The nature of the military experiment on both vampires and Van Helsings remains a mystery at this point, but if the doctor who draws Dmitri’s spinal fluid is the same person who slides him the key to facilitate his escape, then hopefully there’s a good explanation. Unlike Julius’ flashback earlier, this reveal doesn’t tell us how Dmitri became a vampire or how he rose to power, but the acknowledgement that he was held by the military sheds new light on his perspective. As the battle for control ramps up, backstory becomes ever more imperative, and to learn Dmitri, like Vanessa, was studied by the military at The Farm, adds credence to many of his proclamations aimed at drawing Vanessa to his side. The writers take us back to 1976 in the opening scene, and we’re presented a frightening view of Dmitri looking very Tony Montana-ish in his three-piece suit. In fact, the manner in which this confrontation is presented, allows us to forgive some of our feelings of manipulation. Despite those feelings, their hug sets the tone for the group to rewire itself before taking the next step. Axel Miller remains the noble soldier and friend he’s been throughout this campaign, however, having watched a distraught Doc lament his death means her sorrow has essentially been wasted. The scene is handled with care, and Axel’s seeming nonchalant approach to the reunion gives Doc the peace of mind she’s craved since she left him behind. It’s also important that we see Axel and Doc put the past behind them after Vanessa turns him, and it’s obvious he recognizes she’s been out of her depth and is willing to forgive her. Once they get her back from the military that is. With him by her side, I think we’ll see an invigorated heroine. Make no mistake, Scarlett’s appearance should certainly help Vanessa, but the history she already has with Axel and the level of trust the two have built, cannot be discounted as they move forward. And come on, as soon as he asks Vanessa, “What’s up with Samurai Jane?” it’s clear, Axel’s back. While her heightened sense is not surprising, that Scarlett hears it also erases some of the annoyance from having our emotions toyed with and furthers the possibility that she too has had her DNA tinkered with.
As soon as the pounding heartbeat becomes audible while the four drive away in the reacquired Wanda, it’s clear we’re listening through Vanessa’s ears, and she believes Axel is still alive. Nevertheless, he is alive, and despite any reticence to accept this as believable, even within the context of a vampire tale, some good does come out of it. So when Axel turns out to be only “mostly dead,” perhaps we should try to imagine the terror one faces when buried alive and then be happy that such a formidable and likable character will still be around to fight the looming evil.
Nobody cares if Jason or Freddy keeps coming long after they should be dead, or if innocent characters keep making bad choices, because within the context of the horror genre, these actions are perfectly acceptable. We hate Sam now and want him dead in the same way that we love and admire Axel Miller and mourn his death.Įven so, the entertainment landscape has changed, and though Van Helsing chronicles the hero’s journey of Vanessa, it is, at its heart, a horror story. If there are no real stakes for the characters, then any emotional investment in them seems pointless. “Mankind lost a great soldier today.” And herein lies Van Helsing’s greatest obstacle.
Watching the four pallbearers carry his body to the freshly dug grave and Julius’ insistence that someone say something meaningful is crushing. That said, after Sam’s difficult to justify getaway in “Save Yourself,” no matter how much Axel means to the show, his resurrection after the heartbreaking burial scene borders on disingenuous. To ignore the inner struggle she’s experiencing over her set of circumstances and rebuke her for every questionable decision she makes seems patently unfair. We needed to see this side of her to remember that whatever she is, whatever she’s become, at her core, she’s still a human being. It’s a moving scene as we wait to see if history will repeat itself, and when it doesn’t, and Axel is restored, it’s satisfying to see Vanessa smile again. She finally articulates her reluctance to turn Axel a bit more clearly here, and as hardened has she’s become, even she can see the desperation in his eyes as he holds a gun to his head. Of course it’s convenient to forget the perilous road she’s traveled, and that her followers look to her for guidance and answers even though she’s just as lost as they are. One of the things I love about Van Helsing is how complicated Vanessa has become, and even though she’s the show’s hero, it’s sometimes difficult to like her.
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