The Name Game

The Name Game
Story	Asylum
Episode	10
"Lana! Lana, Lana bo Bana Banana fanna fo Fana, Fee fy mo Mana, Lana!"
Premiere	January 2, 2013
Written by	Jessica Sharzer
Directed by	Michael Lehmann
Previous	"The Coat Hanger"
Next	"Spilt Milk"

"The Name Game" is the tenth episode of Asylum. It premiered January 2, 2013.

Guest Cast
Supporting Cast	Frances Conroy Shachath
Co-Starring	Mark Consuelos as Spivey Barbara Tarbuck as Mother Claudia Naomi Grossman as Pepper Mark Englehardt as Carl

Synopsis

The Monsignor faces the Devil. Dr. Arden's experiments achieve a shocking conclusion. Dr. Thredson arranges a surprising reunion for Kit.

Plot

Dr. Arden pounds on Kit's chest to resuscitate him, and wakes him. The doctor lies to him, though, claiming there was no visitation. He examines Grace, who has been healed of her bullet wounds. He interrogates Pepper, who has been charged with Grace's protection. Pepper says that Grace's womb has been protected from his examinations. Pepper also reveals to him that she was framed for drowning and mutilating her baby nephew before her incarceration. Pepper explains to Arden that, because she looks like a "freak," she was locked up forever. She has been given significant intelligence by the beings that laugh at Arden's feeble experiments.

Shachath warns Monsignor Howard about Sister Mary Eunice's possession and how to prevent her from reading his thoughts with his rosary.

Sister Mary Eunice announces a change in the common room and presents a new jukebox to replace the Dominique record. She plays "I Put A Spell on You" as a tribute to Briarcliff's newest prisoner, Judy Martin. Lana tries to talk to Kit, but Thredson enters the common room and sits with them. Thredson reveals the failed abortion to Kit, and a plan to keep Lana and Kit imprisoned. Thredson has been hired full time as a therapist after Sr. Mary Eunice found and released him from Lana's bonds.

During a room search, Lana is restrained by Carl and a guard from attacking Sr. Mary Eunice. They haul Lana off to hydrotherapy, while Sr. Mary Eunice finds a cucumber in Judy's room. The nun orders and administers electroshock therapy. Sr. Mary Eunice intentionally and sadistically adds extra current against Arden's orders.

Sr. Mary Eunice tends to Msgr. Howard's wounds and he surprises her by attempting an exorcism. She manages to stop him, and she retaliates by raping him. Msgr. Howard reiterates his vow of celibacy as she pins him to the bed. She takes his virginity as a disgusted Arden watches from the doorway.

Judy enters the common room in a stupor, observed by Lana and Kit. Jude tries to destroy the new jukebox but is stopped by Lana. This prompts Judy to hallucinate a choreography of "The Name Game" with the common room residents.

Arden's afternoon feeding of the creatures is crashed by Sr. Mary Eunice. He is repulsed by her actions with the Monsignor. She wants to lobotomize Judy, but he refuses "because she wishes it." He kills each of the creatures with a Luger pistol, saying the experiment is over. He tries to shoot himself in the head but falters. Sr. Mary Eunice calls him pitiful and walks away.

Msgr. Howard dismisses everyone making bread in the kitchen except Judy, whom he still calls Jude. She notices his crucifixion wounds, even through her impaired mental faculty. He admits that he failed in his exorcism and laments that Sr. Jude was right. He tries to get through to her for counsel and stirs feelings and memories in her. She responds with the advice to "kill her" (Sr. Mary Eunice).

Carl leads Thredson to Arden's office, where Thredson searches for sodium pentothal. He discovers Grace, giving birth, midwifed by Pepper.

Msgr. Howard prays, where he is discovered by the possessed nun. She offers round two, but she realizes that he is trying for strength to kill her. She wonders aloud how he will kill her, which instead entices her. She intends to propel him towards papacy, appealing to his ambitions for power. He reiterates his intent to return her host to a state of grace, which angers the nun to the point of loss of control and the host emerges. He takes the opportunity to throw her from the balcony at the top of the staircase. When she falls and hits the floor below, Shachath kisses her.

Msgr. Howard gives last rites to Sister Mary. Arden tells the Monsignor that she needs to be cremated and insists on doing it himself.

Carl brings Kit for his session with Thredson; Grace and the baby are in Thredson's office. Thredson does not know about the alien intervention. Thredson searches for the confession tape, but Lana has hidden it and uses it as blackmail against him.

Judy continues to try and recognize the names of patients. She recognizes Mother Claudia, to whom Judy babbles about Mary Eunice and Rome, including the seduction. Judy tells Mother Superior that Lana doesn't belong there and that she is falsely imprisoned. She bids the nun to help her.

In the crematory, Arden stands before where Mary Eunice's body lies and strokes her hair. He then commits suicide by climbing onto the tray with her and incinerating himself along with her body.

Notes

• The "Name Game" sequence was Ryan Murphy's idea to cheer the cast up during filming. Having to portray mentally-ill and tormented people in a dismal setting was mentally daunting for the cast, so the "Name Game" sequence was created to liven things up for the cast.

Quotes

• Pepper: "You think you're like [the Extraterrestrials] with your clumsy experiments, but they laugh at you, Dr. Arden...they make jokes. Here's a good one, 'Knock knock. Who's there? Arden. Arden who? Arden't you the quack? Who'd make a better duck?"
  
• Kit: "You are one sick twist!"
  
• Lana: "I don't wanna ruin it for you, but Spot jumps."
  
• Dr. Arden: "You have no idea what it means to have lost you."
  
• Sister Mary Eunice: "Jesus Christ, you're being pitiful, Arthur."
  
• Sister Mary Eunice: "There was a priest, the dirty beast, whose name was Alexander. His mighty dick was inches thick, he called it Salamander. Is yours inches thick father?"
  
• Sister Mary Eunice: "I gave you a chance, Timothy. But, you've just pissed it away! I'm done with you, and your sweet little nun. I am about to devour the last morsel of her soul!"
  

• Sister Mary Eunice

  I'm sorry, Monsignor! I'm tired of fighting. I wanna let go.

  Howard

  Then let go of me, Sister...

• Sister Mary Eunice

  Take me...

  Shachath

  I'll take both of you.

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