Hannibal ‘Naka-Choko’ Recap: Episode 02.10

Will Graham closes his front door, shotgun in hand, and backs into the living room as the dogs bark. A stag crashes through the side window, he aims his gun and the stag turns into the dark horned man. He struggles, straddles him and beats him, as his face shifts between Hannibal’s and the stag man. Will grabs the horns and breaks his neck, when he looks down, it’s not Hannibal, it’s Randal Tier.

We’re back to the final scene of last week’s episode, Randal’s body on Hannibal’s dining room table. Will says, “I’d say we’re even, even Steven.” Hannibal tells Will, “It’s the prospect of death that drives us to greatness.” Hannibal tends to the wounds on Will’s hands, obtained during the struggle. Will says, “I’ve never felt as alive as I did when I was killing him.” Hannibal replies, “Then you owe Randal Tier a debt, how will you repay him?”

The following scene Jack Crawford enters the museum, finding Randal’s head, arms, and legs integrated into one of the displays. A melding of Randal’s flesh, with the bones of a predator. The opening credits roll.

The FBI investigate the crime scene, Hannibal and Will both are there profiling the kill. Will goes into his trance. He looks at the display, into the eyes of the dead man. They move, looking at Will. Will says, “You forced me to kill you.” Randall replies, “I didn’t force you to enjoy it.” Will tells him that he turned him into what he saw. This was his own design. Randall says, “This is my becoming, and yours.” Will opens his eyes, and tells Jack that Randall knew his killer. He says that the killer is envious of him.

There is a knock at Freddie Lound’s door, it’s Will Graham. She tells Will that she’s upped the ante on her publishing deal, there is movie interest. She asks to talk about the Chesapeake Ripper, “Frederick Chilton, who knew?”  “You were so convinced that Hannibal Lecter was the Chesapeake Ripper that you tried to kill him.” Will replies, “You neglected to say allegedly.” Freddie Responds, “No, I didn’t.” Freddie wonders why Will is seeing Hannibal as his psychiatrist again. He tells her that he was wrong about him, but she replies, “Maybe you were…but maybe you weren’t.” Will tries to convince her that Chilton was the Ripper, but she doesn’t believe it, Frederick Chilton didn’t have surgical skills, the Ripper did. She doesn’t believe that he killed Abigail Hobbs, even if she lets the story go, she won’t let that go. Will assures her by saying, “Trust me Freddie, neither will I.”

“You know you will have to kill him Margo, you’ve known it for years.” The scene pans out, Hannibal is in session with Margo Verger. He asks her if she knows why she failed to murder her Brother. She replies,”Poor planning.” Hannibal shakes his head no, “You failed to murder him, because you still love him. In love you take leave of your senses, but in hatred you must be present to calculate your actions. Allow yourself to hate him.” She says that she was lucky that she didn’t kill him, in their Father’s will should her Brother die, their family’s wealth will be left to the Southern Baptist Convention. Hannibal sympathizes, “Even in death, Mason would take everything from you.”

In the next scene Margo rides a horse into the stables on her family’s estate. A voice calls, “Have a good ride?” She turns to meet it, it’s her Brother Mason. Mason’s hair is disheveled, and he is holding a baby pig. “What do you want?” She asks. Mason replies, “What do I want? What do I want..what do I want? I…want…to share….something…with you.” He looks maniacal and amused. Margo looks concerned, glancing down at the pig. Mason smiles, “This is Pavlov. Say hello Pavlov..say hello! Margo! Say hello to Pavlov!” She looks down at the pig again and whispers, “Hi buddy.” She seems resigned to what ever is going to happen. They walk up a flight of stairs. Mason talking, “After Papa died, I had a Christmas epiphany. I’ve seen exotic pigs from all over the world. What would happen if I brought together the best of all that I had seen? At the top, they peer over the railing. Margo looking down, “You built a maze…I shudder to think.”

The maze is enclosed. Mason quivers in delight, “I feel like Stradivarius! Our Father was a pioneer in live stock production, I think he’d be…he’d be proud of my efforts. A pig is not like other animals, there is a spark of intelligence, a terrible practicality in pigs.” A servant unloads pigs into the maze as they talk. Margo says, “Well, you do have an unparalleled understanding of piggishness.” Mason laughs, “Your mouth gets rough when you’re scared, Margo. Tough as a livery pony that is resentful of the bit.” She watches as the servants prepare for what is to come. Mason tells her, “The structure is designed to excite and antagonize the pigs. It’s taken a while to find the perfect mix.” One of the men opens a sack, hooking a dead man to a rope dangling from the ceiling.

