The Irregulars season 1, episode 3 recap – Ipsissimus

This recap of Netflix’s The Irregulars season 1, episode 3, “Chapter Three: Ipsissimus”, contains spoilers.

This universe keeps on expanding, but the importance of specific characters is becoming integral to the plot as the story progresses. While the exposition is heavy, The Irregulars manages to keep things mystery-filled.

“Chapter Three: Ipsissimus” begins with Mycroft Holmes explaining how his brother is Sherlock, but Bea wants to know information about John Watson and The Golden Dawn. Mycroft explains how The Golden Dawn is a group of people who are interested in the paranormal; each chapter of The Golden Dawn has a magus, and Richard Wynn was the last one –he believes his death is linked to tarot cards. A new magus is only made after the previous leader’s death, so there’s a killer. Mycroft Holmes wants Bea to come along to his estate; the Inner Circle will be there.

Heading to the country estate

Episode 3 brings a different challenge for the characters, away from London’s hustle and bustle, which is not necessarily a good thing.

Bea and the crew head to the country estate to investigate if the murderer is part of the secret society. Spike is concerned that they are voluntarily doing this, but Bea states that it may help them. They are greeted by Mr. Bannister, Mycroft Holmes’ assistant. The men are given tasks to do, while Bea and Jessie are blessed with the estate’s hospitality.

The suspects

And then the chapter essentially becomes a murder mystery with a “whodunit” concept — the whole being far away at an estate with elusive characters gives that vibe.

Mycroft Holmes tells Bea and Jessie to observe the Inner Circle and investigate if one of them killed Richard Wynn. The suspects are Allan Crawley, R.P. Breakwater, Dion Cross, Gustav Felkin, Patricia Coleman Jones. Mycroft Holmes introduces Bea and Jessie as his nieces, so suspicions are not raised. They spy on the Inner Circle through a peephole; Allan Crawley wants to vote for the next magus, and all of them want to be it.

The Inner Circle partake in a ritual to start the voting. Gustav Felkin is announced as the new magus. Allan has to be reminded to kneel.

Sherlock hasn’t been at the estate for 15 years

But because of this strange mission, Bea and the group investigate things for themselves, and “Chapter Three: Ipsissimus” shows them being resourceful while other events are happening. One of the housemaids tells Spike that Sherlock hasn’t been at the estate for 15 years. She tells Spike that Sherlock returned briefly to put something in the attic, and he looked awful. Leopold and Spike investigate. They find a puzzle box; it needs a riddle to open it.

Bea and the crew cannot escape

The murders continue…

In the middle of the night, Bea and Jessie hear a scream. The Inner Circle are all up; Gustav Felkin is dead. Bea and the crew leave the estate, believing this isn’t paranormal but just a murder. But as they walk away, the estate appears in front of them. No matter where they walk, the estate is in front of them. Leopold suddenly remembers how Gustav was killed with eight swords plunged in him — the eight of swords; the tarot card means captivity and imprisonment. He thinks someone is using the tarots to murder.

Mycroft Holmes has to admit to the Inner Circle that Bea and her crew are investigators.

Jessie the Ipsissimus

The Irregulars season 1, episode 3 highlights how important Jessie is, and her growing awareness of power puts her in a precarious position.

Allan Crawley shows Jessie, Spike, and others the tarot cards. As Jessie touches Allan, she learns that he stole that tarot deck, and he wanted to be like his uncle after he had a heart attack. Allan suddenly realizes Jessie is an Ipsissimus, a powerful psychic. They want her to join the order. Jessie panics and runs off.

Bea and Leopold manage to open Sherlock’s puzzle box and find a book called “The Grimoire of Sherlock Holmes” inside. Spike finds Bea and Leopold and tells them about Jessie and the term Ipsissimus. Leopold notes that it’s in the book and that the powers can be taken off the Ipsissimus by sacrificing them using ritualistic magic. It’s a trap. They need to find Jessie.

Two more dead

Jessie is alone with Allan, and he asks her to give him some of the powers she has, but she manages to get away from him. Meanwhile, Bea and the others find two more members of the Inner Circle murdered; Dion Cross and R.P. Breakwater — they were lovers. Leopold explains that the lovers’ tarot card means infatuation. They notice that Dion Cross drew “XV” with her bloody foot. The “XV” tarot card is the devil. Suddenly, Bea wants to find Mycroft Holmes as he impersonated the devil earlier. Meanwhile, Jessie is under the influence of the lovers’ tarot card and walks outside, whispers overpowering her.

It’s…Patricia Coleman Jones

The whodunit plot swiftly comes to an end, and it’s Bea’s brain that once again gets to the root of the issue.

Bea accuses Mycroft Holmes of being the devil. After an argument with Mycroft, Bea believes Patricia Coleman Jones has manipulated this entire situation. They then wonder if Dion Cross was trying to write “XVI”, not “XV”. The tarot card for “XVI” is a building in a field. There’s a similar building across the estate.

The attempted sacrifice

This means Jessie is in trouble, bringing a blockbuster ending.

Jessie is in that building alone with Patricia Coleman Jones. She’s infatuated by her and tells Patricia that she loves her. Patricia asks Jessie if she’d die for her, and Jessie agrees; she wants to sacrifice her for the powers. Patricia begins a ritual, and suddenly thunder clouds gather as Jessie holds on to a pole. Spike and Allan manage to get inside the building — Spike tries to take her away from the top of the building as the thunder clouds spiral towards her. Patricia tells Allan that Ipsissimus is part of the Rip and will essentially become a God; she offers to share the power with him. Meanwhile, Spike tells Jessie that he loves her, and she gives in, telling Spike that she loves him back. She lets go of the pole, and the lightning strike misses them both.

Patricia tells Jessica to grab the pole again and tries shooting Spike, but Allan pushed her into the pole, so she is electrocuted to death. The ritual ends, and Jessie returns to normal — the infatuation tarot no longer taking hold of her.

The ending

Mycroft Holmes apologizes to Bea, but she’s not interested — she only wants information. He tells Bea and the crew that he is not a member of the Golden Dawn because he has a personal interest in the occult and that he’s the head of a governmental department that does extensive research into the paranormal. He needed someone to help bridge the gap between magic and science — Sherlock became obsessed and mad when he helped. Mycroft explains that when John Watson entered Sherlock’s life, something changed in him. He thinks the doctor is a poison, and he believes someone has opened a new Rip.

As the episode ends, Billy tells Bea that he’s met a girl, and she tells him she’s happy for him. Bea then spends time with Leopold, who is continuing to look into Sherlock’s book. Inside the book is a photo of John Watson and Alice, Bea’s mother. The plot keeps thickening, folks — who’s really behind all this evil? It’s a bit too early to tell.

The Irregulars season 1, episode 3 takes the characters away from the usual day-to-day and brings a murder mystery chapter that is dark but fun, encouraging the viewers to guess “whodunit”.

Mr Watson’s scribes

• Billy tells Leopold to stay away from Bea because he thinks he’s a liar.
• Leopold calls Billy a coward for not telling Bea that he loves her.
• Before sleep, Jessie tells Bea that she needs to choose between Billy and Leopold. Bea tells her she isn’t bothered about “romance bullshit”.
• Billy thanks Bea for what she did to the Tooth Fairy. Bea reminds Billy that they always fight for each other. Billy tells Bea that he likes it when she’s happy and wants more good times in their lives.