Tribe Leader Episode Recaps

Series 3, Episode 07

Previously on the Tribe: Eagle/ Amber wasn't happy to see Bray, Lex, Ebony, and Dal in her camp. She spoke with Dal and revealed she'd had a concussion after the explosion on Eagle Mountain and been rescued by Pride, soon thereafter to become the Gaian's tribe leader. A bitter Bray burst into her hut and demanded she talk to him, but she implied she had some reason to be angry at him and told him Amber was dead and not coming back.

We pick up right where we left off, with Amber basically telling Bray to get the hell out. She says they're causing problems by being there and that they need to go. She's called a meeting of the council for them to put forth their case, but until then, yeah, get the hell out. Bray is confused and hurt by her cold attitude and her labeling them his friends. He points out they used to be her friends too and that they need their help now. Cloe, Patsy, Ryan, Jack, doesn't she care about them anymore? Amber flashes back to a moment in the mall, which confusingly has its own flashbacks. She remembers key moments of the Mallrats' life in the Mall. That's not enough to sway her, though. "If my people choose to help you, it's up to them. Now…please!" She gestures almost desperately for him to go, but he's not nearly finished.

Bray tries again to goad her into revealing the truth. "Then maybe you're right. Maybe the Amber I knew is dead. But it doesn't make sense. Didn't you love me then, is that it?" She tells him to leave it alone, which he understandably scoffs at. He again demands the truth, which is what finally sets her off. "The truth?! Oh yeah, you were always real good at that, weren't you. You and HER!" Bray's confused, again. Her who? Ebony, he finally guesses. He says nothing happened between him and Ebony and he thought Amber believed that on Eagle Mountain. She did believe it, at least for one kiss, the kiss they shared on the mountain after Lex cut through all their bullshit. "And I believed you, after all that doubt. At that moment, you were all the things I thought a man should be." Barf. And then the explosion happened. She picks back up on the story she was telling Dal. She passed out inside the building with a concussion and heard someone calling her name, Ebony. She runs to Amber's side and asks if she's okay, eliciting what sounds like a drunken response that they have to find the others. Ebony helps her stand and slings her arm over her shoulder. Supporting her weight, Ebony helps Amber outside where they collapse just over a hill. Presumably at this point the Mallrats are on the other side of the building/mountain and so aren't witnesses to Amber exiting with Ebony. Both take a minute to catch their breath before Amber starts asking where Bray is.

And what follows is ridiculous and implausible and irritating in its plot holes, but we'll get into all that in a minute. Ebony, with no discernable trigger or immediate motivational cause, decides to tell a big, fat, whopping lie of a story. "Bray? We are a tragic case, aren't we? After all this time you still don't know the truth about loverboy, do you?" Amber is confused at first but then figures, rightly so, that Ebony is trying once again to throw a wrench in her romance with Bray. She tells her not to try anything as they're together now. But Ebony is just getting started. "I was gonna spare you the gory details, but since you must know everything, well, Bray and I, we had a baby together." Amber is speechless for a moment - probably wondering, as am I, what Ebony is smoking - and then protests that she doesn't believe her. "We were an item long before the virus. Still no comprehendo? Well maybe you should take a look at our family snapshot then." She pulls out this faded picture of her and Bray leaning smilingly over a baby. "He's a liar and a cheat. More my type than yours, don't you think?" And then Amber, who isn't usually an imbecile, decides to believe this bullshit and starts wondering how Bray could do this to her. "He'll break your heart every time, girl. But it doesn't have to be like this. Take your chance and be free, Amber." Amber realizes Ebony is telling her to take off, but what about the other Mallrats? "I'll take care of everything. They'll just think you…died. It'll be better that way. Go, Amber. You know I'm right." Amber suddenly grabs her head, muttering about her pain, and then passes out.

So that's it then; that's the story of why Amber decided to let her death be faked. Because Ebony showed her a picture of her, Bray, and a baby and Amber believed her bullshit story that they had it together. Oh, where to begin? First of all, was Ebony planning this? Was she just waiting for a moment to pull out that picture? Knowing her, she probably was. She just got lucky and was handed the opportunity to fake Amber's death too. Okay, fine. How the hell did she manage to dig a grave and cover it back up without anyone else seeing? Especially considering that Zandra was also buried, right next to her, and that Lex is the one that dug her grave, per his own explanation? Even if you allow that some of the others were passed out or spread out on the mountain, she still wouldn't have enough time. I call shenanigans!

