Summary
Episode 2 provides plenty of food for thought as the situation escalates.
This recap of Amazon original series Absentia season 3, episode 2, “Capta Est” contains spoilers.
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How does Absentia season 3, episode 2, “Capta Est” open?
Emily wakes up, still disorientated by the stab wound. Cal arrives to help her and rushes her to the hospital. They perform surgery on her, led by her brother Jack. Emily wakes up to her father and Cal and asks where Nick is but they are not sure. Flynn is safe because he’s on the swim trip.
Emily is struggling
At the FBI offices, the toxicology results show that Nick was right — the bodies of the organ harvesting ring were likely from undocumented people from another country. Emily wakes up in the hospital and is struggling with the sedatives. Agent Crown heads to the hospital and asks a few questions and promises Emily that they will find Nick. Emily is struggling — she knows she can’t lose Nick as well, especially after Flynn has recently lost Alice. This is an awful scenario for the lead character and is a sound premise for season 3.
Finding Kai
Emily heads to the Church and the Father asks if she’d like to make a confession. She tells him that the ceremony of baptism is beautiful — the Father explains that today we have the chance to replenish our sins. The Father hands over a business card for a sanctuary — “Tanya’s House” because he believes she needs help but she’s looking for Nick’s informant Kai. Her manipulation skills are terrifying and this scene highlights that.
Emily finds Kai and tells her that Nick has been abducted and that she needs her help. Kai is worried, stating they have sources everywhere and the FBI cannot help her. Suddenly, a car parks outside of Tanya’s House so Emily provides a distraction by calling the police so she and Kai can escape. Season 3 proves that Emily is still resourceful and works on the spot.
A beer and a chat
Emily takes Kai to her secret office and gives her a beer. The pair bond over their drink — we learn that Kai lost her father. Emily mentions that her attacker had two different coloured eyes and Kai names the attacker as Kristoff and that she only saw him a few times. Kai lets Emily know about a party Kristoff is at — she finds out the password to enter — “Wolfgang”.
The party
Emily heads inside the secret party which involves underground street fighting. Kristoff is fighting and he wins. Emily follows him into the back alley as he’s throwing up profusely. She ties him up in the back of the car — she drugged him with a beer. Emily pops his abdominal with a knife and asks him to take her to Nick, or she will let him die. Emily is not f*cking about — this is personal — what an outstanding first two episodes this is for Absentia.
Nick is in trouble
At the midway point of Absentia season 3, episode 2, “Capta Est”, Nick is getting beaten up by a group of men and they ask him where Kai is. A man walks in and tells Gregor that he’s tired of cleaning up his mess. Gregor assures the man that he has the situation under control but the man kills them all with a silencer. This our new villain and he does not give two sh*ts clearly.
The FBI turns up
After getting directions from Kristoff, Emily leaves him in the car and heads inside an establishment to try and find Nick. The FBI shows up and Agent Crown reminds Emily that she’s still suspended (like this matters). They find CCTV footage of Nick getting carried into a car. Agent Crown shows Kristoff a photo and asks if he knows him (the same man with a silencer who killed the group of men).
Cal puts Kristoff in the back of the ambulance and asks if this involves Meridian — Kristoff doesn’t want to talk to him. Cal puts his finger in his stab wound and keeps asking for a name. Eventually, Kristoff gives Cal a name — “Dawkins”. Cal tells Crown and Emily that Dawkins is a fixer from a European crime organization called Meridian meaning Nick is in a lot of trouble. Suddenly, the story has become wider in scope — it’s not just about a harvesting organ ring. Season 3 has expanded the story very quickly.
Kia has p*ssed off Emily
Emily returns to her basement, grabs Kai, and asks what information she gave Nick — she’s fuming as she feels Kai has lied. Kai admits she has encrypted files for life insurance in case it got dangerous and Nick has the encryption key. She worked for Meridian. Emily grabs Kai and tells her she has put her family in danger — “Did you give up Nick to save yourself?”. We are seeing a different Emily in season 3 — she’s angrier than normal but it’s also fascinating that the roles are reversed since Season 1 — Nick is the one who has disappeared this time.
How does Absentia season 3, episode 2, “Capta Est” end?
Kai suddenly feels guilty because Nick is a father and offers to help. Julianne tells Cal that if Nick’s abduction involved Meridian then this is big. She gets out a folder and tells Cal that Meridian is mentioned a few times in his redacted file — “The mysterious stretch between when you left the military and joined the FBI. Care to share what that’s about?”. Guilt etches on Cal’s face. Cal states that the information she’s discussing is part of a national security investigation and he’s not liberated to discuss anything.
The FBI believes they have found Dawkins in a building so they have a tactical team at the ready. As the team gets close, there’s an explosion. Emily runs towards the building, worried about Nick. She finds Nick’s badge completely burned.
Episode 2 provides plenty of food for thought as the situation escalates. The conversation between Julianne and Cal is especially interesting as there was a hint regarding Cal’s past in season 2, which will become important later.
