LOST GIRL Recap: “Masks” (Episode 12)

Seeing Kenzi up early in the morning is quite an unusual sight; so when Bo finds Kenzi in the kitchen, talking on the phone as she prepares for her morning run, Bo is a bit surprised. Kenzi fluffs it off, though, saying she is trying to coordinate a family gathering. Bo thinks nothing more of it as she heads out for her exercise while Kenzi calls someone saying, “She’s totally clueless, we’re on”.

Meanwhile at The Ash’s compound, Dr. Lauren is brought before him after suffering for four days in his prison. He admonishes her for her behavior, thinking she has learned her lesson but she is far from that; in fact, she is beyond angry. She asks, “What’s next, torture?” And when he points out that she has forgotten her place, she defies him even more, stating she is going to pack her things and go to The Morrigan because “she seems to know more about Nadia’s condition”. But The Ash threatens her with punishment and she counters that “five years of indentured servitude aren’t enough?” He then tells her that the former Ash wasn’t quite as benevolent as he seemed. He continues by telling Lauren that he read the former Ash’s journals and learned that he was the very person who ordered the curse be placed on Nadia as a way to insure that Lauren found the cure to see his people.

The Ash then tells Lauren that he believes he has found the shaman who inflicted the curse on Nadia. It seems the shaman is still in the same village in the Congo where the disease that ravaged the Fae took place all those years before. He claims he will go to the shaman on her behalf but she needs to clean herself up and get back to work. In order to help Nadia, Lauren relents.

Back at Trick’s bar, Kenzi is meeting up with Hale, who – it would seem – is helping Kenzi plan a ‘kick-ass’ birthday party for Bo. Kenzi pumps Hale about the cake and money for the party, then Trick show up and Kenzi starts drilling him about the party plans. She is obviously in overdrive in order to make this party a night to remember for all of them especially Bo, but before much more can be said Bo walks in, interrupting their discussions. All of them attempt to cover up what they were talking about with small talk since the party is a secret; but thankfully they are saved by Bo getting a call from The Ash, who demands to have a meeting with her.

As it turns out, The Ash tells Bo about finding the shaman – a Dark Fae named Tshombe – and that he wants her to pay him a visit. She questions, “Why me?” and he answers simply that since she is unaligned and has a personal stake in the matter (so to speak), she will have better ‘luck’ reasoning with Tshombe. But there is a catch, of course. The Ash explains that Bo can never tell Lauren because “the nail can only be removed if the person making the request has got complete and utter selfish love that is exemplified by performing a life-changing favor for someone without them every being aware that it happened”. He continues this is a rule and that Bo has to accept it as fact or she will not be successful. Before she contents to the mission, Bo asks to see Lauren, but The Ash denies the request stating that Lauren is in the middle of an important project for him and cannot be disturbed.

Nate Playing Guitar for Kenzi

Since Tshombe is in the Congo, Bo asks The Ash just how she is supposed to get there to meet with him. The Ash presents Bo with a business card for his travel agent which, in turn, sets Bo off to the apartment to collect a few of her things. She runs into Hale and Kenzi who are there doing more party planning. When Bo tells them both that she has to go to Africa but cannot explain why, Kenzi is more concerned that Bo makes it back in time for the surprise party than anything.

This leads to Bo going to the travel agency that is set up like some kind of Fae version of a deli market where Bo must take a number and then the agent calls her number – despite there being no other customers in the agency. Once that silly formality is out of the way, Bo learns that the travel agency is sanctioned by The Ash and the travel agent – Peggy – is also a member of the Fae whose ability it is to “fold the Earth” to get Bo (or any other client for that matter) to where she needs to be. But before Bo can be sent on her way she has yet another formality to complete – or more precisely – a form to complete that does not hold the agency liable for any problems that could arise from her travel because “folding the Earth” can bring about complications. As Bo signs her life away on the form and signs her initials on the last section of the form, she is transported to the Congo, finding herself standing outside a hut containing Tshombe, an old man lying on the floor near a large piece of wood containing countless nails.

Bo helps the old shaman up from the floor, asking him about Nadia. He claims he is nearing the end of his journey and explains that the nails were all placed in the piece of wood for a reason. He claims that someone – The former Ash – paid him handsomely to put a curse on Nadia, but Bo questions why he would do that. Tshombe explains that the Light Fae will compromise with the Dark Fae when the ends justify the means. Tshombe confirms that, at the time, Lauren would do anything to find a cure for the Fae fever, saving several hundreds of Fae in the process; because Nadia was afflicted too.

Bo asks how much she will have to pay to get the nail removed with Tshombe telling her there is a revered mask that was stolen from Bali two years ago that he wants. She will have to go to Madagascar to retrieve the mask as that was the last place it was believed to be taken after its disappearance. But she will have to hurry because Tshombe doesn’t believe he will last the night.

Back at the apartment Kenzi is trying out bands for Bo’s big birthday bash. As she ushers the latest players out the door, she is surprised another auditioner who turns out to be Nate (guest star Aaron Ashmore), an old neighbor of Kenzi’s when she was a little girl. As it turns out, it has been over 16 years since they had seen each other and she invites him in to catch up. She gives him a hard time about moving away because he didn’t even call her. She was sure he had been abducted by aliens, but then again she was only 6 years old at the time. He explains that his mom moved him all over and that it was quite ironic that he saw her ad for Bo’s party, asking her out for dinner.

