Ep 2. Dark Ties

In Van Helsing season 4 episode 2, titled "Dark Ties," the show continues to take us through the dangerous journey of Vanessa and her allies, as they attempt to defeat the Dark One, the Blood of Darkness, and any other supernatural creatures threatening humanity's survival.

The episode opens with Vanessa and Scarlett on a mission to find the legendary Black Oracle. The Black Oracle is one of the oldest and most powerful vampires, who can help them locate the Dark One and the portal to the Dark Realm. Scarlett and Vanessa navigate through an abandoned city and soon discover that the Black Oracle has been cursed. The curse causes her to be in a constant state of agony and unable to move. They are ambushed by a group of rogue vampires, who demand that they leave the city. Vanessa and Scarlett use their incredible fighting skills to defeat the attackers, but not before Scarlett is mortally wounded. After administering first aid, Vanessa ventures further into the city to search for a mystical cure to save Scarlett.

We also see Axel and Julius on their mission to collect the containers of vampire blood they located in the previous episode. They enlist the help of Mohamad, a one-time ally, and his community. Axel discovers that there might be a mole in his team, raising suspicions of betrayal and mistrust.

Meanwhile, Hansen's team is on a mission to find a lost tribe of humans in the wilderness. They encounter a mysterious woman who leads them to the humanoid tribe, who have been living independently in the woods for centuries. Contrary to their expectations, the tribe is unwilling to cooperate with them, raising more questions than answers. As they search for a way to gain their trust, they encounter a group of mysterious hunters who are tracking and killing the humanoid tribe.

At the same time, Vanessa and Scarlett are captured by a group of vampires and brought to an underground cavern. There, they discover a woman called Lilith who claims to be a direct descendant of the ancient goddess of the same name. Lilith explains that she has been awaiting Vanessa's arrival for centuries, and that she has information about the Blood of Darkness and the Dark One’s whereabouts.

Lilith shows Vanessa a vision and reveals the connection between the two of them. She also explains that the only way for Vanessa to defeat the Dark One is to find the prophesized "Child of Darkness." However, the information about this child is guarded by a powerful witch, who resides in the Dark Realm.

As Vanessa and Scarlett leave Lilith's lair, they are ambushed by the group of rogue vampires once again. Using her newfound knowledge, Vanessa is able to overcome them with a newfound ease. However, she also distorts one of her eyes in the process.

The episode ends with each group heading off on their respective paths with the overarching goal of stopping the Dark One and the Blood of Darkness. Axel remains suspicious of a traitor within his group, leading to potential turmoil, and Hansen and his team still struggle to earn the trust of the Humanoid tribe as they attempt to uncover the mysteries hidden in the woods.

Overall, the episode delivers an engaging storyline and subplots to keep the audience intrigued about what’s coming next. It's an exciting and action-packed ride, with skillful action sequences, emotional drama, and unexpected twists.