Wynonna Earp recap: Season 4, episode 4: 'Afraid'

Just when you think Wynonna Earp has seen all the kinds of weird demon-monsters possible, the Reaper enters. And not only do we have another contender for season 4 Big Bad, but we also get another layer in the Earp curse history/mythology. Could Wynonna and crew go an hour or two without someone or something trying to kill them? Yes, probably. But as a viewer, I say bring it on.

After being kidnapped, Wynonna wakes up in a room with a very polite blond woman. Her name is Naomi and she’s the deputy assistant director of Black Badge Division. Yep — they’re back! She was transferred over from the Department of Fisheries and everyone else has been cobbled together from other lesser government orgs. They’ve reassembled to observe humans and demons interact in the Ghost River Triangle. Naomi explains that they’re thrilled Wynonna Arp is back.

Jeremy enters the room — Jeremy! — and responds very coolly to Wynonna’s hug. He makes sure to point out that they were just coworkers, and that Wynonna has never killed a demon. Clearly, something is up and Wynonna plays along — but she doesn’t want them surveilling her. She finds a “BBD tech” rock in her pocket and hands it back to Naomi.

Once getting Wynonna in an area without cameras, Jeremy explains that Naomi and the new BBD aren’t bad; they’re just not smart. So, Wynonna agrees to go on a mission: delivering food, medicine, and booze to the Triangle. BBD wants to get supplies in, but their trucks keep getting hijacked.

Back at the homestead, Waverly is ready to give a Powerpoint presentation about their new threats. But when no one shows up, she and Nicole have some sexy time in the kitchen. I love that these two don’t let things like beds or murdering monsters on the loose stop them!

Everyone is quite busy this episode: Over at the Glory Hole, Doc is signing an agreement with the owner and sampling the “special blend” (a.k.a. blood). This place has a Fangtasia feel to it, and I kind of love that. But I am quite nervous about what’s going on with Doc…

Meanwhile, Rachel meets up with her friend Billy. They have a cute flirty relationship and meet up at an abandoned diner to trade junk or treasures they’ve found throughout the Triangle. Billy tries to lean in for a kiss, but Rachel pulls away. Aww, teen feelings! He makes a comment about how she can’t come to his home because his mom wouldn’t like her. Billy heads home, to a junkyard, and the mom says she knows all about his secret girl. She definitely gets the Most Creepy Mom award!

Rachel heads home and finds Waverly and Nicole on the kitchen floor (good thing they keep sheets in their kitchen!). She tells them she may have an idea where Peacemaker is, and they all head out to Billy’s family’s junkyard. Billy isn’t pleased Rachel is there, and it’s pretty clear why: A demon-zombie thing is hanging out in their shed! Somehow, none of them notice it, though.

Waverly and Nicole head inside a trailer where Billy’s mom, Mam, seems suspicious of them asking about a sword. When Waverly goes out to take a call from Wynonna, Mam tells Nicole, “It’s time for you to deliver.” Seems like something went down while everyone was gone that Nicole hasn’t divulged. And the suspicion about Mam keeps growing: She tells her son that he shouldn’t have brought Earps to their land and he needs to end his relationship with Rachel. “Don’t make me reap that girl,” she says ominously.

Loaded up with Jeremy’s new weapons, Wynonna rides shotgun in a delivery truck into the Triangle. After finding another one of the rocks in her pocket and realizing it’s not tech, she calls Waverly and asks her to do some research into what the symbol on it means. But she has other things to deal with at the moment: The delivery truck runs over a patch of nails and gets stranded. When someone opens up the back, the driver flees. Wynonna gets out to attack, and it’s none other than Doc Holliday.

After they blame each other for working for the enemy (Wynonna for BBD and Doc for The Glory Hole), Wynonna handcuffs herself to the box of booze to stand her ground. But classic Wynonna: She doesn’t actually have a key to the handcuffs. Doc heads back to his vehicle for tools as it starts to get dark. And just then Wynonna finds another rock in her pocket. That’s also when she hears someone on top of the truck dragging a chain. It’s the zombie-demon from the junkyard. He’s after Wynonna. She’s able to grab Jeremy’s giant gun, but the zombie slashes it in half. Luckily, he slashes at Wynonna’s handcuffs and she’s able to flee.

In the homestead barn, Billy finds Rachel to apologize for his behavior earlier. Before he can get far, Rachel pulls a rock out of her jacket, which just happens to be Wynonna’s. Billy says, “I want to make it right,” and explains that Rachel being marked by the rock means a Reaper is coming for her and won’t stop until it “shreds” her. Except it’s not after Rachel, it’s after Wynonna.

The Earp heir finds herself in the woods in some type of force field she can’t breakthrough. The Reaper is slowly crawling toward her, but she has nothing to defend herself with. Doc finds her just in time — he doesn’t see the creature, but Wynonna aims his guns and they shoot it. And then it opens its eyes again and continues crawling.

At the homestead, Waverly researches the symbol on the rocks and realizes it’s the brand of the Clantons, the lifelong enemies of the Earps and owners of the junkyard. She and Nicole rush out to the barn to find Rachel and Billy. He’s pulling out a giant long tooth and offering his soul in exchange for hers. The reaper leaves Wynonna. Billy Clanton explains he had one covenant, but now he’s used it for Rachel (but actually Wynonna). He also says his family won’t stop coming for them.

With everyone back at the homestead, Waverly explains that only the person being reaped can see the Reaper. Oh, and also, Sheriff Holt and Magistrate Cleo are Clantons, too. Wynonna decides the only way they’re going to get through this situation is with the whole team back together. She busts into BBD and tells Naomi that they’re done lying: She has killed lots of demons and she’s taking back the BBD office in Purgatory and Jeremy with it. Luckily, Naomi agrees because they’re going to need all the help they can get.

Over at the junkyard, Mam is punishing her family for getting out of line. She literally sticks a finger in Cleo’s wound to help her remember who’s in charge. Then she tells Billy that he will pay for using his covenant on Wynonna. “I’m not going to kill Rachel,” she says, “You are.” And then the Reaper goes after Billy. RIP, Human Billy, it was nice to know you.

And before the episode ends, one more person shows up at the junkyard: Nicole. She says she doesn’t owe Mam anything because Waverly, Wynonna, and Doc got themselves out of the garden. She puts a jar on the table that’s full of hair and bones. Mam opens the jar and it spirals out and takes over Nicole. Ruh-roh. Nicole, what have you done?

Good thing Jeremy is back! Is it too much to hope for Robin, too?

Best Earp-ism of the episode:

“Think of me like a goldfish: dumb and determined!” —Wynonna

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