1. Fratello (Siblings)

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Who Are We?

A Mediterranean city overlooking an idyllic bay fades into view, church bells tolling in the background.  The scene basks in the omnipresent light.  It is an important setting: beautiful, honestly and truly, with no reservation.  What will transpire is another matter, but this first impression should be remembered.

A man and young girl walk slowly into the shot.  His gaze is weary, and not one of appreciation for the resplendent vista.  Turning to look at the child behind him he muses on their relationship:

She's my sister...

Her stare back is enigmatic, a mixture of apparent doll-like emptiness and ready anticipation, neither happy nor unhappy.  She is simply... attentive.  There is the sense she was wearing this visage before he looked at her.

The man begins to walk again without speaking.  His ward's face lifts ever so slightly and she scampers after him eagerly, like a dog following its master, or a duckling instinctively falling into line.  The automaticity with which she stopped and started seems completely natural to her.  The narration continues as they move offscreen:

Fratello.  Brother and sister.  People joke about it, but what are you going to do?  It’s pretty much the truth.

The statements are benign, yet somehow disconcerting in their resignation.  It is a conundrum that has been left unanswered: what is the relationship between these two?  The man's tired explanation is clearly insufficient, and the offhanded way it is offered suggests he hardly believes it himself.  He certainly finds the joke in poor taste.  The girl is uncanny, her focus never leaving him for a moment.  A brittle story coupled with an eeriness of behavior sets the stage for the series.

Looming Doubts

With the fading of the title screen, a group of men are seen around a table planning an operation.  There is an atmosphere of calm professionalism, indicating long practice.  They are to be retrieving a witness from the Republican Faction (R.F.), a band of terrorists with political motivation.  However, while three of the men are focused on the discussion, the other two remain silent with their arms crossed, subtly opposed to each other.  The papers in front of the chair clearly indicate the standing man was expected to be seated.


The Hilshire-Triela "fratello" is to be sent to the southern hideout, and the man sitting on the far left identifies himself.  There is some concern that the Jean-Rico team may not be enough for the northern location, and a woman in the back notes that another "fratello" may be needed.  As she speaks the chief's gaze adjusts slightly toward the silent man standing against the wall in consideration.


To define "fratello" a demonstration is in order, and the series jumps in explanation to the future at the southern hideout.  Another of these unnerving girls walks along a bullet-riddled wall to inspect a body, inexpressive as she turns it over with the tip of her shotgun.  In the background Hilshire confers over the radio, explaining that the witness is nowhere to be found, while directing her occasionally with curt motions of his free hand.


As the girl, Triela, continues to methodically patrol many more victims come to light.  The building has the appearance of a war zone.  Uneasy music reinforces the deathly stillness, highlighting the violence that must have come before.  A phone dangles from a desk, the voice on the other end asking what happened; the speaker was apparently killed before he could identify his attacker.  Yet there are only two of them here, and it is Triela who holds the weapon responsible for this carnage.  The definition is now clear; to call these pairs "brother and sister" is indeed a joke in poor taste.


Returning to the meeting, the chief continues his deliberations:

Chief: "Jose, can you do it?"
(The blonde man to the chief's right sits up with concern)
Jean: "Sir, are you sure they are ready for group operations?"
Jose: "It's all right, Jean."
(A pause as the other members look around uncertainly)
Chief: "I'm adding Jose and Henrietta to the Jean-Rico team."

As the chief finishes his pronouncement, Jean sits back in visible disapproval.  He has been overridden, but even if he is not pleased he submits to the older man's authority.  However, he was not alone in his concerns; even if they remained silent, the others around the table wore worried faces as well.  It appears to be a public secret that Jose's readiness is questionable.


This persistent lack of faith is the source of tension.  Jose's reassurance has an air of old issue: he knew to anticipate Jean's objection, and was ready to intervene on his own behalf.  Yet despite the clear uneasiness, the chief still chose incautiously to allow him on the team.  There is a distinct danger here, for knowing the girls' potential for destruction a choice tainted by personal politics is assuredly unwise.

The Botched Raid

On site, the team prepares for the assault.  Jean watches from a covered rooftop, accompanied by his own girl, Rico, who is unobtrusively positioning her sniper rifle; as the tip is extended over the edge, she is careful to keep it out of view of the pedestrians below.  Jean sights Jose through his binoculars, keeping an eye on his subordinate:

"Make sure that the witness is with them.  Listen.  If you can't confirm it, don't arouse their suspicion.  Just don't do anything."

