DISCLAIMER: This Killing Eve recap of “Wide Awake” contains more spoilers than the number of snazzy blazers Villanelle has in her fashion arsenal. She’s the best dressed psychopath on the block. You’ve been warned. Proceed with caution. 

Welcome back, Killing Eve fanatics! The penultimate episode has aired, which means the Killing Eve season finale is next week! My, how time flies when you’re fully immersed in a fictional TV show. Perhaps next year they can double the episode order…pretty please? With a cherry on top? Anyway, “Wide Awake” catapulted the action to a new level. Eve, Villanelle and Hugo traveled to Rome to catch Aaron Peel on behalf of MI6. Because, you know, the dude murdered a bunch of people including his own father. Patricide is generally frowned upon. Meanwhile, Niko and Gemma spent some quality time with Villanelle in a storage unit. Any time with Villanelle typically culminates in  bloodshed in one form or another, so you can connect the dots regarding how that ended. 

Alright, ready to delve into “Wide Awake?” Just be sure to keep your mitts off Eve. Villanelle is most certainly the jealous type. 

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We open with Villanelle (Jodie Comer) receiving a thoughtful gift from Aaron Peel. It’s a philosophy book, the very same Villanelle smacked Peel with in the previous episode. Peel hopes to have lunch with Villanelle the following day. She’s got him hook, line and sinker. 

Next, Eve (Sandra Oh) arrives at Villanelle’s flat on a mission. Villanelle reveals that she has a date with Peel. We see the two girls Villanelle stalked from the previous episode emerging from her bedroom. They thank her for providing a good time. I’m glad Villanelle had a threesome with them instead of the alternative. Eve reveals that Villanelle will be traveling to Rome for the Pharaday conference. MI6 believes that whatever weapon Peel is selling will be sold during said conference. 

Later, Villanelle is having lunch with Peel (Henry Lloyd-Hughes). He’s so rich he can afford to rent out the entire restaurant for the two of them. Peel buys Villanelle a delectable dish that’s only available one week out of the year. He demands she accompany him to Rome. They can even stay at his villa. Can I tag along? Next, Villanelle is at her flat and listening to a voicemail left by Eve. Eve called her nine times during her lunch with Peel. My OTP is about to set sail, folks. These two are meant for each other. 

Then, Eve is talking shop with Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) and Konstantin (Kim Bodnia). Konstantin is elected to join them in Rome, providing backup should things go sideways. Carolyn emphatically reminds Eve that it’s crucial that Villanelle refrain from killing. Peel must be captured alive. Kenny (Sean Delaney) urges Eve in private to throw the Rome scheme out the window. He begs her not to go. Hmm. Something fishy is afoot. 

Fiona Shaw as Carolyn Martens – Killing Eve _ Season 2, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Nick Briggs/BBCAmerica

Meanwhile, Niko (Owen McDonnell) and Gemma (Emma Pierson) are storing the former’s belongings in his storage unit. Villanelle pops in for a surprise visit, as she’s wont to do. She pulls a knife on Niko and demands he hand over his recipe for Sheppard’s pie. Villanelle wants to impress Eve with the latter’s favorite dish. How romantic! Then, Villanelle holds Niko and Gemma hostage. She coerces Niko into revealing that he doesn’t love Gemma, but he still loves Eve. Better Gemma find out now than later, right? 

Later, Villanelle is packing for Rome in her flat. Konstantin pays her a visit. He provides her with a microphone cleverly disguised as a contraceptive pill. He also reveals the safe word is “gentleman,” and should Villanelle utter it MI6 will swoop in to her rescue. 

Jodie Comer as Villanelle – Killing Eve _ Season 2, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Parisa Taghizadeh/BBCAmerica

Next, Eve meets with Martin (Adeel Akhtar), the psychopath expert hired by Carolyn. Eve reveals that she’s going to essentially release Villanelle into a very risky scenario. Will she crack under the pressure? Martin gives his two cents, then he proceeds to question Eve’s mental state of mind. He reveals that he suggested to Carolyn she be pulled from the case. She’s too compromised. This scene is fantastic, and Oh is in top form here. 

