In one of the most terrifying episodes yet, Dee is left on her own to face down police violence, evil magic, and two monstrous creatures dreamed up by white imagination. And let's not forget the trauma of her mother's disappearance and the murders of her father and good friend. She began the series as a little girl with a beautiful Afrofuturist vision and we don't want her to lose that—but as Montrose says, they keep taking.
All the adults, except Montrose, are caught up in making devil's bargains with Christina. Montrose really tries to come through for Dee, but it's not what she needs. On that note, the Harvard Gazette recently published a story on the financial fallout of the Tulsa massacre. Nor was that the only one. The authors mention that every lynching was a reminder the entire community that personal security, freedom to work and innovate, could be taken away at any moment. It's true and also so much more, which we see in the devastation Montrose carries.
While the shoggoth who never skips leg day can't fix things, it evens the score a little bit in this episode.
Ruth: While we shouted-out Chris Spivey's work in one of our earliest media breaks, I want to talk about the Harlem Unbound RPG setting again in light of this week's episode. Like our protagonists, you may cast dangerous spells, carry curses, and fight monsters who just happen to be the police—you'd be lucky to get a Lovecraftian monster on your side, and by lucky I mean it would come with a dangerous consequence, for sure. The first edition sold-out in print and available as PDF supports the Call of Cthulhu and Trail of Cthulhu systems. The second available now in PDF and for pre-order supports Call of Cthulhu 7th edition and includes 4 new scenarios. You can check out an August 2020 actual-play of "Harlem Hellfighters Never Die"
