‘Roswell, New Mexico’ Season 2 Episode 10 Recap: “American Woman”

Roswell New Mexico Season 2 Episode 10
Nathan Parsons, Lily Cowles, Michael Vlamis, and Heather Hemmes in ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ season 2 episode 10 (Photo: Ursula Coyote © 2020 The CW Network, LLC)

The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico season two episode 10 opens by immediately confirming Tripp’s motivations. In episode nine Isobel (Lily Cowles) and the gang discovered a photo of her mom taken years after she had supposedly died. Episode 10 begins with a flashback showing Tripp (Jason Behr) secretly taking a gravely wounded Louise (Cassandra Jean Amell) to get medical assistance.

Tripp explains that his brother set off an ambush before he could get Nora and Louise to safety. Tripp reveals Louise is an alien and his buddy’s angry he’s been drawn into this. However, because they’re family he agrees to help Louise.

Meanwhile, Liz (Jeanine Mason) plays doctor with Max (Nathan Parsons). He’s frisky but she thinks he hasn’t been getting enough sleep.

We learn Isobel and Max are going on a road trip, Jenna’s back in the hospital, and Charlie hasn’t been in touch. Plus, Max is still worried about possible alien abductions – giving Liz something to tease him about. The teasing’s interrupted by Isobel who’s ready to hit the road.

Maria (Heather Hemmens) gives a presentation to the tourism board, pitching her plan to turn The Wild Pony into the Cantina Pop-Up Bar during Crash Con. The Mayor starts to object but is easily sidetracked when she offers him a morning cocktail. On her way to make it she experiences a vision of herself demanding to be let go and insisting she’s trapped.

It turns out that vision was actually a memory from a fight with her mom. She explains what she just experienced to Michael (Michael Vlamis) and he thinks she should get the necklace back from Rosa. He’s worried about her but she distracts him with sex. Or at least she tries to until Isobel rushes in uninvited.

Isobel’s in a cheery move and tells her bro to get his pants on. They’re going on a family road trip to the town in the just-discovered photo of Louise. (Alex recognized a water tower in the background as being in the town where his mother grew up.)

Speaking of Alex (Tyler Blackburn), he runs into Forrest at the Crashdown Cafe and they chat about inspirations and writing. It’s Isobel’s day to interrupt private conversations as she and Michael scurry into the diner to round up Alex.

Liz takes her dad for blood tests and kills two birds with one stone, visiting Jenna (Riley Voelkel) while at the hospital. Jenna reveals she has debilitating headaches and Liz explains Max is still stuck on the alien abduction theory. Jenna thinks it was just someone trying to get to Charlie through her; no aliens were involved.

As they’re talking, Liz hears ICE officers arguing with nurses. They’re apparently rounding up anyone who could be from Mexico and before Liz can get her dad out of the waiting room, an ICE officer asks for their ID. Liz whips out all the paperwork she has, explaining she’s his sponsor. They take him away, despite Liz explaining he’s a diabetic. She warns the cops ACLU will be all over them, but her dad convinces her to let them go peacefully. He reminds her she needs to take care of her sister.

Liz is in tears when they won’t even allow her to give him his jacket.

Liz tries to reach Max but the cell service on the reservation sucks. Jenna’s used her contacts to learn there’s only one detention center in the county. Liz is upset as she reveals her dad doesn’t have any friends or family in Mexico. Jenna tries to calm her down, but Liz explains that as kids she and Rosa had to memorize an escape plan in case their parents were deported and they got separated into foster care. She’s been worried about this day for years and blames herself for not watching out for his health more closely.

“I should have made him move to California. I thought we were safe being outside the 100-mile zone but after this election, I should have known better,” says a devastated Liz.

Jenna continues to try and get Liz to calm down and think straight. Liz doesn’t really have anyone she can call in power that could help, so Jenna volunteers to go with her to the detention center. Liz doesn’t want her to since she’s in pain, but Jenna won’t take no for an answer.