Mason continues, “Any pig will eat a dead man, but to get them to eat a live one some…(he gulps) education is required. Carlo is experienced in this field, (gesturing to the man preparing the body, of which is wearing Margo’s clothes) He actually fed a man to pigs in Tuscany 20 years ago.” Margo looks distraught at the corpse and says, “That’s one of my suits.” Mason replies, “I’ll buy you a new one. We stuffed the suit with meat, scent it with human smells, and play the screams every time they are fed. Come the real thing, we wont need the recording.” He takes a remote from his pocket and presses play, through speakers you hear a woman’s screaming.”

Margo furrows her brow as the pigs are released. Mason goes on, “It’s not just about making Papa proud, it’s about us. It’s about…family.” He moves behind her, grasping her arms in a menacing embrace. “I want you to be proud of me too Margo. You’re all I have, and uh…I’m ALL you have.” The body in her clothing is lowered into the maze, a mirror from above watches the scene as the pigs squeal and the body is torn apart, devoured. Into her ear Mason says, “This little piggy went…eeeeeEEEEEEEEEEeeee, all the way home.”

Hannibal teaches Alana Bloom the theramin, holding her close as their hands manipulate the sound.

There’s a knock at Will Graham’s door, it’s Margo. She walks in with a bottle, “I’m to replenish your stores.” Will looks confused as he watches her walk through the room. “What happened to your window?” Margo asks. Will tells her that a stag got lost in the storm and came through it. She looks doubtful. He says, “Got a few scratches getting him out.” She asks,”Are you scarred?” and will tells her, “Probably more than I know.” In turn Margo says, “I’ll show you mine, if you show me yours.” Will tells her, “I don’t have the right parts for your proclivities, Margo.” Margo reaches to unbutton her blouse, but Will stops her, “No.”

He looks at her a moment, then reaches to unbutton it for her, she does the same, unbuttoning his shirt. They compare scars. When he sees the long scarred gashes in her back he asks, “Who did this to you?” Margo says, “My Brother.” She turns and looks him in the eye, “Who shot you?” Will replies, “A friend.” Then taking her face in his hands and kissing her. The scene switches between Margo and Will making love, and Hannibal with Alana Bloom. For a moment Will sees Alana’s face instead of Margo’s. Alana moves between kissing Hannibal and Will. Will looks at the fire burning in the fireplace and sees the dark horned man. They are all one for a moment. Then the scene ends with watching Margo dress.

Freddie confronts Alana at the university, she asks if she was sleeping with Hannibal Lecter when he was teaching her. Alana says, “Your book’s about Will Graham, it’s not about me.” Freddie says she knew that she had to be sleeping with one of them, and maybe that’s why she can’t see it. She tells Alana that Will was right about Hannibal Lecter, and that she was right about Will Graham. Alana tries to storm off, but Freddie pursues, telling Alana that Hannibal has had numerous patients die in his care, now Will is back in therapy with him. Alana says that Will understands that Hannibal can help him. Freddie replies, “Maybe what will understands is, if you can’t beat Hannibal Lecter, join him.” Alana sneers and drives off in her car.

Hannibal pulls up to the Verger estate. He walks up the steps, and meets with Mason, who thanks him for accepting his invitation. He says that since he is paying for Margo’s therapy, he should at the very least meet her psychiatrist. Hannibal compliments Mason’s pigs, looking down on the maze, engaging him. Mason is excited by his interest. Mason asks, “Do you have a Sister Dr. Lecter?” Hannibal says, “I had a Sister.” Mason continues, “Then you understand my need to protect Margo, mostly from herself. She pathological, I’m sure that she’s told you horrible things that I’ve done.” Hannibal tells him, “I can’t tell you what Margo’s confessed to me. Fortunately for you, I can’t tell anyone.” Mason laughs, “Got me!” Hannibal says, “Even the worst of us need someone to talk to, Mason. Have you ever considered therapy for yourself?” Mason shakes his head while smiling tensely, “Maybe I should….can I have Carlos slaughter you a hog, as a token of my appreciation for all you do for Margo?” Hannibal looks into the mirror hanging over the maze, at the pigs and smiles, “Please, but I must insist on selecting my own pig. Always do.”

Hannibal wheels a cart into his dining room, on it the whole pig roasted and garnished with sausage and fruit. He presents it to Alana and Will, at his table. Alana tells them that Freddie Lounds believes that neither of them are the killer she is writing about, but together they might be. She says that Freddie wont be fenced in by the truth, that she has no boundaries. Will tells Alana that someone who has no boundaries is a psychopath. Alana replies, “Freddie isn’t the only one without boundaries,” Gesturing to Will and Hannibal, “Your relationship doesn’t seem to know many. Patient and Therapist, Friend and Enemy.” Hannibal replies, “Crossing boundaries is different than violating them.” Alana smiles and says, “Boundaries will always be subject to negotiation. It’s just hard to know where you are with each other.” Will tells her, “We know where we are with each other, shouldn’t that be enough?” Hannibal grabs his glass of wine and says, “Better the devil you know.”

