‘The Purge’ Recap: ‘Hail Mary’

Last week‘s episode kicked off the annual purge. This week’s episode, “Hail Mary,” opens on the creepiest kid’s show in the entire world. Imagine the person behind all the kid’s shows talking about how great the purge is for America. Can you hear the host explaining this concept? A concept where every year, adults have the choice to go out and participate to get their rage and their worry out. The strangest part is that she does this with an insanely fake smile and insists that every child will ultimately not be affected even if something does happen to their parents. The NFFA will take care of them.

However, we know from last season, it’s not that simple. We also know that Ben started dealing with a ton of rage at a young age that is finally coming out now as he is the little boy watching the program at the beginning of this week’s cold open.

Esme & Vivian Infiltrate The System

Esme makes it to the location of the AFL and frantically knocks on the door to be let on. After seeing that bounty that is out for her, I cannot necessarily blame her for the urgency. As she is let in, she sees numerous hackers who are getting paid big bucks on purge night. It’s how they earn their big bucks. The person Esme is speaking with, Skye (Tyner Rushing), thinks her plan is insane, but Skye likes crazy. She is in the process of turning Esme into a ghost.

Curtis insists that their primary objective that evening is to take out Esme. Vivian might be the only reason her friend makes it through the night. Someone else working security that night notices the footage of Esme, and Vivian confirms a positive ID. Skye has made Esme a literal ghost now with footage to mimic her location. With dispatch being so far away from the area she’s at, they send people from the first floor to locate her, so she does not getaway.

Skye and Esme are driving to the building where Esme used to work. Esme plans to take them down from the inside. However, as they press on, a random purger appears in the middle of the street with a giant spotlight and a gun, taking out the van. Chaos ensues outside of the van as Esme wakes up to realize that they are on their side and that Skye appears dead. Esme manages to get into the back of the van and kicks the doors open to escape. She realizes she can still use the device; Esme must get to the building. However, the guy who shot at their van realizes Esme is the woman with a bounty on her head.

The system goes down within the building after Esme jams it up with the device. After getting into the building, she must keep the guy out who is attempting to earn the bounty on her head long enough for the system to reboot. Vivian admits that the system reboot has everyone distracted for a bit, but Esme needs to move fast. She says she will see her in about ten minutes.

Ryan Sets Out To Rescue Tommy and Tommy Rescues Him Right Back

The prisoners set for execution arrive at the west entrance of the city park. The prisoners have no way of fighting back. As soon as they get off the bus, they keep them chained together so the people who have purchased them can purge without any regret and have an easier time doing so. Tommy insists that they have to stick together to make it through the night. At the east entrance, Ryan and his crew are entering. They have to give a large sum of money to join. Purge night has turned into The Most Dangerous Game or the movie The Hunt, which has yet to garner an updated release date since the delay earlier this year.

Once inside, Sara remarks, “So glad we dressed for the occasion.” Everyone there is known for their wealth. The Daughters of the NFFA even founded the event. The host announces that they also have a surprise for everyone in attendance. Weapons of their ancestors can are the only way the hunters can hunt their prey. The good news is they can pick up the guns they brought at the coat check upon leaving. This situation isn’t ideal, considering they might have to take out people in the process.

To complicate matters further, the home that Sara and Ryan broke into earlier in the season’s owner is there, and he has spotted them. He and his friend are now plotting Ryan’s demise because accidents do happen in the dark on purge night. The event takes place in an electrified fence, and the daughters of the NFFA will give out awards at the end of the evening, unlike last year. Doug and Sara leave to distract them long enough to run. Ryan takes this opportunity to shoot the guy’s friend and manages to kill him.

They make it Tommy thankfully and begin to uncuff Tommy and his friends. Suddenly, Ryan is hit with a tranquilizer dart, which is against the rules set in place for the night’s event. Ryan wakes up just after the guy whose house he previously broke into has dug his grave. He wants to know what Ryan and his crew want with him, and Ryan explains he was a random target the first time. Tonight was terrible luck. At that moment, we learn the friend that was with him was his brother! We learn soon after that, Ryan is already lying in his grave and is now being buried alive.

Thankfully, Sara, Doug, and Tommy arrive in time to shoot the guy who buried Ryan. As they are looking for him, Tommy realizes what has occurred and begins to dig up the ground to proceed to get him out. Although he’s not breathing, Tommy manages to get Ryan breathing again and even crack a joke in the process. “You know, I thought you guys came here to rescue me.” Ryan reveals that Ziv’s guy he killed was moments before purge after explaining the entire plan to Tommy. They must get Ryan out of the country before the night ends. The crew needs to receive its money first to ensure that it happens smoothly.