After Jenna leaves to get dressed, Liz calls someone and asks for help.

Packing Isobel, Maria (who was invited to tag along), Michael, Max, and Alex into one car isn’t a great idea. Isobel and Maria are still bickering as they arrive on the reservation and it appears they’ve been getting on each other’s nerves throughout the ride.

Anyway, they arrive and Gregory (Tanner Novlan) – Alex’s brother – greets them at the Burnt Wells Trading Post. Maria and Alex break off to give Max, Isobel, and Michael time with Gregory. He brings them to Louise’s grave which has a marker: “Louise Truman – June 14, 1997.”

The grave is covered in flowers and Gregory explains they grow unattended all year. He thinks it’s because she was a healer.

Michael spots another grave nearby and a flashback shows Louise was in fact pregnant with Bronson’s child. The baby didn’t survive.

Michael notices the rare flower he needs to create another necklace for Maria and secretly slips it in his pocket.

Alex and Maria talk while they look through the store, and she confesses she had another vision that morning. She thinks maybe she should wear the necklace and just be a normal barkeeper/social media guru. Alex wonders why she agreed to tag along on this road trip and she reveals the back of her grandmother’s necklace is stamped “Tsela” and she thought it might have been made here. Unfortunately, no one there recognizes that name.

Meanwhile, Isobel, Max, and Michael discuss their parents. Isobel wonders if the baby died from Louise’s injuries or if it never would have survived even if Louise was healthy. She then confesses she was pregnant while Max was dead. She confirms she’s not anymore and now she thinks that might have been her only chance to have a child. She thinks humans and aliens can’t have babies because they’re different species.

Max gets upset, realizing Isobel almost died during the abortion. He walks off needing time to think and completely misses Michael volunteering to donate his alien sperm or as she puts it his “alien baby gravy” (via a turkey baster) if Isobel really wants to be a mom. Michael tries to make light of his offer, but Isobel’s touched. “You would be an incredible father,” she says, holding his face. She adds, “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

Liz arrives at the detention center and attempts to hand over Arturo’s medication to the officer on duty. That woman isn’t helpful and Liz asks about people who have died in their custody. She’s enraged (as she should be) and asks the officer who took her dad if she can see his supervisor. He claims the memo she’s referencing about not picking up people inside of a hospital isn’t a law – it’s just a memo.

The officer threatens to arrest Liz for obstruction just as Jenna walks up and introduces herself as Deputy Jenna Cameron. She asks him to check the system for Arturo because they have an urgent health concern. He agrees to do it for her – not Liz.

Back on the reservation, Gregory explains Harrison was the only person Louise ever spoke to. Harrison’s in a bed hooked up to machines and doesn’t have much time left. Gregory reveals Harrison was a Code Talker and that’s how he met Tripp in WWII. He’s non-verbal at this point and Michael asks Gregory to take him back to the Trading Post to check on Alex and Maria. (Of course, he’s actually just trying to give Max and Isobel time alone with Harrison.)

Max and Isobel hold hands and then Isobel places her hand on Harrison’s. They step into his mind and the Harrison they see is the young and healthy version who was seen helping Tripp earlier in the episode. He says he learned from Louise how to take his mind to a better place without pain. He’s happy to tell them about her.

Jenna informs Liz her dad’s green card application was denied because Liz has a misdemeanor vandalism charge on her record. Liz can’t be her dad’s sponsor.

Liz remains angry as she addresses the officers, insisting they’d be willing to talk to her if she was blonde like her friend. Jenna is forced to sit down; her headache is killing her. Before they leave to take Jenna back to the hospital, the officer informs them Arturo’s going to the El Paso detention center for his deportation hearing. She can see him there on Tuesday.

Back with Max and Isobel, Harrison reveals he and Tripp had planned to smuggle Louise and Nora to the reservation. Unfortunately, that didn’t work. Harrison allows them to see his conversation with Tripp after Louise had healed. They see Louise in a wheelchair cradling a baby and asking if they found a home for her. “Max, our sister survived!” exclaims an incredulous Isobel.

