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WITCHBLADE

CONUNDRUM


EPISODE NO. 02
Season 1, episode 02
Series 102
1st release: 06/19/01
2nd release: 07/08/01
3rd release: 08/26/01
Production number: 102
Last update: 11-05-01


REGULAR CAST, GUEST CAST & CREDITS
TV GUIDE PROMO
SYNOPSIS 1 by Ellen Turner
SYNOPSIS 2 by Nora Manzanares
SYNOPSIS 3 by Shaych
COMMENTARY 1 by Beboman
THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
LINKS


REGULAR CAST
Yancy Butler (Sara Pezzini)
David Chokachi (Jake McCartey)
Anthony Cistaro (Kenneth Irons)
Will Yun Lee (Danny Woo)
Eric 'Kaos' Etebari (Ian Nottingham)

GUEST CAST
Laila Robins (Dominique Boucher)
Malin Akerman (Karen Bronte)
Kathryn Winslow (Vicky Po)
Will Corno

CREDITS
Story by Ralph Hemecker & Richard C. Okie
Teleplay by Edithe Swenson
Directed by Neill Fearnley

Filmed on location in Toronto.




TV GUIDE PROMO

Sarah becomes informed of a link between a murdered model and the witchblade. ExciteTV

Though her story is not fully revealed here, Elizabeth Bronte is shown in a Witchblade vision to be a spy for the British in WWII. Nottingham tells Sara: "Women wear the Witchblade because they can stand pain. The same reason you bear the children. Life is born of pain." While sifting through her father's memento box, Sara comes across a bullet with the image of a bull etched in it. WarnerBros.

Sara and Jake are caught up in the world of high fashion when a stunning young model is murdered. Sara's connection to the legacy of the Witchblade becomes more mysterious when she uncovers a link between her past and the dead model's roommate. As the investigation progresses, Sara's instincts lead her to Kenneth Irons, his ex-lover and owner of a prestigious modeling agency. TNT

Sara and Jake (Yancy Butler, David Chokachi) get wrapped up in the fashion world after a model with a Witchblade connection is murdered. ClickTV

Conundrum, which airs on June 19th at 9, concerns a slain young fashion model that Sara and Jake have to investigate. Sara learns even more about her increasingly important lineage during an interrogation with the roommate of the dead girl. Jake, for his part, gets into it with a femme that turns out to be trouble. 13th Street






SYNOPSIS 1:

This synopsis is by Ellen Turner.

The scene opens at a fashion shoot with many young women, including one with a mechanical snake as one of her props. An older blond woman with a really fancy necklace is directing things. This is Dominique Boucher. As the model with the snake puts it around her neck, Boucher orders the man controlling it to tighten its grip. The model, Karen Bronte, is nearly strangled, and after the shoot is over she stalks out. There are flashes to a man walking outside. He is dressed in black and is missing a hand, having a hook (think Capt. Hook) instead. He is placing a skeleton on the ground and surrounding it with candles.

The next morning, Sara arrives at the office. She receives an anonymous phone call from Capt. Hook, who tells her there has been a murder and gives her an exact location of the body. He also calls her by name. At the crime scene, Jake and Sara look at the evidence, seeing a ripped bag and how the candles have strange ridges (from the hook, but they don't know that yet) in them. A flash to Irons and Nottingham. Sara sees something in the skull's mouth and takes it out. It is a tongue ring, a cobra head. Irons says Sara is in danger and sends Nottingham to watch over her.

At the coroner's office, Vicky (the medical examiner) takes some bone scrapings to run a test. Sara says she knows who the victim is, according to a missing persons report.

Back at the fashion agency, Sara and Jake meet Boucher and ask to see some pictures of the victim, who has been identified as Gina. Sara sees a tapestry (from India?) which features a woman wearing the Witchblade. Sara and Jake look at pictures of the victim and see that in one of the photos the victim is in the same pose as the skeleton was when it was found. Flash to Irons, who says, "Everything is connected, Sara." Sara and Jake go to meet Karen Bronte, the victim's roommate, but Sara sees Nottingham in the shadows and takes off, following him onto the roof. On the roof, Sara sees no one except a small girl, who runs off.

