DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Killing Eve episode “Don’t Get Eaten” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril. 

Welcome back, assassins! Killing Eve returns with its second episode, “Don’t Get Eaten.” Two significant events transpire in this outing: Eve and Hélène meet face-to-face, and Villanelle returns to her formerly murderous, psychopathic self. Sorry, Christianity — it was never going to work out for our V. 

It contains all the elements I love: Killing Eve‘s signature biting, dark humor, tennis-match-like dialogue, bloody kills, stylish visuals and Jesusnelle. I hope we see more of Jesusnelle in the future. 

Ready to dig deep into “Don’t Get Eaten”? Let’s get to it. 

RELATED: Killing Eve Season Premiere Recap: (S04E01) Just Dunk Me

We open with Eve (Sandra Oh), following Hélène (Camille Cottin) and her daughter while they tour London. Eve boasts a blonde wig, trenchcoat and sunglasses — not entirely incognito in this age of stealth, but it’ll do. 

Next, Eve tracks Hélène into an upscale restaurant, watching the latter on a date. I love the focus on Eve’s back and the scar from Villanelle shooting her in this shot. Eve dons the marking with pride now, whereas she might not brazenly show it off before. 

Eve observes from afar while Hélène and her date makeout. Then, she surreptitiously slips a tampon tracking device into Hélène’s purse. 

Killing Eve Season 4 Episode 2 Don't Get Eaten

Sandra Oh as Eve Polastri, Camille Cottin as Helene – Killing Eve _ Season 4, Episode 2, “Don’t Get Eaten” – Anika Molnar/BBCA

Meanwhile, Villanelle (Jodie Comer) and the St. Marks Church gang arrive in Hemel Hempstead for a camping excursion. Phil (Steve Oram) quizzes the campers regarding their Bible knowledge. Villanelle yanks the microphone out of his hands and recites a Bible verse about repentance verbatim, hoping to stir forgiveness in May (Zindzi Hudson). Sorry for almost murdering you, baby!

Villanelle gets settled in her assigned tent when they arrive at the campsite. She finds Jesusnelle (Comer) already munching on her camping snacks. The nerve! 

Jesusnelle explains to Villanelle why she interprets Our Lord and Savior this way, then urges V to mend fences with May and Phil. 

Villanelle ventures into May’s tent and endeavors to reconnect with her. Sure, V tried to kill May, but she didn’t follow through with it. That’s progress! Villanelle believes it means she’s “getting better.” Despite Villanelle’s penchant for fake waterworks, the tears seem real here. 

May leads Villanelle to a clearing in the forest to have a moment of catharsis. May urges V to scream — let it all out in a therapeutic yell. Villanelle and Jesusnelle dance and scream together.

Next, Eve browses the site for Villanelle’s church and scoffs at the plethora of photos featuring Good Samaritan Oksana. Yusuf (Robert Gilbert) tells Eve he bought them tickets to Paris so that Eve can get closer to Hélène. What an excellent little coworker with benefits!

Later, Eve visits Martin (Adeel Akhtar) to seek advice: How do you get what you want from a trained killer? Martin informs her that most folks won’t talk unless they gain something valuable from the exchange. Eve misinterprets his advice as approval to “challenge” Hélène.

Meanwhile, Carolyn (Fiona Shaw) meets with Vlad (Laurentiu Possa) at the pool, wherein the latter shows her a series of photos that she must identify. Vlad discloses that Russian intelligence won’t give Carolyn what she asks for unless her information proves helpful. She is a defector, after all. So, for now, Carolyn’s stay in a safe house must suffice. 

Killing Eve Season 4 Episode 2 Don't Get Eaten

Laurentiu Possa as Vlad – Killing Eve _ Season 4, Episode 2, “Don’t Get Eaten” – Anika Molnar/BBCA

After May divulges something dark about her father, the gang partakes in a rousing game of Heads Up! Villanelle offers to write Phil’s card; he tries to guess what it says. V wrote “Mary,” the name of Phil’s late wife and May’s mother, who perished tragically in a car crash after an inebriated Phil got behind the wheel. 

Villanelle gleefully reveals Phil’s transgression to the group, much to Phil and May’s dismay. The father/daughter duo departs. 

Then, Villanelle tells Jesusnelle about what she did, reprimanding our fave psychopath for not running the Phil takedown idea past her first. Jesusnelle also comforts V, reassuring her that she’s changing for the better despite her checkered (and bloody) past. 

RELATED: Killing Eve Season Finale Recap: (S03E08) Are You Leading or Am I? 

