be killer.

Summary
It was another excellent episode jam packed with content. Helix showed other shows how a penultimate episode should look like, it sets the finale up nicely with many things left open such as Peter coming to kill Sarah and Kyle, and Julia and Alan possibly shooting one another. The acting again this episode was fantastic, the cast have really upped their game since Season 1, and have become much stronger actors. If this show isn't renewed for a third season I give up, because this show deserves another season.

As always, thank you for reading! Let me know in the comments what you thought of "The Ascendant"

About the Author - Robert Fruin

Robert is a sixth form student from the United Kingdom, who is currently studying IT, Media and Business Studies. Robert is a huge fan of the ended ABC series LOST, he has seen it many times over and has even visited some of the filming locations for it. Robert mainly watches drama series such as Game Of Thrones and Person of Interest, but has a soft spot for the comedy The Middle. Some other shows he watches are Grey's Anatomy, The Walking Dead and The 100. Some other interests include Cycling, Kayaking and Photography.Robert is currently reviewing Aquarius, Black Sails, Helix, Intruders and Z Nation. Feel free to connect with him on any of these social media sites.

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