Perpetual Grace, LTD Season 1 Episode 4 recap: No heroes on ‘Felipe G. Usted, Part 2’

There are no definitive heroes on Perpetual Grace, LTD but almost every character has now shown shades of gray on Felipe G. Usted, Part 2.

This recap contains spoilers for Perpetual Grace, LTD Season 1 Episode 4.

On tonight’s Perpetual Grace, LTD it became clear there is no pure ‘good guy’ on this series, James is certainly no hero. Rather, James’ subtle manipulation of Glenn, a youngster with an absent, town drunk father and a mother who abandoned him was telling. Glenn just wanted to belong to something, anything, and establish friendship. Hence the drive to be part of James’ supposed “Special Boys” gang and prove he was worthy. James latched onto that weakness and utilized Glenn to save him and Hector… Even after feeling guilt for what he’d done to Glenn on the Perpetual Grace, LTD Series Premiere, he had Glenn remove his head gear and ‘face the world.’ To James’ credit his words were cemented in truth, ‘The world hurts sometimes. You have to get used to that.’

New Leaf’s pressure of taking James out the moment his ‘Chili’s’ style beeper goes off obviously has something to do with his now-or-never actions. During the episode James would also deliver distressing news to a NASA astronaut in training, Felipe G. Usted. Hence the episode name “Felipe G. Usted, Almost First Mexican on the Moon Part 2”. Felipe would never ‘go to the moon’ but he ‘will go to jail.’ That is if he doesn’t help James and Hector with a falsified death certificate in Mexico.

Felipe Guillermo Usted will never go to space

The news shattered the man’s life dream and goal, all he needed was one more week in training. If Felipe G. Usted went over his birthday the following week, he’d become ineligible to be an astronaut due to age. James having a father himself that walks around in astronaut gear around town should have made James think twice. He knew what he was asking was wrong, even told his father so over the phone but it was already too late.

Meanwhile, Lillian (Ma) exploiting a young bullied girl by braiding her hair to a train to set up her escape said more about ‘Ma’ in one scene than any monologue could possibly accomplish. Lillian realized she did ‘a terrible thing’ to a the girl, ‘something the girl will remember for the rest of her life.’ For an individual that has characterized herself as helping others who can’t help themselves… People who need someone, anyone to believe in them when their self esteem is at their lowest, this moment exposed Lillian for who she truly is.

Hector’s selfish side

The aftermath had Hector ‘arresting’ Lillian anyway, so her escape did not work. Hector revealed for some reason to Lillian that he had a mistress. How great his wife really is, the best! But he is not. That he has no connection to his sons. Hector planned to casually bury Lillian alive with a breathing apparatus. Hector once again shown to be a selfish character in this episode, even worse than before. As Hector is aware he is a bad person for cheating on his wife but goes along with it anyway. Luckily for Hector, Glenn would come through with the money in a Hermosillo bank.

Just in time too, as Hector’s wife was purchasing an Octavio Paz typewrite for him in an antique shop at the time. The credit card had declined but she requested the shopkeep try again and it went through. The shopkeep also mentioned having ‘Shakespeare’s Typewriter’ indicating the whole thing was a fraud. Yet, she purchased Octavio’s typewriter anyway. Telling the shopkeep not to say anything to Hector about having ‘Shakespeare’s Typewriter’ for sale.

Hector’s sons see through Pa’s ice cream charade

Hector’s sons were smart enough to deduce an Englishman offering Ice Cream out the back of the van instead of the window was strange. They left despite one of the brothers really wanting the ice cream, much to Pa’s disappointment. ‘Pa’ would decide to head on over to their school for career day before the episode credits rolled. His plan unclear. Although the Englishman he called last episode is heading over stateside. The mysterious individual had to promise ‘to the Queen’ not to commit any crimes locally or abroad ever again, which he did. Yet, the words rang hollow…

James, Lillian, and Hector are all fully aware of their flaws but can’t stop hurting those who trust them the most anyway. As if they’re stuck in a Westworld-fashioned unbreakable loop. They can’t deter from the path they’re on… No matter their feelings about what they’ve become. Even when James knows he’s not doing the right thing, he can’t help himself.

Check out a recap of last week’s Perpetual Grace, LTD featuring Sir Ben Kingsley’s character defining PA moment on the top tier series!