This post contains spoilers for ‘Jane Patrol’, episode 9 of DOOM PATROL. Read on at your own doom.
Last episode , Jane was left in a catatonic state. In ‘Jane Patrol’ we get to explore the inner workings of Jane’s mind. Here we get introduced to some of the personalities that inhabit the world of Crazy Jane’s psyche as it all begins with Hammerhead dragging Karen into The Underground. Early on, we find out already that it’s Jane’s choice not to surface which causes all the disharmony in The Underground, and also causes Crazy Jane’s physical body to remain catatonic in the process. However, Jane is convinced by her other personalities to step up in order to maintain equilibrium for their own greater good. As she heads on up via subway train, she does ask for more time from Driver 8 who drives the train to Jane’s surface consciousness before taking control again. Driver 8 does this by allowing the emergency break of the train to be pulled, thus preventing any personality from surfacing, including Jane’s.
Jane’s continued catatonic state prompts the Doom Patrol to go after her in her mind through some crazy idea of Vic’s. Vic doesn’t have any idea of how to transport anyone that way. Larry’s negative energy persona does, and he transports Cilff’s consciousness into Crazy Jane’s mind with a touch of his hand. The clincher here is that Cliff is back to his original human form. And, Cliff gets to explore The Underground in search of Jane.
However, Cliff is hindered in his search when he gets locked up by Hammerhead in a cell. There he meets Karen who is locked up in an adjacent cell. She tells Cliff that Jane is not worth saving. After Karen gets escorted out of her cell by Hammerhead, Cliff breaks out of his cell with the help of Jack Straw. At the other end of the wall of his cell, Cliff encounters Penny Farthing who tells him that Jane is headed to the well, and that they have to stop her. Penny explains that The Sisters sent Jane there, but no one comes back from there unscathed. They have to stop her from going there.
In their search, Cliff and Penny find Jane who cannot be dissuaded from proceeding to the well. Jane tells Cliff to get out of her mind, and she leaves both Cliff and Penny behind. Cliff follows anyway while Penny tags along, but she would not proceed any further at one point because, according to her, she doesn’t go to dark places. With Penny left behind, Cliff proceeds onward and encounters Black Annis. She says that no man can pass, and Cliff sheds his human persona to revert back to Robotman. Black Annis lets Cliff pass in his Robotman guise.
Up ahead, Jane encounters her darkest memory, a point in her childhood that led her into her current state. Though it is not mentioned directly, the scenes hint that Jane was molested by her father. Later it would be revealed that the well contains a monstrous version of her father that she cannot overcome…not by herself anyway.
As it turns out, Cliff’s presence in The Underground is enough to help Jane face her darkest fear. She stands up to the monstrous version of her father she created at the well when she sees Cliff’s lower body devoured by her father. This is enough to give Jane the courage to drive the monstrosity back into the well. After this encounter, Jane is accompanied by Cliff in the subway train. They make their way to the end, and both wake up to Rita and Vic waiting for them. It appears that Crazy Jane is back to normal as she goes to her room in Doom Manor and lies on her bed.
The episode is a father-daughter story involving Crazy Jane and Cliff Steele. Though, Jane is loathe to admit it, she sees Cliff as the father she never had. As Penny Farthing put it, Cliff gave Jane hope. It is this hope that helps Jane overcome her encounter with her monstrous father. Whatever uncertainty Jane has about her life, Cliff’s presence is enough to give life in the world outside The Underground another chance. The two appear to have kissed and made up. This might result in a better dynamic between Crazy Jane and Cliff in the future. How this translates in DOOM PATROL is something to watch with utmost interest.
Since the beginning, DOOM PATROL has established that the series is centered on building family relationships. Even though the members aren’t related by blood, they do act as one, albeit dysfunctional, family unit. This episode focuses on one aspect of the family dynamic. ‘Jane Patrol’ exemplifies the ups and downs of these filial connections, and that the key to it is having a deeper understanding of each other’s past. DOOM PATROL shows how this dynamic works very well, and is yet another reason to follow this groundbreaking series.
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