- "At first I thought the swarm we witnessed was made of bees, but the distinct coloration and long antenna mark this as a Jack Spaniard, a genus of wasp exclusive to the Caribbean."
- —Ichabod Crane to Abbie Mills
"This Red Lady from Caribee" is the sixth episode of Season Three of Fox's Sleepy Hollow. It was written by Shernold Edwards and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi. It is the thirty-seventh episode of the series overall, and debuted on November 5, 2015.
Synopsis[]
When Pandora unleashes an iconic monster to haunt the residents of Sleepy Hollow as they sleep, Abbie and Jenny are tempted to confront a painful part of their past. Meanwhile, Abbie makes a crucial decision for her career and Crane does his best to guide her with wisdom from his own experiences. [1]
Recap[]
The episode opens with Crane's date at a Japanese restaurant with Zoe. He asks her what her favorite childhood toy was, and Zoe realize that he's quoting from 20 Questions to Ask On a First Date. Crane apologizes and Zoe figures that they were both nervous about their date. He admits that things are different since the last time he was on a date.
Daniel comes in to see Abbie and she assumes that he wants to know if she's talked to Jenny about Atticus. Abbie assures him that she is on it. Daniel says that if he lands the arrest, he'll be on top.
In the ruins, Pandora studies her tree and says that the last flower is close. She needs a skilled emissary to generate the fear necessary, and chants a summons to the "red lady from Caribee." A swarm of wasps emerge from the box and takes the form of an insectoid woman dressed in red.
That night in his chambers, Judge Chrysdale is stung. More wasps swarm into the room and attack Chrysdale. the following morning, Crane and Abbie are set to appear before Judge Chrysdale, who is hearing Crane's case about transporting artifacts. She assures her partner that Chrysdale is a Revolutionary War buff, and all he has to do is quote a few of his friends to wrap things up. Crane is still unhappy that he has to stand trial, and he says that his date with Zoe was a disaster, then asks about Daniel. Abbie says that they are just friends. As they enter the courtroom, Crane's lawyer goes by them and says that Chrysdale is crazy. In the courtroom, Chrysdale is ordering everyone to stay. He calls the next case, insisting that there's a criminal element. Crane and Abbie start getting everyone out, when a woman objects, Chrysdale orders the bailiff to shoot her. Crane steps forward and tries to talk Chrysdale down, and notices the insect swarm briefly taking the shape of a woman and then leaving via an air vent. Chrysdale rants about how he can't trust anyone. He clutches at his head and collapses, Abbie confirms that he is dead. His body is covered in welts, and Crane warns that the creature responsible isn't done yet.
Later, Abbie meets with Jenny at the bar and shows her the surveillance photos of Jenny meeting with Sophie. Abbie refuses to discuss the details of the case, and orders Jenny to stay away from Atticus. Jenny warns that Joe won't be happy about it, but says that she'll break the news to him.
At the archive, Crane shows Abbie an insect that he found on Chrysdale's bench. He identifies it as a Jack Spaniard, a wasp native to the Caribbean. The coroner's report shows that Chrysdale died of a brain aneurysm, but Crane has identified the creature as a Soucouyant. One sting from a Jack Spaniard in her swarm sparks a fever, paranoia, and death. Abbie gets out Grace's journal and finds a reference to Washington suffering those symptoms in Pennsylvania. Grace was summoned by Betsy Ross. Grace arrives at the camp and finds the soldiers attacking each other. Betsy has set up incense pots to hold the wasps off, and takes Grace to Washington in his tent. Grace finds the stings and warns that it's fatal, however, she has herbs that will slow the effect and administers them. Washington refuses to let Grace get near him, but Grace convinces him. She tells Betsy that the only cure is the death of the Soucouyant, and Betsy goes off to find and kill it.
The only other thing in the passage is a reference to the Lady of Caribee spending her time beneath a tree. As Crane tries to decipher the riddle, Daniel calls and says that they have a second suspicious death: the head of the PTA. Abbie leaves Crane to decipher the riddle while she checks out the body. At the crime scene, Abbie confirms that the victim was also stung. Daniel says that the woman recently checked out controversial books and burned them, and Daniel insists on controlling the situation. Once he leaves, Abbie calls Crane and tells him what happened. They realize that all of the victims have been authority figures, and the Soucouyant is attacking other authority figures.
Daniel returns and Abbie hastily hangs up. She says that she was talking to Crane, and Daniel irritably tells her not to let her personal life interfere in her investigations. She gets in the car with him, unaware that he has been stung. As they drive away, Daniel speeds up and passes slower traffic. They narrowly avoid several cars, and Daniel orders her to tell him the truth. He knows that Crane isn't an historical consultant, and figures that she's trying to undermine him and take his job. Abbie sees Daniel scratch the sting on his neck, and tries to warn him. He brakes to a stop, yanks her phone away, and drags her out of the SUV. Abbie subdues and handcuffs him, and promises to get him some help.
