Directed By: Alex Zakrewski
Written By: Tom Fontana
List of tropes applying to this episode:
- Abusive Parents: Seamus recklessly killed Ryan's little sister Carolyn by shaking her repeatedly while she was still an infant for her incessant crying.
- Anyone Can Die: Augustus Hill, the narrator and somewhat our protagonist (O'Reily and Beecher aside), is killed during an attempt on Redding's life.
- Downer Ending: Cyril and Keller are on death row, Omar and Alvarez's attempts at redemption ended with them in solitary, Rebadow's grandson dies, Busmalis seemingly gives up on his relationship with Norma after seeing her pregnant despite never having sex with her, Beecher renews his toxic relationship with Keller, the truce between the Latinos and the Homeboys falls apart, and Hill dies in the crossfire. The only vaguely positive outcome is that Schillinger also ends up in solitary after being convicted of raping Guenzel and Winthrop.
- Easily Forgiven: Hill forgives Poet for giving him the drugs that led to his near-fatal overdose, admitting that he probably would've gotten it from someone else had Poet refused. He later forgives Burr for getting him hooked on drugs.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Ryan reveals that his Start of Darkness came from watching his father suffocate his infant sister to death as a child.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Morales and Guerra are horrified when the Italians' attempt on Burr's life results in Augustus' death.
- Freudian Excuse: As a boy Ryan saw his father kill his sister and has been unable to admit it to anyone his whole life.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Augustus jumps onto Urbano's knife, saving Redding from the Italians.
- Heel Realization: Redding realizes how much he's exploited Hill and apologizes to him for getting him hooked on drugs, admitting that Hill's misfortunes have essentially been his fault.
- If You're So Evil, Eat This Kitten!: Wolfgang must murder someone if he wants to join the Brotherhood. He shows interest in wasting Said, much to Schillinger's approval. However, he never gets the chance since Omar chokes him unconscious to prevent his attempt on Said's life, nearly killing him.
- Jerkass: Seamus shamelessly exploits the situation with Cyril to get as much as money and attention out of it as possible.
- Jerkass Has a Point: While his attempts to dissuade Beecher from getting back together with Keller reek with homophobia, Said is still right that their relationship is toxic.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Meehan thinks Ryan is this underneath.
- Kick the Dog: Glynn sullies Alvarez's chances at parole by talking to the parole board before his hearing out of spite, in spite of McManus's protests.
- Must Make Amends: Beecher feels guilty about what happened to Adam and gives up Schillinger so Winthrop doesn't suffer the same fate.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Arif lampshades that Robson's life getting ruined is pretty much this.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: McManus sends Omar back to solitary permanently after he genuinely reforms.
- No Sympathy: Arif is greatly amused about Robson's situation.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Omar's efforts to protect Said make things worse for himself.
- Pet the Dog:
- Said gives Robson genuine advice on his predicament, advising him to take it as a learning experience. Robson responds by hollering racial slurs at him and insulting him.
- McManus and a CO comfort a crying Rebadow after his grandson dies.
- O'Reily seems genuinely upset by Hill's death, as do Morales and Guerra.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: O'Connor gives one to McManus about his self-righteousness.
- Redemption Rejection: Schillinger firmly closes the door on any attempt at making amends or redeeming himself when Beecher is prepared to tell Sister Pete about Guenzel's rape.
- Reformed, but Rejected:
- Alvarez has shown some significant reformation , but the parole board are hostile to him from the get-go, with Ruiz chastising him prompting Alvarez to snap and attacks him, which gets him thrown into solitary once more.
- Omar nearly strangles Cutler to death while trying to stop him from killing Said. Even though it was in self defense and he revived the man through CPR, McManus still throws him into solitary in a fit of rage in spite of Omar and Said's protests.
- Save the Villain: Despite Cutler attacking him, Omar goes out of his way to save his life after he chokes him unconscious.
- Trauma Conga Line: Exaggerated; every prisoner followed in this episode ends up going through the wringer.
- Wham Episode: Hill, the fucking narrator, dies in the crossfire of an attempt on Redding's life.
- You Are Too Late: Brass returns to give Rebadow the money for his grandson, just a day after he had died.
- You Did Everything You Could: Arif tries to make Said not blame himself for what happened to Omar.
