Siberia Gets Attacked

What started out as a reality competition has become a struggle for survival and though we saw this in Siberia's newest episode "A Gathering Fog", what this show had succeeded in doing that was a completely unexpected surprise to me, is make the audience fall in love with the characters as much as the story.  A testament to this was the void left by Miljan not making an appearance in this episode as well as how moved the audience was by learning more about Sabina's history.  We all now have an emotional connection to contestants as well as a raging interest in the storyline and mysteries that Siberia still holds.  Let's jump right into this week's story as it was filled with death, life, struggles, success and new questions to keep us thinking, so here's a look at this week's Siberia!

• Neeko revealed what we all already assumed, Miljan was gone.  Frantic, Sabina, Annie, Esther and Neeko continued to search for Irene with much more vigor fearing that what Miljan had tried once before, to murder their companion, he had now succeeded.  Esther seemed shocked to learn he had escaped from the cabin and immediately deflected blame to Sabina claiming she tied him up.  Her sudden panic regarding his escape and Irene's absence was met with confusion as Annie tritely asked, "Why do you even care?".  As they traveled farther from the settlement, traversing the knee-high snow, they suddenly heard the greeting card music from a gift Sabina had given Irene.  When they followed the tone they all stopped short, terrified by what they saw: a dead frozen hand poking out of the high-piled snow.  The contestants quickly dug through the thick blanket of white powder to uncover the body beneath, Annie held back and watched the others unearth one of their fellow competitors.  As soon as a bright yellow scarf peaked through the ivory surroundings they knew it was not Irene, but Natalie who laid murdered before them.  Annie crumbled.  While she believed Natalie was safe at home, and though she was heartbroken by her departure, the surprise that Natalie never left and Siberia had taken her life was a much heavier weight to bear.  The screen fell silent in an tear-wrenching scene, as we saw the others try to comfort Annie and hold her back as the flood of emotions overcame her.  However, Miljan and Irene were still missing and the group decided they needed to move forward in their search as the two may still be alive.  While Esther blamed Miljan for the death of Natalie claiming he wasn't right in the head and could be out to murder them all, Neeko was again the voice of reason claiming the producers wouldn't have put them out there with a psychopath.  Sabina took this moment to study Natalie's corpse where she found Nataliie had been disemboweled, her stomach had been ripped from its place, and came to the conclusion it was not Miljan, or any human for that matter, who was responsible for the carnage as well as the chilling fact that they were not alone out in the seemingly empty Siberian wilderness.  Annie refused to leave her friend alone and Esther offered to stay with Annie to help her bury Natalie, so the group parted in half while Neeko and Sabina continued their search for the remaining contestants.  Neeko turned to Sabina for answers, as he fired question after question at her sure she knew more than she had said.  She ultimately revealed to him that Natalie's wounds matched that of the tiger (see: Siberia Gets Into the Thick of It) and, whatever was guilty, was also likely what had killed Tommy.  Though Neeko tried to probe her further, Sabina responded with nothing but doubt, she had no idea what was going on and shared with him all of her suspicions, informing Neeko that he was searching for answers in the wrong place.  Meanwhile Annie and Esther's attempts to bury Natalie with nothing but their hands resulted in failure, so they returned to the settlement to retrieve a shovel to aid in their task.  While Neeko and Sabina traveled further into the woods, we suddenly were introduced to a new side of Sabina that the audience had not yet encountered as she broke down in tears.  For the first time her tough exterior faded as she began to question whether they would ever escape the Siberian wilderness and more importantly if she would ever see the boy in her locket, her heart as she had earlier described him, ever again.  She opened up to Neeko as he, and the viewers, learned more about her tattered past.  Sabina was raised in an orphanage where a worker had taken advantage of her and the result was a pregnancy at only 16.  When she became old enough to leave the housing, she went straight into the army, as was the requirements in Israel, and was tasked with protecting a high ranking diplomat.  One night she found herself in a predicament as the man who it was her duty to guard, had taken a young girl into his room.  Seeing herself in the girl, she chose to stand up to the man by beating him senseless in an effort to protect the innocent victim.  This act got her discharged from the army and her son, the face in the locket, taken away from her.  She revealed her reason for participating in the game show, she had no money and she saw Siberia as a chance to regain custody of her son.  Neeko attempted to sooth Sabina by firmly reassuring her that she would survive and be reunited with her child.  Annie and Esther had achieved little, even with tools to bury Natalie ,and we found Annie apologizing to Esther for treating her so poorly.  She thanked Esther for her help and kindness and they marked Natalie's body with a cross as there was nothing more they could do.  Annie said goodbye to her friend when suddenly Esther became adamant that they needed to leave.  While they had spent hours in this spot, I was confused at why Esther felt the urgency to now vacate.  With a loud snap of branches both girls turned and began to run, as did the cameraman, leaving us with no footage regarding what the imminent danger was and the screen quickly cut to static also leaving us wondering their ultimate fate.  Fog began to surround Neeko and Sabina and, as they were no closer to finding Miljan or Irene, as well as deep into the woods and far from the settlement, they decided to head back.  Sabina came across the two-pronged footprints of the beast, that were found at both the site of Tommy's death and on the image of from the cave paintings and she felt an increasing urgency to turn back.  After deciding they were lost, they discovered the cross Annie and Esther had put up, but no trace of Natalie or the two girls.  While Neeko believed he could make it back to the settlement from that point where the girls were likely waiting, Sabina saw more of the beast's tracks and in a foreboding tone claimed she doesn't think they made it back.  
