DO NOT LOOK AT THE SPOILERS OR THOU SHALL TURN TO STONE!!
In the catacombs housing the Sword of Flame, Abraham’s face is revealed when he confronts Crane.
Abbie and Crane search for a way to kill Moloch. They discover that the Sword of Methuselah is capable of this task and it is in Sleepy Hollow. Henry Parrish uses the mirror Katrina used to contact Crane and Abbie to eavesdrop on them. He sends Abraham after them. Crane and Abbie arrive at the location of the sword. Abraham arrives moments later, forcing them to hide. Abbie and Crane hold him off until daybreak forces him to retreat. Ichabod recalls his time with Abraham before his betrayal. He and Abbie then search for a way to the sword. Though the Headless Horseman took the tablet, Abbie was able to memorize the picture on it depicting a snake eating its own tail. They find a hidden ground entrance and go inside. Below, they find statues of people which Crane determines are actual people who have been turned to stone. They are soon chased out by the creature of legend. Elsewhere, Irving ditches Jenny when she attempts to get him to safety. Meanwhile, Henry Parrish lifts the illusion he placed in the house, showing Katrina the truth. Crane and Abbie plan to use the Headless Horseman to confront the gorgon. They use the conflict to venture further into the catacombs to a room where there is not one but several swords. Ichabod goes to deal with Abraham, leaving Abbie to find the Sword of Methuselah. The duel between Crane and Abraham turns in the Horseman’s favor. Crane rushes back to Abbie who has yet to find the sword. Abraham follows and threatens to kill Crane when the Horn of Jericho sounds, signaling the rise of Moloch.
The Ouroboros and Medusa are referenced in the episode.
“Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?” This episode of Sleepy Hollow was brought to you by Indiana Jones. Abbie and Crane learn more about the secret surrounding their destinies and Henry Parrish ushering in the Apocalypse. Biblical and ancient mythology are intertwined beautifully in this episode. First the Ouroboros, a drawing originating from ancient Egypt that depicts a serpent eating its own tail. It is a representation of the idea of primordial unity related to something existing in or persisting from the beginning with such force or qualities it cannot be extinguished. Crane and Abbie’s fates can be described in this manner. The story of lives is closely related. As is Crane and Abraham when their fates became intertwined with their mutual deaths on the battlefield. Another page taken from ancient past comes in the form of the Biblical Methuselah from the Hebrew Bible. According to the Ten Generations, Methuselah lived an extraordinarily long life. It is said that he delivered the world from thousands of demons, the posterity of Adam which he had begotten with Lilith, that she-devil of she-devils, wherewith he slew ninety-four myriads of the demons in a minute. The sword he used, given to him by God, now bears his name. Abbie and Crane must find the sword in order to use it to strike down Moloch. But first, they must deal with the creature that guards the catacombs where the sword lies—the gorgon Medusa. Anytime there is a new interpretation of a mythological Greek character I get excited. I love how the character is integrated into modern times. Of all the creatures of Greek myth, Medusa is the most referenced monster. It’s no surprise how her appearance ends. This time her head is severed by the Headless Horseman.
Crane and Abbie search for a way to reach Methuselah’s sword that can slay demons
“To thine own self be true.” The line may come from Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” but it does ring truth for Abbie and Ichabod. In order for them to recover the Methuselah’s Sword of Flame, they must realize their true purpose and accept it. For Abbie, it’s accepting her destiny as a witness and succeeding where her family started long ago. Crane, however, has more storied truth. He recalls his early days with Abraham. Abraham was to one who shaped Crane into the man he is today. He convinced him to travel to the colonies in America. Abraham talked Crane into choosing his own path in life and not to be bound by rules. Crane has chosen his path and it runs against Moloch, his son Henry Parrish, the Horseman of War, and his former friend Abraham, the Horseman of Death. Even when faced with the possibility of losing, he is able to stand strong with Abbie and see their battle to the end. And now because of their related primordial unity, they have found the sword that can slay any demon. Killing Moloch is one thing but will Ichabod Crane be able to use it on his son Jeremy Crane aka Henry Parrish who has given himself over completely to one of the Four Ancient Demons?