At Trick’s bar, Dyson walks in after going house hunting with Ciara, sharing with Trick that he is struggling with his emotions because of Ciara coming back into his life; but Trick corrects him that he has been struggling since he came back from his deal with the Norn. But then Bo walks in asking Trick for help in tracking down a Fae called The Preta, who is the one who stole the mask.

Trick tells Bo and Dyson that she can’t go after The Preta on her own without back-up because The Preta is a greedy, predatory Fae that always goes after what they desire the most but is never being satisfied once they get it. The Preta for which Bo is hunting has an insatiable lust for treasures and his last known location is in the catacombs of a church. Dyson shares that he has heard stories of people going after a Preta but never coming back so she jokingly asks if Dyson is afraid, but he says he is intrigued.

Trick then explains that they will have to offer a trade to The Preta – something of value – in order to get the mask back. He hands Bo a beautiful antique bracelet that he reveals belonged to his late wife which, of course, surprises Bo because she never knew; and Trick says “he will tell her about his wife in time”.

It is then that Bo and Dyson head off to the travel agency and are quickly transported by Peggy to the catacombs where The Preta is located. They are soon met by a man dressed as a monk who turns out to be The Preta. He ushers them into his large treasure room that in addition to holding countless artifacts also contains piles and piles of dust that is revealed to be his curse. After he has acquired his treasure, he is unable to touch it ever again. On top of that anyone who comes in contact with the dust of his treasures is also reduced to dust themselves.

Bo hands over the bracelet as trade and asks for the mask, which is buried deep within The Preta’s treasures surrounded by countless piles of dust, which turn out to be the bodies of those who came before Bo. Dyson tells Bo he will retrieve the mask, but knowing that she has to get it in order for Tshombe to break the curse (according to the rule The Ash told her about), Bo knows that it has to be that gets the mask. But what they don’t expect is The Preta to trick them by opening the door to the treasure room allowing wind to blow the dust around her. Dyson quickly figures out that the cloth The Preta is wearing is impervious to his touch and he tosses Bo some of the fabric that is lying nearby while he fights off and overcomes The Preta, getting the door to the treasure room in time to save Bo, allowing her to retrieve the mask. Before they leave, though, Bo retrieves some of the dust from Trick’s wife’s bracelet that was turned to ash during the encounter with the wind.

Back at the apartment Kenzi is listening to Nate sing and they share another moment of remembrance from their shared past. She admits that she was in love with him – well in love with him in the way a 6 year old could love an older boy – and they both admit neither of them has found their soulmate yet.

Nadia and Lauren

Bo and Dyson are now back at the travel agency after retrieving the mask but Bo knows she has to continue her journey to Tshombe alone so Dyson leaves and Peggy, once again, transport Bo to the Congo. She finds Tshombe lying on the ground as it appears he really was at the end of his life, but she places the mask on his face and it brings him back to life. It is then that Bo demands that since she saved his life he has to tell her how to remove Nadia’s nail from the board. He hands her a tool for which he infuses his power, which allows Bo to remove Nadia’s nail. At that exact moment the life-support machines for which Nadia have been hooked to for years start to react, causing Lauren, who is in the room, major concerns. Soon enough, though, the cocoon for which Nadia has been inside falls apart and Nadia wakes up much to Lauren’s utter amazement.

It is then that Bo decides to take the power in her hand, using Tshombe’s tool to remove other nails from the board, which greatly upsets him. He yells that she has no idea what she is doing. Not all those who have a nail in his board are good people; not all of them are innocent. “None of the curses were made lightly, but Bo argues that he has no right to be judge and jury. Tshombe counters that she has no right either so instead she throws down the tool and uses the dust from Trick’s wife’s bracelet to destroy the remainder of Tshombe’s nails so he can never ‘harm’ anyone with his curse again.

Bo then meets with The Ash to give him a full report of her ‘mission’ and he permits her to go to Nadia’s room in person rather than in a body bag (he obviously knew about her getting inside the compound that way even though Bo and Lauren thought they were able to sneak her inside undetected) now that she is awake and back to normal. But before she leaves to go to Nadia’s room she thanks The Ash for what he did and he warns her that she needs to keep that in mind in the days to come. (Ominous, no?) Moments later Bo walks into Nadia’s room only to find her and Lauren kissing and hugging. This, of course, upsets Bo and she leaves without either of the women even knowing she was there.

It is then time for Bo’s surprise party with Bo being taken by surprise by all of her friends being in the apartment with Nate playing guitar and Kenzi on drums. Gifts are given to Bo by all of her friends and with the arrival of Lauren and Nadia everyone finally gets to meet her. It is moments later that a strange man walks up to Bo with a gift as well. The box he hands her contains a gold bracelet with unusually writing on the inside. As Bo puts it on, the strange man walks out of the apartment before she can even learn who he is.

Nate and Kenzi

Lastly, Lauren is, once again, before The Ash where she kneels before him re-pledging her commitment to him because of his saving Nadia’s life. He places the necklace back on her and tells her that it is to stay on.

“Masks” is the twelfth episode of the second season of Lost Girl. The fall finale of Lost Girl will air tonight on the Canadian channel Showcase.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Were you suspicious of what Kenzi was planning at first? Did you like seeing Bo and Dyson work together again? Were you pleased to see that someone from Kenzi’s past is back in her life? Or are you concerned that there may be more to that than meets the eye? Do you think that Trick will really tell Bo about his wife someday? Did you enjoy seeing the whole group together for Bo’s party? Please share your thoughts about this episode in the comments section below.