Then this stupid picture, or rather Amber's stupid reaction to it. Why would Amber ever believe anything Ebony said about Bray? Oh, she had a concussion you say? Except that she passed out and then regained consciousness, so she shouldn't be that bad off. Fine. She doesn't have one now I'm assuming. So three weeks, let's say, after the explosion she wakes up with no symptoms. She thinks through what Ebony told her, and doesn't immediately see holes in this story? Where's the baby, for instance? Did it die? Wouldn't Trudy have known about it? She would have thought through this and then gone to find out the answers to these questions.

Perhaps she was carrying deep-seated trust issues and what not and just decided that it was better to let it all go in the past, which is kind of what they're implying. But they just don't give it enough support to make it work, unfortunately. All in all, it's clumsy and poorly done. But since this whole show requires inordinate amounts of suspension of disbelief, so be it.

Back in the present, Amber sums up. "She took care of things alright. When I came to, I found my grave with the ring on it, and all of you gone. And then I realized Ebony was right. I had to start again, it was better that way." Well, first of all, don't get passive aggressive about it. You can't blame them for believing you were dead and then not show up to prove them wrong. Second, Bray looks like he's trying really hard not to laugh at her, since he doesn't want to upset her, but that he does think this is completely ridiculous and can't believe she fell for it. Which, that sounds about the right reaction, so good choice there, Dwayne.

He tells her this is completely crazy and starts to say that he and Ebony never had a baby, but Amber cuts him off and angrily tells him not to lie to her. She saw the proof. Um, no, you didn't. You saw a photograph. And you're gonna look like a damn fool when it turns out you wasted all this time because you couldn't be bothered to exercise a little skepticism. Regardless, she falls back on the "I don't care, it's in the past, blah blah blah" crap. Bray, to his credit, never laughs in her face and takes her pain seriously. He says she's believed a lie this whole time and he's going to prove that's what it was.

True to his word, he leaves her hut and heads directly for Ebony. "So we had a baby together, did we, Ebony? And when was that exactly? It was you the whole time, wasn't it? You drove Amber out. You dug her grave, made us believe she was dead. I should have let the Locos tear you into pieces when I had the chance." Ebony decides to play dumb, which, gutsy move. She has to know at this point that she's found out, but she'll try and hold on just a little longer. "Baby? Grave?" she says. Brilliant comeback. She blusters a bit about how she doesn't know what Amber told him, but she's as innocent as the driven snow. He's not buying it but she tries to turn it back on him. "Oh, there you go again, Bray. I'm always the liar, aren't I. Did I lie to you about the Chosen? Did I? Well maybe this time, she's the liar. Or maybe the explosion made her, I don't know, hallucinate!" Ebony says emphatically that she didn't dig the grave, someone else did. I almost believe her too, and it would be an interesting twist if she were telling the truth. She redirects again to their original purpose in coming to the Gaians in the first place: help. Bray is wasting time digging up the past while the Guardian "is busy brainwashing our people!" I love how Ebony randomly adopts the Mallrats when it suits her purposes. Bray is sure they'll hang on because they know Bray and the others will come for them. Not if the Mallrats think they're dead, Ebony says. Just like Bray thought Amber was dead. You gotta hand it to her; Ebony is one heck of a manipulator. She's argued Bray to a standstill.

The Mallrats, meanwhile, are in line receiving food from the Chosen. Not very much of it, however, and KC's silent request for more is denied. Alice, in a really effective move, decides to dump out her porridge and generally behave like a big brat. Now, I get the need to resist the Chosen and fight back. But they already have very little food and what food they do have they're going to need to put up that resistance. It makes no sense to do this, so shut up, Alice. She then asks for more, all innocent, and when Luke is a big dummy and gives it to her, she tosses it all over his pretty blue dress and shoes. Luke orders her to clean them, but she doesn't do boots. He moves his hand back to strike her but is stopped by the recently arrived Guardian. Alice gives Luke a triumphant, condescending grin, and then I want to slap her. She talks a big game about fighting back, but she's going about it in the stupidest way possible. I never thought I'd say this, but she should listen to Tai-San.

The Guardian comes up behind Alice, and she at least has the grace to look a little wary. He says that if one of them doesn't eat, none of them eat and orders that the food be taken from them. She turns on him and shouts that she hates him. Again, very effective. The Guardian is thrilled, however, and says that hate is good. He turns and walks over to Patsy, getting right in her face, and says that fear is also good. Tai-San, quiet up to this point, speaks up and tells him to leave Patsy alone. She tells the others that hate is what the Guardian wants, which is pretty clear at this point. She stares directly at him and says, "Deny him what he wants." The Guardian is, of course, already jonesing for Tai-San and smiles. He departs, snapping his fingers at Luke, who squishes awkwardly after him.

