To Heal the Leper
A worker at a morgue returns with lunch- only to discover to his horror- brains removed from the corpses (not to mention a fellow worker). At the aliens cavern, an attending alien tends to Advocate Oshar, who is immensely ill from the chicken pox. The other two members of the Advocacy- Xana and Horek- say that Oshar must be healed because their people need guidance. And without the three of them functioning as one, their counsel is less than perfect and steadily becoming unreliable. The attending alien tells Xana and Horek the disease is still plaguing Oshar's mental capabilities. If the critical step with the human brain matter is successful though, the problem will be corrected and Oshar will be healed. Norton notices a flurry of alien activity, and Suzanne leaves to get Harrison and Ironhorse. At the aliens cavern, the aliens discover that their resources are woefully inadequate. Xana and Horek decide that they must find another source of power to heal Oshar or their mission will fail. Norton shows the team the activity and how it is completely erratic. Harrison comments that it's the calm before the storm. Ironhorse discusses how it could be a last plea for help. Harrison wonders what's going on with the unpredictable activity. Xana and Horek decide that they must go alone to heal their comrade- and Xana discusses the risks of doing this without any support. But knowing there are no other options, the Advocates tell some human prisoners who are caged up, that they will, "Serve a higher purpose."
They order for the three strongest humans to be given to them so that their bodies can be possessed by Xana, Horek, and the ailing Oshar. Now, in human bodies, Xana and Horek notice Oshar getting weak and help him but state that if one dies all will die. They figure that they need a vehicle. Harrison is still skeptical that the aliens are indeed dead while Ironhorse says, "They could've just went back to where they came from." "How? Walked?" Harrison retorts. Norton says that alien activity is now zero and that they've maintained silence. Harrison gets a call about Sylvia and that he should see her. Meanwhile the Advocates take an RV, and kill the man and woman inside. Harrison and Ironhorse meet with Sylvia, and she is completely calm and serene. She tells Harrison not to worry anymore because the aliens are all dead. It's finally over. She says that she is planning on leaving Whitewood soon. Harrison is still doubting that the aliens are dead and an old man at the sanitarium shows Harrison a newspaper item about the missing brains. Xana and Horek check on Oshar and know that they need more brains in order to complete their task. Officers are at the morgue and Harrison and Ironhorse arrive. Harrison gazes at how the brains were extracted and tells Ironhorse that he believes that this was the work of the aliens. Ironhorse refuses to believe it, but Harrison walks away, determined to find out. The Advocacy stop at a beauty salon and steal the brains of everyone inside (which is over twenty something individuals). Harrison tells Norton, Ironhorse and Suzanne that this has to be the work of the aliens because other suspects would have taken the sick brains along with the healthy ones- but the aliens only took the healthy brains. Ironhorse listens to Harrison's theory but doesn't agree with it. Harrison then tells everyone to leave him alone and that he will pursue this on his own. He notices the crime scene at the salon and he waits in his car, and ponders what is going on. Meanwhile, the Advocacy reach the Lyndon Power Plant. They kill the guard there and enter. They set up a large apparatus which works as a distillery and they place Oshar inside it. Xana and Horek put the human brains in place and sort them out- making sure they will work when the healing begins. The Advocacy use the power and Sylvia reacts violently. Ironhorse and Suzanne check on her at Whitewood and she is hysterical, saying that the aliens are still alive. Suzanne notices a drawing of Sylvia's that mirrors the Lyndon Power Plant logo. Suzanne and Ironhorse tell Harrison what the logo looks like and he makes the connection to the plant. He heads there while the Advocacy decide that they must divert power from a larger area if they are going to heal their comrade. The power cuts out at the Cottage, and Norton checks on it and pinpoints the location. Ironhorse unsuccessfully tries to contact Harrison. Meanwhile, Harrison makes his way to the plant, and comes across the mutilated bodies of the guards. He witnesses the Advocates using some method to get the distillery to work- and as it works, he sees Oshar rise up- healthy once again. Oshar tells the other two Advocates that they are one again and Harrison is noticed and the Advocates chase him. They wonder if they should kill Harrison because he saw their healing or if they should return to the cavern so that they can lead their people to battle. Harrison barricades a door and the Advocates try to break in. Blackwood records what he believes may be his last words on tape and as the door bursts open, he swings a hammer- but it is Ironhorse- who is with Suzanne. According to Ironhorse, they saw no one. The Advocates have got away. Harrison shows them the alien healing apparatus but as Harrison touched it- the device shatters. The Advocacy booby-trapped it in case anyone wanted to exploit their technology. With nothing now, Harrison and Suzanne can only look at each other. COMMENTS: One of my all time favorite episodes. This episode had incredible emphasis on the Advocacy- who I have always enjoyed on the series. It was also nice to see Ann Robinson back as Sylvia Van Buren. David Tynan's script had some of the blackest humor too. From the officer asking the younger officer what would he do with all those brains ("I'd make detective sir.") to the salon scene ("How about a little off the top?")- this episode had some really twisted humor. I also laughed at how the name of the salon was 'Out of Your Mind'. As I watch the episode, I notice how Harrison's intensity and almost obsessive nature of his work mirrors that of Fox Mulder. Jared Martin did a fine job with this episode as did director, William Fruet. This was Fruet's first directing job for the show and he caught some memorable and stunning images.
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Advocate Oshar suffers from the chicken pox
Sylvia reacts violently to the alien activity
Advocate Oshar is healed
