There is more than one long awaited homecoming in Stitchers 3X01 “Out of the Shadows”

Season three of Stitchers begins 74 hours and counting from when Kirsten’s stitch went awry, and the team is preparing to completely reboot the system in hopes of breaking the hold Stinger has on her mind. It, unfortunately, does absolutely nothing, and the team goes back to the drawing board. Luckily, they do have one secret weapon to use: Ivy. Having learned that he missed his father’s last moments, Linus pleads with her to crack the quantum entanglement and rescue Kirsten. They opt to hijack the memory of Kirsten’s mother to break the comatose stitcher away from her father’s grasp. Immediately after she wakes, the whole team is arrested and told they will be detained for reassignment. Kirsten later wakes and searches Blair out, demanding her team be returned to her. After he refuses, she, Tim, and Ivy conjure up a spy-worthy plan to break them out…only to be surprised at what is waiting.

RELATED | STITCHERS 3X01 “OUT OF THE SHADOWS” REVIEW

The squad is later summoned to perform an emergency stitch on an unknown victim that is later revealed to be Blair’s son, Nathan. He was out jogging when he was hit by a car by an unknown driver. Although a couple of the members harbor reservations, they ultimately do as Maggie asks and enter his mind. Kirsten reaches the death memory only to be shocked at the face of the killer. It is Daniel Stinger, and he has a message for her. Once she bounces, Blair furiously demands to know what she saw, even threatening Camille with a gun. He then again promises to break up the team, but Kirsten isn’t letting that happen. She goes above his head to the Admiral who oversees the program and strikes a deal. Blair is out, Maggie is in, the team stays together, and he helps find her mother.

This hour was an emotional  whirlwind of technobabble, geek references, and political intrigue. To discuss their thoughts on the matter, here’s our roundtable:

Jennifer (@Storytellingdoc) – Doctor, Author, Senior Writer at TVAfterDark

Heather (@xoheatherkw) – Quality control scientist

Manuel (@Make_The_Bounce) – Web designer & consumer of entirely TOO much caffeine. Unabashed Sci-Fi nerd!

Juliet (@greenleo1) – English teacher

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1. Why do you think Blair is so determined to break up the team? Is it just pure ego, or something else?

Jennifer (@Storytellingdoc): I think there’s a little bit of both in there. We know he believes that the end justifies the means, and he doesn’t take kindly to those who challenge his opinions. He’s used to getting what he wants, when he wants, and how he wants. We saw that he even tries to control his son, making Nathan’s relationship all about his paranoia. However, I think he has seen what this team is capable of, and I think he’s scared of what will happen if Kirsten finds something out that turns her against him. He knows the rest of the lab will take her lead, especially if Maggie sides with her.

Heather (@xoheatherkw): I feel that this might be a combination of factors for Blair. One aspect I think is definitely a power trip for him. He wants things a certain way, and feels that because he’s the head of the Stitchers program (and/or another aspect of the NSA?) that what he says goes. The fact that Kirsten is pushing back is probably pretty irritating to him. His insistence on breaking up the team seems to be that power trip, putting Kirsten in her (lesser) position within the program, and probably a little bit ego too. I also feel that he knows a bit more than he led on when he spoke with Kirsten- so maybe he already has a plan set in motion for her mother, and wants to retain control over Kirsten to make that happen.

Manuel (@Make_The_Bounce): To be sure Blair has an ego, but I am really starting to feel like there is something else that is driving his decisions for the team. After last nights episode I really feel like he is MORE after the complete control of Kirsten and her stitching abilities. Breaking up the team is just collateral damage. After all, the team was well treated (Cameron was making crepes after all!) while awaiting reassignment. This despite the coup the team pulled in 2×10. Will it become a tug of war between Blair and Stinger over Kirsten and her stitching abilities? Time will tell. But when I think about the scene with Blair & Kirsten in his office it seems to me he is clearly trying to win her over by appealing to her sense of “the greater good”. Then he offers “Plus you get to rescue your mom at the end”. It’s been my experience that whenever someone goes out of their way to say “See I’m not such a bad guy” it usually means that they are the bad guy.

Juliet (@greenleo1): I definitely think Blair has a bigger plan in mind for Kirsten specifically, involving her mother. He can see how close she is with the whole team. So him trying to separate her from them was his attempt at trying to manipulate her later on. He probably felt it’s easier to manipulate her without close friends around her offering her assistance. As the season progresses, I think we will learn more about his motives.

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2. We now know that in the stitch, Cameron did not say “You can’t help me if you’re stuck here.” Who do you think actually did?

Jennifer: There’s a very good possibility that Kirsten’s mother somehow found her in the stitch and communicated with her for a brief moment. We know that this memory was constructed by Daniel Stinger, so it’s totally possible that the mother of his child could have found a way to bypass his security protocols to send her daughter a single message.

Heather: I’m calling it now- it’s her mother. It sounded like a genuine cry for help. I guess I’ll expand on it a bit more for question 6. I don’t believe it’s Daniel Stinger, because they were able to sever the quantum entanglement.

