- "Why is emulating a Roman senate gone amok considered celebratory?"
- —Ichabod Crane
"Novus Ordo Seclorum" is the eighth episode of Season Three of Fox's Sleepy Hollow. It was written by Leigh Dana Jackson and directed by Russell Fine. It is the thirty-ninth episode of the series overall, and debuted on November 19, 2015.
Synopsis[]
In the aftermath of Jenny and Joe's run-in with Sophia, Abbie is in deep water with Reynolds. Meanwhile, the Witnesses deal with lasting implications of the shard and find themselves in grave danger as they come face-to-face with a greater evil than they could have imagined.[1]
Recap[]
Pandora takes the depleated Hidden One to a nearby river while Jenny lies unconscious on the ground, glowing red with mystical energy. As Pandora removes his wrappings, the Hidden One understands that humans have tainted the world, wiping out entire species. He glances over at Jenny and Pandora explains that his Eye has merged with her, and she is the sister of one of the Witnesses, Abbie Mills. Pandora says that the Witnesses can prove useful to them, as they have in the past, and the Hidden One proposes that they test it.
At the FBI office, Daniel tells Abbie and Sophie that Atticus is giving them nothing since his arrest, and points out that Abbie compromised a six-month deep-cover op. Abbie points out that Daniel had not let her into the loop, and Sophie says that they can still salvage the situation if they find out why Atticus was after Jenny. Atticus refuses to tell them, and Abbie says that she told Jenny to stay away from Atticus. When Sophie wonders where Jenny is, Abbie says that she doesn't know, and promises to come back once she finds her sister.
In the woods, Crane and Joe find Jenny's gun and phone in her abandoned truck. Crane suggests that the Shard inside of Jenny may have become permanently bonded with her, and warns that Jenny's trail leads to a formidable intersection of ley lines, and Pandora may be there as well. Abbie arrives and is eager to find Pandora and Jenny, and they follow the trail.
The Hidden One draws the energy from Jenny, gaining strength. Pandora advises him to go slowly for fear of destroying the Eye and Jenny with it. He stops after a moment and tells Pandora that he would break eternity for her.
As they go through the woods, Abbie blames herself for losing Jenny. Crane warns her that they can't fight a war fearing losses.
Jenny wakes up and the Hidden One tells her that the Eye lies within her. He touches her head with his staff and visions of the past flash through Jenny's mind. There's a flash of light and Crane, Abbie, and Joe run over. They catch a glimpse of the Hidden One before he vanishes with Jenny and Pandora. Crane finds a scrap of cloth with Sumerian writing on it. He warns the others that they are not dealing with a monster, but with a god.
Back at the Archive, Crane looks up information on the Hidden One; his reference books warn that the god is the Uncreator, Etu' Ilu. Joe is ready to go to the Pandora's lair, but Crane warns that they have to grow cautiously or risk Jenny's life. He realizes that Jenny drew the symbols on the Masonic cell based on the visions flashing through her mind. One inscription is marked with the same staff that the Hidden One holds, and Crane translates to say that the Hidden One must have his All-Seeing Eye to be made whole and reorder the world as he sees fit. The Great Seal of the United Sense is among the inscriptions, with the Eye of Providence. The writing, "Novus ordo seclorum," is a warning against ancient evil. Crane confirms that Franklin had the writing placed on the dollar bill. Franklin wrote a treatise on it in The First Book of the Masonic Law. Only one copy exists and it is kept in the chapter room of the oldest lodge house in the Masonic Order, at the university in Albany.
At the college, a fraternity is throwing a party. Joe, Abbie, and Crane arrive and go to the study to open a hidden compartment containing the Book. A frat boy warns that only brothers are allowed, and Crane gives the Masonic handshake. The frat boy has no idea what he's doing, and when he takes offense, Joe punches him. A fight breaks out, and the trio slips inside. They enter the hidden chamber and obtain the Book, and there's a treatise by Paul Revere in 1776. Washington had Revere examine the Eye of Providence to counter Howe's mystical powers, and Revere brought his nephew and apprentice Jonathan with him. Jon touched it and it was absorbed into him, just as it was with Jenny. Jon sacrificed himself in a massive explosion. Abbie is sure that Jenny will hold on until they can uncover Pandora's secrets.
At the ruins, Pandora restrains Jenny and the Hidden One tells her that the world must be cleansed with fire and humanity's taint wiped away. He then starts draining the mystical energy from Jenny again. Back at the archive, Crane finds numbers in a Dumas code on the margins of the Book's pages. Revere wrote them after Jon's death, noting that the Eye was intact after Jon died. The silversmith used the staff to draw the Eye out, and Washington decreed it too dangerous to use. Joe suggests that they use the staff to remove the Eye from Jenny, and Crane remembers seeing it in 1776 when he visited Revere at his smithy. Crane checks with Revere and notices him forging an object. Crane offers his condolences on Jon's death, supposedly by plague. Revere advises him not to let anyone get to close because when they die, it is heartbreaking. The smith takes out the staff and smelts it down into an iron mold. Joe has Crane sketch what he saw and identifies it as the casing that Atticus had. Atticus had it when he was arrested, and they figure that Revere melted down the staff to contain the Eye... and hide it from detection. Pandora couldn't find it and needed Atticus to find it for her. Abbie heads to lock-up to get the casing.
Back at the ruin, The Hidden One grows stronger, and tells Pandora that he can feel the energies of rebirth. Pleased, Pandora kisses her husband.