Villanelle returns to the campfire with sausages, but the remaining church members descend on V, defending Phil. What he did was in the past — what matters is who he is now. They proceed to demonize V. 

Carolyn arrives at her safe house, which looks worse for the wear. She finds a dead rat in the cupboard among a bottle of vodka and shot glasses in need of cleaning. A housewarming gift from Vlad, perhaps?

Eve and Yusuf land in Paris. They hit up an expensive restaurant. Eve pockets a knife and plans to knock on Hélène’s door. Yusuf attempts to dissuade her from outright approaching a member of The Twelve, but Eve’s gonna do Eve. 

Killing Eve Season 4 Episode 2 Don't Get Eaten

Jodie Comer as Villanelle – Killing Eve _ Season 4, Episode 2, “Don’t Get Eaten”- Anika Molnar/BBCA

Carolyn and Vlad have dinner together, and Carolyn gives the latter the deceased rodent. Vlad notes it’s merely “light intimidation.” He reveals that even though Carolyn’s knowledge of the individuals in those images is accurate, one of them committed suicide earlier that day. “Committed suicide” or “received a hostile visit from the FSB”?

Later, while Yusuf sleeps soundly, Eve buys groceries and knocks on Hélène’s door. Hélène answers, holding Eve’s tracker tampon. She knows Eve was following her and slipped the tracking device in her purse. Eve nonchalantly states she’s there to make dinner for Hélène. It’s time for some shepherd’s pie! Aw, Niko. 

Anyway, Hélène presses pause on the dinner preparations after Eve slices her finger. She slams Eve’s hand on the stove, turning on the burner underneath it. Hélène keeps Eve’s hand pressed firmly on the burner as its temperature quickly increases. Eve spills the beans — she wants to cut off the head of the snake. She longs to destroy The Twelve. 

Hélène reveals she also wants access to the leader of The Twelve. You know, to murder and such. What a coincidence! However, she won’t tell Eve who the head of The Twelve is until after dessert. Before Eve departs, she reads to Hélène’s daughter in French. Then, Hélène asks Eve about her murderous plans. 

“I’ll tell you after dessert sometime.” I love this chess match between Eve and Hélène!

Meanwhile, Villanelle camps outside May and Phil’s tent, eavesdropping on their conversation. May wholeheartedly believes that V is evil and nobody will love her, which spurs Villanelle’s next move. She withdraws a wooden tent stake, grabs a hammer and brutally slaughters Phil and May. We only see the trio’s silhouettes through the tent and the blood splatters following V’s murderous moment. 

She’s back!

Killing Eve Season 4 Episode 2 Don't Get Eaten

Jodie Comer as Villanelle, Zindzi Hudson as May – Killing Eve – Season 4, Episode 2, “Don’t Get Eaten” – Anika Molnar/BBCA

Then, Villanelle smacks Jesusnelle with a frying pan and straddles her. V reveals she thought she could change, but Jesusnelle didn’t have faith in her. So, there’s that. 

Villanelle kisses Jesusnelle before drilling holes in the latter’s hands, à la the crucifixion. Next, V chokes Jesusnelle but stops herself and leaves. Jesusnelle calls out to V, ordering her to “finish the job.” 

RELATED: Catch up on all the cat-and-mouse madness with our Killing Eve recaps!

Comer and Oh never fail to deliver the goods, but Comer crushes “Don’t Get Eaten,” especially portraying Villanelle and Jesusnelle. These first two episodes brilliantly depict Villanelle’s struggle against her innate nature. Even Martin’s remark about change as a form of avoidance feels apt when considering Villanelle’s almost militaristic approach to transforming herself. V tries so hard to change to avoid the root of it all — herself. 

Jesusnelle is a masterful metaphor and a fantastic representation of Villanelle’s narcissism, playing into her psychopathy. It also represents that part of Villanelle desperately clinging to goodness, and, by the episode’s end, it’s almost as if Villanelle crucifies herself. 

Eve and Hélène’s back-and-forth is a masterstroke and showcases Eve’s confidence boost over the past three seasons. Season 1 Eve wouldn’t brazenly walk into Hélène’s home and smoothly, blatantly reveal what she wants. Villanelle might try to evade her nature, but Eve embraces hers. 

Do you think Hélène and Eve will play nice? What’s Villanelle’s next move now that she’s leaving the church? Can you believe Eve spent that money on ingredients for shepherd’s pie and never made the damn pie? That’s wasted cash! 

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

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Melody McCune
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