With time running out before Carson's evidentiary hearing, Nancy turns to supernatural sources in a last-ditch effort to find clues to exonerate her father.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – Chemistry: Poisons come in all shapes and sizes and changing the meniscus of the fluid they're dissolved in isn't a reliable test. But it sounds good.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Owen warns Bess about getting too excited about diving into Marvin family history, though she doesn't quite catch it and he doesn't follow up.
- Body Horror:
- The Aglaeca demands Owen's blood as toll, so it begins ripping him apart from the inside.
- The episode ends with Nancy coughing up salt water then dragging the remains of their seaweed wreath from her throat.
- Determinator: Nancy is visibly disturbed rewatching Josh's brutal attack and apparent death, but that doesn't stop her from chasing after him when they see his escape route.
- Dirty Cop: Turns out Det. Karen is the one who gave Josh the poison. As Lucy's best friend, she wanted revenge, too.
- Glad-to-Be-Alive Sex: With Owen delivered safely home, they kiss.Nancy: I should go.
Owen: Okay.
Nancy: [doesn't go] - Hollywood Law: Although there's no way for Karen to escape from the evidence lock-up during her conversation with Nancy, and although the cops would probably allow Nancy that conversation out of growing deference for her undeniable skills, there's no way in hell they would leave Karen out of cuffs after having caught her in conspiracy to commit murder.
- Ironic Nursery Tune: "Of course in this town the information comes in the form of a creepy nursery rhyme."
- The Main Characters Do Everything: More specifically the bones of Lucy Sable which provide a Chekhov's Gun for the following episode.
- Papa Wolf: Carson's response to Nancy's violent incident the previous night is to beg her to stay in the house, which has state police watching it because of his house arrest.
- Relationship Upgrade: Nancy and Owen do it.
- Sequel Hook: How else will the Aglaeca punish Nancy for not paying her toll?
- Summon Magic: How the Crew gets Lucy's skeleton from the ocean.
- True Companions: Ace demonstrates absolute trust in Nancy by downing a large vial of incredibly deadly poison because she said it was fake.
- What the Hell, Hero?: "I can't tell if drinking a vial of fake poison was brave or incredibly stupid." It leads to a beautiful conversation between Thom and Ace, though.