Alice apologizes to Ellie about the food. So, what, screw the rest of them? God, Alice pisses me off sometimes. Ellie is worried about Alice and thinks maybe she's pushing the Chosen too far. Alice thinks someone has to. She can see that the rest of the Mallrats, including Ellie, are losing heart. "Somebody's gotta take a stand against these crazies!" There's a Chosen goon standing right behind Ellie listening to this whole conversation, and he looks like he's trying to be inconspicuous, which completely cracked me up. Alice thinks it might as well be her that stands up to them and she's sorry if the others aren't as strong as she is, but she's got no choice. "If I'm going down, I'm going down fighting."

Luke and the Guardian are watching the Mallrats from the balcony above and the Guardian asks for an update. Luke believes the Supreme Mother has been wronged. He's certain that Bray tricked Trudy into allowing him to speak to the Mallrats and then went off script without her knowledge. He believes if the Guardian were to release her, Trudy could be useful in helping to break the Mallrat's "stubborn spirit." The Guardian will visit the Supreme Mother. At the moment, he's interested in what Luke thinks the nature of Alice's spirit is. "Break her and the rest will fall apart," Luke asserts. The Guardian isn't sure about that. "Perhaps she is not quite the last of their strength." He gazes thoughtfully, intrigued, at Tai-San.

Back at the Gaian camp, Bray is staring broodingly off into the distance when Lex comes up. He begins that he's always thought there was something "smoldering" between Bray and Ebony, and for all he knows they could have had a kid together. He's always kind of fancied Ebony himself, so he wouldn't blame Bray. Bray asks Lex whose side he's trying to be on now. Lex, on a short fuse, snaps that he's on his side and Tai-San's. They're doing nothing while Tai-San is being held prisoner by those "creeps." Bray too is on a short fuse. "Well, what do you suggest? Go back to the city and storm it, all four of us?" Heh. I'd pay to see that. Bray continues that they're here because they need help to fight, though Lex scoffs at the idea of the Gaians joining the fight. "Thanks to you barging in on Queen Eagle over there, they hate our guts!" I would so love to see a buddy comedy with Bray and Lex sniping at each other while trying to solve crimes or, I don't know, do good deeds. It'd be hilarious. Dal approaches them and tries to calm them down, but to no effect. Bray grabs Lex's arm and tells him that the Gaians are all they have in the way of allies.

Lex isn't on board the Gaian train though. (Even though he was just arguing with Ebony that they were good fighters. Maybe Lex is schizophrenic.) "I say we don't need them. I say they're just a bunch of no good, hippie losers!" He shouts this at them, so they can't possibly miss it. Bray is pissed that Lex would further damage their relationship with the Gaians, though Lex isn't finished. "They couldn't even fight their way out of this little tree town! You know, where they hide from the rest of the world and study the birds and the bees." Bray turns away from Lex with his head down like he's trying to deny any relationship with him. Heh, again.

The rest of the Gaians, including Amber, are now grimly watching as Pride comes up and acknowledges how upset Lex must be. Lex denies that Pride has any idea how upset he is and declares that the Gaians don't want to fight because they're scared. He's like a bulldog snapping at the heels of a monk, if you can imagine it. Lex just wants to fight something and Pride is convenient, but goading him to the point of anger would be very difficult since he's all zen and shit. "Does someone want to prove me wrong? Come on, who wants to fight me." No one steps forward and Lex snots that that's what he thought. He's got his own names for the Gaians which he randomly assigns: Tortoise, Mouse, Chicken. And he doesn't forget "Mr. Pussycat" standing in front of him, whom he accuses of being a coward, along with the rest of the "zoo." He brats that he doesn't want their help anyway and storms off. Pride stops him, saying that if it's what Lex wants, Pride will fight him. I'm not sure why Pride agrees to this, since he seems above Lex's taunts. Although he does show a temper later on, so maybe that's all it is. On the other hand, maybe he's actually trying to help Lex by allowing him to show his passion to the Gaians, while at the same time kicking his ass so the Gaians don't feel there's any unaddressed insult. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it. Moving on.