• Johnny awoke the other "hikers" and urged them to get started as they needed to utilize the daylight as much as possible.  While Joyce thought it might be a good idea to hold out and stay there until the weather changed, Johnny was again concerned with rations and insisted they needed to continue.  Upon attempting to get her bearings, Joyce noticed she could no longer see the beacon on the skyline.  As the group searched, feelings of panic crept in as they realized they were basically lost.  Johnny stepped up and believed he knew the way, based on a sort of triangulation of their previous movements.  Due to the fact that they had reached the hut from the front and from Johnny's recollection the tower had been to the left of it, on the horizon, he lead the way.  We learned through bits and pieces of personal interviews that the group is falling apart, Joyce was scared that they would not make it to the beacon but was attempting to be strong, Sam's foot was worse and he was having more trouble walking but hid it from the group to keep up the morale and Johnny was a bit panicked as he had no idea where they were and felt as if he was leading them all to their death.  He suggested they turn back, while he continued to search for the beacon alone, which was quickly dismissed as they insisted on continuing as a cohesive unit.  The group finally reached a ridge where they were able to scour the horizon for any trace of the tower, buildings or civilization, but to their dismay saw nothing.  Johnny became filled with rage and while Sam had stepped back as a leader and took on more of a supportive role, he encouraged Johnny to hit him, to take out his frustration on Sam.  Johnny went off about how they should have left Sam and how he encouraged them to do just that, but the group would not leave him behind.  He continued to insist that it was Sam's fault they were in this predicament and rather than push back Sam agreed with Johnny and provided words of encouragement telling Johnny that he was their leader, once he calmed down and assessed the situation he would make the right choice for the group.  Just as all hope seemed lost, Joyce deliriously claimed to see footprints in the snow and began to follow them as the rest of the group pursued behind her.  After sometime, Daniel questioned where they were going as there apparently were no footprints and upon discovering this Johnny was bewildered and confused, as he believed they were pursuing a legitimate lead, and didn't understand why they were following Joyce's hallucination.  I have to point out that throughout this entire journey, no matter how bad it seems to get, each member appears to have a calling or connection to the land and to each other as they persevere, are able to navigate the seemingly never-ending vast territory and each have the perfect skill set to overcome every obstacle in their path.  Along with this theory, Johnny suddenly saw a flash of light in the distance through the maze of trees as the sun hit the perfect spot, at the ideal time, and reflected a bright glare to guide them.  As they raced to the source, Sam decided it was the end of his journey and while he told Johnny to go on, he was just resting, it was clear that he had no intention of continuing forward.  The others encountered a large tower, but I am unsure if this was the same beacon Daniel originally saw and they sought out.  With nothing else in sight Johnny proceeded to ascend the structure in hope of obtaining a better view.  As he began his climb, Joyce noticed a sign partially buried by the snow that depicted foreign words, but also a clear lightning bolt symbol that is known to every culture throughout the world and is synonymous with: Danger Electricity.  The revelation came too late, as the tower zapped Johnny and threw him off and onto the snow.  They rushed to his aid and while Daniel felt no pulse and began compressions on Johnny's chest, a humorous moment breathed life into the dire situation as Joyce asked Daniel if he knew CPR and was astounded that he had no knowledge on this particular subject claiming "but you know everything".  Then, as if beckoned from the beyond Sam ran to Johnny's side and began performing the life-saving techniques needed to save their companion.  Life rushed back into Johnny and, though dazed, he was able to recall that while mounted on the structure he had seen rooftops not far away.  They had begun their final trek when Joyce broke down and was unable to continue.  Cold, malnourished, emotionally and physically exhausted she fell in the snow, sobbing and couldn't carry on.  Having traveled too far and worked so hard to loose a teammate now, Johnny attempted to carry her the rest of the way constantly falling to his knees unable to assist her to their destination, while Daniel helped Sam and continued ahead.  Just as Johnny accepted defeat, apologizing for not having enough strength, and Joyce told him to simply leave her, Daniel raced back claiming they had found the buildings just ahead.  This spark of hope was enough for both Johnny and Joyce to regain the energy they needed and the group finally made it to safety.  