Back at the lab, Vicky says that the skeleton has lots of stress fractures and the bones look crushed and compressed. Sara dismisses Jake and asks Vicky when she started drinking on the job, having spotted a bottle of Vodka. She advises Vicky to get help or get out (but she says it in nicer words than what I wrote).

Jake is interviewing Bronte when Sara arrives, provoking a strange reaction from Bronte. She shows Sara a picture of a girl and older woman: Bronte's mother and grandmother. The girl in the picture is the same one Sara saw at the fashion shoot, and the grandmother looks like Sara. There are many flashes of the girl and grandmother, and also of Hitler and Nazi rallies.

Irons reveals to Nottingham that Boucher has been waiting to get the Witchblade back. When she tried it before it gave her pain, lust, and ambition. She could give Sara knowledge she's not ready for. Nottingham argues with Irons, saying that Sara may be more ready than Irons realizes.

It is decided that Jake will stay with Bronte and that Ian will break the connection between Bronte and Sara. Sara walks away and has a chat with Danny about what is real and what isn't. Capt. Hook picks up the phone in his apartment and hears Boucher say, "The right girl this time."

Jake and Bronte play pool and talk about the picture. Bronte's grandmother was a spy for the British in WWII. At her apartment, Sara opens the box Joe gave her last week and a bullet falls out. She then threatens Nottingham until he comes out of his hiding place into the light. He tells her that women wear the Witchblade because they can stand pain. Nottingham says that she should trust the Witchblade because it trusts her. He also tells her to "cherchez la femme" (find the woman). Back at the pool hall, Jake sees Capt. Hook and makes the connection with the ripped bag and candles from the crime scene (how'd he do that?). Jake goes to confront him, but Capt. Hook slashes him on the hand and gets away.

Sara does a web search on Boucher and finds a picture of her and Irons in French Guiana from '59. Bronte asks Jake to stay at her apartment so she will feel safer, but he declines. He starts to walk away, then asks himself what he is thinking. He knocks on her door and then is knocked out. Bronte is taken, presumably by Captain Hook.

The next day, Irons is jogging (in the snow), followed by Ian in a car. Sara drives up and confronts him about Boucher. He hints to her about unreal shapes. There are flashes of Bronte in a dark room with her hands tied to the ceiling and a big snake is on the floor at her feet. Nottingham says, "Cherchez la jeune fille" (find the young girl). Irons and Nottingham leave, Vicky calls Sara. At the office, Jake tells her what happened last night, but that he identified Capt. Hook as John Sandman (I think that is his last name.) Sara congratulates him. Vicky says the tests show traces of reptilian digestive acid (snake!) and the body was crushed or constricted (by a boa constrictor or carpet roller). Sara is skeptical.

The snake begins to climb up Bronte. Irons looks at the picture of him and Boucher in French Guiana, focusing on the snake in her hand. Sara is at Bronte's apartment and sees many images. Outside, Nottingham walks two big dogs to Capt. Hook, who sees him and starts to walk in the opposite direction; Jake pulls up in his car and blocks his route. There is a chase but back up quickly arrives. Jake threatens Capt. Hook with the charges for assaulting a police officer until Captain Hook finally tells him that Bronte is with Boucher.