The next scene Hannibal sits in wait in Freddie Lound’s bedroom, he’s wearing his plastic suit.

Freddie pulls up to Will’s house, the dogs bark as she knocks. There’s no answer, she tries the handle, then walks around the house. She notices the barn, picks the lock, and goes inside. The pushes aside plastic sheeting, seeing the skeleton of an animal hanging from the ceiling, she photographs it. She then notices a freezer, looking inside, she pushes through packages of meat. Opening one, she finds a humans jaw, tongue and lower teeth in tact. She drops it upset, then notices Will Graham watching her from the corner. Freddie scrambles through her purse and pulls out a gun. He tells her that there really is a good explanation for this. Freddie says, “I don’t want to hear it.”Will replies, “Not just a little bit curious?” Freddie shakes the gun, “Get away from the door.” Will moves towards her, “I can’t let you go, Freddie….not until you’ve heard what I have to say.”

Freddie shakes and backs away. Will says, “I know you’re scared. You only have to be scared a moment longer.” He reaches out his hand towards her, “Give me the gun.” Freddie closes her eyes and pulls the trigger, Will dodges, then goes after her. He pushes her against the shelves and slams her hand into the side, knocking the gun from her hand. She grabs a spray can and sprays it into his eyes. He blindly tries to grab her hair, but she evades his grasp, fleeing from the barn. She has her phone in hand, gets in her car and fumbles to start the engine, but before she can Will bashes in her window with a tire iron. the scene fades as he pulls her from the car.

Will sits across from Jack Crawford, they are in Jack’s office. Jack plays the message of a woman screaming, “Freddie Lounds left me that message 3 hours ago. Her cell signal is dead now, last call was traced to the nearest phone tower. Wolf Trap, Virginia. We have her at a gas station on security cameras filling up her car.” The scene pans out, revealing Both Hannibal and Alana are in the room as well. Crawford points to Will, “Six miles from your farm.” Will says, “Freddie was supposed to interview me, she never showed up.” Jack asks, Why are you granting interviews to Freddie Lounds?” Will replies, “I owed her one.” Hannibal looks at Jack and says, “Surely Freddie Lounds has more enemies than Will.” Jack counters, “Not in Wolf Trap, Virginia.” Will tells him, “I live in the middle of nowhere Jack, if someone wanted to take her, it’s not a bad place to do it.”

In Hannibal’s kitchen Will unpacks a bag of groceries, “I provide the ingredients, you tell me what to do with them.” Hannibal nods, “What’s the meat?” Will slides a package across the table wrapped in twine, “What do you think?” Hannibal opens it, “Veal?” He then smells it, “Pork ribs.” Will nods, “She was a slim and delicate pig.” Hannibal recites what they will make of it, “We’ll make it together.” Handing Will a knife, “You can slice the ginger.” Will smiles and takes the knife, looking at his reflection in the steel. The meal is served. Will looks at it, contemplating it before taking a bite. He swallows, and closes his eyes. Hannibal says, “The meat has an interesting flavor. It’s brazing, notes of citrus.” Will replies, “My palate isn’t as refined as yours.” Hannibal tells him, while preparing to take another bite, “Apart from humane reasons, it’s more flavorful for animals to be stress free prior to slaughter. This animal tastes frightened.”

Will asks, “What does frightened taste like?” Hannibal says, “It’s acidic.” Will takes a bite and nods, “The meat is bitter about being dead.” He smiles, Hannibal smiles, “This meat is not pork.” Will looks into his face and replies, “It’s long pig.” They continue eating in silence for a moment, then Will takes a drink of wine and says, “You can’t reduce me to a set of influences. I’m not the product of anything. I’ve given up good and evil, for behaviorism.” Hannibal looks into Will’s eyes, “Then you can’t say that I’m evil.” Will, gazing back, “You’re destructive…same thing.” Hannibal replies, “Evil is just destructive? Storms are evil, if it’s that simple. Then we have fire, and then there’s hail. Underwriters lump it all under acts of God. Is this meal an act of God, Will?” Will takes a bite of the meat, and closes his eyes, savoring it. His and Hannibal’s faces meld together as the scene fades to black.

Wow! Michael Pitt conveys deranged entirely too well! His portrayal of Mason Verger is disturbing, to say the least. I want to believe that it’s all a ruse, and that Freddie is still alive, but Hannibal’s palate wouldn’t likely be betrayed. Unless of course Will has served up whoever was in his freezer, and not Freddie? I assume it to be Randal Tier, being that it was a lower jaw in the freezer, and that piece was missing in the museum display. What do you think? Is Freddie alive? Was Will able to reason with her, and potentially save her life? Oh, the suspense is killing me!!!