- "It means we're in this together, two Witnesses, we look out for one another. Anything we face, we face as one. It means... you're not alone."
- —Ichabod Crane to Molly Thomas
"Loco Parentis" is the seventh episode of Season Four of Fox's Sleepy Hollow. It was written by Zoë Green and directed by Russell Fine. It is the fifty-sixth episode of the series overall, and debuted on February 17, 2017.
Synopsis[]
Just before Molly's 11th birthday, her father returns from duty. As Diana begins to wonder if her ex might be ready to be a part of his daughter's life full-time, the team has a shocking realization.[1]
Recap[]
The episode opens with a woman, Rosa, taking flowers to the grave of Manual Rodriguez, her brother, at Arlington, unaware that someone is watching from the woods. A dark figure emerges, and tears the woman to pieces.
Meanwhile, Crane and Diana go shopping for Molly's birthday gifts. Crane is astonished at the vast array of toys when he grew up playing with a hoop. They discuss Molly's role as a Witness, and Diana suggests that she fight the monsters for her daughter. Crane says that Diana's role is as Molly's mother, not her second. Diana then gets a call about a body at Arlington which is federal, and therefore her jurisdiction. Crane assures her he can finish shopping and getting the gifts home, and Diana reminds him that Jake and Alex are at a skills training seminar and can't come to Molly's birthday party. Jenny is still in Sleepy Hollow but plans to be at the party.
In Sleepy Hollow, Jenny examines the debris at the construction site, and finds the lantern containing Jobe. When she sees that it is damaged, she takes it to the Archive and secures it in the Masonic cell, quickly inscribing wards on the wall. The lantern starts to shake and then blasts open just as Jenny completes a circle of salt around it. Jobe finds himself in the circle, and is unable to cross the line.
Back in DC, Crane goes to Diana's house with the party gifts and hides them in a closet before Molly can see them. Molly enters and asks what he is doing, aware of what he is up to. She then asks him for help with her history homework, and he is glad to assist, he admits that history is his life's work. Molly asks him what being a Witness means, and he takes the questions very seriously, saying that it's best if they discuss the matter when Diana is present, but tells her, "Think of us as explorers, akin to Christopher Columbus seeking out the New World. Now, all he had to go on were his instincts, the belief that he was heading in the right direction. That is what we must do." The doorbell then rings and Crane finds a man who says that he's an old friend of Diana's.
At Arlington, the coroner explains that the internal organs are somehow petrified on the corpse. Crane then calls her and says that there's something at her house that she needs to see. When Diana comes home, she finds Molly outside on a hover board. The man, Mitch Talbot, tells Diana to let Molly try it and see what she can handle. When Diana objects, Mitch reminds her that Molly is their daughter and hugs her. They sit on porch and watch Molly, and Diana points out that Mitch hasn't been to see their daughter in two years, and she's gotten used to the idea that Mitch won't be around. Mitch says that he's missed Diana, and says his tour of duty is over and he's considering a change of life. Mitch says that Diana is an amazing mother and he doesn't want to mess it up, but maybe wants to spend some time with his his daughter. He assumes that Crane is Diana's boyfriend, and Diana quickly assures him that is not the case.
Mitch tells his daughter that maybe they can hang out next time. She asks if he will be at her birthday party, and Mitch says that it's up to Diana. Diana says of course he will be, and Mitch suggests that they get coffee later.
At the Archive, Jobe warns Jenny that the wards won't hold her forever. She promises to find his weakness and shoots him in the chest with a crossbow bolt. Jobe casually pulls it out and realizes that Jenny is experienced with demons, sensing that a demon has invaded her. Jenny remembers when she was possessed, and throws a knife at Jobe. He catches it and Jenny says that he can't goad her into making a mistake. She figures that with Malcolm dead, he's beaten, Jobe doesn't think Malcolm is dead.
As they drive to the medical examiner's office, Diana tells Crane that she and Mitch were never going to be a couple. When she got pregnant, Diana went back to civilian life. Crane asks if Molly is fine with it, and points out that he wasn't there for his son and it haunted him. Once inside,Crane checks Rosa's corpse and explains that heart energy is desired by many monsters. Diana receives a report that two other victims have turned up showing the same symptoms. They were killed before Rosa, however, one in Philadelphia and another outside Sleepy Hollow three days previously.
Crane calls Jenny and says that the creature they're facing came through Sleepy Hollow just after they defeated Malcolm. Jenny says that she thinks Malcolm is alive and may have become a monster due to the influence of the Philosopher's Stone. They speculate that Malcolm could be the monster that they seek. At the Vault, Crane and Diana try to determine the nature of the monster that they face. Mitch calls to remind Diana of their coffee date, and Crane says that he can handle the research alone.
Jenny asks Jobe where Malcolm is, offering to go easy on him if he cooperates. The demon says that his senses are dulled by the wards, but Jenny knows that is a trick and refuses to lower them. She wonders why Jobe cares about Malcolm when he tried to break his deal with Satan. When Jenny suggests that Jobe is bonded to Malcolm against his will, Jobe charges at the wards but is repelled.
Diana meets Mitch, and she asks what his visit is really about. Mitch says that he's realized that his life hasn't added up to much; Diana and Molly are the only things that are important. Diana refuses to subject Molly to more emotional whiplash. He suggests that it might be good to have a father figure around for Molly, takes Diana's hand, and says that they can start. As they start to kiss, Diana's phone rings. Once she takes the report of another body found, she tells Mitch that she has to go.