At the modeling agency, Sara finds Boucher, who flashes every once in a while into a woman with snakes as hair (how very Medusa-like). There is a voice-over of Irons repeating what he said earlier about unreal shapes. It turns out Bronte is a blood heir to the Witchblade, and that is why Boucher wanted her eliminated. She knew Sara would be drawn to help a woman victim. Boucher picks up the mechanical snake and uses it to fight Sara. Bronte wakes up, sees the snake, and freaks out. Boucher continues to beat up on Sara, taunting her because Boucher knows that Sara is afraid of the Witchblade. Sara re-hears Nottingham telling her to trust the Witchblade. She tosses it to Boucher, hoping to trade it for Bronte. The Witchblade is now activated and Boucher swings at Sara. The Witchblade stops however, and Sara says that she commands it. She tells it to tighten, effectively crushing Boucher's wrist. It then returns to Sara. Bronte is relieved to see that the snake starts to slither away. Sara sees Nottingham in the shadows and hears Bronte's calls for help. Jake enters the building, calling for both Bronte and Sara. Sara finds Bronte and releases her.

Sara goes to the jail to visit Boucher, who has now aged considerably, and ask her help in learning about the Witchblade. Boucher refuses, but Sara persists, saying its either Irons or me. Boucher sarcastically tells Sara to use the Internet, using "talisman," "charm," "fairy tale," and other like words as her search words. Jake and Sara go to Bronte's apartment to return the photo. Jake is curious about the snake Bronte keeps talking about and how Boucher's wrist was smashed to smithereens and cant be repaired. When they enter the apartment, all of the furniture is gone.

Irons and Nottingham watch a nature program. The picture of Bronte's mother and grandmother is on the laptop. Irons says a mouthful about predators and prey, the strong versus the weak. He finishes by saying that if Sara ever realizes her true nature, God help us all.



SYNOPSIS 2:

This synopsis is by Nora Manzanares.

The show begins the same as last week - "Sara Pezzini. A New York City Detective, drawn into a chance encounter with a supernatural weapon. Each day. Each mystery. Each encounter will ultimately reveal her true destiny." Duh duh duh duh duh dum. The music starts although I do not believe that it has stopped since last week. .

There are scenes of models being photographed and the sound of a woman giving them direction. As the same time the scene alternates with that of a man dressed in a dark cape, hat, and silver hook where his right hand should be, walking through a snow packed park. Back at the photo shoot, one of the models is working with what looks like a metal robot-like snake. The boss lady keeps telling her to work with it. With a remote control the snake is made to tighten around her neck and while she struggles to breath, the photographer continues to take pictures. They compliment her on a job well done as she recuperates. She angrily stomps off. The dark man in the park is now seen positioning bones under a park bridge. Yes, he is positioning them and even leaves a blond wig of sorts over the skull of the skeleton. He strategically places some burning candles and leaves. Strange enough!!

Sara is riding her bike, fast - she always seems to be riding fast. But you know what, there is nothing like a tough chick on a bike! She gets to work and as she and her partner Jake talk a bit she gets a call telling her to get to the park because of a murder. As they survey the posed skeleton Sara gets the sense that she is being watched. She looks around and is somehow drawn back to the skeleton. A closer look finds a small metal cobra in the mouth of the skull. In the meantime, Kenneth Irons is sensing something from across town. He summons Ian Nottingham to keep an eye on Sara.

At the morgue Sara informs Jake that she has figured out whom the bones belong to and head out to the modeling agency (how did she know? We don't know - she just does. I guess that's why she's the cop.). The head of the modeling agency Dominique Boucher is not too happy to see them. But Pez is quick to point out that they believe they have found Gina Merus, a model that was reported missing by the agency. While at the agency Sara sees a copy of a Witchblade warrior portrait similar to one that Kenneth Irons had in his home. Hmmm, why would there be one here? They then talk to the missing girl's roommate Karen Bronte, the same girl who was almost gagged to death by the metal snake at the top of the show, who is very surprised at the presence of Sara. As they question her they notice someone lurking above the studio and Sara and Jake pursue to the roof but lose him. Sara knows it was Ian Nottingham.

Back at the morgue there is discussion with the attending, Vic (short for Vicky or Victoria I am guessing) - a friend of Sara's, about the circumstances that could have lead to the bones of the victim being so clean and almost scrubbed. Some type of acid seems to be the consensus. Sara sends Jake to talk to the Karen Bronte as she notices a bottle of vodka in the trashcan. After a brief intervention attempt from Sara, Vic sends her away saying it is nothing she should be worried about. No, I would not drink either if I worked at a police morgue!!!!

