Falling Skies: Journey to Xibalba, Review

The title, “Journey to Xibalba” might have to do with the Mayan mythology, but this episode is all about Tom going all boss with REVENGE. It’s time to take names and kick some alien butt, all in the name of dead Anne and Alexis.

So yeah, apparently, it is the “reality” of the show or whatever that Anne and Alexis really are dead. Why we didn’t get to see their ACTUAL bodies is lame and still convinces me that there’s gonna be a hell of a surprise either at the end of this season or the next, but whatever. Let’s pretend they both actually ARE dead, which means that whole “Alexis is an alien baby” was totally a wasted storyline.

Tom gets back from Boston and just walks into Charleston, despite the fact the city is on lockdown due to the mole/Lourdes engaging in lots and lots of terrorism. Weaver and Porter’s attitudes basically are, “whaaaat…is Tom maybe a possessed alien dude too now because he just got past all of our defenses like they were nothing oh whatever he’s back! Yay! Let’s go kill some aliens with him!” Either that or they both realize their defenses are really shitty if Tom can just WALK THE FRACK BACK IN and they didn’t really want to talk about that awkwardness.

Bad news: the Volm gun doesn’t work (but I’m pretty sure adorable, crazy mad scientist Robert Sean Leonard will be able to figure it out and get it back online). Hal and Maggie get trapped during the fighting because that’s how you have two characters work on their relationship issues on television: put them both in a small space together with a potential (or actually) life threatening situation and watch the words fly. Matt and Ben do Matt and Ben stuff on a search party situation, and Matt continues to have issues/be creepy/need lots of therapy because OMG that character is FRACKED up. Someone PLEASE be the adult in this television show and get that child away from the front lines. God. Where’s Child Services when you need them? Oh right, not there cuz it’s post-apolcaypse. 

Lourdes does manage to get caught and outed as the mole. She lets slip in front of Tom that she knew Anne is dead and…how did she know that? Tom didn’t tell her Anne was dead in Boston blah, blah, blah. Lourdes gets revealed, and, of course, makes a grandiose speech about how everyone is doomed and gonna die and basically hit the standard notes that all double crossers do in their evil tirades. Whatever. You were a lame side character that didn’t do anything but take up space anyways, and you suck as a predictable evil mole too, Lourdes. Will someone just execute her and get it over with?

Unfortunately no one did, or at least no one did in this episode. What everyone is gonna do with Lourdes remains to be seen—till next week! Also, till next week: Will the Volm cannon work? Answer: yes. Of course it will. O, ye of little faith in the brilliance of RSL and his stringy, gray mad scientist hair and eccentric mutterings. He always seems to be a remarkably clear communicator when hitting the scripted emotional notes though….

This episode was lots and lots of action and also, Lourdes getting caught. There’s not much to say other than that, except THANK GOD this stupid mole storyline is over and we can start wrapping things up on the dumb weapon. At least we didn’t waste forty minutes on “how a character feels” again. This show should always stick mainly with action and forget about silly things like sensible story development and character facets because really, let’s be honest, all we want to do is watch things get blown up.  

Den of Geek Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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