Explicit orders, underscoring the distrust Jean has in Jose's judgement.  Jose does not reply.  The view of his face is obscured, and so his expression is uncertain, but the tense way in which he orders Henrietta to follow him belies his insistent denial of Jean's doubts.  A brief glimpse of Henrietta shows her wearing the same blandly attentive visage as before.

With Jose ignoring him, Jean checks in with the other members, all of whom are dressed in quality suits and reply smartly.  They have methodically surrounded the building, orchestrating road work to block off part of the area while also producing a great deal of noise.  A deepening impression of this organization is forming: these are not wanton thugs but a cool and deliberate team that pursues its objectives consciously.  With Ferro reporting that the window is the only way out, Jean orders Rico to train her sights on the blinds:

Rico: "Yes, sir." (Blank and lifeless)

Inside the surviving hideout, the R.F. leader has received word of Hilshire and Triela's attack.  Somebody is looking for the witness, and everybody in the room falls quiet knowing they may be next:

"Apparently, it was a young girl that showed up at the southern hideout."
(He pauses with eyes closed, debating on whether to continue)
"Come to think of it, there have been rumors recently about an organization that uses young girls as assassins..."

The view as he speaks is of several grown men, most with firearms.  In the silence that follows, they look at each other in barely-concealed amusement; scary little girls indeed.  The leader knew how ridiculous this would sound.  It is self-awareness on the part of the series; the premise raises eyebrows, but what can you do?  It's pretty much the truth.


The doorbell rings, startling them.  They may have found the little girl story humorous, but the obliteration of the southern hideout is still a reality.  The man closest to the door cautiously walks over and looks through the peephole, eye widening in shock:

Anonymous: "Louie, who is it?"
Louie: "A man in a suit, and..."
(Recovering, Louie turns with a smirk)
Louie: "And... a little girl."
Leader: "Don't open it." (Serious)

The men all laugh.  They aren't taking this seriously, even with the warning.  How can they?  Louie gives an insubordinate glance at the leader despite just being unsettled himself; surely the old man's just going senile.  To prove he isn't scared like his boss, Louie slips his gun into his belt and replies with bravado:

"I'll send them away for ya."

On the other side of the door, Jose steps forward with a bland and inoffensive smile, apologizing for the intrusion like a salesman.  Louie can't help himself and spares a brief glance toward an inexpressive Henrietta before asking what Jose wants; why is this unnatural little girl here anyway?

Jose: "I'm a reporter for Libero Italia." (Breathy)
Louie: "So, what do you want, reporter?" (Not impressed)
(Jose steps right up to the opened crack in the door, prompting Louie to narrow it)
Jose: "I heard Mr. Scallo of Costelo Company was here.  I was hoping to get an interview with him..."
(Louie glances back into the room, where the leader gives him a sign to send Jose away)
Louis: "We don't have anyone by that name around here.  You've got the wrong address."
(Louie begins to close the door but Jose sticks his foot in the way)
Jose: "Wait.  I heard that he's in this building."  (Insistent)

Jose is too anxious, and frankly inept.  His reporter cover was transparent, made worse by his uncertain breathy tell, and asking immediately for the man in question would tip anybody off.  Yet despite this failure, he defies his orders to leave innocuously if the witness could not be confirmed.  He has a personal stake in this operation and cannot afford to back off.  Everybody had doubts and this is his opportunity to prove himself.


Louie is roused to anger now, moving into the hall and closing the door behind him, earning smiles from the men inside at the thought of this pushy twerp getting beaten to a pulp.  Outside, Louie has Jose pressed against the far wall as the latter strains to give a disarming smile.  This isn't going according to his expectations and he's not sure what to do, so he stammers and stalls.

Tema IV rises ominously in the background as Henrietta turns to see Louie threatening Jose.  Up to this point she has been blankly docile, but as the scene unfolds her mouth opens with concern and the slightest flush appears on her cheeks.  Her point of view is shown as Jose is held, practically strangled, by his tie.  It wavers back and forth, in and out of focus; this image is creating an overwhelming amount of emotion in her.