When Sara arrives to assist Jake in the interrogation, Karen once again stares at her, making her very uncomfortable and defensive (Sara is so on edge all the time - but I do like the sound of her voice when she becomes uneasy). Karen shows Sara a picture of a woman hugging a young girl. It is obvious that the picture was taken sometime in the fifties and Karen tells Sara that the woman is her grandmother Elizabeth Bronte, and the little girl is her mother. The woman just happens to look exactly like Sara. Spittin image! As she looks at it, Sara gets visions of Nazi Germany and scenes of Hitler mixed with those of the woman who looks like her playing with the little girl. Ever since she got the bracelet on her wrist she gets these Profiler type images that pop out of no where. Oh, did I mention that Sara actually saw the little girl in the picture off the roof when she was chasing Nottingham? No? Sorry. Okay she did. Just a quick glimpse but enough to make an impression for her to remember. She asked Karen if she could take the picture to make a copy.

Kenneth Irons is speaking with Nottingham about Dominique and how she was just waiting for her opportunity to get the Witchblade back. There is a history with Irons and her. He explains that her lust and ambition is what drives her to find out how to control the Witchblade or so Irons thinks. Nottingham states that Irons does not give Sara enough credit about what she can do. Irons directs Nottingham to give Sara a taste of her heritage but only a sample.

Danny appears to Sara as she walks on a snowy sidewalk with the picture under her arm. She tells him that she cannot understand anything about the picture and especially since it was taken over fifty years earlier. As she is explaining this to him she gets another great and funny look from a passerby who sees only Sara talking to herself. When Danny will divulge nothing more than "I've already told you what you need to know" everything slows to a crawl and the music builds.

Dominique makes a call to the dark man and scolds him for not getting the right girl and instructs him to do a better job this time.

Jake is busy "watching" the young model and as they play pool she tells him that her grandmother was a spy and was killed many years ago. He is still baffled at how much she looked like his partner. They continue to play. Jake notices a man with a hook playing pool next to them and realizes that he is the one who is responsible for the bones found in the park. I'm not too sure how he figured this out but he must of from all the evidence he saw the day they discovered the skeleton. As he is confronted, the Dominique's henchman stabs him with his hook before running out of the bar.

Across town at Sara's apartment, while she contemplates looking inside the box from her father, she senses Nottingham in the room and threatens to kill him unless he shows himself. He steps out of the shadows to talk to her about the way of the Witchblade. He explains that no man can wear the Witchblade, only a woman. Essentially it is because they can stand pain, the same reason they can bear children, give life. "Life is born of pain," he says. At this point Sara becomes very sarcastic and tells him he is just too deep. He leaves her with a French phrase (sorry, could not even attempt to spell it let alone say it). Doesn't tell her why the phrase, just leaves her with it.

Sara does some Internet research on the Boucher modeling agency and discovers a picture of Boucher with Irons taken in 1959. Wow, she looks exactly the same. So does Irons. In the picture she is holding a snake (okay I think we can agree that there is a reptilian theme to this show.). This makes Sara's eyebrows stand up. She goes off to confront Irons and he tells her that Dominique was a "pretender." She was someone who wanted to be the Witchblade warrior a long time ago but could not. She is still obsessed with the whole idea of controlling the Witchblade but can never get close.

Jake in the meantime, was knocked out as he returned Karen to her apartment and she is taken away by the henchman. The next day Jake and a few good cops track him down and arrest him. He only laughs at them and will not give them any indication as to where the model might be.

Sara checks out Karen's apartment and seems to get some visions of Boucher and her connection to snakes and the Witchblade. As she is getting them, the bracelet is glowing red. She moves slowly into the lobby of the modeling agency with a faint glow still intact on her bracelet. She finds Boucher sitting and waiting for her. As Boucher gets up and walks toward her, Sara is sure she is seeing things as the image of Dominique alternates between what she looks like now and then in a red dress with a head-full of small snakes. I swear to you. I kid you not! Okay, let's think Medusa here. Sara finally asks her if this is all about the bracelet.

