Beauty and the Beast has given us a delightful cliffhanger treat heading into the holiday hiatus. And I’m not talking about airing in the middle of the night for those located anywhere in the Chicago-land area (possibly elsewhere).
So far this season has done an excellent job of creating a looming debate among fans. It’s not quite the elephant in the room, since even Cat (Kristen Kreuk) is willing to admit it, but it’s not exactly public service announcement material either – until now. Is Vincent (Jay Ryan) ultimately losing his humanity?
It’s a great question, and is definitely propelling the plot forward, but I wish they would come up with another term for what’s occurring. For fans of Beauty and the Beast who also follow the happenings on The Vampire Diaries, then you have already been hit over the head with the concept.
Despite the unfavorable choice of key words, is it possible that one of the nasty side effects of whatever Muirfield (or, the FBI) did to Vincent when they abducted him last spring be that he’s slowly being overwhelmed by his beast side until he is more beast than man? After tonight’s episode of Beauty and the Beast, it certainly appears so.
Although this might cause some stress for viewers that were finally starting to think they had Vincent back, I have to admit that I’m intrigued to see where it goes. It adds a dynamic challenge to Vincent’s relationship with Cat. It also gives Beauty and the Beast the potential to head in a lot of different directions plot-wise.
Vincent’s new perception of reality could complicate things to the point where Cat can no longer afford to allow herself to be romantically attached. This opens up the possibility of a Cat and Gabe (Sendhil Ramamurthy) interlude (which the writers hinted at in the last scene). Alternatively, it could open the door for a new male character to temporarily swoop in and steal Vincent’s spotlight too. And, of course, this would all make for an even better fairy tale ending when they inevitably get back together. It practically writes itself.
The real dilemma on this episode of Beauty and the Beast isn’t really whether Vincent’s gone full-on beast yet. It’s how they are going to handle Cat’s father. Given her personal history, it must feel like history repeating itself. First, her mother participated in a secret government program to create the super-soldier, which eventually got her killed. Now, this?
Agent Reynolds (Ted Whittall) might have checked in on Cat over the course of her life, but it is pretty convenient that entering her life at this point also gets him closer to Vincent. Either way, it won’t be an issue for much longer. Reynolds is going to jail for a long time (barring any interference from the powers that be).
Where do you stand on Agent Reynolds appearing to be all self-sacrificing on this episode of Beauty and the Beast? Do you buy that he sincerely cares about Cat, or is Vincent always going to be his end goal? What about Cat turning to Gabe during her time of crisis? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!
Enjoy your holiday hiatus – Beauty and the Beast returns to the CW on January 13!
