When in Rome, you do as the Roman’s do. On Purge Night can you resist the “urge to purge?” Better yet, what are the personal triggers that would make you decide to purge? These are the prevalent themes our characters are forced to confront in episode three.
Ric and Jenna are thrown headfirst into Purge Night mayhem. NFAA member Stanton agrees to fund their affordable housing project in exchange for a 35% stake in their company. Seconds following the handshake deal, Stanton brings in a kidnapped victim to purge. When Rick and Jenna refuse to participate, Stanton shrugs and casually executes the man with a point-blank shot to the head.
The couple now realizes in horror that no one’s hands stay clean when you work with the NFAA. However, Rick quickly checks his morality at the door, telling a distraught Jenna, “We can’t change the Purge. but we can change our lives.” Jenna still wants to break the NFAA deal immediately, but Rick plays the comforting spouse and soothes her into waiting until the morning to render a final decision.
Rick’s look during their embrace lets us know a permanent divide is now between them. Rick has a ruthless capitalist streak and won’t let anyone, including Jenna, stand in his way. In contrast, Jenna can’t just accept a cruel world now that it’s revealed she’s pregnant. If anything, the pregnancy has made her moral convictions stronger. The Stanton maid made reinforces Jenna’s self-determination by stating her job as a parent is to make this place a world we want to bring our kids into.
By default, we now have to look at Lila with softer eyes. This love triangle was already messy and got more complicated when Jenna disclosed her pregnancy to Lila. The bond and trust between them is strong and when the night progresses, we will see how much of Lila’s political and familial NFAA loyalties she’s willing to sacrifice for her love of Jenna.
The story arc with siblings Miguel and Penelope took an even darker tone this week via flashbacks to their family history as OMFs (Original Martyr Family). The scenes give us our first direct tie-in with the latest movie, showing their parents meeting with an NFAA official and being paid to “stay home” on the inaugural Purge Night. Their parents were brutally murdered by government-sponsored mercenaries while they hid in the closet.
This explains the contrasting viewpoints of the siblings — Miguel becomes a Marine and fierce protector of the only family he has left. Penelope, seeking to find meaning in the loss of her parents, develops a martyr complex and becomes a religious zealot, apt to repeat the phrase “I’m not afraid” as if subconsciously reliving the night of her parent’s murder.
The Miguel-Penny reunion will have to wait for at least one more episode thanks to that gun-wielding gang of masked nuns. The cult hands Penny over to them and she’s whisked off to an unknown destination, meaning Miguel likely needs to ask Pete the Cop for another favor (and some backup).
Back in the corporate world, Jane’s struggling with her Purge decisions. We still don’t know if the assassin she hired carried out the contract nor do we know who the hit is on. She’s so focused on her phone updates that she brushed off Shane’s brown-nosing, who then gets lured to an isolated office and stabbed to death by Allison.
I told you guys last week to keep an eye on her.
Now that Allison has tasted blood, will she be content the rest of Purge Night? What’s unsettling about Allison’s vacant smile is the fact we can’t read her feelings about Jane. We know Allison will kill to ascend the corporate ladder. Why stop at one potential promotion when you can get another by taking out Jane? If I’m Jane, I take my chances out in the street.
The mysterious masked man once again showed up with his motivational speaker tapes. We see which side of the Purge debate he’s on when he dupes then kills two Purgers who broke into an innocent woman’s home. Afterward, he escorts the woman to safety. So far, he and Miguel are the only ones that don’t hesitate to use deadly force. Is he ex-military as well?
That’s all for this week, Purgers. See you next Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET. Follow me on Twitter @Ismael_BBM_NYK for live show updates.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 