Louise wants Tripp to find her baby a house filled with music. Tripp tries to convince Louise she should raise the child, but Louise is adamant the devil is coming for her and she won’t be able to fight for her child. She can barely move.

Isobel and Max wonder who “the devil” is.

Louise wants her daughter to be like Bronson, a person who meets hatred with compassion.

That part of the vision ends and Max wants Harrison to tell him where they took his sister. Harrison delivers a game-changing bombshell – Louise only had two daughters who she called her stars on the ground. She didn’t have a son!

“You aren’t hers. You came from something else,” says Harrison, beginning to cough. Isobel tries to get Max to calm down because his anger is agitating Harrison. Isobel thinks they need to leave but Harrison stops her. He reveals Louise lived for decades trapped inside a body and just waiting for a sign that Isobel would be all right.

Harrison’s last words before they pop out of his mind are “She loved you” – directed only at Isobel.

Jenna’s back at the hospital and Liz is there when she wakes up. Liz believes Jenna is having spinal headaches due to a hole torn in her spine. Liz asks for permission to look at Jenna’s test – which she grants – but Jenna thinks Liz has enough on her plate with her dad. Liz thinks it’ll be a distraction since she can’t head to El Paso yet anyway.

Max rushes from Harrison’s room and Isobel quickly follows. She reminds him he’s always been the leader of the threesome and he’s the healer/chosen one. He corrects her and says he was before he died. He’s always felt connected because he was her twin but now he questions that and thinks he’s a freak. He then admits he can’t stop thinking about the memory he has of someone chaining him up.

“It didn’t feel like someone bad chained me up. It felt like I was the someone bad,” he confesses.

When Isobel tries to convince him he’s not bad, he reveals saving people is painful but killing Noah felt good. He admits he wishes he could kill Noah again. He wonders if that something evil chasing Louise and Nora was him!

Isobel’s certain he’s wrong. She points out the hand on Nora’s shoulder in the photo in the old newspaper. She recognizes the look on Nora’s face – any woman would – as being uncomfortable to be touched by that person. Isobel thinks whoever that was might be the evil person that was after them. It has nothing to do with Max and she wants to learn exactly who it was.

Alex thanks his bro and congratulates him on getting out from under their dad’s thumb. Gregory admits he wishes he would have stood up for Alex more and really wants his brother to also escape their dad’s clutches.

They hug and Alex has tears in his eyes as they embrace.

Roswell New Mexico Season 2 Episode 10
Cleo Anthony, Jeanine Mason, and Nathan Parsons in ‘Roswell, New Mexico’ season 2 episode 10 (Photo: Ursula Coyote © 2020 The CW Network, LLC)

Liz finally makes it back to the Crashdown Café after a long day and is shocked to see her dad’s there. They hug and she’s happy but confused. She’s about to ask what happened when she sees Diego and he takes the credit. (He’s the one she called from the hospital.)

Max and Isobel meet back up with Maria, Michael, and Alex at the store. They don’t explain what happened but do confirm they found some answers. Maria says she never found anything else with Tsela on it and Isobel looks confused by that name. Alex walks up and reveals it means “star on the ground” in Navajo. (Wait, did I miss something? He was helping her search for jewelry with that on it earlier. When did he learn it means star on the ground?)

Isobel asks what year her grandmother was born and Maria thinks it was in 1948. A flashback shows Louise holding the necklace and then placing it in the baby’s blanket. Maria then confirms her grandmother was adopted. “Your grandmother was my sister,” says Isobel.

Michael places his arm around a stunned Maria’s shoulders and says, “That actually explains a lot.”

Back at the café, Liz and Diego sit down for a chat. Liz explains she wouldn’t have contacted him if it wasn’t an emergency and asks that he thank his mom – the senator – for her. Diego admits his mom’s always liked her and Liz says the feeling’s mutual. He advises Liz that their trouble isn’t over and offers to find her a lawyer.