When Diana returns to the vault, Crane asks how the date went, and Diana says that it was complicated. She then tells Crane that they found another body outside of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The attack happened a week ago, before the Stone exploded. Crane has an epiphany, and finds the Mayflower chronicles and a description of how the Pilgrims had unknowingly brought something monstrous from the Old World with them. A a barghest. The barghest terrified people in Germany's Black Forest, and has the ability to assume human form. It killed a young girl, Mercy Bradford. When the settlers came for it, the barghest took on the form of Mercy's father, Captain William Bradford. When the real William arrived, the barghest reverted to its natural form and killed the search party. Ultimately they subdued the creature and sealed it in an underground chamber under an enchanted stone: Plymouth Rock.
Diana immediately leaps to the conclusion Mitch is the barghest, and calls Mitch's base in Afghanistan to confirm. She is informed that Mitch left on night patrol five minutes ago, and Diana realizes that Molly is in danger. "Mitch" then arrives at Diana's home and asks Molly if she wants to go for a ride. A few minutes later, Diana and Crane arrive at the house. Police are present and say that no one else is there and that the neighbors saw Mitch. Molly's phone is in the girl's bedroom and Diana thinks that the barghest took Molly fast. Crane insists that the barghest won't kill Molly before midnight, when she turns 11. William wrote in his journal that Mercy was a Witness and was killed on her 11th birthday because that's when a Witness gains their mantle. The police officer tells them that they got a hit on the license plate of the rental the barghest is using. Crane picks up Molly's journal and takes it with him.
As the barghest drives, Molly points out that they're driving out of town. He assures her that he'll have her back early. Following Crane's advice to go with her instincts, she give the man a suspicious glance and then claims that Mitch got her a bike for Christmas. The barghest agrees he did, and Molly then says that she needs to pee. The creature pulls over at a rest stop, and Molly heads into the restroom.
As they drive Crane shows Diana crossbow bolts tipped with the same stone as Plymouth Rock. He then shows Diana Molly's journal and points out that they contain mystical sigils that Molly drew. He suggests that Molly went looking for answers on her own, and the barghest detected her. Crane calls Jenny, and Jobe offers to help them locate the barghest. Jenny hangs up and says that she'll consider an arrangement if Jobe helps. Jobe says that he can't help as long as he's in the circle, and reminds Jenny that time is running out.
When Molly doesn't return, the barghest goes to find her. It discovers that she's crawled out of the restroom window, and runs off after her. Jobe says that he will abide by his deal, and Jenny breaks the circle. The demon disappears but leaves a map behind with Molly's indication marked. Jenny calls Crane and tells him what she's learned.Crane and Diana arrive at the rest stop and find the open restroom window. They head into the woods to find Molly.
Molly runs through the woods with the barghest calling to her. It sees her red hoodie and charges forward, only to discover that she left it hanging on a tree. The barghest tears it apart and reverts to its true form. A few minutes later, Crane and Diana find the scraps of the jacket. There is no blood, however, and they realize that Molly is still unharmed. Molly hides in a culvert and hears the barghest above her. As it tries to dig in, Diana and Crane arrive. They shoot it, and Diana calls to Molly who runs out to hug her mother. Diana thanks Crane for his help, and Molly hugs him, too.
The next day, Crane entertains Molly's friends at the birthday party with stories of King George's madness. Diana notices Molly sitting by herself, and goes over to check on her. Molly says that she'll come over eventually, and Diana sits with her and says that it's okay to be upset. She explains that "Mitch" was a monster, and Molly realizes that she was responsible for bringing it. Diana says that it was her fault because she made Molly go looking for answers on her own, and says that she can't be the Witness for Molly; all she can do is make sure that Molly is ready, and promises that she'll be honest in the future. Crane joins them and recites, "'And I will give power unto my two Witnesses. These are the two olive trees, the two candlesticks that stand before the God of the Earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouths and devoureth their enemies.' That's what the Bible says about us." Then he explains that she is not alone, they are in it together.
As Molly and Diana rejoin the party, Jenny arrives and Crane tells her that Molly is shaken but resilient. He wonders if there's any indication of what Malcolm and Jobe have planned, and Jenny admits that she doesn't... but it can't be good.
At Dreyfuss Enterprises, Mrs. Donovan is telling the board that they need to make decisions about the company in Malcolm's absence. Malcolm then arrives and says that he doesn't need any of them. He tells them that he has been reborn and destroyed what he used to be to become what he needs to be. When Donovan says that they'll get him help, Malcolm says that he doesn't need their help. He yells at the board to get out, and they quickly leave. As Malcolm pours himself a drink, Jobe comes in and Malcolm says that he's missed him. The demon asks where Malcolm has been, and Malcolm says that he has been on a long journey of the soul... and plans to take the world on the same journey. Black veins briefly spread across Malcolm's face, and he promises that he won't rest until the world is born again.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Tom Mison as Ichabod Crane
- Janina Gavankar as Special Agent Diana Thomas
- Lyndie Greenwood as Jenny Mills and Ancitif (archive footage)
- Jerry MacKinnon as Jake Wells (credit only)
- Rachel Melvin as Alex Norwood (credit only)
- Oona Yaffe as Molly Thomas
- Jeremy Davies as Malcolm Dreyfuss
Guest Starring[]
- Kamar de los Reyes as Jobe
- Alexander Ward as Barghest
- Bill Heck as Mitch Talbot/Barghest
Co-Starring[]
Uncredited[]
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Multimedia[]
Gallery[]
Promotional Photos[]
Screencaps[]
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- It is said that a Witness is chosen by age 11.
- This monster was based on the creature depicted in "Little Red Riding Hood," and "Three Little Pigs." The barghest from Germany was the main creature which the stories were inspired by.
- The girl in the Mayflower Chronicles should be in the bloodline of the current Witnesses.
- The episode title comes from the legal term in loco parentis, Latin for "in the place of a parent", used when a person or organization takes on some of the responsibilities that would normally be reserved for a child's legal guardian.