As they banged on the doors and windows of the various modern buildings, they received no response so Johnny took the initiative to break in through a window and circle back to open the door for the others.  While waiting Sam questioned the large sign posted outside the facility that he translated to convey "Russian Science Center" wondering the purpose of this strange place.  To my satisfaction the "hikers" had found safety and my heart could stop beating out of my chest in fear they would not survive.  I again question why their group seemed to have the perfect skill set, personalities, drive, compassion for each other, perseverance and what I can only chalk up to as luck to overcome their difficult journey.  In the building they found blankets, couches, warm winter clothing, beverages and even a microwave making their new settlement above the standards they had become accustomed to in Siberia.  Just as they had begun to settle in, a large crash was heard from somewhere in the building and though Johnny attempted to make contact with their co-inhibitors no response was heard. 

This episode was filled with struggles, teamwork, surprises but most of all emotions as we learned so much more about the characters we have fallen in love with.  Though Sam, Johnny, Daniel and Joyce seem to have ultimately found a safe haven, the preview for next week was filled with hints of new information regarding experimentation that will either answer some of our lingering questions or provide us with brand new ones to solve.  Annie, Neeko, Sabina and Esther appeared to have had the upper-hand as they were safe at the settlement but the tables turned as they found themselves missing Irene and Miljan, finding the corpse of Natalie and ending up with two new members in danger or possibly dead.  We now only know that Sabina and Neeko are safe for the time being and from the previews we also saw that Miljan is still alive and well but they are now in a much more dire situation as the unknown beast has turned their area into a hunting ground.  This week's Siberia focused much more on the personalities and individual struggles than the mysterious questions that haunt the show but as we have grown so emotionally attached to each competitor it kept us on the edge of our seats yet again.  A few new questions have emerged that I will go into below, but overall this episode highlighted the group and set us up for next week's search for answers.  Tune into Siberia, Mondays on NBC and check back here for recaps of all the drama and my personal quest for information, theories and conclusions of where this excellent series is ultimately guiding us!  Enjoy!       

Questions from "A Gathering Fog"

1.  Where are Miljan and Irene?
• This is kind of a bleed through question from the last episode as we didn't really get any new hints or answers this week.  We know Miljan is alive as he was in the previews for next week (and come on they can't kill him off) but I have a gut feeling that Irene is dead.  We might be surprised and find that the locals have her and have healed her because she has some sort of importance to the underlining story, but I'm not counting on it.  I think Miljan took her, possibly with help from the local tribe and he has been residing with them throughout this episode.  One thing I did find strange is that the sound clip in the trailer was the voice of the Miljan we were first introduced to rather than the sinister change we have seen in the last episodes.  I'm not sure if the shaman spirit left him during whatever transpired in his absence, or if it just leaks through as in the previous episodes he seemed normal at times and then transformed into a completely different character.
2. What happened to Natalie?
• She obviously died and due to Sabina's comments on her body combined with the footprints it seems pretty clear that it was at the hands of the beast.  What I found odd is that if her body had been there since she supposedly "left" camp they would have noticed before now.  I still question her sudden departure as it didn't make sense and wonder if she was taken by Miljan or the locals and sacrificed to the beast.  As I pointed out in my last post (see: Siberia Gets Cold!) it is quite possible the locals worship the animal and are sacrificing the bodies they gather from the producers' camp, the helicopter, Irene and Natalie to appease it.  Nevertheless, Natalie seemed to have been put there recently so I wonder if she was kept alive for some time.  In addition, as Sabina found the skeleton with her unique locket that I believe to be a future version of herself, I question whether it is a possibility that Natalie too may return even though her dead body was found.
3. Why did Irene, or someone else, take the card gifted to her by Sabina?
• I found it odd that the card was heard out in the wilderness.  My only guess is that in the struggle to remove her she grabbed it thinking the noise would help lead the others to her.  However, as they heard the card but did not locate Irene she possibly could have dropped it in the process.