Realizing what is happening, Henrietta's expression degenerates from perplexity to anger.  Her feet are shown as she turns and strides purposefully toward the men, building up momentum both physically and emotionally.  The longer she thinks about what is happening to Jose, the more livid she becomes.  Returning to her face, the parallel is complete: she is now at a full run and her expression is full of fury.


Both men notice her approach too late.  While Louie's surprise at being attacked by a little girl is to be expected, Jose is equally shocked by her behavior.  Henrietta is so enraged that she does not stop to remove the gun from its case, murdering Louie with a neck-shattering blow to the head; he is dead before he hits the floor.  She has tremendous strength for a child, and does not hold back.


With everybody alerted, the hallway becomes the scene of a firefight, orders to withdraw forgotten.  Dropping into a textbook crouching firing stance, Henrietta continues the slaughter, reloading with a smooth motion that speaks of long practice.  However, any appearance of an automaton or calculated killer are gone.  Her continued rampage and lack of restraint reveal her motivations to be deeply emotional.  The blank expressions of the girls cannot be taken at face value.


Jose has not moved, aghast at what is happening.  He just wanted to prove to other people, and to himself, that he could do this.  Now in a pattern that will become familiar with time, his error has been unintentionally propagated to Henrietta and magnified into an irreparable disaster.

A Conscience on Life Support

The sound of gunfire fades as a hospital in the past is shown.  Jean stands while Jose sits, a distressed look on the latter's face:

Jean: "Jose.  Are you planning to visit every hospital in Italy?"
Jose: "Not really..."
Jean: "I've already decided."
Jose: "Brother, does it really have to be children?" (Plaintive)
Jean: "That's what the agency says."  (Matter-of-factly)
(Jose adjusts his tie; Jean notices this with a cold sidelong glance before continuing)
Jean: "The physical modifications and brainwashing procedures apparently work better the younger they are."

So this rivalry is worse than opposing men in an organization: they are brothers.  Jean is the elder, standing and dominant, looking down at his sibling with disdain.  His younger brother has been wasting his time, refusing to choose a child while grappling with a tortured conscience.  Jean's statement of decision is final; he's tired of this and refuses to entertain his brother further.


Upon being forcefully reminded that children are necessary, Jose reaches to adjust his tie.  This is a physical tic that he exhibits, and an outward manifestation of when he is forced to confront himself.  Despite his clear disagreement with this course of action, Jose has merely procrastinated, waiting for the dilemma to resolve itself.


Jean's final statement is a verbal kick, aimed out of irritation toward his brother's waffling.  He knows exactly what Jose worrying his collar means, but does not care.  Jean's tone shows he has no objections to utilizing innocents, and on seeing such fretting he purposefully drives home the reality to the deepening distress of his brother.  An image of their antagonism at the meeting is coming into focus.

Having prevailed once again, Jean proceeds to a nearby operating theater with Jose in tow.  Upon entering the doctor checks with Jean about the title of their organization: the Social Welfare Agency (SWA).  Jean is now pleasant and gracious, the unfeeling man from the hall banished.

Doctor: "The government's created a wonderful organization, one that sends out emergency doctors so enthusiastically."

A prick to the conscience with such tragically misplaced praise; Jean is here to abduct this helpless victim, not save her.  Turning with false concern to the window to ask after the patient, he prompts the doctor to explain.  The girl was the victim of a horrific crime; she was the only survivor out of her whole family, but she is damaged both physically and mentally.  She no longer wishes to live.


During their conversation, Jose has taken up a post near the door.  He crosses his arms and averts his eyes, trying to disengage himself from the events while not committing to a course of action.  Like with his procrastination above, he doesn't directly oppose Jean, just silently registers a petulant complaint instead.  As Jose hears the terrible story his expression does not waver, yet...

Her Name Is Henrietta

...she is selected.  A lone pure-white flower rests in a crystalline vase on the window sill, its shadow laying across the sleeping girl's pillow.  She is immaculate, this innocent little person.  Beyond the graceful pillar of light the room falls into deep shadow.  It waits for her, out of reach of the illumination; a stark expression of this place.

On the other side of the observation glass, Jose reclines with his back to the room; he still resists facing the situation even as she lies there behind him.  Ferro asks Jose what her name is to be.  The handlers get to choose the girls' names; who they once were is erased, and in this act of naming Jose is to symbolically decide who she will be.  Jose declares solemnly:

"Henrietta."