Marcus Finally Gains The Upper Hand at Michelle’s Expense

It appears outside of Marcus and Michelle’s home that Clint has tied a rope to his vehicle to rip the outer door from its hinges. While everyone has gone along with the plan, it doesn’t seem that everyone is entirely on board. Clint assures them that this merely purge jitters. I can imagine that this occurs a lot though all things considered. To make matters worse, Clint has bottles he can light on fire to throw at the house to make it go up in flames. Despite having a mostly fireproof home, someone shoots out a window so the fire will spread. As Marcus says, they are on borrowed time.

Sam makes a valid point to Clint that there are other people in the house. Turning on Sam, he points a gun to his head and tells him to tell them to send Marcus out, and no one else has to get hurt. As Sam goes in, Clint follows him closely with a gun still pointed on him. Opening the door, he calls out for both Marcus and Michelle. The barrier slams down on Sam’s chest. As he is screaming and begging for someone to help him, the gate lifts enough, and Marcus drags Sam’s inside of the home. Instead of purging him, they begin to repair his wound as he reveals that Clint is not going to stop until Marcus is dead.

The door opens again as Marcus asks Clint to put down the weapons so they can settle this man to man. Marcus explains he will release Sam as an act of good faith if Clint comes inside to talk. April immediately takes the deal for her husband, and the rest of the neighborhood quickly turns on Clint. As they make the trade, the door closes. While Clint appears Clint outnumbered, Marcus has no intention of killing him. He honestly wants to talk things over. Clint insists that he can never make amends.

Marcus attempts to reason that the violence isn’t going to cause anything. Clint admits to him that nothing makes him feel better about losing his wife. The government keeps telling everyone that purging will make people feel better, but he doesn’t. Marcus extends his hand and offers that they can start from a clean slate. Clint shakes Marcus’s hand in solidarity in front of everyone else inside. However, the moment that Marcus has his back turned, Clint takes out a knife and stabs Michelle.

Marcus assures her that everything is going to be okay but tells Tonya and Andre to watch Clint. Marcus is determined to get Michelle to one of the triage centers on purge night. Tonya points out how driving around for one is not going to solve anything, but Marcus admits to knowing where they are because the hospital asks doctors to work at the triage centers every year. Will the neighbors let him off the street? He acknowledges that he did not make peace with Clint, and he has spared Clint’s life as well as Sam’s, but if they stop him, then Michelle’s blood is on their hand.

They all lower their weapons as he tells them that this is their chance. If they want to purge him, then now is their chance. April seems to be leading the charge among the neighbors now and let Marcus, Michelle, Tonya, and Andre get into his truck to drive off. They immediately point their guns back to Clint and purge him as he insists this isn’t over. However, April disagrees as she says yes it is.

Ben Continues to Release His Urge to Purge

Turner is pleading with Ben to let Scott go. They can still get him help. The deal is that Turner must kill Scott to live through the night. It’s his choice though whether they both live or just one of them dies. Turner insists that he’s not going to kill Scott, and Ben has proceeded to duct tape a machete to Turner’s hands. Placing his hands on top of Turner’s own, Ben drives the blade into Scott’s abdomen. He looks down at his now deceased friend, unsure of what to do next after Turner purges, Ben untaped his hands so that he can wash them.

The purge is just another day for Ben. The blood immediately comes off of Turner’s hands. Ben is excited because he thinks he now has someone to go out with on purge night. If he doesn’t, we all know that Turner is going to be his next victim. Ben encourages him to hydrate and asks if Turner is ready. He insists on needing a mask as he escapes the house and leaves without Ben. As Turner runs into a bus taking people around for purge night tours, Ben catches up to him.

However, another person in the same mask sees Ben as he passes and immediately begins to follow them. Turner manages to escape into a graveyard as numerous people surround Ben wearing the same mask that he has made famous. He points out that he’s on their team and he’s like them. He soon realizes that he’s not going to win this battle and stabs one of them to survive.

We leave this purge episode with the knowledge that there are only four hours left of purge night. As Marcus and his friends are speeding to get to the closest triage area, they manage to hit someone. Upon realizing he is still alive, they pick him up to take to the triage area with him. That person is Ben.

Tonight’s episode great increasingly suspenseful with an ending I did not see coming. Will Esme be able to take down the NFFA? Are Ryan and his crew going to be able to recoup their money? Can Ryan and Esme get out of the country on time? Is Marcus going to get Michelle to triage on time?  Will Ben go after Marcus and his friends? Let us know your thoughts on tonight’s episode below.  Don’t forget to give us your predictions for this season’s survivors too!

Join The Purge next Tuesday night on the USA Network at 9 pm EST to see the return of Ethan Hawke to the famous horror franchise.