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Then, we see everyone arriving in Rome – Villanelle and Peel at his opulent villa. Eve and Hugo (Edward Bluemel) shack up in a hotel nearby. They set up surveillance equipment in Hugo’s room. One of Peel’s maids introduces Villanelle to her swanky room, including her lavish new wardrobe. Villanelle learns that her luggage will come later, but she really won’t be in need of her clothes. Peel supplied her new wardrobe. Of course, we know Villanelle is more concerned with the microphone hidden in her birth control packet. We see Peel has cameras set up in her room, and he quietly observes Villanelle trying on her new clothes. Not creepy at all. 

Meanwhile, Eve is having technical difficulties – she can’t seem to hear Villanelle. Eve quickly departs the hotel and finds Villanelle and Peel having dinner in a restaurant. When Peel steps aside for a phone call, Eve surreptitiously slips Villanelle a new microphone concealed in a piece of bread. However, Peel whisks Villanelle away and promises the latter an ice cream pit stop on the way back to the villa. 

Edward Bluemel as Hugo, Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri – Killing Eve _ Season 2, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Gareth Gatrell/BBCAmerica

Later, after attaching her microphone and an outfit change, Villanelle meets with Peel for dinner. Peel has potential buyers coming in and, although he insists Villanelle will find it boring, he wants her by his side. Peel is immensely controlling – he controls Villanelle’s every move, coordinates her outfits, forces her to say things she doesn’t mean and tailors her own meals. He is the definition of a control freak. 

Next, we see Eve and Hugo listening in on Villanelle having dinner with Peel and his potential buyers. They learn that said buyers are Russian. This means Villanelle will definitely comprehend the entirety of Peel’s exchange with them. Peel lords his vast knowledge over the buyers’ heads, reminding them that he pulls the strings as far as information is concerned. He has the capacity to know everything. Information is a deadly weapon. 

Then, after the dinner, Peel and Villanelle get to know each other a little better. Peel reveals that he attempted to dig up dirt on Villanelle via social media, but his digging came up short. Billie Morgan is a “shadow,” a ghostly shell of a person. He never met a person that eluded him. Villanelle asks him if he’s ever lonely, and if he ever gives in to primal urges. Peel reveals that he’s only fascinated with acquiring information, and that’s that. 

Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Aaron Peel, Jodie Comer as Villanelle – Killing Eve _ Season 2, Episode 7 – Photo Credit: Gareth Gatrell/BBCAmerica

Later, Villanelle has a one-sided conversation with Eve while she’s laying in bed. Villanelle asks Eve if she plans on observing her all night. She encourages Eve to let loose a little – to have some carnal fun, as it were. Hugo is asleep during this. Suddenly, Eve approaches Hugo and climbs on top of him. He wakes up and is pleasantly surprised, as he’s been flirting with Eve all season long. His wish is coming true! The two horizontally tango. 

Now, the following day, Hugo gushes about their passionate affair the night before. However, Eve brushes him off. She orders him to grab coffee for them. An irritated Hugo leaves, but not before thanking Villanelle for the threesome. Burn! 

Meanwhile, Niko wakes up on the floor inside his storage unit, completely out of sorts. He finds Gemma very much dead, sitting upright with a plastic bag over her head. She suffocated, thanks to Villanelle. Of course, she did this all for Eve. 

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Now, Killing Eve is so adept at delving into the human psyche. What makes people do what they do? It also explores the nature of good vs. evil via Eve and Villanelle’s relationship. We learn that the only difference between the two is that Villanelle acts on her impulses. Everyone has the capacity to commit evil acts, just as they have the wherewithal to do good. Eve is more like Villanelle than meets the eye. Villanelle is more than just a cookie-cutter villain, and Killing Eve makes her as multi-layered as possible. 

Do you think Villanelle can manage to not kill someone? Will Niko tell Eve that Villanelle murdered Gemma? What exactly did Kenny’s warning mean? Join me next week as I continue to recap Killing Eve, here on Geek Girl Authority. 

Killing Eve airs Sundays at 8pm on your BBC America affiliate. 

 

 

 

Melody McCune
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