And with this she opens her eyes, brought to life by his pronouncement.  Sitting up uncertainly, she examines her surroundings for the first time, but he does not notice.  It takes Ferro to draw his attention, and so spur him into action.  As he leaves the silence of the room lies heavy, with only the desultory clicking of his shoes and creaking of the door.  Ferro watches with tight-lipped concern before turning to the glass again.

The anxious stillness follows Jose as he enters for his first meeting with Henrietta.  Walking forward, he pauses in the shadow beyond her pure beam of light; he doesn't belong in that space.

Jose: "I see you're awake."
(Silence)
Jose: "Are you thirsty?"  
Henrietta: "No." (Faint and unemotional)

Jose doesn't know what to do.  He's brought her here, and faced with her directly his conscience renews its assault; he is already regretting his decision.  The halfhearted attempt to treat her considerately failed, derailed by her robotic detachment.  Throughout she continues to stare at him with an unnatural quietude, a reflection of an inner emptiness that awaits filling.


The moment stretches unbearably for Jose.  Robbed of words by his guilt, he reaches into her untouched light and lays a gun on the bed.  He is invading; such a thing doesn't belong in that space.  She looks from him to the gun and back.

"My name is Jose."

The connection is made: this is what he brings her.

Expendable Innocence

As Henrietta is trained the haunting “Etereo” mourns the event.  No words are spoken, just the disconsolate notes of the music standing witness.  This is not a glorious gain of power but the deepest sort of perversion that is occurring; what is being done is unconscionable and irreversible.  Jose watches in despair.  He can no longer escape, and so flees deeper into himself.

Quieting, the music observes Henrietta meticulously disassembling a handgun in her room, her gaze remaining blank as she carefully places each part on the table.  She does not practice out of pleasure or interest but an automatic routine, a far cry from her reckless emotionalism at the raid.  As she works her feet are shown.  Small feet, they do not even touch the ground in a normal chair.  This is a child.  This is wrong.  The last forlorn note of Etereo dies away.

The next morning Jose is walking to Henrietta's room with only his footsteps audible in the stillness.  The silence is oppressive, full of the ruminations that plague Jose in these moments.  The view is suddenly of him at the door, as though so lost in thought he was caught unawares by his destination.  He pauses to straighten his tie; on the other side is the result of his choice that he cannot live with.  Politely, he knocks, but there is no answer.


Staring at the door with concern, he enters to see Henrietta still sitting at the table.  She was awake, but did not respond; like a robot that doesn't have the proper protocol and so kept on its current task.  The agency has done something truly unforgivable to her to elicit such eeriness in a child.

"You're up already?"

No response.  Instead Henrietta continues to reflexively work the gun, loading and unloading the magazine.  Her hands have become blackened and dirty; she is being tarnished by touching it.  Noticing her unmade bed he struggles on:

Jose: "You didn't sleep?"
Henrietta: "No."
Jose: "Why?"
Henrietta: "Because you told me to become proficient quickly." (Intercom)

Throughout the conversation Henrietta does not stop working, still intent on the weapon.  This is not dismissive; she is merely following his commands, the highest form of respect in her current mode.  Her final line is highlighted by being heard from the observation room through the intercom.  It is distanced, staticky, like the recording from a police tape.  Uncanny.


This is Jose's first experience with the conditioning that Jean mentioned.  He told Henrietta casually that she needed to improve, and she sacrificed all of her own needs to pursue his directive.  Jose stares in stunned silence at the awful power he has over her; he did not save a child, he created a slave.

"Stop."

It is all Jose can manage to utter.  Henrietta does not understand what she has done wrong, but at his injunction she slowly ceases her activity and raises her head to stare at him, awaiting new instructions.

Despite his self-disgust, Jose is not spurred to make a stand.  The sequence continues, and Henrietta is seen as she drills in a mock compound, his voice condoning the images as his instruction takes visible form.  The shots echo across the training area, and are heard in an observation room where, along with Jean, he monitors Henrietta in action.  "Not bad."  Praise from Jean is ominous and Jose is not heartened on hearing it.


As the flashback ends, Jose's reaction to Henrietta's rampage is clarified.  It is more than the catastrophe of this single mission.  What has led Jose here is a long string of failures, moral and personal.  He didn't oppose his brother, he didn't stop training Henrietta, and he didn't follow the orders he was given.  And now the fruits of his weakness are realized through Henrietta and her unrestrained violence.