Manuel: Everything in me says this is Kirsten’s mom reaching out to her…which means I’m probably dead wrong! But when I try to think about who else it could have been, the only other person I can think of is Ivy. We know she knows about quantum computers. Could she have kicked off a program from her watch, which she told Linus still had a cellular signal? Possibly. Have I watched entirely too many sci-fi shows in my day and thus am dreaming up wild scenarios? Probably.

Juliet: I honestly think this was really her mother saying this phrase. We know she is out there somewhere. There is always a bond between a mother and a child. So perhaps, her mind is trying to reach her daughter. She needs help. So she is trying to contact Kirsten the only way she can at the moment, through her mind. I can’t think of it being anyone else. That sounded like a raw and genuine moment. A true cry for help.

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3. Why do you think Stinger suddenly showed himself after all this time?

Jennifer: As I mentioned above, I think that one thing could be Stinger perhaps seeing what happened with Kirsten’s mother in the entanglement. Perhaps he discovered her as an anomaly and realized it for what it was. Although we don’t know for sure how he knows that Blair has told her about her mother, I suspect Stinger has someone on the inside of the NSA feeding him information about what’s happening. He’s preparing for a fight, and this is the only way he can send a clear message to Blair that he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Heather: I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this. During the first two seasons, the show has really depicted him as one of the “bad guys”- between the secrets, deception, working with Liam, taking credit for Jacqueline and Ed’s work, and ya know trapping Kirsten in her own memory, etc. So seeing him in the caring, loving father was almost a 180 from the information we previously had on him. As for him reaching out to Kirsten, it seems genuine. Maybe he does need her help to save her mother, especially now that she’s found out the purpose of the program. Whether that’s all an act or not, time will tell. If it is an act, then he’s doing a very convincing job of manipulating Kirsten into looking out for her mother and maybe an ulterior motive for what they could use the technology for.

Manuel: Desperate times call for desperate measures and I think this is an admission of how precarious his position is/was right now. He has been trying to groom Kirsten from afar since season 1. But upon seeing Blair attempting to tighten his grip on her and the Stitchers program Stinger was driven to come “Out of the Shadows”. Like I said before I felt like a tug of war for Kirsten was being set up. Whether or not Blair remains in the picture is a big question going forward.

Juliet: As for Stinger showing up now, I think because something is MAJOR is going to happen later on this season. Perhaps by the season finale. Like a big impending event. The timing fits. Also, Kirsten is getting CLOSER to finding he mom. That could be another reason for Stinger to appear now.

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4. With Kirsten pulling of a rather spy-worthy plan to break the squad out, let’s have some fun. What would you name the movie based on this?

Jennifer: I have no idea…maybe “Mission Stitch: WSF (Warrior Scientist Friends)” or “Project Deathstare” would work? No matter what, I would watch a spy movie with this squad on an impossible or undercover mission!

Heather: Ooh, I’m not the best at coming up with titles for things, but I’ll certainly try! My first thought was the How I Met Your Mother “Challenge Accepted” sort of vibe… so maybe Stitch Impossible?? Definitely something Mission Impossible related, but with humor and some sass thrown in there too.

Manuel: Forged fingerprints, calls being re-routed so that Tim can pose as Blair, one tied up security guard. Sounds just like a Bond film to me. I’m a big Bond fan and “Diamonds Are Forever” is one of my favorites so the title of this escape flick: “Crepes Are Forever.” I know, I know….stick to my day job….

Juliet: I got the Ocean’s Eleven type of a vibe with Kirsten trying to get the team out. A bit of Inception and also Prison Break vibe here. Fun scenes for sure. Especially when she sees them all relaxed and eating crepes. Also, thank you writers for putting Cameron in that uniform.

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5. Do we think Ivy is trustworthy now that she has helped save Kirsten’s life?

Jennifer: I think considering that she could have trusted Stinger to pull Kirsten out eventually instead of helping, she’s worth a chance at being trusted. Besides, I really like how the sisters interact, and clearly Ivy can contribute her brain power to the program. Also, I really want to see more Tim and Ivy banter…

Heather: While Ivy is still new to the show/stitch squad, I’m a little hesitant about trusting her 100%. But that being said, I want to trust her. She’s looked out for Kirsten throughout this first episode of season 3, and they’re basically all the family they have left. I guess I would want a little more information about why she was so secretive with Daniel Stinger, and is she hiding any more secrets? She did know that Kirsten’s mother was still alive, so I’m hesitant about trusting her fully while she might have more to hide.

Manuel: Let me preface this by saying I love Ivy as a character and I do not think of Ivy as an antagonist. I think she has a very different viewpoint from Kirsten and the rest of the team. Her decisions come from a very different place. She has spent a considerable amount of time with Stinger and I think her loyalties, at this time, are still with him. She clearly doesn’t fully trust Kirsten or the team, but I think she wants to. This is evidenced in part by her first telling Linus that she knew nothing about quantum computers, but later admitting she does and going on to help Kirsten. It’s that conflict within her that I think at this time still makes her untrustworthy.