She knows that Boucher wants it back. Sara tells her that she knows all about her association with Irons. As they speak, Boucher lifts that ugly metal snake thing that almost strangled the young model and puts it around her neck. She is holding Karen Bronte and Sara wants to make a deal. Dominique then says killing Karen had been her goal the whole time. Her henchman had made a mistake with the first model Gina, but she had the right girl now and would have no problem eliminating a blood heir to the Witchblade. Now that was interesting. Blood heir huh? They begin to fight and mostly it is Boucher swinging the ugly snake thing at Sara. She taunts Sara with the fact that she cannot truly control the Witchblade and is afraid of it. She turns on a TV monitor to show her that a very, very large snake, while being tied up is threatening Karen. Sara throws her the bracelet and says she will exchange it for Karen. As the weapon affixes itself to Boucher's arm, Sara commands it to obey her and get tighter around her arm. Boucher cannot control it and it jumps off her arm onto Sara's. At the same time the very large snake is seen moving away from Karen. Sara gets there in time to cut the chain shackles with the Witchblade and comfort Karen.

Sara visits Boucher in her jail cell and is stunned to find Boucher looking more like eighty years old. She asks her for help in understanding the Witchblade since she once tried to control it with Irons as her lover. Boucher says she does not want her to succeed with the Witchblade and will tell her nothing. Sara gives up and leaves her with a comment about how terrible it will be for a woman her age having to manage sleep on a hard cell bunk. Harsh Sara, harsh!!

Sara and Jake return to Karen's apartment to return the picture Sara had borrowed. They get there to discover that the place is empty. Karen Bronte is no where to be found.

Kenneth Irons ends the show stating the following; "too overestimate one's strength is to place oneself constantly at risk. To underestimate one's power is to shortchange greatness - to reject magnificence. Sara Pezzini does not begin to comprehend the limitless line just beyond the narrow visions in which she imprisons herself. If she ever realizes her true nature - god help us all." As he finishes we see a copy of the picture of Karen's grandmother on his desk.



SYNOPSIS 3:

This synopsis is by Shaych.

Fashion shoot. Beautiful women wearing beautiful things, taking pictures with a steel snake. Cut shots of a man dressed in black, walking through the snow. One woman, a blonde, is focused on; she is encouraged to really get into the whole snake thing. The man lays out a skeleton. Another woman, older, domineering, encourages the woman. She is almost orgasmic in her instruction. When the girl nearly collapses from being choked by the mechanical snake, then the woman is truly pleased. The man raises a prosthetic hook hand, striking at something.

At the end of the shoot, the blonde walks off, extremely agitated, as the older woman compliments and coddles her. Pezz and Jake at work, talking about the department shrink. Pezz thinks she's a hottie. Jake digs chicks with glasses. Pezz gets a call. A man telling her that there's been a murder, and where to find the body.

In the park, the body is found. It is nothing more than a skeleton of a woman, posed with some candles and a tuft of her hair. Jake and Pezz talk about how the caller knew her name. Slow shots of the police crime scene unit in action move across the screen. Jake notices something about the scene, notices the chunks taken from the candles and the holes in the ice.

Hard cut to Irons and Nottingham. Irons races to the window as he senses something going on with Sara. Back at the crime scene, Sara discovers a tongue stud. It is a cobra. Kenneth Irons orders Ian to find Sara because she's in danger, and to watch over her.

The ME, Pezz and Jake discuss the bones. They've been cleaned in acid. Pezz figures out who the victim is and tells Vicki they'll check back later. Jake and Pezz go to the modeling agency. They meet with Dominique Boucher. She filed a missing persons report on the victim. They report that they found Miss Maris' remains. Boucher doesn't believe it, says that Gina was like a daughter to her. Pezz asks for a picture. As they wait, Pezz notices a painting on the wall of an Indian woman wearing the Witchblade.