Sensitive Killer

Continuing her assault, Henrietta reloads her weapon preemptively to avoid running out of ammunition before charging into the hideout.  One of the terrorists attempts to tip a large dresser onto her, but she stops it with a single arm.  Extensive training and unnatural strength, but in the service of an angry child.  Without hesitation she dispatches the man.


The final two terrorists cower behind an overturned table, held down by her withering fire.  One prepares to counter but is sniped by Rico through the open window.  The leader, the last one alive, realizes with horror what has happened; they were surrounded and had no chance the whole time.  After killing him as well, Rico looks up from the scope with a glazed, unaffected expression, in contrast to Henrietta's fury.  The raid is over.


Jose enters the room after the resounding echos of the last shot die down, drowned out by the jackhammers below.  He fixes his tie and surveys the devastation that now so closely matches the other hideout.  With the violence concluded, Henrietta stands in shock, cradling the P90 close to her chest in comfort.  Her gaze is unfocused, inward; she is not contemplating the corpses in remorse or horror, but something else worries her.  Jose looks at her angrily:

"Now you've done it."

At this pronouncement Henrietta jerks from her preoccupation.  She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear him walk in.  After the startle her face falls and she averts her eyes in shame; the vengeful warrior is gone, replaced by a timid little girl.  To drive home the point, Jose radios in conspicuously, reporting the mission a failure in front of her.  Her face cannot be seen.


Looking over the wreckage again in silence, seeing the awful fallout, his frustration is renewed as he turns to address Henrietta again:

Jose: "Henrietta, why did you go berserk?"
(A long pause with jackhammers sounding in the background.  Henrietta's eyes remain fixed downward)
Henrietta: "Um..."
(Henrietta raises her eyes as she attempts to answer)
Jose: "You never did before..."
(Henrietta's head drops down again)

This last line is said plaintively; why did she let him down in this crucial test?  She knew how important this was.  This was to be a rebuttal of all the doubts people had that he was not reliable.  Instead he now must explain why after even being given special lenience by the chief the mission is a failure on his account.


Seeing Henrietta now after the danger is passed, her character is revealed.  Hearing such disappointment, she hugs her weapon ever more tightly, the distress deepening as she fully accepts the blame.  She is not a vicious sociopath who revels in killing, but an exquisitely emotional and tender child who reacted in excess.  And now, under Jose's ire, she withers, feeling the full brunt of his dissatisfaction.


Realizing how much his words hurt her, Jose's eyes soften; he has said too much and he knows it.  This is not a cruel man, and indeed is shown to be sensitive to her state as well.  Unable to maintain his anger in the face of her worsening upset, he walks over and bends down to her level, speaking sympathetically:

Jose: "Your arm's been hit."
(Henrietta raises her eyes; the view moves to the hallway where Ferro is approaching)
Jose: "Are you all right?" (Addressing Henrietta)
(Pause)
Henrietta: "I'm fine." (Face unseen)

He is genuine in his concern, trying to make amends with his behavior, but there is an inconsistency.  By choosing to address her arm, a problem that is simple and external, rather than approach what is truly at issue he does not properly comfort her.  His earlier accusations still stand; there is no apology.

Ferro enters and Alfonso can be seen in the background, looking at the dead man by the door with an expression of, "What a mess."  She asks Jose for orders:

"Search for the witness.  Judging from their reaction, he should be in this building somewhere."

Except for Henrietta, nobody is left to report that Jose antagonized Louie and provoked this situation, and she believes that all this is her fault now.  In his mortification he has omitted this detail, which leaves others to assume that he followed orders, the R.F. responded aggressively, and that the problem lies solely with Henrietta's behavior.  Ferro doesn't question his story, and he watches her guardedly as she leaves.


Turning back to Henrietta, she is beginning to cry in earnest.  This child is so sensitive.  Jose unbuttons his coat and places it around her quivering shoulders in comfort, saying they should go home.  Her state has degenerated so badly that she does not even notice these attempts to offer solace.

