'The Gifted' Season 1, Episode 5 'boXed In' Recap: New Memories, Trust Issues, And New Plans [SPOILERS]

“The Gifted” is still going strong and picking up right where we left off. After pulling off a successful rescue mission, Polaris and Reed are reunited with their loved ones. But Sentinel Services are hot on their trail and out for blood. Motivated by a tragic event from his past, Agent Jace Turner is making things personal against the Mutant Underground. With Reed back, tensions build up when the others find out he was fighting for the other side not so long ago.  Their trust in the Struckers are being questioned as Sentinel is tracking their whereabouts. Meanwhile, Dreamer is in trouble when Blink realizes her memories have been tampered with. But it’s not only Blink’s memories Dreamer will manipulate this episode.

Kidnapping Jace And Invading His Memories

Polaris and Eclipse chemistry is undeniable. The two mutant lovers are finally reunited and talking baby names. But their sweet moment is cut short when they run into Jace and other Sentinel agents. Instead of running the opposite direction, Polaris took a different approach. She and Eclipse kidnap Jace to get information about their old friend Pulse, who is surprisingly fighting for the Sentinel. Still holding a grudge against the agent, Polaris hits hard and almost chokes him with a metal rod. But torture isn’t on the mutant agenda, all they want is information.

Refusing to talk about what happened to Pulse. Jace tells them his motivations. In the opening scene of “The Gifted” Season 1, episode 5, we see a clip of Jace’s life before hunting down mutants. It was July 15 and his daughter died due to a mutant-rights march. Polaris and Eclipse feel sorry for the Sentinel Agent but don’t see it as an excuse for the mutant genocide. Since he refused to talk, Eclipse called Dreamer to make things easier.
But Dreamer is also facing problems of her own, from the injured mutants to Blink suspecting her of tampering with her memories. Dreamer and Blink arrived in time before Sentinel Services came to rescue Jace. With the limited time to invade Jace’s memories, she got a few glimpses until Polaris can no longer hold off the rescue team outside. The mutants were able to escape but Dreamer was in the middle of invading Jace’s memories when they made a run for it. Dreamer’s memory manipulation is not without repercussions. Not only did she let Blink believe she has feelings for Johhny but she left a huge gaping hole in Jace’s head.

The Strucker Family Seeks Redemption

Sentinel Services is hitting the mutants where it hurts. Not only are they targetting those part of the underground but every other mutant in sight. As soon as they got back to the underground, mutants start piling in after an attack from the Sentinel. There Reed is reunited with Tex, the invisible bartender, who calls him out. This leads the other mutants questioning the Strucker’s alliance and if they can be trusted—especially since Reed wore a tracker and agreed to track down the mutants. With everyone’s eyes on them, the Struckers try to prove they are both loyal and an asset.
The family tries to show the others they are here for the same cause. Caitlin and the kids help a bullet stricken mutant from dying. Meanwhile, Reed helps Johnny and Sage about the ins and outs of Sentinel Services. He informs them of the secret codes Sentinel uses to track the mutants and offers to help redirect Sentinel away from the mutant underground.  Reed teams up with Tex get Sentinel off their backs. It was a successful ruse. Reed then realized how much help he could be for the Mutant Underground. Especially when Dreamer drew up sketches from Jace’s memories. He recognized a few especially a building where most of his mutant clients were sent to.
His wife and children were able to win over the others. After saving the life of a fellow mutant the Struckers proved their loyalty to the Mutant Underground leaving behind their Mexico plan.

‘The Gifted’ July 15 Tragedy

We find out about “The Gifted’s” version of 9/11, which was a mutant rights march gone awry. It spills into the park, along with uncontrolled mutant powers, resulting in the death of young Grace Turner. But it looks like that memory has been erased from Jace’s mind when he asked his wife to tuck their daughter Grace in for the night. His wife bursts into tears telling Jace they lost their daughter four years ago. But what is this infamous date?

According to Polaris and Eclipse, 7/15 was a tragic day for both mutants and non-mutants. Some sort of laser blast killed off thousands of lives. Other important events included San Janiero where two mutant siblings caused a fire (mentioned in the first two episodes of “The Gifted.”) It looks like the details about 7/15 and San Janiero with its connection to the disappearance of the X-Men and the Brotherhood will come into focus as the first season unfolds.
For the meantime, the Mutant Underground is focusing on how Sentinel Services is getting mutants recruits. With Reed on their side knowing the ins and the out of Sentinel, they are now drafting new plans for another rescue mission.
“The Gifted,” continues next Monday, October 30th, with “got your siX” at 9/8c on FOX.