THE TERROR: INFAMY Recap: (S02E08) My Sweet Boy

Fallon Marie Gannon

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DISCLAIMER: This is a spoiler filled recap for episode 8 of The Terror: Infamy, ‘My Sweet Boy’. Viewer discretion is advised.

Welcome back! If you’re still with us that means you’re still not over last week’s big reveal and you need to see what happens next. At this point you’re in too deep. You need to know more. And I’m right there with you, sis. Last week we saw Chester’s (Derek Mio) mountain of letters to Luz (Cristina Rodlo) go unanswered.

So he comes up with a plan to get himself transferred. It works, which gives him the chance to make a great escape. After getting Henry’s car out of storage Chester heads straight for Luz’s house. After an intense but closure inducing reunion, the two make a plan to drive to Luz’s Abuela’s house in New Mexico.

Meanwhile Amy (Miki Ishikawa) is caught between doing what she’s told and doing what’s right when a tuberculosis outbreak spreads through the camp. Ken (Christopher Naoki Lee) urges her to speak to Major Bowen (C. Thomas Howell) about getting the sick to a hospital. When it doesn’t work, Ken goes to Bowen himself which escalates to a hostage situation, which doesn’t end until Amy goes against policy and calls the hospital herself.

It almost looks like a happy ending. Until Bowen orders the guards to execute Ken on the spot. Much to Amy’s horror.

While all this is going on Yuko (Kiki Sukezaneis slowly but surely hunting Chester. This results in the death of Luz’s Father, Bart (Ruben Garfias).

Check out our The Terror: Infamy recaps here!

This week Chester and Luz have reached a turning point in their relationship, one that causes an evil force to catch up to them. Amy must take matters into her own hands as she’s tormented by a powerful nemesis. Chester meets a boy who gives him answers.

Let’s jump right in! Here’s our look at The Terror: Infamy’s new episode, ‘My Sweet Boy’!

Derek Mio as Chester Nakayama, Cristina Rodlo as Luz Ojeda, Alma Martinez as Abuela – The Terror _ Season 2, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC

This episode kicks off at Abuela Rodlo’s (Alma Martinez) farm in New Mexico. We see that Chester decided to stay after all and, in exchange for board, he’s doing a bit of work. We learn from his conversation with Luz, who’s bringing him a glass of water, that’s he’s been there for at least a week because her Abuela keeps asking him to stay. Looks like Abuela is trying to play matchmaker.

When Chester asks if the set up is making her uncomfortable, if she wants him to leave, Luz confesses that she’s unsure of what she wants. However Chester promises that he’ll leave in a few days.

Luz heads back in the house to do some laundry. This is where Abuela’s friend Doña Maria (Gabriela Reynoso) later that night encourages Luz to just tell Chester how she feels. Luz brushes it off. Sort of.

In his room, Chester is once again looking over the documents he stole from the missionary run orphanage, the ones that reveal he has a lost twin brother named Jirou. He’s interrupted when Luz comes in to bring him more blankets.

The two sit on the bed to chat. It’s awkward at first, though Chester eventually admits that being out there reminds him of all the things he promised her. About them being a family with a house. Their own acre. Luz is touched and goes right in to kiss him. Chester is totally into it so the camera pans out to give them a bit of privacy.

Instead we get a look at house that, judging by the landscape, is fairly close to Abuela’s. Inside this house is a sleepy Yuko whose eyes ominously snap open before the screen goes to black.

After the opening credits we see a line forming at the camp. It’s January 1945, this line is for Japanese families seeking sponsors from the Americans, basically encouraging slavery under the ruse of money and potentially leaving the camp. After three long years.

After Henry (Shingo Usami) lies about his gardening skills, Asako (Naoko Mori) learns from Amy that Bowen was suddenly called to Washington D.C. “He seemed concerned. He may be away for a while.” Why would Bowen be concerned? Well, it probably has something to do with that recording Amy made of him saying some super incriminating stuff. Hell yeah, Amy.

RELATED: SOUNDTRACK SATURDAY: Amy Yoshida’s Infamous Playlist

But don’t get too excited. Unfortunately Amy later learns that her plan went wrong somewhere. She is told that has Bowen returned. And he’s in a very good mood for some reason. I have a very bad feeling about this.

Back in New Mexico we see Luz wake up beside Chester. They’ve been together for weeks apparently but she’s paranoid Abuela will find out. Chester is able to calm her down. Because he’s got a plan that will settle her nerves.