At the archive, Joe gives Daniel a sedative. Abbie explains what happened, just as Crane and Jenny enter. Crane has discovered that the ditty is actually a list of ingredients that Grace used to treat Washington. Jenny goes with Joe to get the ingredients at a Trinidadian shop. As they wait for the owner, Joe worries that they got Abbie in trouble because of their investigation. The owner, Azzaca, enters and greets Jenny, and assumes she and Joe are together. She says that she doesn't have time to haggle, but Azzaca stalls until Joe says that they'll pay cash. The Obeah man gets what they need, but when he touches Jenny's hand to take the money, his eyes turn white and he says that she shall be claimed. Joe pries him loose and Azzaca warns Jenny that her fate has changed. He tells Joe to protect her.
Daniel wakes up and realizes that he's handcuffed. He rants about what Abbie does to people, and talks about the time that they were together. Abbie moved on but he's still there.
At the ruin, Pandora strokes the blossom forming on her tree. A pair of earrings grow on one branch, and Pandora puts them on to celebrate. The Soucouyant enters the chamber and Pandora says that she has to look her best. At the bar, Joe looks at the photo of his father with Atticus. He calls someone and says that they have to finish it.
Abbie tells Crane that they need to get ahead of what's happening. She asks how they can kill the swarm, and Crane has learned that the Soucouyant can be destroyed if they burn down her home. Abbie figures that they kill wasps by destroying the hive, and wasps never stray far from their home. She brings up the location of the three victims and triangulates. Crane realizes that it the locations seem to represent a tree with six blossoms. Pandora has sent six creatures, and Abbie figures that the Soucouyant has its hive where Pandora has her lair.
Joe meets with Atticus at a restaurant, and says that Jenny isn't a part of it. He shows Atticus the photo and a series of numbers on the back. Atticus admits that he and Corbin hid their money in Swiss bank accounts, and says that Joe got his inheritance by selling out his friends. Furious, Joe grabs him and Atticus' bodyguards tell him to back off. Atticus reminds Joe that the arrangement was that Joe would give him what he wants. Joe takes out the Shard and puts it on the table, and Atticus insists that he's not the villain. He figures that Joe is just like Corbin: drawn to the darkness. Corbin knew that there's no good or evil, just power. He opens the black stone, revealing an red shard inside, and tells Joe that they're going for a ride. His men drag Joe out the back and Jenny puts a gun to Atticus' head. His men drop their guns, and Jenny takes the Shard in her bare hand. She and Joe lock Atticus and his men in a shed, and Joe explains about the bank accounts. As Jenny looks at the shard, it disappears in her hand. Atticus' men break out, and Jenny drives away as they open fire.
Crane and Abbie go to the ruins, and the Soucouyant swarms in. Abbie gets out a spray can and tells Crane to find the hive while she buys them some time. Pandora plucks the six blossoms from the tree. Crane arrives and realizes that Pandora has been spreading particular forms of terror. She thanks them for cleaning up after her, and Crane says that it ends now. Abbie avoids the swarm as best she can, and lights the aerosol to set some of the wasps on fire. Crane says that he's seen the tree before, he sees the hive nearby and ducks away as Pandora advances on him. The tree glows and Pandora says that she must go. Crane runs to join Abbie and warns her that Pandora's plans are reaching fruition. He tells her where the hive is and hands her a vial of prussic acid. The swarm flies in and forms into the Soucouyant, Crane shoots it, but the crossbow bolt passes through the monster as it reverts to its swarm form. Abbie runs into the chamber and prepares to use the acid on the hive. The Soucouyant turns solid and attacks Crane.... and then dissipates as Abbie pours the acid into the hive. Crane runs into the chamber just as Pandora walks into the tree as it opens before her. By the time Crane and Abbie get to her, the tree has sealed shut.
Later, Daniel is recovering at the hospital and Abbie sits with him. He doesn't remember anything since the crime scene, and Abbie tells him that he had an allergic reaction to a bug bite. Daniel figures that she'd tell him if he said anything important, and Abbie merely says that he didn't say anything she didn't already know. As she goes, Daniel figures that she saved his life and Abbie says that she tries... and always will. Crane meanwhile meets Zoe at a park and they exchange flowers. He assures her that he has no agenda and no destination in mind, and just wants to go on a walk. Zoe accepts and says that it's their first official date.
Later at the archive, Abbie finds Crane distracted by his date. She assures him that Daniel will recover and doesn't remember anything. Crane suggests that trees are often associated with routes to the Underworld, and is sure that Pandora is preparing for something. Abbie is glad to have a rematch.
In her trailer, Jenny tries to sleep. Her body is covered with red veins, and she dreams of skulls, flames, and ancient writing. Something looks at her in the darkness, and Jenny jerks awake.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[]
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Co-Starring[]
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Trivia[]
- The wasp referenced is real. The Jack Spaniard’s morphology resembles that of a normal paper wasp. It is one of the largest wasps that belong to the family Vespidae and are native to the Caribbean islands. They are orangey yellow wasps, silent fliers, and become aggressive when approached or when their nest is disturbed.
- The soucouyant is a shapeshifting Caribbean mythological figure who appears as an old woman by day, but by night, she strips off her skin and, in the form of a fireball, flies across the dark sky in search of a victim.
Multimedia[]
Gallery[]
Promotional Photos[]
Screencaps[]
Soundtrack[]
- "Gone" - Zachary Kibbee
- "Wandering Drummer Messanger" - Winston McAnuff
- "Hooks in Me" - Beans & Fatback
Videos[]
