The Tick season 2, episode 8 recap: Joan!

As Arthur and the Tick take charge of parenting the lobster babies, everyone and their grandmother seem to come through the apartment needing help and guidance.

Arthur fills out the arrest reports for the Donnellys while he and the Tick strategize Lobstercules’ defense with Flexon as her lawyer. They can’t prove coercion without revealing the existence of her children, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy. In the meantime, they have to take care of the babies and embrace the possibility that they might be their long term caretakers. When Joan shows up at the apartment unannounced, they are forced to bring her in on the secret and she is enlisted to help as well.

The babies are hungry, but they won’t eat the blended starfish they try to feed them. At a loss for what else to do, the Tick makes the ultimate sacrifice and mouth-feeds them pre-chewed raw starfish, which makes all the difference. Meanwhile, Superian shows up needing some more of what he calls Arthur’s “talk therapy.”

Arthur tries to tell him he’s not qualified to be his therapist, but Superian insists on talking only to Arthur. He reveals that he’s afraid the backlash against him will escalate once the public finds out what he did to E. Morgan Pearl. Arthur firmly tells him to go to Guatemala and bring Pearl back, no arguments.

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And as if there wasn’t enough going on, AEGIS agent Miranda Li shows up for a surprise headquarters evaluation – which is all part of the procedure for finalists of the Flag Five. She quizzes them to check for mental instability to rule out any unpredictable behavior. AEGIS doesn’t want someone like Superian running around unchecked. With Superian in the bedroom, the babies in the bathroom, and Kevin arriving with the starfish food, there’s a lot for Arthur and Tick to keep under wraps, but by the end of Miranda’s visit, they’re still in the running to make the team.

Which is great, because just as she leaves, Superian comes back with Pearl. Arthur suspects that Superian probably threatened Pearl on the way over to keep him from telling anyone what happened or where he’s been. Arthur takes charge of the deeply traumatized Pearl and tells Superian to take a long walk and chill out.

As Dot regains consciousness on the beach outside the Duke’s ruined headquarters, a man in scuba gear rises from the sea and approaches her. It’s Walter! He used to be an AEGIS agent and was assigned to keep an eye on Dot and her family after her father’s death. He monitored from a distance but fell in love with Joan in the process. When he retired he joined her church group, they got to know each other, and eventually married. He always meant to tell them the truth, but the years passed and the time never seemed right.

What did you think of this episode of The Tick? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below!