In a nearby barn we see an intimate, bittersweet wedding ceremony for Chester and Luz. The wedding party consists of Luz’s family and a few friends who officiating the Spanish style ceremony. Though we quickly learn that Chester isn’t without family at his wedding. Yuko is there possessing the body of sweet Doña Maria. Literally hiding in plain site.

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Back at camp we see Walt (Lee Shorten) return from his leave in Italy (it was revealed back in episode 6 that he had joined the military.) He is greeted by Amy and his Mother. When the siblings get some time alone Walt informs Amy that he got her letter explaining the situation, he’s sorry about Ken and he really thinks she shouldn’t have sent the recording of Bowen to Washington. Before Amy can get a word in Bowen interrupts the conversation to whisk Walt away. He wants to know all about his stationing in Italy. For some reason. Yeah. I have a really bad feeling about this.

Back at Abuela’s the wedding bliss doesn’t last long. Whilst looking over the photos for the ceremony police officers arrive. Chester hides but we can all rest easy. They aren’t here for him. They are there to inform Luz that her father is missing. Abuela is grief stricken. She immediately assumes the worst since Bart is not one to just disappear. Luz tries to calm her down by reminding her he could still be alive. “There is only one way to know for sure.” Abuela states.

This quickly catches Chester’s attention. Luz has no choice but to reveal that Abuela is a curandero, a traditional native healer/shaman that practices very old magic. In fact her whole family believes in the practice. Chester seems a little peeved that Luz didn’t share this with him sooner though he decides to look past it while Abuela tells him about an ancient Spanish magic ritual. A ritual that allows someone to know if a spirit is still among the living. “It’s an old belief that when a person passes on there’s still some part of their spirit that remains in their bones, hair-” “And pictures as well.”

Abuela explains that this ritual requires a photograph. If, after a spell is chanted, the person performing the ritual is able to see the person in the picture that means they are dead. If that is the case, they will be able to see the dead person in the exact same way as they are in the photo. She also explains that it’s a very dangerous ritual. Luz puts her foot down. She gives the final say that they will not be preforming this ritual to find Bart. Chester, however, still wants to give it a try. He wants to know if his lost twin brother is dead or alive.

Cristina Rodlo as Luz Ojeda, Derek Mio as Chester Nakayama, Alma Martinez as Abuela – The Terror _ Season 2, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC

Back at camp Walt is hard at work as an Army recruiter. The sign ups are taking place in the camp’s cafeteria where Amy is helping out. This is where we see an odd exchange. Bowen, still acting as though nothing is wrong, brings Amy a cup of coffee. This seems innocent enough until you remember this is something he never does. Like ever. For anybody. And he’s gently, creepily urging her to drink it. Amy is far too paranoid (me too, girl) to do so. She’s afraid that he knows she went behind his back. The coffee is eventually abandoned when Bowen leaves.

Afterwards Walt is approached by Toshiro (Alex Shimizu) who is looking to enlist. Which he can do since he just turned eighteen. It’s obvious that Walt doesn’t want to accept his application. He tells Toshiro how dangerous it is. “Guys in my unit are dying faster than they can be replaced…Toshiro, with all due respect, this isn’t for you.” Walt’s intentions are good. But Toshiro is having none of it. He tells Walt all he wants to do is kill then gives him an ultimatum. “If you won’t take my form I’ll find someone who will.” This is pretty surprising. Throughout the season has been nothing but quiet, polite and agreeable. Seeing him lash out like this is unnerving.

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Later on Bowen requests Amy come with him on a little field trip. Apparently a truck containing party supplies for the camp broke down nearby yet far enough away that the drivers would need a ride because Bowen, to celebrate the soldier’s homecoming, is throwing a little shindig for the Japanese Americans. So. Another totally random, seemingly inconspicuous thing he wouldn’t do before his trip to D.C. Something seems off. Amy can sense it too. One can’t help feeling unnerved watching the two drive. Especially when Amy notes the trip is taking longer than expected. Oh dear, could this be a trap?

Guess not. Amy- along with the rest of the audience watching- is surprised to see the supply truck in the distance. Hm. Perhaps there is no ruse at play here. Maybe Bowen really doesn’t know Amy tried to betray him. Perhaps the tape never made it to D.C. and Amy is just overreacting…unless that’s what he wants us to think.

RELATED: New LIMETOWN Trailer Offers Plenty of Conspiracy

Derek Mio as Chester Nakayama, Alma Martinez as Abuela- The Terror _ Season 2, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC

Back in New Mexico Abuela has finished setting up for the ritual. Luz once again comments on how dangerous this whole thing is. However Chester looks at it as a win win. If he sees his brother during the hallucination that means he’s dead. Meaning he doesn’t need to waste time searching. And if he doesn’t see him? Then there’s a chance for the two to meet. As a viewer I’m not sure which one to root for.

