Try 30 days of free premium.

Once Upon a Time in Wayward Pines Recap

Pam talks about how once upon a time in the town of Wayward Pines, there was a little boy--Jason Higgins--who didn't know how special he was.

Two First Gen soldiers are on patrol when they hear something moving up ahead. They move forward, guns ready, and discover that it's a deer.

At the hospital, Arlene tells Theo that there are rumors that the Abbies have left for good. He doesn't believe it, but Arlene insists that they have to have hope. She invites Theo out for a celebratory drink, and he reminds her that he's married. Arlene points out that what's in Wayward Pines stays in Wayward Pines because there's no one else.

In Jason' office, Jason insists that the Abbies are gone. Kerry isn't convinced, but Jason figures that they've scared off the Abbies with the flamethrowers. She points out that if Ben is dead then Justin has killed a member of the First Generation.

At home, Theo tells Rebecca about the rumors concerning the Abbies. He wonders why everyone puts so much faith in Jason, and Rebecca says that Jason was groomed to rule. When she says that sometimes they just have to stop asking questions, Theo says that he can't.

Jason and Kerry are at home in bed when they hear something downstairs. When he goes downstairs, Jason finds Mario with Pam Pilcher.

Jason is the firstborn son in Wayward Pines, and rides his bicycle around the hibernation chamber. The Pilchers raised him and taught him the important lessons of the new world. Later, he asks about the other people in the hibernation cells. Pam shows him how they have everyone's lives planned out. CJ comes in and says that it's a very different world outside the fence. Pam says that they'll help the people adapt, but CJ warns that it's not natural what they do. She warns CJ to be careful, and CJ says that Jason should know everything. He smiles and leaves, and Pam tells Jason that he'll know what to do because it's his world.

Mario says that Pam just arrived, and offers to stay. Jason says that it won't be necessary and Pam agrees. Once Mario leaves, Jason wonders why Pam is there when they agreed that she'd stay in the house. He reminds her that she killed her brother, and Pam asks if he understands why she did it. She's been watching the town and the difficult choices that Jason has had to make. Jason says that he's been reading Pilcher's plans, and once their numbers grow then they can start resettlements outside of the fence. Pam says that she knows every step of the plans, and asks Jason to let her help guide him. Jason wonders how it would look if he let her back in now, and Pam says that it would look like the evolution of a great leader.

The next day, the townspeople are waiting in the street. Jason and his men walk down the street with Pam, and CJ tells Theo that Pam killed Pilcher to save Wayward Pines. Jason stops and says that the mother of Wayward Pines has rejoined them. Megan scoffs, but Jason insists that Pam was tested on Invasion Day and had only moments to make a decision. He says that they continue to evolve and heal, and the future relies on our expansion beyond the fence. They have to present a united front, and Pam will help them take the bold steps into the future with forgiveness. Some of the townspeople applaud, and Megan leaves without doing so.

At the hospital, Pam returns to duty in her uniform. Arlene says that it's good to have her back, but hesitates about having a drink with her. Theo sees her enter a ward and follows her in, and Pam says that they met a long time ago. He points out that she was forced to stay away, and Pam says that he wouldn't understand because he wasn't awake when she had to kill her brother. She brings up his relationship with Rebecca, and suggests that being in bed with Rebecca must be like the first time. Pam realizes that he hasn't re-consummated his relationship yet and tells him to get it, and Theo wonders why he's there. She describes the bartender in Hawaii, and says that it wasn't just about Theo. Theo promises that they'll talk later and tells her to have a report on his desk, and Pam mockingly salutes him. Once Theo leaves, Pam takes out a hypodermic from a cabinet and quickly leaves.

Jason is celebrating his birthday at a party, but starts to feel hemmed in. Pam notices and comes over, inviting him back to the party. Jason says that they're not his friends and don't like him, just as Megan comes over. She tells Jason that Pope is bringing a new ice cream flavor just for Jason, and tells Pam to go back. Once they're alone, Megan says that she understands what it's like to feel unhappy on a birthday. She says that Jason can come to her to tell him anything he's feeling, and assures Jason that it's his right as the firstborn son of Wayward Pines. Jason wonders if Pam and David are her real plans, and Megan hesitantly says that they are and that they have exciting plans for Jason's future. As for the other children, Megan says that they know that they will be standing in line behind him.

Megan tells her class that exploratory steps are being taken. However, they must take the most important step themselves. Megan starts talking about procreation, and Lucy points out that they won't be officially paired until graduation. Her teacher says that some of them are already on their way, and points out several girls including one pregnant ones. She then has four female students, including Lucy, go down to the library to get some special reading materials. Megan says that they haven't had their blooming yet. Until then, they'll just have to study up.