Liz can’t believe after the way she left him that he even listened to her voice mail. He explains he was at the Phoenix airport when she called and he quickly rerouted to Roswell. When she asks how he’s been, he teases that his fiancé left him. Liz smiles and touches his hand as he laughs. He then reveals he’s seeing someone and it’s serious. Liz is happy for him and says she’s also serious about someone. Diego hopes they can be friends.

Diego and Liz’s friendly chat is broken up when Max rushes in. Liz greets him with a hug and assures him her dad’s okay and is back home. Liz introduces him to Diego and they shake hands. (It’s not as awkward as it sounds.)

Alex shows up at Michael’s hidden lair and asks if he’s still got the piece of alien console he gave him. Michael jokes he sold it on eBay before fetching it. Alex shows him the note his dad got from Tripp before he died. That note has a drawing of the console piece and Alex wants to give the piece to his dad, hoping his dad will lead them to whatever it is the piece goes to.

Michael can’t believe Alex wants to give his dad – an alien hunter – a piece of alien technology. Alex reminds him he’s been protecting them and is asking Michael to trust him – not his dad. Michael thinks Alex is being stupid and that there’s nothing good in his dad. They get into an argument about feelings and how Michael misses his injury because he wants to be hurt because it makes him feel safe. Alex confirms he’ll always hate his father but he needs to think people can turn their lives around and become good.

Alex takes the piece and promises he’ll keep it safe. Michael doesn’t want him to leave with it but doesn’t fight him over it. Alex climbs out of Michael’s workshop and as he’s walking to his car he’s hit over the head and knocked out. The note with the alien symbols blows away.

It’s late as Liz and Max finally get some time alone together. Liz explains why her family fled Mexico to come to America, and she recognizes that he must think about why his parents came to Earth. Max admits he knows very little about his own story and even what he thought he knew probably isn’t right. Liz reveals when she found out Rosa was her half-sister it didn’t change their sibling bond. Max says it’s different for him since there are only three of his type on this whole planet. If he loses that connection, then he’s absolutely alone.

That leads into how Liz turned to Diego because Max wasn’t there. Max is obviously jealous about what Diego was able to do but then just as quickly as the disagreement sprang up it subsides. Max only wishes Diego wasn’t so good-looking – “he’s like if someone mixed a cologne ad with a Kennedy.” Liz makes some of that jealousy fade away when she assures Max he’s better in bed.

“Coming home to you at the end of my worst days…and my best days…is the only rescue I need,” says Liz. (Damn that’s a sweet line!)

Back at The Wild Pony, Isobel and Maria look at Louise’s photo. Isobel thinks she must have been incredibly strong. She was paralyzed and alone for 50 years and still helped the Navajos. Maria and Isobel are connecting but when they hold hands, they both immediately agree that’s just too weird. Isobel jokes they’ve been suffering from a nasty case of sibling rivalry.

Michael interrupts and wants alone time with Maria, and Isobel teases about their twisted family tree and him being with her great-great-grandniece. When she takes off, Michael hands Maria a bracelet. He made the beads with pollen from the alien flower. She can wear it if she wants to but it’s completely up to her. She immediately puts it on with his assistance and Michael’s shocked. They kiss.

Max is up drinking alone after Liz heads to bed.

It’s 4am when Diego calls Liz with urgent news. During their talk at the cafe, she had asked if he knew anything about butyricol. He didn’t but since then he’s discovered it’s a memory eraser developed by a private organization purchased by the military for weaponization. He also learned there’s no approved application outside of violent combat.

Liz calls Alex and we see he’s still unconscious and has been placed in the back of a car. Someone picks up his ringing cell phone.

Max has another vision of himself as a child chained to the floor. This time the vision includes Louise. She smiles at him and then slices his chain with an alien blade, setting him free. She holds out her hand to help him up but she’s stopped by another figure in a hooded outfit who fights her using a matching blade. The younger Max puts his hands over his eyes as they fight.

Max comes out of the vision extremely agitated.