Summary
Things go from bad to worse in “Chapter 4” as plans go awry and new obstacles present themselves.
This recap of Tribes of Europa season 1, episode 4, “Chapter 4”, contains spoilers. You can check out our spoiler-free season review by clicking these words.
It occurred to me at the start of Tribes of Europa episode 4 that Elja and Moses are basically on a video game fetch quest. They have a MacGuffin that does something or other, but it needs another thing to make it work, and they need to go somewhere else to get it, which entails meeting new eccentric people along the way and getting into scrapes. For instance, here in “Chapter 4”, Amena recommends they go to Bracker to get a fusion module that’ll power the cube, but lo and behold, Moses has some previous with Bracker and the whole thing’s a bit of a risk. But when the Crows arrive and he and Elja are forced to make a hasty getaway, they basically have no choice but to go and see Bracker anyway. It’s like a plot-driven door.
Things are a bit less predictable with Kiano, who is saved from execution when the smuggling is exposed and taken to join the Hakkar, Varvara’s coterie of effeminate slaves who all wear makeup and get special privileges provided they’re completely, pathetically subservient to her. This point is made rather obviously when Kiano is rude to her and refuses to eat the fancy meal she’s had prepared for them all, so one of his fellows has to eat his leftovers off the floor like a hound while barking and yelping to complete the effect. Varvara, though, is quite turned on by Kia’s attitude and basically rapes him, warning him that if he finishes before her she’ll cut his head clean off. Talk about pressure.
Then there’s Liv and the Crimsons. After her efforts with Grieta she’s officially sworn in and chooses a crossbow as her weapon of choice, which is only fitting, but just as the troops are preparing to march on Brahtok, the Crimson “Father” General Cameron turns up with some bad news — David is being charged with high treason for his off-the-books efforts and will be sentenced to death. Another snag in Liv’s plan, then, to put things mildly.
Moses and Elja don’t have much more luck in Tribes of Europa season 1, episode 4. When they go to see Bracker, to technology collector figures out virtually immediately why they want the fusion module, and also correctly deduces that Elja has it on him. He steals it and throws them both out. More on this in the next episode, though, as the remainder is left to deal with Varvara and Kia. The former takes the latter to a techno club where he’s introduced to Kapitan and his Highlords (Varvara is trying to get membership in that exclusive club, by the way) and almost immediately spots his father carrying Kapitan’s cane. He also gets to witness a Boj, and see a woman earn a new name and the right to become a Crow. Afterward, Varvara once again takes Kia back to her private chambers and instructs him to undress while quizzing him about his past. As it turns out, his mother was apparently killed by raiders but her body was never found. Varvara’s a bit turned off by the sadsack story, even though she asked, and tells Kia to leave, but he asks to stay with her. Is this Stockholm Syndrome? Part of a long con? Horniness? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
