Constantine Ep. 7 Review: Manny Does Something

Constantine, Episode 7: Blessed Are The Damned

We take a break from an onslaught of fillers starring demons and demonic creatures to bat on the other side of the spiritual spectrum this episode. We learn more about the mythology of the Constantine universe concerning angels and fallen angels, how they can't interact with the mortal world, and how if someone plucks the feather from an angel's wing they will be stuck on the mortal world and eventually die. Oh, and the feather grants miraculous powers that has some nasty-ass side effects including causing the surrounding nature to basically die off, and eventually turn those healed by the feather into Ghouls, basically bestial humans with the mentality of zombies.

I've always known that DC comics had a rich history regarding their very loose adaptation of the biblical mythology, but beyond Zauriel and Phantom Stranger I've never really cared enough to delve into the religious aspects.

Mythology aside, though, this episode is truly great in delivering some great characterization for Zed -- hinting more at her ever-mysterious backstory without revealing anything -- and Manny. Finally, it only took seven episodes for him to do something beyond just stand around and deliver cryptic warnings. Manny here ends up with a pretty disturbing heart-to-heart with his angel brethren Imogen, which reveals that he has some rather disturbing discontent with his role and how the mortals are basically idiots that keep failing over and over again.

It turns out to the surprise of, well, practically everyone (including myself) that all the angel feather stuff isn't just a honest mistake from two well-intentioned people -- Imogen and the preacher -- but rather a gambit by Imogen who turns out to be a fallen angel, banished thanks to killing a mortal. Imogen's wings are pretty fucking awesome, by the way, and the simple transformation of her wings into black is a pretty awesome scene.

Father Zachary is pretty interesting too, as this preacher who truly thinks he's given a great power to do great things. Granted the dude's an absolute moron for sticking his hand into a cage of poisonous snakes because holy shit that's dumb, but the nice little backstory about the mortal sin tainting his soul causing him to be susceptible to Imogen and causing it to fool people like Manny and Constantine to simply thinking that Imogen is a normal angel.

And Manny breaks the rule in the most awesome way, making great use of his usual 'replace someone' shtick to replace Zed and rip Imogen's heart out. That was a great scene for Manny, that's for sure, especially as he kinda seemed to have bailed, and all the talks about how the humans are squandering their gift of being able to live in the physical world.

I'm honestly disappointed that the scythe taken from the Grim Reaper himself (Black Racer) doesn't end up coming to play, though.

Also, of course, more stuff about the rising darkness with Imogen making use of the thinning walls between hell and earth to get through. Also, random seemingly-one-note hot dude at the beginning that modeled for Zed and is insistent on a date ends up showing up in the end and, well, it appears he's working for someone more sinister. I have no idea who this dude is, so, uh, yeah. Ominous foreshadowing for the future, I guess. Hopefully we can peel back the odd curtain of mystery that is Zed, because, well, all the aura of mystery around her really should be enough, no?

Chas is absent for the umpteenth time because he's "making good" with his daughter. Man, if it's not Zed, it's Chas that's absent. So much for a team.

Overall, though, it's still your generic monster-of-the-week episode, but it builds so much more into the lore compared to the previous one -- and that's really how these kinds of filler episodes should be.