"The Origins of Monstrosity" is the sixth episode of Asylum. It premiered November 21, 2012.
Synopsis
An enigmatic little girl is abandoned at the asylum. The Monsignor makes a Faustian deal with Dr. Arden. The genesis of Bloody Face is disclosed.
Plot
2012
A 911 caller tells the dispatcher to send police to Briarcliff. He implies that he is the real Bloody Face and that those killed were imposters. The police arrive to find Devon, Cooper, and Joey strung by cables to the ceiling and staircase rails.
1964
The mother of Jenny Reynolds brings her to Briarcliff and tells Sr. Jude of her belief that her daughter killed one of her friends while playing in the woods, stabbing her with a pair of scissors despite Jenny telling the police that it was a bearded man with a brown jacket.
Lana awakes in Thredson's playroom, where she's been placed in a bed surrounded by personal effects from her home. At first she doesn't realize she is not back home but Thredson's voice wakes her. He is cooking her croque-monsieur with nutmeg and tomato soup, what he calls the "perfect mommy snack". He explains that he grew up in the system, untouched and unloved, abandoned by his own mother. She compliments the food and expresses appreciation for this act of kindness. She felt abandoned at Briarcliff and she sympathizes. He says he was right about her, that she is "the one".
He tells her of his time in medical school and his epiphany when seeing the cadaver of "his mother". He knew it wasn't really her, but he used the cadaver as a surrogate for his touch hunger though he was dismayed over the the smell of formaldehyde and the feel of the cold skin. He needed a more lively subject. He describes abducting and skinning a live woman (Donna Burton, the first murder attributed to Bloody Face) but when Lana recoils he comforts her and explains that she is his new "mommy".
Sam Goodman, the Nazi hunter, calls Sr. Jude to tell her that Charlotte Brown was right after all about Arden, even if she was delusional. He will need a fingerprint. Sr. Jude ends the call and looks up to find Jenny who explains that she was left behind by her mother.
Msgr Howard is called to perform last rights for a tuberculosis patient. When he arrives, he recognizes it is in fact Shelley, covered in bodily and facial lesions.
1962
Father Howard tours the church's new acquisition, Briarcliff Tuberculosis Center. He meets its supervising physician, Arden. As they wheel out the body of an afflicted former nurse, Arden describes his research on an immunity boosting drug and germinates an agreement with the priest over acquisition of live testing subjects.
1964
Msgr. Howard strangles Shelley with a rosary to protect Arden and himself and, upon returning to the asylum, confronts the doctor about his monstrous abuse of her. Arden argues that his experimental subjects are the next stage in human evolution. He introduces his newest subject, Spivey, who Arden says can now survive a nuclear attack. The priest is disgusted and threatens to expose Arden's work, but Arden says that such disclosure will uncover all of Briarcliff's dark secrets, which gives the priest pause.
Sr. Mary Eunice is cutting herbs in the kitchen, observed by Jenny. The sister says that Jenny did kill Josie, but that Josie deserved it.
Young Mary Eunice McKee was humiliated at a pool party, pranked into being naked in public. All that she wanted was to be liked by people, but she was "just everyone's victim".
The sister offers to foster young Jenny, who she says has "authentic impulse". She lets spill some secrets about Sr Jude, and teaches Jenny to "defend herself".
The Monsignor enters Sr. Jude's office, and tells her that he has transferred her to a home for wayward girls in Pittsburgh. She blames Arden for orchestrating the situation, over Howard's insistence otherwise. He tells her to pack her things.
Sr Mary Eunice walks in on Sr Jude packing, and the elder explains the situation. She bids the younger nun to get cognac from the kitchen. Sr Mary Eunice eyes the red lingerie.
Kit calls Thredson from jail, his one phone call. Kit accuses Thredson of manipulating him into confessing, and Thredson says that Kit needs to live with the responsibilities of his actions. Thredson seems angry that Kit would lie with delusions of "little green men". While they speak, Lana files her chains trying to escape. Thredson is enraged at being called a liar and a bastard. He re-enters the playroom and sees Lana has been exerting herself. He strikes her and restrains her wrists. He is going to kill her for trying to abandon him, and gathers the Bloody Face mask and a scalpel, disappointed that people can't live up to expectations.
