Sleepy Hollow – “Awakening” Recap. Witchy Bells and Time Travel.

Season 2, Episode 17

Air Date: Monday, February 16, 2015 at 9/8c on Fox

Rating: ★★★★★

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD

Finally! The intensity and drama I’ve been longing for in Sleepy Hollow are in abundance throughout “Awakening.” The plot twists are intriguing and undoubtedly will change the course of the history that’s been woven since season one.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ichabod tells Abbie an interesting story about how he cracked the Liberty Bell.

For whom the bell tolls—ominous words when you think about the context in terms of what transpires in “Awakening.” Henry (John Noble) doesn’t want an apocalypse like his former master Moloch (Marti Matulis) did; oh no. Henry wants to reunite with his mother Katrina (Katia Winter) so they can raise a new coven in Sleepy Hollow. Using an ancient bell similar to the famous “Liberty Bell,” Henry enlists Katrina’s help of his mother, who is a full witch, to cast the spell. When the bell rings, descendants of Katrina’s old coven or those who have witch’s blood in their veins will hear the call and join Henry and Katrina. Of course, Ichabod (Tom Mison) and Abbie (Nicole Beharie) try everything in their power to stop this from happening. Ichabod “cracked” the original Liberty Bell and he aims to do it again, this time with Abbie’s help. A task easier said than done when dealing with a powerful witch and warlock…well, half a warlock.

Going Back in Time

Katrina, hurt by the loss of Henry, uses the traveler spell to return to the year 1781 to change the course of history.

Katrina has longed to be reunited with Henry, whose real name is Jeremy. When Henry seeks her help, offering his forgiveness, she can’t help herself. But her true feelings about things come to light when a showdown among Henry, Ichabod, and Abbie turns deadly. The things she says to Ichabod are hurtful but they explain the ambivalence she’s been feeling since her dealings with Solomon Kent (Jonathan Schaech), the warlock in “Spellcaster.” I’ve read many comments on Sleepy Hollow’s social media pages and there are many who dislike Katrina and think she isn’t trustworthy. Granted, she’s lied to Ichabod a few times, but it was all in the name of saving him so he could defeat Moloch. With the turn of events in “Awakening,” I see her differently but it doesn’t mean I don’t like it. On the contrary, as a mother whose guilt about leaving her son haunts her, I can see where she’s coming from.

As Katrina travels back in time using the “traveler spell” from the “grimoire,” she doesn’t go alone. Abbie unwittingly hitches a ride back to the year 1781 where she encounters racial profiling of the worst kind.

Soul Searching

Frank Irving (Orlando Jones) wasn’t lying when he told Jenny (Lyndie Greenwood) about using an ancient rune to hide his true self from Katrina in “What Lies Beneath.” Now, he’s back to the black-eyed evil Irving who wants to kill Ichabod, Abbie, and Jenny. As Jenny tries to talk Irving down, explaining she did as he asked, and promising to take care of his family, Irving becomes even more irate. What I find curious is what he says to Jenny about his family. He tells her everything will be right with his family once the bell has been rung. Are his wife Cynthia (Jill Marie Jones) and daughter Macey (Amandla Stenberg) witches too or have witch ancestry?

Thankfully, Jenny doesn’t have to use Medusa’s head to turn Irving to stone because just as she’s about to lift it, Irving falls to the ground, expelling dark smoke from his mouth expelling dark smoke from his mouth, which simultaneously coincides with the death of his master. Is Irving’s soul truly free now that Henry is dead?

Overall

“Awakening” is an exciting episode that leaves many story lines open for interpretation. The parallels to Ichabod’s return to the land of living and Abbie’s arrival in the past cannot be ignored. Abbie steps on the exact same asphalt road as the one Ichabod walked on except this time, it isn’t paved. The same sign that welcomes people to the town of Sleepy Hollow is there except the population is vastly reduced since it’s no longer present day but the year 1781.

I’m excited to see where the writers go with this. I have a theory they’ll have Abbie trying to convince Ichabod of 1781 who she is and how she came to be. While a plot like this – similar to what happened in season one – could go south quickly, with Abbie being an African American female who speaks intelligently during a time when blacks were not educated nor highly revered, it could provide some very interesting story telling.

And where is our old pal Abraham (Neil Jackson) aka the Headless Horseman? Katrina let him go so she could find a way to release his soul. I wonder if he’s free now now that Henry is gone. I’m curious to see where the writers take this story if Katrina makes good on her promise to not save Ichabod after Abraham cuts him down on the battlefield.

What did you think of “Awakening?” Leave me a comment below and/or tweet me @judybopp.

Tune in to Sleepy Hollow Mondays at 9/8c on Fox.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.