They find out that Gina's hair was blonde, and that Boucher teaches her girls that their bodies are their fortunes… no drugs. They find out the name of Gina Maris' roommate. Cut to Irons' voice telling Sara that everything is connected.

Dominique introduces Karen (Gina Maris' roommate) to the two cops. Pezz spots something and chases after him. It's Nottingham, but she doesn't catch him. Jake says that some freak is trying to impress her. And that Boucher took her girls away, because she didn't want a repeat of Gina Maris. Jake and Vicki talk about what kind of acid was used to clean the bones. Vicki also notes that the bones look crushed or compressed - there are a lot of stress fractures. Pezz sends Jake off to check on some stuff and stays to have a talk with Vic.

Seems she's noticed that Vicki is drinking at work. She tells her that if the job is getting to her, get help. Vicki becomes defensive and tells her that she's coping. Next day, Pezz races her bike through town. Jake and Pezz at Karen's place, talking about stuff. Karen is kind of freaked by Pezz, and when Pezz confronts her on it, Karen shows Pezz a black and white picture of a woman who looks an awful lot like Pezz, holding a little blonde girl.

Commercial.

Focus in on the picture. Memories assault Pezz's mind. Focus in on the girl child. Memories of Hitler's regime. Irons. Talking about Dominique Boucher and how she has been lurking, waiting for a chance to get the Witchblade back. Nottingham notes, "You and she."

Irons says how he only wore the Witchblade on a very special day. He says that Boucher risks giving Pezz knowledge that she's not ready to hear, and Nottingham points out that it's Irons who is not ready for her to hear it. Nottingham goes on to say that Sara Pezzini is perhaps more worthy than we-you ever thought. Irons wants to know why Ian thinks this way and Nottingham points out that Sara found the Bronte (Karen) girl. Irons tells Nottingham to let Sara have a taste of her heritage, and then to get the Bronte girl away from her. Pezz asks who the picture is. It's Karen's mother and grandmother. Pezz says she's going to take the picture and copy it. Karen doesn't want to let her take it, but Jake and Pezz reassure her that it will be ok. Karen says she doesn't want to be a problem and Jake tells her that she's not. They leave.

Pezz is walking in the snow and is joined by Danny. They talk about the Witchblade and how when Pezz tries to use it, she can't, but when she least expects it, wham! Pezz tells him about the picture, then asks if there's anything he can tell her, but he vanishes.

Phone rings. Claw hook hand man answers. Domique's voice. "The right girl, this time." Jake and Karen are playing pool. Karen is kicking his butt. She wants him to tell her about the business with the photo, but he doesn't know anything. They say it was weird.

Karen tells him about her grandmother. Her name was Elizabeth. A spy with the British during WWII. She was killed. They talk about Pezz. How she and Jake have only been partners for a couple of weeks, very private and she's a great cop. Karen notices, "So you dig her." But Jake says that work and play don't mix.

Pezz at home with the photo, she's kicked back on the couch, staring at the picture. She remembers her old boss and friend, Joe Siry bringing her the box with the information about her birth parents. She opens the box. A bullet lands on the table. It is marked with some kind of animal or device. Pezz senses that someone is in the room. It's Nottingham. He tells her that the stuff in the box is trash, but the Witchblade is treasure. They banter about who gets to wear it - because she's a woman and because women can stand pain. He tells her that she's disturbed, like she's lost control, but not to worry, because she never had any. "Cherchez la femme, Sara. Cherchez, la femme," he says, then vanishes. (My high school French is rusty, but I believe he said, "Cherish the female.) At the pool hall, Jake notices the man with the hook hand. He remembers the chunked out candle. He goes to talk to him and gets injured for his trouble. Karen rushes to him to make sure he's okay. Jake reassures her and calls in the report of the man.

Commercial.

