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Roswell
"Chant Down Babylon"
Season 3, Episode 14
Written by Ronald D. Moore
Directed by Lawrence Trilling
Picking up from where we left off two weeks ago, the episode begins with Michael and Isabel searching through the Meta-Chem building for signs of Jim Valenti and Max. With the alarm blaring in the background, they finally discover the origin of the fire and proceed to the location hoping that's where they'll find them. Combining their power, Michael and Isabel force the door open, but the flames are too strong for them to get through. A few seconds later Jim comes running out of the room, covered in smoke and announces to their horror that Max is dead. As they exit the plant they see Meris and Clayton getting into a car. Overcome with grief and anger, Isabel and Michael decide to confront the Wheelers but are stopped by two armed men. Several gunshots go off before the guards are incapacitated. Isabel collapses to the ground after being hit in the abdomen, and we then see Jesse rushing to her side from out of nowhere. Seeing his wife in such a bad condition, Jesse tries to call an ambulance but is stopped by Michael, who has no choice but to reveal the reason why they can't take her to a hospital. Jesse could not believe that Isabel is an alien, but one look at her hand, which is giving off some sort of electrical charges, confirms what Michael is saying.
On the way back to Valenti's place, Jesse calls up an old friend, who was once a doctor, and asks him to meet them. Paul shows up several minutes after them, and proceeds to operate on Isabel. Apparently, the bullet caused extensive injury to her internal organs. Repairing the damage as best as he can, Paul insists that Isabel would have a better chance at surviving in a hospital, especially since her temperature is abnormally high. While waiting for Isabel to stabilize, Jesse demands Michael to demonstrate his ability to him, still unable to accept everything they have told him. But he is slowly accepting the fact that his wife is an alien. Then we are treated with two of the best performances in the episode, one is with Kyle, who thought that since he was also healed by Max, maybe he received some sort of power like Liz did, so he tries to cure her. The other is Michael, who pours his heart out as he tells of an experience they shared when they were younger. Then some kind of energy passes between them allowing Isabel to wake up from her coma, and it seems that she is no longer in danger.
Meanwhile, we finally get to see Clayton Wheeler. After being treated by Max, it seems that in addition to being young again, he looks exactly like Max. At first he's upset about it, but after some convincing from Meris, he begins to enjoy the possibilities that his new body offers. Just as the two of them are making out, several images of Liz flash through Clayton's head. Confused by the unfamiliar memories, he realizes that Max is not dead, but is in fact inside of him. Feeling a strange attraction to Liz, he announces to Meris that they are going to Vermont. Across the country, Maria finally receives a confirmation from Michael about Max's death. She tries to comfort her best friend, but Liz is more interested in drowning her sorrows in alcohol. To make things even worse, her power is back and is getting more destructive.
Deciding to stay on campus during spring break, Liz gets a surprise visit from Clayton while taking a stroll outside. At first she thinks that she's imagining things or dreaming, but after grabbing him, she sees images that only she and Max have shared. Convinced that the person standing in front of her is real, Liz embraces Clayton and kisses him, but then her hands begin to glow with the same green charges again, causing him to reel back from her. Disorientated, he runs away leaving Liz behind, who faints a few seconds later.
After his encounter with Liz we see Clayton and Meris arguing in the library. According to him Max is trying to gain control of his body, and the love Max has for Liz is getting stronger. Not wanting her efforts to go to waste, Meris convinces him that the only way to get rid of Max is to do away with the girl, to kill the one he loves the most. But before he goes after Liz, Clayton unexpectedly chokes Meris with one hand and breaks her neck. Finding Maria alone in the dorm room, Clayton almost succeeds in suffocating her if not for Liz, who he then chases to the attic. Following a brief struggle between the two of them, Max is able to gain control over Clayton's body for a few seconds, and he begs Liz to kill him before he loses his hold on Clayton. Unfortunately, Liz's hesitation results in them crashing through the window, and as they are falling down, several images in their lives flash before their eyes. With a scream Max shoots out an energy net from his hand to break Liz's fall, while he crashes into the gazebo below. Regaining consciousness, Liz checks to make sure that Max is okay, after a kiss, we see his face temporarily changes into Clayton and then back to Max. With a reassuring smile, Max tells Liz that she had brought him back. Liz then turns around to inform Maria, who has just arrived at the scene, that they are going back home.
Another fantastic episode, great pacing and filled with some of the best performances this series has seen. My only complaint is that they brought Max back a little too soon, but with only four episodes left in the season, Katims probably didn't have the luxury to explore the possibilities. It definitely would've been interesting to see where the show could have gone without Max's presence. So now that Max no longer has a hybrid body but a human one, and it seems that he still retains some if not all of his alien abilities, I wonder what kind of impact this will have on him in the future. On the other hand Liz's power is becoming more potent. Will she learn to control it? What will Jesse do with his new knowledge about his wife and her friends? Check back for the answers in four weeks because Roswell will be on hiatus for about a month, so see you in April!
Episode Rating: 9 out of 10
- Zalasta
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