Juliet: I’m not quick to trust characters. But I do want to trust Ivy. Yes, there are reasons to be suspicious due to the timing of everything going down. But I do think we have sisterly bonding moments coming up. Only time will tell. For the moment, I can’t think of a reason for her to lie.

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6. If Kirsten’s mother is telepathic, why do you think she hasn’t searched for or reached out to Kirsten by now?

Jennifer: Even if she evolved in the way Blair says she did, we do know there was a lab accident. At the very least, she could have suffered some sort of physical or mental damage in one part of her brain while also evolving in another. There’s also the possibility being “asleep” for so long has resulted in confusion or memory loss on her part. Of course, it’s also possible that the evolution was incomplete, leaving inconsistent telepathic abilities or cause too much strain on her brain to use them.

Heather: I think the main reason to explain why she hadn’t reached out is that while she was in stasis in the pod, her brain activity was probably reduced. Since they moved her location, maybe she was able to break free (even if only a little bit) and has been working up to being able to reach out to Kirsten. Another possibility is maybe she HAS reached out to Kirsten- just that it didn’t register with Kirsten. Perhaps in a dream? Another factor in her not reaching out is that maybe it took everything in her to reach out when she did. That however she’s being held/trapped has still reduced her brain activity.

Manuel: Two things have changed. First being her current location. It could be that the facility she was held in before prevented her from using her evolved brain to reach out. But perhaps now she is in a location that is in someway less secure allowing her to reach out. The second being Kirsten herself. Her Stitching ability has evolved over the course of the series and with her being involved in a prolonged Stitch such as this perhaps that allowed her mother to “locate” her and reach out.

Juliet: Perhaps, there is something huge standing in the way of Kirsten’s mother contacting her. Maybe that one phrase is all she could do. As we saw, it was a quick moment. Perhaps even doing that was tough enough. We know she is stuck somewhere and in danger.

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7. Camsten. Is this a go, no-go for you? Are there any concerns?

Jennifer: Um…for me, it’s a TOTAL GO! Neither of them are rushing into it, and they have a solid foundation of close friendship. Cameron would never push her into something she wasn’t ready for, and – let’s face it – Kirsten not a pushover anyway. I think their newfound romance could potentially create a stronger working relationship, as long as they remember to set boundaries while in the lab. The major concern I have is of course either of them being used as bait or a pawn against the other!

Heather: CAMSTEN IS A GO! Yes that deserved all caps. Before I get into the Camsten aspect… the only thing I wished for was more of a break for Cameron being single. Even though the seasons are short, they have gone through a lot together. They’ve gotten to know each other, learn from each other, trust each other throughout the first two seasons. So this is the next logical step after everything that they’ve been through. As for them working together and dating, I don’t really see that as being a problem. They already trust each other, especially out in the field where their lives might be on the line. I am really hoping we’ll see Cameron be an anchor of sorts for her in her continuing search for her family – making sure she doesn’t focus all of her energy to the point of sleep deprivation like she had in season 2.

Manuel: ALWAYS A GO! If I may, massive shout out to Emma Ishta and Kyle Harris, their on-screen chemistry is off the charts! That being said…I do have concerns. It IS so early in the season that I feel like there are gonna be some very turbulent waters for our favorite ship. In a recent Facebook live chat Kyle Harris said the season 3 finale made him tear up and that it will make us want to throw a shoe at the TV which doesn’t sound like the happiest of endings! Especially since he said this after stating that Cameron gets stabbed in the neck at some point this season. I’m hoping that was a metaphor…But it’s not difficult to imagine a scenario where, in a bid to control Kirsten, Cameron becomes a target. Either way now that #Camsten is official it appears they may have to fight to keep what they have. Should be a great journey!

Juliet: CAMSTEN! My favorite topic and ultimate favorite pairing! I was on twitter AND tumblr live during the airing of the episode, and fans were going NUTS. Are there any concerns? NO. Absolutely not. We waited 3 seasons for them. At this stage, Cameron and Kirsten know each other completely through thick and thin. Let’s think back to Cameron almost dying…and now we have Kirsten being stuck in a stitch. That’s a whole lot of angst in a span of a few episodes. So it’s AMAZING to finally see them smiling and happy for a change. I’m looking forward to seeing Camsten officially dating AND working together at the same time. Although, I don’t anticipate big change here. Cameron has ALWAYS been incredibly worried about Kirsten’s well being and put her safety first. They are best friends who are in love with each other. To me, that’s the best type of a relationship.

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Final Verdict: “Out of the Shadows” has the squad showing off just how smart they are, but no one likes to be made a fool

While we were beyond thrilled that Kirsten was returned to us in one piece, we felt both pride and fear for her when she went after Blair. Yes, we’re nowhere near fond of him either, but he didn’t get where he was without stepping on a few people (and possibly killing them). Despite managing to negotiate with the Admiral to get all her conditions met, it wouldn’t surprise us if Blair has an ace hidden up his sleeve. We can only hope that after all this effort to keep everyone together, nothing will get in the way of this team doing what it does best – solve crimes, save lives!

Stitchers returns next Monday, June 12th at 9/8C on Freeform.