A webpage loads. It's Boucher's. Pezz checks out the woman's picture file. There is an old black and white photo of Dominique on some tropical island with Irons. From 1958. Pezz figures out that Dominique is, "La Femme Dominique Boucher". Jake takes Karen home. She asks him to stay with her. He tells her that she'll be fine. She tries to get him to stay again, but he holds up his injured hand and says he's got to get it looked at. She tells him that he's a really good guy, even if his pool game needs a little work. He tells her that she'll be fine again, and walks away. Then he realizes that he was being stupid for walking away from the invite. He goes back, and just as Karen opens the door, Jake gets knocked out.

Irons is running while Nottingham follows in a car. Pezz stops him. She wants to know about him and Dominique Boucher. Irons calls her an old friend. Irons tells her about Dominique wearing the Witchblade… that she is a pretender and that the blade is not kind to pretenders. Pezz says that it's not kind to anyone. In his enigmatic way, Irons tells Pezz that Dominique wants the blade back. Nottingham says, "Cherchez la jeune fils." (My spelling may be off, but again, I think this means, "Cherish the young girl.") Pezz gets to work and finds out that Karen Bronte has been kidnapped and that they know the name of the hook hand man. Pezz goes to see Vic, who is passed out at work. Vicki tells her that the acid came from some kind of snake. Pezz is having a bit of trouble accepting this fact.

It's either that, or she was crushed in a carpet roller and then dumped into a vat filled with various kinds of acids, but why would someone go through all that trouble? Irons orders his computer to search, Boucher, safari. The picture from Dominique's website loads.

Sara has a vision from the Witchblade of snakes and Dominique. Nottingham finds the man with the hook hand. So does Jake. It turns into a chase. Jake catches him first. Jake wants to know where Karen is, and after threatening him, the man gives up the location. Dominique Boucher.

Sara is already at Boucher's. Dominique is waiting. Sara has a vision of the woman as Medusa. Irons' voice overlays. "Unreal shapes. Seen any lately, Sara?" "It's all about this, isn't it?" Pezz asks, pointing to the Witchblade.

Commercial.

"You had it. You lost it. And you want it back, right?" Pezz asks. "Nothing is ever as it seems," Dominique says softly. Pezz notes that Irons had it, let her play with it, then dumped her and took the blade with him. She offers to trade the blade for Karen Bronte. Dominique explains that she went to some trouble to bring Pezz to her in a fighting mood. "By using Gina Maris as a lure?" Pezz asks.

Boucher says that Maris was a mistake. Her assistant make an error. Pezz comments that it's hard to find good help. Dominique notes that at least he's loyal. She once let him wear the Witchblade. It cost him his hand, but he's hers forever. The right girl is Karen Bronte. She was a murder crafted to appeal to Pezz's weakness for vulnerable young women, and she was also a blood heir to the witchblade.

Deep below, in a basement, Karen Bronte is chained to some pipes while a large snake starts to coil up her body. She calls out for help just as Boucher attacks Pezz with the mechanical snake. They spar. Verbally and physically. Pezz just wants the girl. Pezz hears the girl's screams. Boucher says the Witchblade belongs to her… it always returns to her.

Sara raises her hand, hears Nottingham's voice, "Believe in the Witchblade Sara, it believes in you." She takes it off. "You get this, I get the girl." She throws it at Boucher, who catches it on her wrist. "None of your bloodline could ever command Digitablum."

The Blade goes to full glove. Pezz says, "You serve me. Tighten. Tighter." The glove constricts on Dominique's arm. Pezz takes the blade back, leaving a beaten Dominique behind. Jake and Sara race to find Karen. Pezz finds her and frees her, they fall to their knees together. Jake finds them.

Later. Pezz visits the jail. She's come to see Dominique. The woman is now ancient, the weight of her years brought out by the Witchblade. Pezz wants Boucher to talk to her. But Boucher is not willing to banter easily. She tells her to look it up… on the internet… under charms, or talismans. Faerie tales. "Suit yourself, but that bunk, it's gotta feel like hell around midnight. Especially at your age," Pezz says, walking away.

