"Savorueux" was both the conclusion we’ve been anticipating and the beginning we’ve been craving for. Will finally figured out what kind of man Lecter is and Lecter put the finishing touches on his plans for Will.

You catch these killers by getting into their heads, but you also allow them into your own. | permalink

Alana’s conversation with Will in the interrogation room was heartbreaking. Hannibal Season 1 has never been about silver linings and positivity, but the emotional upheaval between Alana and Will was far more hair raising than any amount of gore Hannibal displays. It was an emotionally gory scene; particularly during this small moment between Will and Alana:

Will: I guess you dodged a bullet with me.
Alana: I don't feel like I dodged a bullet. I feel wounded. | permalink

Alana knows what kind of man Will is and she’s searching for the man she knows while being confronted with what the evidence is telling her. Alana is surrounded with objectivity and clinical diagnoses. She is the only one who wants to follow her gut in finding something, anything, that can prove his innocence.

Sadly, as Alana is confronted with more evidence that convicts Will, she begins to lose faith in him. She too eventually succumbs to her clinical tendencies, even as she correctly diagnoses Will with encephalitis.

I’ve had this episode for almost two weeks now and Hugh Dancy’s performance still gives me chills. Will’s gradual realizations about who Hannibal really is, and the process of understanding he goes through, is phenomenal. Will starts from an honest belief that he’s committed these murders because so much of his timeline is in pieces, but using context and time he begins to realize that he never had opportunity to be the copycat killer.

So if he isn’t the copycat killer, there’s no way in hell he killed Abigail Hobbs. That if-then statement is the only thread Hannibal has to connect and coax Will into his own version of events.

The Stag Will continues to see is a symbolization of what he has always known, but is never quite willing to make the leap towards. The vision began once he met Hannibal, and continues to make its appearance throughout the season, even collapsing at one point - and when Will finally makes his way into Hannibal’s office, he finally makes the connections he needs to. Will sees the sculpture of the stag and also sees sculptures of Hannibal’s copy killings.

Will’s desire to bring Hannibal to the Hobbs home is indicative of his plans. Will was not going to let Hannibal leave there alive (much like Abigail and her family):

Will: I know who I am. I'm not so sure I know who you are anymore, but I am certain one of us killed Abigail.
Lecter: Whoever that was killed the others. | permalink

Will: I am who I have always been; the scales have fallen away from my eyes. I can see you now. | permalink

Sadly for Will, Hannibal’s version of events is also Jack’s version of events, and, while Jack has his doubts, he follows where the evidence goes. But these manipulations are necessary and it escalates the cat and mouse game between Will and Hannibal even further.

Hannibal’s interactions with Maurier (played by the awesome Gillian Anderson – I still miss my X-Files) lead us to believe Hannibal thinks he’s won by his desire to visit Will to say goodbye. The final scene with Will in jail and Hannibal looking at him with a knowing smile was the perfect end cap to the season.

The game has changed and the friendship between Hannibal and Will is over. Hannibal’s curiosity might end up killing him.