Family Feud

The witness was found hiding on the roof, so Jose's errors of judgement were not completely fatal to the mission.  This, however, does not excuse Jose in Jean's mind, and the two quarrel in the chief's office.  Jean once again stands dominantly while Jose sits; his positioning in front of the chief would indicate he is appealing as much to the boss as to his brother:

Jean: "You need to increase her level of conditioning.  Your hunting dog needs a collar."
Jose: "I beg to disagree.  Too much conditioning will shorten her lifespan." (Deadpan)
Jean: "Then we'll simply prepare a new patient once she's used up."
(Jose's eyes narrow at this statement, and he looks away in disgust.  Jean notices)
Jean: "You're too emotionally attached to a tool."

Another horror of the agency.  Not only does the conditioning bend these children to the will of the organization, it steals their lives from them irrevocably.  Like in the hospital, Jean is unconcerned with the costs while Jose's conscience cannot abide such heartless reasoning.  However, it is again Jean who controls the conversation, driving Jose into a corner with his brutal statements.


Before they can bicker further, the chief intervenes on Jose's behalf, as he did at the planning meeting.  He echos Jose's arguments, praising Henrietta as an excellent assassin they should not be wasteful with.  Not the point Jose wanted to make.  Besides, the chief continues, they got what they wanted, so he will let it go this time.  Jean bows to his authority and leaves; Jose's brother is a unfeeling man, but not an impulsive one.


Now in private, the chief turns to Jose for the real lecture:

"Jose, each handler is responsible for his cyborg.  If you think Henrietta will work at the minimum level, then give it a try.  But major mistakes are inexcusable.  Make certain she understands this."

Even though his brother is gone and he has "won," Jose is even more tight-lipped than before.  His anger is always hottest toward himself.  All of this is his fault, not Henrietta's, yet it is her years that will be sacrificed for his failings.  She is not the one who should be made to understand the dire consequences of her actions.  But this is how Jose endures at such an agency, failing to stand up for his principles and accepting these Pyrrhic victories that follow. 

Jose Irrational

An orange evening sky is spreading and Henrietta walks back from the hospital, desultory and alone, clutching a bag to her chest.  Jose watches her from a window, framed in the amber light, his thoughts drawn to the past:

Henrietta was very quiet when I first brought her to the agency.  Not that it can be helped; she was the victim of a massacre.  Her entire family was slaughtered... only she survived.

Jose narrates with a subdued tone.  Henrietta has been subjected to the unthinkable in her short life; to speak of it loudly or emotionally would be inappropriate, as though such could be matched in the onlooker.  Her empty dormitory room is shown, the rifle in its case waiting for her on the table; what she has endured continues even now.  Henrietta was quiet.


Continuing, the view returns to that fateful hospital where she sits in a wheelchair, broken as a human being.  The somber explanation continues:

When I first saw her in the hospital both her mind and body were ragged.  
(Pause)  
I chose her as my partner.  Did I want to do something nice?  Or did I pity her?  Whatever the case, I just wanted to help her.

He tells her story for justification; how much she moved him, how much anybody would be moved when faced with such suffering in a child.  Surely taking her was the only legitimate, the only humane, course of action.  Then he stops, pauses... and answers himself in accusation.  He chose her.  Jean didn't force it.  Her circumstances didn't mandate it.  The responsibility is his.


As he admits the truth to himself, an uneasy hand moves to his collar in the past.  Jose knew then as he knows now that his salvation carries an unbearable price.  Who was he saving this girl for, Henrietta or himself?  He cannot answer.  All that can be said is in that moment, unable to overcome his sympathy, he fell to a sincere, but misguided, impulse, and that both he and Henrietta will never be free of it.

Tea Time

Returning to the present, Henrietta continues her pensive walk to the sound of her own footfalls intermixed with the rustling of the bag.  The contents are visible now: it is a bloodied and torn shirt, the one she was wearing before.  A literal burden that she carries, reminding her of this day.  She is called from her gloom by Triela, who hails her affectionately and runs to catch up:

"I heard from Rico.  You went on a major rage?"

Triela's face is open and kindly, her inquiry nonjudgmental.  She is here to listen, to find out what happened and lend an ear.  With this fresh reminder that everybody knows of her failing, Henrietta's expression sinks even further, much to Triela's concern.

"I got a little angry." (Despondent)
(Pause)
"Triela... What should I do?" (Pitifully)

By such understatement in her answer, Henrietta only confirms how angry she truly was.  It is disturbing and shameful that such a reaction came from her, and that it led to so much trouble for Jose.  This is how much serving him means to her.  She is hurting and on the verge of tears hours later at the thought of how she let him down today.  And now she reaches out instinctively to the older girl for comfort.


