This episode of Hannibal is all about the endgame. We know that Hannibal and Jack have a confrontation in Hannibal’s kitchen, and the show is beginning to reveal how that comes together. And it also shows that, yes, there are, somehow, monsters worse than Hannibal.
First of all, the entire plotline of Margot’s pregnancy comes to a brutal, horrific end courtesy of Mason Verger, who not only gives Margot a forcible abortion but also a forcible hysterectomy. We don’t see the act itself, but it’s arguably one of the most monstrous and soulless acts we’ve seen perpetrated on another human being in this entire series.
Michael Pitt really delivers in this episode, creating possibly the most thoroughly vile human being on television. Mason isn’t just a monster, he’s a spoiled brat, and part of the fun of this episode is seeing just how much his callousness and rudeness rubs Hannibal the wrong way. Hannibal is a lot of things, many of them terrible, but as the show has firmly established, a lack of manners is one of the few ways to get under his skin.
Meanwhile, Freddie Lounds supposedly has her ticket punched in hideous style, lit on fire and shoved down a parking lot ramp. Supposedly, this is a gesture by Will to show good faith to Hannibal, and in truth, Hannibal and Will are getting closer as friends. Which is followed up by Hannibal supposedly disinterring Freddie’s remains and making a Shiva figure out of them… or possibly Hannibal checking up on Will.
Alana, meanwhile, is beginning to twig that something is very wrong. This isn’t helped by Will acting as guilty as possible, or, for that matter, Will handing Alana a gun and telling her to learn how to use it. Alana finally confronts Jack… who takes her into a conference room with the very much living Freddie.
Finally, Will visits the Verger estate and dangles Mason over his pig pit… before telling him that the master manipulator here is the good doctor Hannibal Lecter. Somehow, we doubt Mason isn’t going to try and use that information to his advantage.
Some more thoughts:
- The Margot scene is probably the most uncomfortable and disturbing thing this show has aired, but the scene where Mason traumatizes a little kid for giggles is probably a close second. “Have a chocolate!”
- It’s kind of awesome how the show has spent two seasons setting up the metaphor of pigs and livestock to pay it off with Mason.
- Abagail comes up again in this episode… any bets that she’s in Hannibal’s basement, and possibly still alive?
- The show is setting up a confrontation between Hannibal and Mason, but I would lay down money Margot gets to Mason first…and that Mason goes into the pig pit.
- Similarly, if Jack makes it out of season two alive, it’ll be because Alana shoots Hannibal or at least runs him off.
