(If you didn't get the joke in the title, then shame on you. Educate yourselves on "Russian reversal" here.)
Warehouse 13 recap: Season 2, episode 9 "Vendetta" (8/31/10)
In a surprisingly--and impressively--somber episode, we learn more about Artie's past. He traded artifacts to the Soviet Union in return for political prisoners, and it was only after he learned of the artifacts' true powers that he took Mrs. Frederic's offer of a job, and a new identity, in the United States.
H.G. Wells still hasn't won Myka and Pete's trust, but she wants to be reinstated at the Warehouse because it's the only world she knows. She reveals that she pushed the Warehouse to bronze her, after her daughter was murdered: The bronzing was her time machine, so to speak, and she hoped that the world she woke up in would allow her to go back in time and save Christina.
Meanwhile, Claudia goes all extra-special secret agent--research Alexander? nahh--on Todd's ass, convinced he's a spy trying to break into the Warehouse. She finds out he's actually in the Witness Protection Program after taking the wrong job hacking for the Mob, and by the time they can finally bond over their geekiness, Todd has to go into hiding somewhere else.
Whom (is the team hunting): Yvan, the son of Alexander, Artie's Soviet contact.
What (is the artifact of the moment): Tomas de Torquemada's rack.
Where (does the action take place): Washington, D.C.
When (do they need to succeed): Before Yvan tracks down the relatives whose lives Artie saved.
Why (is this so vital): Because Yvan wants revenge: When Artie turned himself in, the USSR put Alexander in jail, and he died 13 years ago.
Artifacts:
- Torquemada's rack: A glowing chain that can tear your joints apart from across the room; used in the Spanish Inquisition. (H.G. Wells has been looking for it since 1894.)
- Titanic driftwood: Pried from the arms of a corpse, it causes its victims to die of hypothermia.
- Charles II's croquet ball: "Infused with the fury of a king... and a sore loser." Get two of 'em together and they ricochet around until they bean you in the head or other vital organs.
- Reflex hammer: Tap a post, and the gate comes crashing down.
Ordinary Objects:
- H.G. Wells' love for her murdered daughter.
- Claudia's mad-obvious stalker skills (complete with camera phone), and yelping "Zoinks!" when she's caught.
- The King of Hearts playing card that was Alexander's signal to Artie.
- Pete merging baseball, golf, and croquet to knock Charles II's ball into the fridge.
- Myka's inability to understand Pete's nonchalant "someone is watching us" sign language--and then trying to steal a kiss to keep their cover.
- Claudia and Todd's standoff in the park.
- The Witness Protection Program, which is how Todd got to South Dakota.
- Todd and Claudia's adorable kiss!
- Myka's report that helps reinstate H.G. Wells as an agent of the Warehouse.
Quotes:
Pete: "Who is this Torquemada woman?" Myka: "Different rack, Pete."
Claudia (to Leena, after Leena tricks her into seeing Todd): "I'm standing in front of a dead woman."
Artie: "I didn't change my name to hide from our government. As far as the Russians are concerned, I'm a spy sent to betray them." Pete: "See, that would have been something to bring up on the plane."
So H.G. Wells is now a certified agent, and Artie's not happy. Furthermore, next week Wells might get her wish: The team goes back in time to stop a killer.
...and you better be caught up on all the other episodes from this season. If not, here's your lifeline: Warehouse 13 season 2 recaps.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for next week's recap posted right after the show.
