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The cellar — Thelma's ruminating about "shameful lust" -- "thought that was my speciality." She also tells Ella not to scratch because she'll just make it worse. And she tends to Ella with cotton wool dipped in something-or-other; never mind that she's not supposed to be able to touch people.

Thelma tells Ella that Malachi is a scheming, power-crazed prick, but won't say how she knows that. I say you can know that just by looking at the guy.

More doctoring — The nurse sees Malachi; he's quite blind. Alex (you know, Roxanne's inconsequential friend) shows up to comfort him, but without telling him who she is. He thinks it's Ella, of course, so she plays along and tries to kiss him, but it doesn't work.

Mephistopheles (who looks rather like an aging queen, if you ask me) watches Malachi claw at the walls. "I told you there'd be consequences." He tells Malachi to forget Ella, or he'll never see her again, "or anything else for that matter."

You stupid little girl — Raphael reminds Ella that there is a "better man" in her heart.

Ella: "What are you: a Seventh-Day Adventist?"

And that's another thing you'd never see on American TV. But Ella knows he's talking about Leon. Raphael tells her it's her choice.

The cinema — Thelma and Maya eat popcorn and toss it at innocent living folk. Hmm, just how did all those people know that those two seats were occupied? Presumably they look empty, except perhaps for the popcorn. Anyway, Maya wants to know what the mark on her neck is, but Thelma plays dumb. Good god, why are they watching From Here to Eternity?

Maya continues to press, but Thelma just lies: "Maybe it's a death mark. You know? Like a birthmark, but when you're dead." Maya's not having it. She asks once more, and when Thelma won't tell her, she leaves.

Behind the wall — Malachi throws a whiskey bottle against the wall and hears the hollow echo. At last, he knows where Ella is, and he goes right to her like a flame to the moth. But by now, Ella is one big lumpy bump.

Ella: "Why does it have to be like this? Why do we have to be punished for our feelings? Why can't we just be —"
Thelma: "Normal? Because we're not normal. You didn't chose for it to be this way, Ella: it was chosen for you. You're not in charge. They are. And just when you think you've found something good, something real, something right... it's taken away."

As Thelma starts to elaborate, Malachi shows up. But Ella runs away, and makes Thelma promise not to tell Malachi where she is. This is not a difficult promise for Thelma to make.

Taking a stand, almost — Back in Malachi's room, Thelma says she can't get used to the mark: she won't.

Thelma: "Either she'll find out what it means, or I'll tell her what it means, and either way it's going to ruin everything."
Malachi: "Go away."
Thelma: "She's important to me, Malachi. It's doing my head in. You got me into this situation, and you're going to get me out."
Malachi: "Right now I'd like to get you the hell out of my room. But I can't even do that."
Thelma: "I'm serious."
Malachi: "And I'm blind. Totally, completely fucking blind. So unless there's something that you can do for me, you can take it elsewhere. All right?"
Thelma: "I can take you to Ella."

That's right, ladies and gents: Thelma herself is entirely corrupt and selfish, and will sell the world's soul for what she wants.

The only one with any principles left — Leon shuffles his way to Ella, but when he sees her boil-rific state, he runs away. Maybe principles can't help you when you're faced with something kind of disgusting.

Meanwhile, Thelma guides Malachi down the steps. Alex is there, but he blows her off, and keeps going with Thelma as his eyes.

Thelma: "You look cool. Maybe a little bit drunk."

As they make their way to Ella, Malachi promises he'll make Maya's mark go away. Who believes him? Show of hands? Yeah, me neither.

Finally the two selfish ones are reunited, one repugnant and one blind, and try to work out what to do.

Outside, Leon ponders his fate. He goes back in, to find Malachi and Ella deciding whether to sleep together or kill each other. Guess what they choose?

Poor Leon.

As Ella and Malachi kiss, some sort of beam of light or column of fire explodes out of Medenham, and Raphael and Mephistopheles look on, pensive.

NEXT WEEK ON HEX: Ella plays wifey (apparently a fatal role); Leon plots to kill Malachi; Thelma makes poor fashion choices.

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