DC Universe’s Doom Patrol season 1, episode 5 recap: Paw Patrol

We meet a new personality of Jane’s, while Doom Patrol and Kip try to save the world from the Decreator with the help of Chief and… Mr. Nobody?

Willoughby Kipling got Doom Patrol involved with the Cult of the Unwritten Book in the previous episode of the DC Universe show and we saw how that turned out. The Archons of Nurnheim sent their minions to capture the living book (Elliot) and opened the doorway to the Decreator!

The Decreator’s giant eye in the sky has attracted the attention of Cloverton’s residents in the fourth episode of Doom Patrol. It isn’t long before those who behold the Eye are ‘raptured’. Mr. Nobody takes delight in all the chaos (as always), but Kip is incensed. The world wouldn’t be disappearing before their eyes had the team just killed Elliot when Kip had told them to.

Rita Farr/ Elasti-Girl is far more concerned about Elliot’s whereabouts. He has survived being ‘read’, and though he is devastated that he has inadvertently caused the end of the world, Rita tries to cheer him up. Just as she’s getting through to him, Elliot gets Thanosed vanquished by the Decreator.

Now that the Decreator has played its hand, Mr. Nobody is upset that the end is nigh. He hasn’t been in the last two episodes (as the character notes on the show), and it appears that his omniscience has limits. Niles Caulder/ The Chief, who has been in Nobody’s captivity since the second episode of Doom Patrol, hatches a plan that could save the world.

Doom Patrol — Ep. 105– “Paw Patrol” — Photo Credit: Bob Mahoney / 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The key to the plan is Crazy Jane; a specific version of her. Chief and Nobody will need someone in the past, and someone in the present to work in tandem to execute this plan. Nobody combs through a montage of Jane’s past – 1976 when her 64 personalities were possibly given their powers; 1978, Jane enters Doom Manor and is as friendly to the residents as can be expected. And then in 1977.

In 1977, Jane escaped the psychiatric facility she was in to enjoy a punk concert, only to be arrested and mistreated by the orderlies and the doctors. When she refuses to co-operate, the doctors pull out her records. Jane’s original name was Kay and when her world was filled with monsters, she became a monster herself. One of her personalities then takes over. Dr. Harrison, a blue-eyed, charming psychologist who can persuade people to do anything. She is the one that Chief is after and Nobody gives her the low-down on the plan. To defeat the Decreator, they need to make a… Cult of the Re-Written Book. Harrison’s job is to persuade all the inmates in the ward to write the book so that the team can summon the Re-Creator in the present.

Chief appears in Doom Manor, now able to walk. The team doesn’t believe this is Chief, especially after he explains that he is working with Mr. Nobody. Kip, on the other hand, understands and agrees to help his old friend. It helps that Kip has the location of the Re-written book.

While Kip, Rita, Victor Stone/ Cyborg go to find the book, Larry Trainor/ Negative Man stays behind in the van to explain to Chief all the trouble he’s been having with the Negative Spirit inside him. Larry looks defeated and resigned to an eternity of being punished by the Spirit. He feels like everyone he’s ever loved has had to endure a torturous existence just to be with him. Whenever the Spirit leaves Larry’s body, all he sees is those closest to him burning.

Doom Patrol — EP 105C– “Paw Patrol”

Because the Re-written book is ‘written’ by mentally unstable patients, the writing is on a dog, and the words can only appear when a bell is wrung. The idea is given to Dr. Harrison by a fellow patient, Marilyn. Marilyn appears in Nurnheim in the present to remind Jane about the bell. Dr. Harrison takes over Jane’s body and rings the bell, thereby bringing back the lost souls and saving the day!

Back at Doom Manor, Kip bids Chief farewell, in the hopes of never seeing him again. As Rita searches for Elliot, Chief gets ready to say goodbye to Doom Patrol once more. Cliff Steele/ Robotman and Crazy Jane, who had been trapped in Nurnheim – which was actually the snow globe in Chief’s house – arrive in time to try and protect him. But Nobody portals Chief out of there. Unfortunately, Cyborg’s arm cannon backfires and in an effort to save him, Cliff activates Vic’s emergency repair system, thus notifying Vic’s father.

This episode of Doom Patrol ends with another flashback. After her actions at the psychiatric facility, Dr. Harrison is being sent to be lobotomized. When she’s restrained in the van, a familiar voice introduces himself and frees her. It’s Niles Caulder. While he drives away, Nobody contacts Dr. Harrison with another request. She has to look for the Doom Patrol.