Triela does not disappoint.  She stares sadly for a moment, but then her face rises into concerned fondness, a slight cock of the head accenting her affection.  In this delay is intentionality; she extends, not exudes, kindness.  Placing her hand around the little girl's shoulder, she exclaims:

Triela: "It'll be okay!  Alright, let's have a drink at Claes' and my room."
(Triela begins to lead Henrietta along the colonnade, arm still around her shoulder)
Henrietta: "A drink?" (Curious)
Triela: "In a cup and tea and a slice of cake, there's a magical spell that can make people happy."

This is Triela, encouraging but not flippant.  Perceiving that what Henrietta needs is not words but comfort, she offers it freely; it's not that everything will be okay, but she will try to make it okay.  A supporting arm is extended and she leans in to protect her little junior, walking slowly with Henrietta for as long as is necessary.  She was the right person to beseech.


Having brought Henrietta to the room, Triela can be heard talking with her as the camera observes a raven-haired girl silently flexing her foot in time with the music she is listening to.  Claes.  She holds the earbud with her hand and closes her eyes, as though to drown out the other two talking, before peering in irritation at this noisy intrusion:

Triela: "So you wanted to make him proud of you?"
Henrietta: "Well... I guess..."

A lukewarm agreement; this is not quite it, but close enough that Henrietta doesn't dismiss it out of hand.  Triela does not just offer warmth, but now seeks to help her to understand herself for the future.  Claes removes her earbud, grinning to herself slightly, before interjecting:

"But Triela, isn't that all we can do?  Although if I were him, I'd resent being that devoted to."

This is Claes' introduction.  Unlike Triela, there is an aloofness in her demeanor.  This is her room too but she did not join them for tea.  She instead stays physically distanced, lying on the upper bunk and staring down from her perch.  When she does enter the conversation it is out of pique, interjecting an unbidden intellectual observation that obliquely demeans Henrietta's ardor for serving Jose.


Sensing the dismissive tone, if not sure of the exact message, Henrietta self-consciously picks up her saucer and cup to drink before deciding to add several teaspoons of sugar to sooth herself.  While Claes' words and manner were not overtly rude, they cannot be said to be kind either, and emphatically do not help the situation.

Both Too Sensitive

Following Henrietta's pensive thoughts, the episode returns to her entering the van with Jose after the raid.  He helps her in and then practically collapses into his own seat.  The car begins to move and he stares out the window, a full twenty four seconds devoted to his exhausted reverie.  Given the opportunity he would likely stare out that window forever.  Today was a disaster.  The raid was a mess and he was reminded catastrophically of his shortcomings and his regrets.  Before him, he knows an unpleasant confrontation with Jean awaits.  His mental load is crushing.

"Jose..."

Into this haze of frustration and self-recrimination, Henrietta plaintively calls his name.  He is tired, but cannot ignore her:

"Is your arm beginning to hurt?"

The dodge again.  He recognized her distress keenly back in the room, could see how disconsolate she was, yet has now twice failed to address it directly.  This is a purposeful misunderstanding.


Henrietta continues to hold his coat in her arms.  After a pause to collect herself she tearily stammers:

"I... I just wanted to help you."

Jose's reaction is the capstone of the episode.  At first his eyes grow wide and his mouth is opens with dismay.  Her desire to serve him is so genuine and her suffering so powerful that he is immediately touched.  Overwhelmed by his own emotion, he stares at her silently.


But Jose cannot keep enduring this.  He is feeling too much, both from sympathy and the toxic addition of his own guilt.  Seeking a way out he hardens his face in vexation.  To block off the pain of empathy he is resorting to anger at her for causing him to endure this.  It is a petty tactic, but the intensity of his own emotions demands addressing.


This shortly fails him as well.  He is not heartless like Jean and cannot continue to stare at her directly even with his defenses.  It is too much.  So he turns away, his eyes glazing over in withdrawal.  In this critical moment when she needs him the most, he is absent.  He just pretends it isn't happening, leaving Henrietta to make sense of the reaction for herself.  The episode ends as he retreats to his earlier misunderstanding:

"Have the doctor take a look at you as soon as we get home."

←Preface

Episode 2 →