Jake and Pezz go to see Karen Bronte. They discuss why Boucher went to all the trouble to make Maris' murder look like a snake ate her. Or how Dominique's arm was crushed beyond all repair. When they get to Karen's apartment, she is gone.

Pezz looks down at the photo as we hear Irons say, "This world is the dance of the predator and the prey. The strong take the weak and are taken in turn by those still stronger. To overestimate one's strength is to place oneself constantly at risk and finally one's true measure is taken and one's life force extinguished. This was the true tragedy of Dominique Boucher. To underestimate one's power is to short change greatness, to reject magnificence. I know my true stature and I strive each day to expand it. Sara Pezzini does not begin to comprehend the limitless vistas lying just beyond the narrow visions in which she imprisons herself. If she ever realizes her true nature, God help us all."

As he speaks, we go to Irons' office. Irons and Nottingham are watching a nature program. Nottingham is in black, with Irons seated behind him, one hand possessively clutching Nottingham's shoulder. It is nearly a scene of domestic bliss. The point of view moves around the room and we see the monitor of Irons' computer. The same photo that Sara got from Karen Bronte, of the dark haired woman who looks just like Sara and the blonde girl child, is on the screen.



COMMENTARY 1:

This commentary is by Beboman.

This is the third episode of this show I have watched. Well, the second episode really because the first was the two hour movie. I find this series very interesting and it shows great potential to be a very good series. It has all the ingredients that make for a good show.

We have our hero (female), good fight scenes, and good "Matrix"-like special effects. There is also a bit of a dark, unknown story to the Witchblade and to the lead character (She was adopted and is supposed to come from a long line of Witchblade users).

So what is bothering me about this episode? I am getting tired of Sara's dealing with the blade. You got it, you know it belongs to you, learn to use the darn thing and move on so you can discover more from it. Hurry up and use what you've got to your advantage so you can get more information and move on.

Yes, you get to see your dead partner. We know that from the two hour movie. Now, use what he is giving you to your advantage and stop wasting time asking questions that have no bearing on the case. He shows up because you have the ability to see him because of the Witchblade. So move on already.

Sara knows that Ian is there to help her. Why go after the guy with gun in hand when you know he is there to cover your back and try to help you? I don't understand her actions. He is always giving her the clue to the puzzle she needs to solve.

In this episode, Sara gets a piece of the puzzle about who she might be, and a very important one at that. She also finds out that there might be another one who is in direct line to inherit the blade. Hopefully, from here on she will learn to use the information given to her advantage and try to find out more about where she comes from and who she is.

This episode was well written and directed. The acting was excellent. Although I missed more action with the blade, I do love it when Sara goes back and forth between the knight outfit and her regular clothes. I also enjoy the transition of Sara when she uses the blade. She looks so much in control. I also loved the final makeup of the director of the modeling agency Dominique. She turned from a nice looking woman to an old crow in just a few hours. That was awesome; great makeup job.

But one thing we have to give Sara is the sheer guts it takes to ride a Buell in New York City. To me, that is a death wish. As a rider and a person who has lived in NYC, I do admire her for that courage.

I did enjoy the episode very much. My only main concern about it is the reluctance of Sara's character to use and become familiar with the Witchblade. I think the longer they drag it, the more likely TPTB might end up losing the audience.



THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

08-01-01. From Xero. >Question: Am I seeing things, dull witted or did anyone else notice that the Witchblade bracelet looked different in last week's episode - Conundrum? Answer: It changed from Elizabeth Bronte's bracelet to Pez' when she (Sara) was up before her new boss for the first time. Sara finds herself getting mad at the Captain for the way he's talking about her dad, and the bracelet starts to morph into the Witchblade. Sara turns the red jewel part over so it's on the inside of her wrist and puts her arm behind her back. The next time we see it, the bracelet looks as it does now. (Yes, obsession rears it's ugly head).



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Transcript by SciFi_Angel




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