Robert Kojder reviews the sixth episode of Ash vs. Evil Dead…
Putting it bluntly, episode six, entitled “The Killer of Killers”, might just be the most excellent and rewarding episode of Ash vs. Evil Dead thus far. That’s also a bit of a strange complement to hand out, considering the first few minutes, while not boring, certainly guided viewers to believe that they were in store for another narrative driven episode, this time focusing on the fallout from the recent two-parter with the Brujo.
Our ragtag trio of unlikely heroes came together to fight off an entirely new creation of hell for the franchise, demonic possession of one of their own, explored Ash’s warped state of mind, and successfully bonded, resulting in a group that, as made evident by this episode, is a well-oiled Deadite slaughtering machine. Of course I’m specifically referring to the evolution of Pablo and Kelly, who have their knowledge on the horrific situation they have found themselves in expanded with each and every life or death encounter. Even I didn’t expect the unprecedented bad-assery they would display during the restaurant brawl depicted.
And here I was, under the impression that the big story arc of this episode would be Ash successfully figuring out a way to dine and ditch (the cheap, poor bastard). Amanda (solo once again, as Ruby gets into her own scuffle with a demon that should be left unspoiled) catches up with Ash once again, taking him down to the ground in a rather hilarious fight sequence. Shortly after, the ultimate evil spirit drifting through the land crashes straight into the restaurant, possessing everything in sight, including a teenage boy who is minding his own damn business playing his Nintendo 3DS. Furthermore, the fate he meets is so darkly twisted you can’t help but laugh your ass off, especially thanks to the brilliant one-liner following his demise.
Also throughout the episode, Pablo struggles internally with the fact that he admittedly enjoyed having demon Kelly around. Specifically, the part that wanted to fuck him, and not the part that nearly seduced him into blowing his brains out with a shotgun masqueraded as a bong. He’s naturally sad that Kelly sent him these mixed signals, but it doesn’t matter too much because A: they’ll probably get together in the end, and B: not even one minute after this scene, chaos ensued.
Ash also gets the chance to try out his new robotic metal hand, which comes equipped with a sharp, thin blade that emerges from a fingertip. If you have ever seen Robocop, just think of how Murphy pricked the villain right in the throat during the ending battle. The team is also getting very handy with tossing Ash his trusty chainsaw and broomstick when it’s time to swap weapons.
By the end, Amanda finally realizes that Ash isn’t the one directly causing everything, hence the title of the episode being “The Killer of Killers”. We also get some more, always hilarious, peeks into his delusional mindset when speaking to women, but nonetheless the group has added another member to its ever-growing team of Deadite slayers. Next stop: the cabin from the original Evil Dead, and to say I cannot wait would be an understatement of grand proportions.
Rating: This is far and away one of the best episodes of the season, mixing a superbly staged battle against evil with tons of blood and great one-liners. Most importantly, the sequence serves a purpose and shows just how far along the group has come in terms of working together to thwart evil. We also got some interesting development with Ruby, who most likely isn’t dead. It’s also interesting seeing the reaction Pablo’s medallion (taken from the deceased Brujo) has when in the presence of the Necronomicon. 8.5/10
Grooviest Moment: There are around five different moments I could pick from that gloriously violent restaurant skirmish, but it’s hard not to go with Kelly bashing the brains of a Deadite in with a meat tenderizer. It also falls in line with an earlier scene showcasing her character as someone quickly becoming fueled by revenge to the point where it’s all that is on her mind, and that her goal is to savagely brutalize as many Deadites as possible. I’m assuming she’s nowhere near done. They grow up so fast.
Robert Kojder – An aficionado of film, wrestling, and gaming. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook
Originally published December 6, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
