Swamp Thing, “He Speaks”, Review!

A campfire gets the attention of Alec Holland, he is asked by the camper what he is doing.  Alec gets flashes of his death and then realizes that Zane is the man who also died.  He begins strangling Alec.  The Swamp Thing wakes from this dream and roars!   Insects swarm over the ground and the bloody hand of a man.  Morning, Abby is alone at the house of Lizzie.  She is checked by Lizzie and Abby suspects that a man covered in vines is really Alec Holland from what Susie told her.  Abby gets a call from the hospital and goes there to see Dr. Eli Troost (Al Vicente).  He tells her that Jason Woodrue is there funded by Avery Sunderland.   Woodrue is sawing into Eddy Coyle’s swampy corpse.  Abby introduces herself and Woodrue has contempt for her emotion with Coyle’s death.  

      SWAMP THING -- “He Speaks” -- CRYSTAL REED, AL VICENTE -- Photo Credit: Fred Norris/ 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. 

Sheriff Lucilia Cable talks to Matt Cable and he reports about the murder.  She dresses him down for not following procedure.  She says the case is going to be labeled accidental.  Abby checks on Susie and then finds Harlan is infected by the virus!  He collapses and is taken away by medical personnel.  Abby takes the boat from Lizzie’s place.  Out in the bayou, a hunter, Zane (Estes Tarver) is waiting until he hears a squeal.  The tree branch is crawling with insects and then he sees a zombie, Zane's animated corpse, that sends out the insects from his mouth!  At the Woodrue house, Jason tells his wife, Caroline, about his findings.  Caroline is looking for her pills, but Jason says she has already taken her pills.  Night, the Sutherland Mansion, Avery is checking on Maria.  He is told by the housekeeper that Gordon Haas is visiting.  Gordon (Matt Burke) doesn’t want to be involved fearing jail time.  

On the streets of Marai,  Woodrue gets out of her car to talk to Gordon about a loan to Avery Sunderland. Avery is actually in debt!  Abby has reached Alec’s lab, she goes through his notebook, insects start to swarm the lab!    The sheriff questions Avery Sunderland about Alec Holland.  He tries to compliment Lucilla and almost kisses her.  Maria sees her drive away from her window.  Then, she sees the dead form of her daughter, Shawna, questioning her about Avery.  Abby pours herself a drink bringing back memories of Alec.  Then, she sees the insects scurrying on the floor and sees they are swarming around her!   The zombie leaps through the window, Abby manages to light a flare, and drives him back!  The Swamp Thing rises up and says, “Leave…her.”  Abby stabs the zombie in the back with axe, then Swamp Thing fights him.  He realizes that the zombie is the man he saw and says, “Release…him.”  His gravelly, halting voice is right out of the comics.  Abby asks if he is Alec Holland.  He reaches to her shoulder and says, “Abby.”  The Swamp Thing says the virus is “fighting back.”  

SWAMP THING -- “He Speaks” -- CRYSTAL REED, HENDERSON WADE -- Photo Credit: Fred Norris/ 2019 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. 

At the hospital, Eli says that the virus patients are going into convulsions, Abby injects immuno suppressants and this stops the progress of the virus.  She has new medicine ordered to stop fighting the virus.  Abby checks on Susie who is recovering from the virus. Maria finds Avery at her bed and he apologizes to her.  Maria threatens to cut off the funding for Avery’s projects.  At the bar, Matt and Abby have drinks over her virus cure, they hear Natalie Merchant’s “Kind and Generous” and start dancing.  The Swamp Thing watches them dance as he is there in the swamp at night.  Xanadu startles Daniel who wants to drink and have his cards read. He thinks his destiny is tied to Abby Arcane.  Sheriff Cable calls Lizzie finds wreckage from Holland’s boat and evidence that he was shot.  Jason Woodrue finds Avery angry that he disrespected him in front of his wife.  Gordon threatens to talk about the Conclave and Avery takes his golf cluband strikes him!  Avery strikes a final blow with the golf club and then hears knocking at the door.  It is Caroline Woodrue, but she leaves.  This episode amps up the horror, further explores the mysteries of the town, and a clever solution to the virus! 

Five Vines out of Five! 

#SwampThing, #HeSpeaks, #AlVicente, MattBurke, #EstesTarver