Recent episodes of The Path have highlighted the characters’ division of loyalties between the movement and themselves or their family, and the season’s sixth episode continued along those same lines.
In particular, this episode brought Sarah’s internal struggle to a head. Hawk has now left the house to continue his ascension up the ladder in the city centre with Cal’s guidance, while Sarah has continued to see Eddie, leading her to miss key events. While her increasingly lax attitude towards her leadership responsibilities has been bubbling under the surface for most of the season, it is now being noticed by others.
But Sarah is later reminded of her responsibilities, and seems to have her faith rejuvenated, by Eddie partially revealing how he got struck by lightning, i.e. revealing that it happened in Peru but leaving out what really happened to Steve, seemingly for Sarah’s sake. Eddie has lost his faith, but seeing the hopeful look on Sarah’s face, he doesn’t want the same to happen to her.
Sarah’s unburdening session then leads to some plot movement on the Richard/Kodiak side of things, as Richard learns that it was Eddie and not Cal who was in Peru with Steve. Earlier in the episode Richard had locked Kodiak up for threatening to tell everyone the truth about the last three rungs and maybe kill someone again (a brief flashback showed that he has killed before), but Richard’s new knowledge changes things. While much of the Meyerist hierarchy seemed to be lining up against Cal, Richard and Kodiak’s attention may now be diverted.
One person who certainly hasn’t wavered in his stance against Cal is Hank, who, upon the announcement of the new mandatory ID badges, is aghast at what the movement is becoming. Later in the episode he goes to see his other daughter, a denier who we saw briefly in the first season when Sarah broke into her home, and it’s clear that he’s been doing this regularly (which this season has hinted at a couple of times). Returning to the season’s theme of things being poisoned, he tells his daughter that things haven’t been right since Steve’s been gone, but she insists that things weren’t right even then, he just couldn’t see it.
But while Hank may be becoming disillusioned with the movement, at least in its current state, his grandson is diving into the work, determined to serve the movement as best he can. Hawk’s idealism seems to have been even strengthened by his brief incarceration, and so he has begun his climb to 2R, with Cal’s help (He’s also made the excellent decision to get his hair cut).
And while his son is growing more and more dedicated to the movement, Eddie has begun to miss it himself (a life without knowledge of The Bachelorette does sound pretty great), as his struggle to re-adjust to ordinary society continues. The rekindling of his relationship with Sarah seems to die, at least for now, in this episode, and he seems to gain a greater appreciation for Chloe, the episode ending with him going he her cousin’s wedding and watching her sing.
This episode also featured a significant moment for Abe, as shown in a short scene in which he has a sample of water from Clarksville tested for pollutants. I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that Abe has managed to avoid getting caught up in the Meyerist belief system, but this scene further emphasises that this experience is giving him an opportunity for some sort of emotional growth.
While previous episodes have seen characters move away from Meyerism, this episode saw the opposite, as Sarah’s faith was reignited, Hawk pushed forward in his effort to best serve the movement, and Eddie began to long for his old life. But, as Hank said, things just don't feel right.
Grade: B