The whole process looks pretty painful for Chester which shouldn’t be a total surprise. Abuela literally tells him it’ll feel like he’s dying. After drinking a cup of something nasty tasting, Abuela begins to chant and in a very That’s So Raven transition, Chester is sent into the setting of the photo.

It looks like a playground. It’s got your usual swing set, a sandbox and a merry-go-round. Everything is in black and white including himself. At first it looks like Chester’s brother may be alive. There’s absolutely no one else around. Until Chester turns around. He is now face to face with the child version of his long lost twin, Jirou (Pierce Kang).

Chester is visibly chocked up by this. As the brothers talk we learn that Jirou is aware that he has a brother somewhere, he doesn’t know where his brother is and that he often gets sick. Could this be foreshadowing that Jirou died of an illness? The reunion is bittersweet, even more so when the brothers bond over their mutual love of baseball. For a few moments everything seems fine until Yuko somehow invades the hallucination by possessing Chester’s body.

Cristina Rodlo as Luz Ojeda, Alma Martinez as Abuela – The Terror _ Season 2, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC

Jiruo is frightened by the woman that has suddenly appeared. It doesn’t help that he can’t understand her as he does not speak Japanese. While trying to get away from Yuko, Jiuro stumbles back and falls into the sandbox but Yuko follows him. While hugging him tightly the two sink into the sand so they can go to Yuko’s ‘paradise’. The same place she was taken back in episode 6.

When Chester finally comes to, he looks back at the photo of his brother. Jiruo has disappeared from the image. Oh no.

Back at camp Bowen’s party is in full swing. For the first time since their arrival the Japanese Americans seem genuinely happy (don’t worry it doesn’t last long). There’s music, decent food and drinks, the scene is nice enough that even Amy can’t help but relax. She shares a conversation and a dance with Walt.

Then we cut to Amy walking home later in the evening. Well, she’s more like stumbling. On top of that she’s can’t see very well. It turns our buddy Bowen is hellbent on keeping his title of ‘creepiest dude in this series’. This creep spiked Amy’s drink at some point during the party. And now he is keeping her hostage in a sound proof basement near the camp. Bowen makes it very clear that he does, in fact, know about Amy’s recording of him, he now has every intention of making her pay for her betrayal.

C Thomas Howell as Major Bowen- The Terror _ Season 2, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/AMC

Amy’s repercussions include some verbal whiplash about how her actions were unpatriotic. Then we get some good old fashioned torture: tying her to a chair, breaking one of her fingers, mocking how she must miss Ken. Jesus. This guy is making Yuko look good.

At Abuela’s we see Chester has gotten Luz all caught up on all this ghost business. She now knows Yuko is Chester’s biological Mother, how Yuko was responsible for all the weird deaths at the camp and about the failed exorcism from two years ago. As Luz talks about how kind Yuko was as her midwife, Chester just so happens to glance at their wedding photos. This is where he notices a very familiar distortion in one of the pictures. The tell tale sign of a Yūrei. They realize Yuko was at the wedding in the body of Doña Maria.

Chester rushes to Doña Maria’s house only to find the sweet old lady dead in her easy chair. In her hands is a freshly knit onesie.

We check back with Amy and Bowen to see Amy is slowly but surely loosening the binds on her hands. In the meantime, she keeps him distracted by telling him about how haunted the camp is thanks to Yuko the wondering spirit. When she does get loose Amy’s fight or flight response goes into overdrive. She beats him with the chair she was just tied to before smashing his face into a puddle, where he stays until he dies. Holy-

This episode finishes off with Luz making a big announcement. Chester hurries home to inform everyone about Doña Maria. He’s brought the little onesie thing along to show Luz and Abuela. Maybe they know what it means. And, boy, does Luz know what it means. “Yuko…she knows.” “Knows what?” Chester urges. Any guesses? That’s right! Luz is pregnant. It looks like Yuko was never there for Chester. She was there to partake in her favorite hobby: baby snatching.

WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR/ THOUGHTS:
  • I gotta say it: this has to be my favorite episode so far. Walt comes home (love that guy), Bowen finally gets put in his place in the most unlikely way and the stakes get even higher with the announcement of Luz’s pregnancy. Love me some drama.
  • I am so, so, so concerned about Toshiro going off to war. Mostly because I think he’s gonna die.

Check out our The Terror: Infamy recaps here!

Check back next week and I may have some of the answers you’re looking for. The Terror: Infamy airs Mondays at 9pm on your AMC affiliate.

Fallon Marie Gannon

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