"Delaware"

"You ever think of how many times you and I have technically died? You were buried underground for centuries, choked out by a Sin Eater, buried again by a tree."

—Abbie Mills to Ichabod Crane

"Delaware" is the seventeenth episode of Season Three of Fox's Sleepy Hollow. It was written by Marc Roskin and directed by Damian Kindler. It is the forty-eighth episode of the series overall, and debuted on April 1, 2016.

Synopsis[]

With a single day left before The Hidden One gains omnipotence, Abbie and Crane must do the unthinkable in a last-ditch effort to save the world. Meanwhile, Jenny, Joe and Sophie devise a plan to stall as the Witnesses work.^[1]

Recap[]

At home, Crane is making cappuccino when Abbie returns. He tells her that they should embrace life to the full if they are going to the Catacombs, and Abbie agrees. She gives Crane the gourmet doughnut that she bought for him. He eats it, and she drinks the cappuccino. Abbie then admits that she’s scared to go to the catacombs, but refuses to let Crane go alone.

At the archive, Joe, Jenny, and Sophie warn the Witnesses that their new “ally,” Pandora, will screw them over eventually. Pandora, listening, points out that the Hidden One will slaughter her along with the rest of humanity now that he has cast out. Daniel arrives and asks if it’s a good time to join the team, and everyone stares at Abbie. She talks to Daniel privately and he says that he is there to help save the world. Abbie tells him that she could not forgive herself if anything happened to him, but Daniel insists that he wants to be there, and says that after it’s all over, they’ll take a vacation and make up for lost time.

Once Abbie agrees to let Daniel help, she tells the team that they have eight hours until the Hidden One becomes omnipotent. Crane says that he and Abbie will go to the Delaware River and use Betsy’s flag to enter the Catacombs, restore Pandora’s Box, and use it to drain the Hidden One’s power. Meanwhile, the rest of the team will slow down the Hidden One by any means necessary. Daniel points out that they’re short of intel on their enemy, and wonders why Crane and Abbie both have to go to the Catacombs. Pandora explains that the Box can only be restored if both Witnesses are present. Jenny realizes that Pandora isn’t going, and assumes that she’s staying out of harm’s way. Pandora replies that she is the only one who knows what the Hidden One is capable of and countering it, Crane ends the meeting and sets off.

As they drive to the Delaware, Crane remembers his last meeting with Betsy. Abbie realizes that he’s distracted, and he explains that Betsy was changed when she returned from the Catacombs. They were close before she left, but afterward she only sent him a letter terminating their friendship.

At the archive, Jenny says that they have to focus on the hourglass. Pandora suggests that the Hidden One will take it to Bear Mountain, which sits on a focal point of ancient ley lines. Using those energies, he will amplify the power further. Washington’s journal shows that Bear Mountain is surrounded by ley lines, and Pandora says that they can focus the power against the Hidden one. Pandora uses a mystic compass to direct the team to the spot where the ley lines meet, and they plant spikes in a precise formation to channel the energies.

Crane and Abbie take a boat out onto the river and unfurl the flag. She sings “The Star Spangled Banner” and they’re transported to the River Styx: Gateway to the Underworld. As they row down the Styx, Abbie points out that they’ve both been seemingly dead several times each. She worries that the losses are wearing them both down. He replies that he prefers to focus on what they have. Abbie notes that he never wavers in his faith, and he says that when it concerns the two of them, he has no greater certainty. The Witnesses spot Washington’s crew on the shore: dead, for over 200 years, and they pull in.

On shore, Crane confirms that the bodies are Washington's handpicked the team. There is shrapnel from an explosive charge on their boat, and Crane finds a letter on one corpse. The handwriting belongs to Betsy, and it says that Revere went back to lead the battle in the real world. Meanwhile, a traitor attacked the solders on the boat and set off a bomb. Crane points out that Washington and Betsy survived, gained the Eye of Providence, and returned to 1776. He suggests that the Betsy who returned was not the real Betsy, but Abbie counters that the real Washington came back and they head out.

Atop Bear Mountain, the Hidden One senses the efforts against him. With less than hour, Joe and Jenny finish planting their spikes. Pandora realizes that the Hidden One knows that they are there as storm clouds form. Everyone takes cover as the storm sweeps over them. Once the storm passes, the team reassembles and Pandora warns that her compass was broken during the attack. Joe offers to get Washington’s map from Jenny’s trailer and text them the coordinates before time runs out. Once he leaves, Daniel tells Jenny to recon the Hidden One while Pandora and Sophie go with him.

Crane and Abbie find no maps on the bodies showing a route to the Catacombs, and one of the corpses comes to life and attacks Crane. Abbie cuts it in half and they realize that they’re dealing with zombies. The dismembered creature attacks Abbie, and Crane runs it through. He finds a charm around its neck and tells Abbie that it gives the wearer the curse of eternal life. He speculates that the zombie was one of Howe’s spies, and that Washington anticipated the saboteur. Crane checks Betsy’s letter and realizes that it contains a coded message.

