‘The Purge’ recap: ‘Giving Time is Here’

Every time I hear the siren sound each week, I’m reminded that our time with these characters are growing short. Last night proved that for some of our favorites will not make it through the evening as some characters did not manage to make it through the episode.

The episode opens by revealing my prediction from last week was right. Miguel did take Penelope to Pete’s Cantina to ride the rest of the purge out. This is one of the best decisions I’ve seen during the entire show. I cannot help but wonder if Rex will see this as a betrayal though and somehow get back into Pete’s bar for the evening. Is Pete safe if Rex finds out that Miguel and Penelope used his place as a safe haven?  Only time will tell.

Regardless, viewers do learn more about Pete’s Cantina.  He created the cantina because of the death of his brother.  On purge night his brother was brutality decapitated because the purger “just wanted to see a head roll.”  His words.  He reveals this to Penelope as he explains to him that her and Miguel are OMF.  The two definitely have more of a bond.

Meanwhile we find ourselves back in the home of Jenna and Rick. Needless to say after the events of the evening, Jenna finds herself on edge and Lila plays captain obvious.  While Rick does not want to snap, he cannot resist.  They are all worried and while Rick points out relief that the night is almost over, Lila does not share his sentiment.  When Rick tries to make light of the revolution and that Lila’s first step tomorrow is to fire the help. Clearly not amused, Lila chooses to head upstairs where we learn more about Lila.

She was close with Catalina once upon a time.  So why is it that Catalina did not want to help her out of the house that evening?  To make matters even more insane we see Lila is a white dress.  Was Lila meant to get married at some point?  We attain both answers by the end of the episode, but neither were what I expected.  While Rick attempts to make nice with Lila, Jenna finally lets out her emotions with a scream loud enough it peeks the interest of both parties.

When Rick makes a room service delivery for Lila, we learn more about the proverbial elephant in the room. Though I do not think it was Rick’s intention to bring up Stanton’s offer, Lila wants to go through with her father’s deal.  She wanted to have a hand in fixing something she helped break.  This seems like the perfect solution.  However, Jenna does not want to go through with the deal and Rick has left it in her hands.  She no longer wants to live in chaos.  She admits that she was selfish for wanting more with Lila and she cannot move forward with all these games.

Lila becomes angry and insists that Rick has manipulated Jenna into giving up her dreams and giving up on them. The eerie part of this entire scene is the flashback that takes place between Lila and her father. He reminds her that he was just like her before and that she is stronger than she thinks.  His words plant the seed in Lila’s head to attempt to kill Rick.  I have been this whole season hating on poor Rick and thinking that he is this horrible guy and yet Lila I saw murder in Lila’s eyes this episode. I’m so disappointed Lila.  I was rooting for you!

As Joe steps into Pete’s Cantina I tilted my head a bit. Where was Jane? Did he drop them off and comes to the cantina to replenish himself? As he steps into the bar Penelope finds herself in a situation where a random patron addresses her wardrobe attire. She has yet to change clothing. Instead of letting the situation escalate Pete shuts it down and offers Penelope a change of clothes in his office. What I was not expecting this evening was to find out that Tavis’s group is actually funded by the NFFA. Upon discovering this knowledge Penelope is determined to find the bus so that her friends don’t die die nothing.

Just when we think nothing crazier will occur, Carol, Ross’s wife, arrives our favorite couples home.  While Rick is trying to spare her the details of her husband’s death Lila reveals them.  To make matters worse in Carol’s distress she ends up dying on the walkway of the couple’s home from a random purger who attacks her.  During this time Rick cannot understand Lila’s thought process.  Lila appears to be through lying.  She is ready to show her true self in this hour.

Soon thereafter, Rick finds himself pushed too far and pushes her back. Literally.  However Lila does not let it go because she has a bloodlust.  Lila’s nerves do not belong to her wedding day as the show leads viewers to believe.  Instead her nerves are from participating in her first purge during the first nationwide commencement.  While Catalina said she would support Lila for not going through with it, instead we have to watch on as she kills a defenseless old man instead.

Lila then reveals her acquired bloodlust further by trying to convince Jenna that Rick is the one that attacked her. Thankfully Jenna knew the truth. The biggest surprise of the evening comes when Jenna takes the dagger that Rick took from the Stanton household and stabs Lila in the back. If she did not though Rick would not have made it through the evening. Now I cannot help but wonder how Jenna knew what was going on though.  How did she know that Lila was lying? How do one finally decide a person is manipulating them?

Simultaneously, Miguel finds himself in a strange conversation with Joe.  By the end of the conversation Joe thanks Miguel for his service, but Miguel never brought up his service to Joe.  What does he know about one of our OMFs?  To make matters worse Penelope sneaks out of the cantina and makes it her mission to stop the bus driving nearby.  When she is finally able to confront Tavis, Joe appears practically out of nowhere as they attempt to get Penelope back on the bus.  He not only kills the bus driver, but he also kills Tavis.

The craziest part?  He kidnaps Penelope!  The worst part?  HE STILL HAS EVERYONE HAS HE SAVED!  My heart broke.  I feel that I have been wrong about Joe this entire time.  I wanted him to be a good guy but I don’t think he is anymore.  Joe doesn’t only kidnap Penelope either.  He ends up taken Jenna from their home in handcuffs and by dragging her along the driveway.  I’m assuming the same fate awaits Rick, but I’m still in disbelief by the change of pace with Joe.

This episode is disheartening. It destroyed two of my predictions and I don’t know that I’m entirely okay with such. However, I am looking forward to the last two episodes of the season. I cannot wait to see how these stroylines wrap up. In many ways, I think if The Purge went with an American Horror Story take on the series.  The more I watch the more I would love to see some of the same faces back next year, with fresh faces of course, and have them play different characters.  I’m intrigued about that concept and it could make a great social statement that everyone looks like everyone else.

Tune in next Tuesday at 10pm on USA Network to see what inevitable character causality will occur next week.  More importantly let us know what you think of this week’s episode.  Were you shocked by some of the revelations?  Let us know!