Sr Mary Eunice dances in red lingerie in the office. The phone rings, Sam calling. She answers in Sr. Jude's voice.
Sr Jude pours Arden a drink to celebrate his victory over her. He won't drink the toast alone. They both drink, he more than she.
The younger nun comes to the hotel to meet Sam. He asks if Sr Jude sent him, but she says that Sr Jude does not know she's there. Sr Jude later arrives with the now fingerprinted glass, but Sam has been slashed. With labored breaths, he says that it was a young nun.
Sr Mary Eunice comes back to Arden with Goodman's file on him. She has hidden part of it as insurance against him betraying her. He rages about having to hide this solitary life, but he questions her motives in protecting him. She says this is the beginning of a whole new era, and he should trust her with his soul and that everything will work out.
Jenny killed her brother, sister, and parents, and tells the police again that it was the bearded man in brown. As before, she has collected souvenirs.
Thredson admits that he was aware of Lana before her commitment. In flashback, he observes her saying to a crime reporter that she wanted to write about the origins of Kit's monstrosity. He is about to cut into her, and she says it is OK, as a mother's love is unconditional. He realizes his mistake, and takes the mask off. He begins to "nurse" her, "needing colostrum". She sobs.
2012
The police investigate Briarcliff, tracing the car back to Leo Morrison. They identify his body and arm, but Teresa is missing. The iPhone rings (still held in Leo's rigored hand) and the voice on the other end tells Detective John Grayson that he only killed the imposters. Teresa is revealed to be on his playroom table.
Featured Characters
Jenny Reynolds
Jenny is a young girl whose mother feared that her daughter murdered her playmate after discovering the girl's hair in her coat. After Miss Reynolds left her, a possessed Sister Mary Eunice briefly "babysat" her, revealing Jenny was far smarter than other girls her age and she should eliminate anyone who attempted to mess with her. It was also revealed Jenny did kill her friend. After dubious advice from Sr. Mary Eunice she is picked up by her mother. Later in the episode, Jenny murders her entire family and describes to the police a fictional description similar to the one she gave to her first known murder, while at the crime scene, having already grabbed hair from each of her family members as twisted trophies. It is unknown what becomes of Jenny afterwards.
Guest Stars
- Chloe Sevigny as Shelley
- Jenna Dewan Tatum as Teresa
- Mark Consuelos as Spivey
- Mark Margolis as Sam Goodman
- Amy Farrington as Mrs. Reynolds
- Nikki Hahn as Jenny Reynolds
- Bob Bancroft as Harry Kirkland
- David Gianopoulos as Det. John Greyson
- Eugene Byrd as Greyson's Partner
- Kirk Bovill as Phil
- Kasey Mahaffy as Father James
- Michael Duisenberg as Male Uniform
- Adrian Quinonez as Uni Cop
- Brooke Hasalton as Mom
- Tara Holt as Laura
- Betty Murphy as Sally
- Parker York Smith as Giles
- Cheyenne Wilbur as Professor
- Dylan McDermott as Voice of Bloody Face 2012 (uncredited)
Quotes
- Sister Mary Eunice: "I'm the Devil."
- Sister Mary Eunice: "This is the beginning of a whole new era."
- Oliver
You can scream all you want, no one will hear you. Obviously the basement is soundproof. Believe me, girls with bigger sets of lungs than yours have tried before.
Notes
- Lizzie Brocheré (Grace Bertrand) is credited, but does not appear.
- The promo adds a scene that may have been rejected or seen on other episodes but it is unlikely since Jude isn't a nun anymore. The scene included Jude being restrained by Timothy and said "you can't send me away".
Gallery
Raised Questions
- Thredson has light skin and dark, dense hair on his arms and chest. This was shown multiple times in the episode, as he was wearing a white "A-shirt" / "wife-beater". In 2012, Bloody Face is wearing a black shirt of the same style, but has noticeably lighter and sparser hair on his arms. Is Thredson the Bloody Face of 2012?
- What 'dark secret' is the Monsignor so threatened by that he'd keep silent about Arden's work and send Sister Jude away to protect her?
References
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