Pam goes to the mountain and tries to go in. Mario says that he isn't sure of the protocol, and Pam reminds him that Jason said she should be welcomed back. She goes in to Jason's office and remembers shooting David there. Pam then goes to the lab where the Abbies are being kept and gets a bottle of serum from a case. Megan comes in and sees Pam, and Pam pockets the bottle. Pam steps out and says that she's impressed with what Megan has done, and Megan says that now she studies the Abbies' habits and tries to find a weakness in their genetic code. She talks about how difficult it is for Jason, and Pam apologizes for what she had to do to David. Megan says that she respects that, but won't pretend to welcome her back as a hero. She warns that Pam won't get forgiveness from her and tells her to go on her way.

Theo visits Rebecca at the beauty shop and sits down for a haircut. He tells Rebecca what Pam said about being in Hawaii, and asks Rebecca where her wedding ring is. Rebecca says that they never gave it to her, and Theo relates what Pam said about Hawaii not being just about him. His wife claims that she doesn't remember everything, either.

Pam goes to her home and finds two boys painting "murderer" on the side. They run off and Pam goes inside past the dummy they hung in effigy. She gets her best dress out of storage and lays it on her bed, and then prepares to inject herself with the serum she stole. However, Pam sees Theo coming up and quickly puts the serum away. She greets him at the door and Theo says that he needs to discuss the staff shortage at the hospital. Pam reluctantly lets him in and Theo asks what it was like for her to beg forgiveness from Jason for breaking her own rules. She says that it wasn't an invasion on Invasion Day because David let the Abbies in. Theo asks why she shot David, and Pam says that her brother's mind had snapped. He then asks about Hawaii, and wonders why they chose him and Rebecca. Pam tells him to go, and after a moment Theo leaves. She then goes upstairs and gives herself the injection.

At the mountain lab, Megan has a lab tech check the drugs. He discovers that Pam took a bottle of Variola major, and Megan goes to call Theo.

Jason is reviewing the reclamation plans with Kerry, Mario, and CJ. He says that he wants Pam to be there with them, and says that he wants the first group to go out in a week. Pam arrives, wearing her dress, and kisses Jason on the mouth, and CJ reviews their development plans. Theo comes in with Megan and tells everyone except Pam to get out of the room without touching anything. When Jason wonders why, Megan tells him that Pam took smallpox from the lab. Theo wants to test Pam for smallpox, and Megan warns that Pam wants to kill all of them. Pam says that Wayward Pines is over and she's known it ever since she killed David. She points out that they're turning against each other, and appeals to CJ. Pam tells Jason that she's trying to give him a gift, and begs him to lead his people to a peaceful end. Jason stares at her in shock and then tells Mario to take her.

After Invasion Day is over, Jason tells Pam that he contained the Abbies and killed the traitors. He asks where David is, and Pam breaks into tears. Jason assures her that she was right and the townspeople's lives are in his hands. Pam says that it isn't what they wanted for him, and slaps Jason. She tells him that it's tragic to celebrate any death, and insists there is no humanity in murder.

Jason visits Pam where she's locked up, and talks to her through the protective glass. He asks if she always knew that David's plan would fail, and Pam says that he's not just a son of Wayward Pines: he's her son. She raised Jason to be as tenacious is, and she will find a way to correct her mistake. As Jason stares at her, Pam says that he can let her die of smallpox or he can kill her. Jason cries and a few minutes later, walks out. Theo meets him and says that Pam is still in the incubation period and didn't affect anyone. Jason tells Theo that he's a hero for saving the town, and refuses to let him administer the antidote to Pam.

That night, Jason takes Pam out into the forest. She admits that what she told him was just a fantasy of what Wayward Pines should be. What really happened is that the boy looked at the town and wanted more, but the "more" belonged to the Abbies. When he realized that, the boy became sad and wished for grace. Jason strangles her and then gently sets her on the ground, sobbing.

Jason returns home and Kerry wonders if it's done. He says that they should talk about who's going out with the first group, and makes it clear he doesn't want to talk about what happened with Pam.

At home, Rebecca sits with Theo and asks if he's okay. Her husband says his father never gave him any gifts. When his mother died, after the service Theo's father gave him his retirement watch and had a beer with him. Once a week after that, they met at the bar. Theo wonders what his father did when he disappeared, and tells Rebecca that he'll never forget it. Rebecca takes Theo's hands in her own.

The soldiers, wearing gas masks, toss Pam's body on a fire. After they leave, CJ emerges from the shadows and watches the body burn.

Written by Gadfly on Jun 9, 2016

Try 30 days of free premium.