Helix Review: It's Raining Goo

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We're just a few installments shy of the Helix Season 1 finale and the series continues to shock and surprise me.

Going into Helix Season 1 Episode 11, I honestly had no idea what to expect. As it turns out, the Vectors had a plan and they prove to be smarter than all the base scientists and the CDC team put together.

I was glad to see that Sarah survived and that she helped Julia crack the cure. Yes, we have a cure finally and Peter will live to see another day. Dr. Duchamp and several other scientists... not so much.

A Final Push

The intro with the rat in the microwave and the female scientist hungrily gobbling up the nutrition bar threw me for a second. I couldn't wrap my head around what was going on. I should be used to it by now right? This is Helix after all.

We soon learn the Vectors, lead by King Peter, are baiting our survivors. These guys are brilliant!

There had not been a real rat gross out moment since Mickey crawled out of Doreen's dead mouth. The rat exploding in the microwave was long overdue if you ask me. I shouted outloud when the little guy blew up.

Hatake hears Constance's phone beep and because she had failed to check in, Ilaria initiates retrieval protocol.

Naturally, Hiroshi takes matters into his own hands and begins placing detonators throughout the base. They've only got six hours before the kill squad arrives.

A spinal tap had been performed on Jules and her DNA caused Sarah's tumor to shrink. There's a minor side effect as well, which we'll get to in a bit. This just confirms that Julia's cells are indeed the key to taking down the virus.

Alan and Duchamp inspect the microwave and come to the conclusion it was a trap. We had not seen Dr. Duchamp in a while, so I instantly had a bad feeling tonight was his swan song.

I think these Vectors represent a new step in evolutionary virology.

Alan

I was shocked that Hatake came clean about the detonators so quickly. He informs Alan that Ilaria are on their way and he plans to blow up the base. He has no interest in curing or saving the Vectors. The uninfected will make their way to a hidden bunker under the base... then boom!

Funny that the Montana cabin never came to mind as being the bunker, but I'm glad it came back into play. Daniel was unaware of the bunker and the escape tunnel. Was this tunnel used to bring the kidnapped children onto the base?

There's a moment where Hatake calls his adoptive son Miksa, instead of Daniel. He tells him he's still his son regardless of how Daniel feels about him or... "what you think I've done." That line tells me that there's more to the kidnappings than we know. Was Hatake somehow saving those children from Ilaria? Did Ilaria wipe out entire towns, murdering those children's parents?

Julia quietly tests the Narvik with her DNA. She discovers a cure and confesses to Alan that she didn't destroy the virus. Alan's reaction was right on the money, he even calls her out for being no better than Hatake. However, had she destroyed the Narvik there would be no cure right?

Sarah wakes, feeling great and suggests using cryo-fluid to slow the virus from mutating. This will allow Julia's cure to take effect.

Meanwhile, the Vectors are collecting tons of Black Goo. They were obviously up to something, but I never imagined they would pour it into the sprinkler system. Now that the uninfected were all gathered in one room, it was time to trigger the fire alarm. A Black goo shower rains down on them, what a mess. And what an appropriate song right?

Hatake insists they all retreat to the bunker/cabin and eliminate both threats with one blast. Julia won't hear of it, she insists on curing these people.

The Vectors are working together. If we can't manage that, maybe we don't deserve to survive.

Julia

The cryo-fluid/cure is tested on a rat and it appears to work. The only drawback is that it must be administered one Vector at a time.

Since the Vectors ignore Hatake and Julia (the immortals), they're the logical choice to attempt the cure. Peter appears, and Hatake dusts him with the blue cryo-fluid while Julia injects the cure into his stomach. The effects are instantaneous, and Peter's skin begins to revert to a human color.

Ilaria arrives and uses ski mobile drones as a diversion. Our easily confused heroes fall for it, as Ilaria soldiers skydive down to the base. I thought this scene was very well done and again, I didn't expect the skydiving. Lots of surprises tonight right?

When Sarah starts complaining of migraines, we're lead to believe she's relapsing. However, after having seen the episode, I should have thought back to Julia in those first moments after her silver-eye reveal. Until now, I assumed since Hatake and Julia's DNA matched he was able to cure her. Apparently, with Sarah joining the silver-eye club, this was not unique to Hatake/Julia at all.

Hatake warns everyone that The Scythe has arrived. He is an assassin and the worst of them. Poor Dr. Duchamp invites The Scythe into the elevator with them to head down to the bunker. When the doors open, the scientists are all dead.

Blowing up the base would have been too easy, so for some reason the detonators don't go off.

One last surprise, The Scythe orders his team to find Hatake but exterminate the rest. He removes his helmet and he's just a young kid. Tell me you saw that one coming because I certainly did not. Man am I going to miss this show when the season's over. Aren't you?

I've got to check this one out again in the morning, there were so many reveals and I'm sure I missed something. Remember you can Watch Helix online right here at TV Fanatic.

This week's big question is... Are all the cured Vectors now immortal like Sarah?

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Helix Season 1 Episode 11 Quotes

I think these Vectors represent a new step in evolutionary virology.

Alan

The Vectors are working together. If we can't manage that, maybe we don't deserve to survive.

Julia