Trudy finally gets some screen time, still confined to her room. The Guardian enters and announces that he's decided he may have been too harsh on her. He's peeling an orange, and I'm not sure if it's just a prop or if he's taunting her because she still hasn't been allowed to eat. If it's the latter, it's a nice way to maintain his petty cruelty at her expense, even when he's doing something nice. They should be on the same side, he says, and the others need to see that. Hmm…so I wonder if he's realized that she has some support among the Chosen and he doesn't want that to develop into a full-blown faction. He's letting her out of her prison and allowing her to see Brady again. He also wants her to speak with her friends, the Mallrats. She's quick to put in they're not her friends, but he wants them to be. He wants her to tell them that Zoot could be their friend. Yeah, they'll believe that. She agrees, though she's a bit wary when he adds that he wants her to report their actions and words back to him.

The Mallrats are back in the café, and hungry still. May and Salene are pissed that Alice blithely threw away their chance at food, for everyone. Ellie comes to Alice's defense, because that's what she does, but Salene has had it. "She can go ahead and get herself killed, or whatever else she's trying to do. She can leave the rest of us out of it." I'm with Salene on this one; Alice is acting like an idiot. She's not backing down though, and tells Salene to just join the Chosen already. "Go tell them Zoot appeared to you in a bolt of lightning and wanted you to kiss his backside!" Ryan interrupts them and reminds them they need to stick together. That's becoming less and less of an option, I'm thinking. Alice apologizes to Salene and says she never meant for everyone to have their food taken away, but Salene isn't listening and excuses herself to go change. That's just what Alice is afraid of, though I'm pretty sure she doesn't mean clean clothes.

The Gaians have gathered in a circle, inside which a shirtless Pride and Lex will fight it out. They cheer for Pride and boo Lex. This is kind of silly, but whatever. Dal doesn't get what the point of this is. You and me both, Dal. Aren't they trying to get the Gaians to fight with them? At that point Pride manages to flip Lex over on his back and he gets back up all feisty and pissed off.

Tai-San sits in her room, hugging something which I'm assuming belongs to Lex, though I can't tell what it is. The Guardian comes in uninvited and hopes he's not disturbing her. Eyeroll. He suggests that they're alike, both with strength and vision. He admires her and thinks her husband was a fortunate man. He's heard Lex was a great warrior, rash, but brave. I'm not sure why he's talking in the past tense, since I don't think anyone said Lex was dead, except maybe to discompose her. He feigns surprise that there hasn't been a rescue attempt from him yet. Maybe he's wounded somewhere, or dead. He tries to lead her around to being afraid for Lex, but she easily resists his clumsy attempt at manipulation. The Guardian doesn't know Tai-San or Lex. She point out, quite intelligently, that if he was dead, she wouldn't be worried for his safety. And if he's in fact alive, he's quite capable of looking after himself.

Except, of course, that he's currently in the forest getting his ass kicked by Pride. The Gaians call out encouragement to Pride and then cheer when he once again lays Lex out on his back. Kudos to Lex, he keeps getting up and jumping right back in there and manages to land a couple good punches on Pride.

The Guardian gives Tai-San an offer. If she thinks they're alive, she can take a message to Lex and the other "rebels." She can tell them if give themselves up, they'll be treated well. He appears to be trying to get her to tell him if the rebels are alive. But why would he think she knows? Does he suspect they got a message to the Mallrats? Why? Also, if you actually think she'll go for this, either you're a complete dumbass, or you think she is. Randomly, she says he must never have gone fishing with his father. The Guardian's like ooookay, why? "Because he would have told you that those who wish to catch fish must first disguise the hook." Oy. Their efforts to make her seem wise instead come out obnoxious and weird. Of course, the Guardian is impressed, because he's retarded.

We return to our shirtless entertainment already in progress. Aaaaaand Lex goes down for the third time! Dude, you need to brush up on your boxing. Up he gets again. The Gaians continue to cheer on Pride while Lex's team stares apathetically. Maybe if you didn't fight like a girl they'd cheer for you. Pride gets Lex in the gut and knocks him down again, delivering a punch to the face to make him stay down. Lex is nothing if not stubborn, though, and attempts to rise. Ebony - competitive to the point of destruction - even tells him to stay down. Pride raises his arms in triumph and turns to see Lex strugging to his feet. He also tells him to stay down, that it's enough and he's proven his courage, but Lex won't give up. Eagle, who apparently went inside before the fight started, has had enough too. She comes out and announces authoritatively that the fight is over and it's time to hear what the Mallrats have to say to the Gaians.