Crane and Abbie proceed go through the woods and come to a portal with the Catacombs on the other side. Abbie braces herself, and Crane assures her that she’s not alone. He offers his hand and Abbie takes it, and they step through.

Joe finds the map at the trailer and works out the ley line coordinates. Jenny spots the Hidden One on the mountain top and calls Daniel. She gets a clear shot at the hourglass but Daniel tells her to stick to the plan. Jenny fakes the transmission breaking up and moves in. Joe texts the coordinates to Sophie and then goes outside. Ezra is just pulling up and says that he was close by and thought he’d say hello, and wonders if it’s a bad time.

Jenny aims at the hourglass, but the Hidden One slams her down and then pulls her to him. He takes her love and says that he will turn it into pain, and sends it out. Joe is talking to Ezra when the energy fills him. He clutches at his chest and tells Ezra to run, and then starts to transform. The Hidden One tells Jenny that the man she loves shall forever more be a beast. Joe finishes his transformation and attacks Ezra, who tries to start his vehicle and drive away.

Sophie tells Daniel that she can’t raise Joe or Jenny. Daniel says that they cannot panic and make a premature move, and Pandora agrees. She tells them to finish their task and goes to delay the Hidden One, despite Daniel’s objections. The Wendigo rips the vehicle door off and threatens Ezra, but Jenny arrives and draws his fire. She tries to get through to Joe, and she shoots him with a tracking bullet. She gets into her truck and drives off with Ezra.

Daniel drives up the mountain to the coordinates and they proceed on foot. As they ascend, Sophie tells Daniel that it tore her and Abbie up to keep him in the dark. Daniel says that he was told to keep an eye on Abbie, and Walters was his primary contact. He figures that the fact Abbie is a Witness has something to do with it, and vows to protect her.

Crane and Abbie enter the Catacombs, and Abbie admits that she still isn’t sure how to distinguish reality from her imagination when she talked to Crane during her solitude. Crane admits that he did the same thing when they were parted and suggests that they watch over each other. Abbie reminds herself that she beat the prison, and they enter the tunnels. The Witnesses follow Pandora’s instructions and find the hidden door she indicated. The passage leads to an inner altar in the center. They find Betsy lying at the base, seemingly dead. They assume that the Eye was kept there, and the magical properties kept Betsy’s body intact.

Jenny and Ezra go to Ezra’s storage unit and he tells her that he knows about the Wendigo. The storage unit is filled with monster-hunting weapons, and Ezra says that he has known all about monsters since before Jenny and Abbie was born. He gets out an obsidian blade and a bone bowl, and tells Jenny the incantation to recite once she fills the bowl with Joe’s blood. Ezra gives her a gun with special and ammo and tells Jenny that it’s a last resort but will take down any monster. When Jenny wonders how much her father knows, Ezra shows her a photo of Corbin and Evans. He explains that he served with them, and says that he’ll answer her questions once they save Joe because he owes Corbin that much.

Crane says that they should say a few words over Betsy, but Abbie says that Betsy isn’t dead. Betsy revives and looks up at Crane. She greets Crane and he introduces Abbie. The two women give each other speculative looks.

Pandora approaches the Hidden One and says that he never loved her. He gestures, causing her to collapse, and says that he will take her life when the last grain falls. Daniel and Sophie place the last spike, and magical energy shoots between the rods to form a dome. As the last grain falls, Pandora looks at the hourglass in triumph. The grain hangs, suspended, and the Hidden One rounds on her.

Jenny and Ezra go to the forest, and Jenny tracks the Wendigo heading toward them. While they wait, Ezra explains that he had to leave as part of the deal, and it was for Jenny’s protection. The Wendigo approaches and Jenny slashes him and puts the blood into the bowl. She recites the incantation to lift the curse. The Wendigo ignores the incantation and smashes her aside, and Ezra calls to her. Jenny yells at him not to shoot, and the Wendigo smashes Ezra down. As it advances on him, Jenny picks up the gun and yells at Joe to stop. When he goes after Ezra, Jenny shoots him. The Wendigo transforms back to Joe, and he tells Jenny that it’s okay because she had to. He says that he loves her and dies, Jenny weeps over him.

The Hidden One melts the spikes with a gesture, destroying the barrier as it forms. The last grain falls and the Hidden One takes the power for himself. He glows with energy and tells Pandora that her husband is gone and all that remains is his final wish to destroy the world.

Betsy explains that she and Washington retrieved the Eye. She stayed behind looking for treasures and the door closed, trapping her. Betsy knew that he wouldn’t come back, and the energies kept her alive. She finally accepted her fate, she assumes that only months have passed. Crane and Abbie know they can't let her know the history.