Sophie visits Atticus and suggests he do himself a favor and give her some names before he's taken to DC. Atticus says that he'll die long before he gets to prison, and Sophie can do nothing to protect him. He tells Sophie that he has info for Abbie, and if she helps him then he'll help the FBI. Sophie doesn't believe him and the agents take Atticus to the transfer van.
Abbie finds the casing in lock-up along with the Norse saga that Atticus used to summon the berserkers. As she leaves, Sophie finds her and tells her that Atticus wants to talk to her. Abbie isn't impressed, and Sophie reminds her that Daniel was the one who lied to her. She agrees to let Abbie into the transfer van to meet with Atticus.
In the parking garage, Pandora enters the back of the van, disguised as an agent, and closes the door behind her. Nevins insists that he did his best, and Pandora points out that it fell into the hands of a mortal. Worse, the Hidden One gave her Pandora's Box and Atticus defiled it by using it. He begs for his life, and Pandora strangles him as her eyes glow yellow.
Abbie and Sophie enter the parking garage and find the transfer agents dead on the floor. They find a pool of blood in the back of the van but no other sign of Atticus. As Sophie calls it in, Abbie spots Pandora walking away and goes after her. She confronts her and demands her sister's return. Pandora offers her and Crane a place in the new world, a place they have by right of lineage. Abbie isn't impressed, and Pandora is impressed by her loyalty to Jenny. She knows, though, that Abbie failed Jenny in the past. Sophie arrives and Pandora disappears before Sophie can see her.
Crane loads up his weapons while Joe contemplates the Grimoire of Lycanthropic Curses. He tells Crane that he would do anything to save Jenny, and Crane warns that he can't risk giving in to the Wendigo curse. Crane sympathizes but warns that when they get Jenny back, she'll want a man not a beast. Joe reluctantly agrees.
Daniel orders Abbie to sit down and warns that Atticus is dangerous. Abbie insists that she doesn't know where Atticus is, and insists that the deal Jenny made with Atticus has no bearing on the case. Daniel doesn't believe it and points out that Atticus asked for Abbie, and Abbie starts to walk out. When he warns her she can't walk out on a superior officer, Abbie asks if his animosity toward her is based on their past relationship. She wants to tell Daniel everything but can't, and asks him to understand. When he says that he can't, Abbie resigns on the spot. Once she leaves, Daniel calls Director Walters and says that they've lost Abbie as an asset.
Later, Daniel calls Abbie and gets her voice mail. He leaves a message that they're both on the same side, and says that he hasn't filed her resignation. Daniel wants her to come in and discuss it so that he doesn't have to. Sophie arrives and tells Daniel that they have all forms of transport out of town covered. She tries to bring up Daniel and Abbie's past relationship, but he shuts her down. Sophie then says that Abbie checked out heavy assault equipment from the armory. Daniel figures that Abbie knows how to use it, and asks Sophie to find Abbie.
Abbie takes the weapons and gear to Ichabod and Joe in the tunnels, and insists that they have to get Jenny, remove the Eye, and get out. She gives Crane the Saga and confirms that it contains summoning spells like the one that Atticus used to conjure the berserkers. Crane figures that they could use it to pull monsters out of Pandora's Box, making the Saga extremely useful. The trio heads out.
In the ruins, the Hidden One tells Jenny that it is time for him to take what is his. Pandora asks him to wait so she can watch, and the Hidden One assures his wife that they will share all things.
Joe goes on ahead and takes up position, and Abbie worries that she's letting her concern for Jenny cloud her judgment. Crane assures that they've triumphed so often because they care. They break into the ruined church and spot Jenny. Crane and Abbie let Joe know and then split up, Pandora senses their presence and leaves the Hidden One to finish his work. She confronts Abbie, who opens fire but the bullets have no effect. Pandora warns that Abbie can't change her fate, and Joe fires grenades into the ruins. Ichabod comes up behind Pandora and tasers her unconscious.
The Witnesses run into the main room and Abbie knocks the Hidden One back with a grenade. Jenny tells Abbie that it's too late, but Abbie opens the casing and extracts the Eye. Crane goes to Pandora's Box and begins conjuring from it using the Saga. It levitates into the air as Pandora wakes up. The Hidden One recovers and knocks Abbie across the chamber. He picks up the casing and destroys it. Pandora and Ichabod try to control the Box, which spins wildly in the air. Joe arrives and opens fire on the Hidden One. The Hidden One grabs the grenade and advances on Joe, and Abbie picks up the broken pieces of the casing. They draw out the Eye while the Hidden One grabs Joe by the throat. Crane and Pandora fight to a standstill.
Abbie backs away from Jenny, who wonders what she's doing as the casing shards glow with the Eye's energies. As the ceiling starts to come down, the Tree of Fear opens and Abbie tells Jenny that she has to do it to save her. Crane arrives and calls to Abbie, who tells him to take care of Jenny. She then enters the tree and it closes behind her just as the Eye explodes, destroying the Box. When Crane wakes up, he finds Joe nearby. Jenny is alive but unconscious, and there is no sign of Pandora or the Hidden One. he runs to the tree, but it remains shut and there's no sign of Abbie.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[]
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Trivia[]
Title[]
- "Novus ordo seclorum" is Latin for "New order of the ages" and appears on the Great Seal of the United States, printed on the back of the one-dollar bill.
Multimedia[]
Gallery[]
Promotional Photos[]
Screencaps[]
Soundtrack[]
- "Shout" - Sleepy Hollow Cast
Videos[]