Pride offers Lex a hand and pulls him to his feet. He's been won over and says he'll be happy to fight beside Lex on any cause if the tribe wishes it. Well, that makes you an idiot too. Lex just picked a fight with potential allies, when it wouldn't have done anything for him or his cause. He didn't plan this as a noble demonstration of his dedication; he just wanted to punch someone. Lex is kind of impressed with Pride too, and would let him tag along. Male bonding at its best. Ebony gives Lex a look like he's an idiot. Dal says he was great, because Dal's sweet. Bray thinks Lex is an "ox head" but that losing the fight may have actually helped their cause. To Bray and Dal's amusement, Lex claims he didn't lose, he let Pride win, scout's honor.

May helps Salene, who has a hand placed protectively over her stomach, into her room. Trudy follows them, full of concern. She doesn't think Salene is looking very well. May thinks Trudy will understand, because she's a mother, and spills the beans that Salene is pregnant. Salene doesn't want anyone else to know though. I'm not sure why it matters now that you've told the traitorous Supreme Mother of the Chosen, but okay. Trudy offers to release her from some of her duties, and Salene is pathetically grateful. She's worried about what will happen to her baby. Trudy reassures her that everything will be alright, but also says it's "time to give up the fight now." Salene must join the Chosen. She could also convince Patsy and Cloe, assuring their safety. Salene balks at the thought, and Trudy appeals to May to persuade her. As a nice bit of bribery, she'll release May from her duties too so that she can look after Salene. Well played, Trudy, well played.

The Gaian's are discussing the question on the table: to help, or not to help, the rebel Mallrats against the Chosen. A Gaian that I believe is called Grey Owl is passionately against. What goes on beyond the forest has nothing to do with them, he claims. That's how the Gaians have survived. Many of the Gaians, cheering loudly, clearly agree with him. He continues, delightfully pompous about their nature loving ways. "And now this tribe from the city, who so clearly don't know how to live with the earth, want us to make their enemies ours. No! We keep to ourselves. That is our way." More enthusiastic cheering. Eagle, watching and listening, calls for quiet and tells everyone to settle down. She invites Bray to speak for the Mallrats.

He agrees with Grey Owl. The Chosen are not yet the enemy of the Gaians. But the Chosen aren't just another tribe, they're like the virus. And one day they will come to the forest and to the Gaian's home. Grey Owl maintains that the Chosen wouldn't find the Gaian's camp, just as Bray and the others had to be led there by Pride. Bray laughs his objections off. The Chosen have spies everywhere, and they will find the Gaians one day. And when they do, the Gaians will be alone, just as the Mallrats are now. Pride stands and joins his arguments to Bray's. He's seen the destruction caused by the Chosen and they would be fools not to fear them. Bray wants the Gaians to help gather resistance among the free tribes and then they may all have a chance. But if they wait and decide to stand alone, they will all be made into slaves. Everything they love and respect will be absorbed by the Chosen.

Dal randomly decides to jump in now and appeal to Amber alone, although I think we've already established that it's not her decision. He says they were her family and she's got to help them. But it's the decision of the whole tribe, not just her. She directs the Gaians to give some thought to what they've heard at the meeting. "This is about our future." They'll vote tonight on whether to join the Mallrats against the Chosen. She leaves them, returning to her hut, leaving behind noisy discussion among the tribe. Lex thinks Bray gave it a good try but he still thinks it's useless.

Alice seeks advice from Tai-San. Does she think Alice is wrong to resist the Chosen. No, but Tai-San does think there are different kinds of resistance. Alice is strong, but along with that strength, she's also showing the Guardian her weakness. And that weakness is the other Mallrats. They need to conserve their energy because Lex and Ebony are out there, and maybe even Bray and Dal. But what if they're not out there, Alice wonders. Then they will wait until the Guardian destroys himself. I'm not sure you have the time to wait until that happens.

Ebony sits by a fire contemplating the picture she used to trick Amber. She kisses it tenderly, and it obviously means a lot to her. Although, it's beyond stupid to pull it out now for some reminiscing. And, as she tries to put it back in her bag, Bray's hand shoots out and grabs her wrist. He snatches the picture and pulls her close to him, staring into her eyes. She gives him a little smile, knowing the jig is up, not caring anymore. Furious, he drags Ebony like she's a child to the foot of the stairs leading up to Amber's hut and calls for her to come down. She comes out warily, wondering what the hell is going on now. He shows her the picture and asks if that's the one Ebony used as her proof. She confirms it is the picture she was shown. Ebony stays defiantly silent, even when Bray shakes her wrist like she's a ragdoll and demands that she tell Amber the truth. "Amber, she fooled you. She fooled you. We never had a baby!"

This would be a lot more effective as a cliffhanger if anyone actually believed they'd had a baby, which no one does except for temporarily insane Amber. So, again, whatever.