4. Is there something special about the "hiker" group?
• While I have maintained the idea from the beginning that this group, or at least certain contestants have a special connection to Siberia.  You can see my most recent lineage or connection theories and reasons in the post Siberia Theories That Will Blow Your Mind.  Though I can track Sam and Sabina to Siberia due to their heritage, there seems to be more going on with the "hikers" group as a whole, with instincts, visions, skills and more that have enabled them to jump over every hurdle laid in front of them.  They knew that their journey to the beacon would be difficult but it is amazing to me that Johnny's tracking and wilderness skills was able to guide them, their relationships and compassion for each other has kept them unified, Sam's ability to know just what to do or say to keep the group's morale high and overcome what appeared to be his last moments to bring Johnny back from the dead, Joyce's uncanny ability to find a hidden hut and footsteps unseen to the others that guided them to safety, Daniel's love for Sam and his general knowledge that kept him alive, and the pure luck of the sunlight bouncing off the tower through a thick maze of trees at the precise moment needed all seems too good to be true.  Yes, miraculous things happen on television shows everyday but with all the secrets that Siberia holds I can't help but wonder if this is their destiny or fate.  I have brought up the fact that Miljan has been guided in previous episodes and the possibility of Annie's instincts seeping through from a past life and maybe this too is what is happening within this group.  To me, it seems like they have overcome more than a run of the mill television miracle as Sam was brought back from the brink of death and without him Johnny would have perished in this episode, so I will throw out the idea that they are being guided or helped by some outside force as there is indeed something special about this group. 
5. What's the significance of the Russian Science Center?
• While the idea of science experiments was brought up with the inscription on the Revealer reading "Test Group C" which I didn't believe to be part of any big conspiracy but rather a cool prop that was acquired by the producers.  As we weren't given much information regarding what the science center was and why it was there, due to next week's clip it seems to be more of a genetic testing ground rather than a study on human behavior.  This leads me to believe that the center may be studying the effects on the environment from the Tunguska Event, including the mutated frog we saw and possible other anomalies that exist in the area.  It could also be a study of the beast as we have seen much more of its existence in this episode.  Possibly attempting to genetically recreate it, in order to use it as a type of super-soldier or as a way to figure out how to destroy it.  If it is indeed who the locals refer to a Magankan (see: Siberia Gets Cold!) who was believed to be immortal or unable to be wounded, it would make sense that they are studying it in order to kill the beast.  Another idea is that they are working on cloning as we saw pictures of fetuses, but this brings up a few questions in my mind.  While cloning has been a popular topic on Siberia boards, it doesn't make sense to me as they all have complex histories from all over the world and as we saw on shows like Orphan Black, even the cloning of the same strand of DNA can lead to drastically different results.  The idea that the contestants are clones and were placed across the globe, then all decided at different points in their life to join this competition is a weak theory in my opinion.  We also have references to Joyce's family history as well as Sam's grandmother which means they came from somewhere and it's unlikely that is a test tube.  The fetus images also seemed non-human which leads me back to the beast.  I think it is much more plausible that the science center is to study it, rather than the contestants.  
6. Was the fog meaningful?
• The fog seemed to engulf all of Siberia at the same time as we saw both the "hikers" and the "settlers" experience it making me think that it was a natural weather occurrence.  However, it also marked the return of the beast.  When the smoke-like haze rose, it seemed to instill powerful feelings into many of the characters; Joyce felt an overwhelming sense of doom that caused her to completely give up, Sabina showed an uneasiness and insisted they turn back and Esther's feelings of danger crept up on her as she encouraged Annie to leave Natalie's grave.  I'm honestly not sure as the fog created an even more eerie environment than the Siberian wilderness already maintained and made for great television, but as the title of the episode was "A Gathering Fog" it did seem to highlight the huge breakthroughs and gave me a sense of collectiveness, like the fog was engulfing all the storylines before dropping the viewers on our heads next week.  I'd love to hear your thoughts or whether you think it was simply a cinematic technique or perhaps holds a greater purpose! 
7. What happened to Annie and Esther?
• It seemed pretty clear that the beast had taken them, unless they were able to outrun it, which I doubt.  What was odd to me was that Annie and Esther had spent the entire day at that location when suddenly Esther instinctively knew that they needed to quickly abandon the site.  However, I don't think all hope is lost for these characters yet.  Like I mentioned above, it seemed like the beast took Natalie captive before killing her so this might be the case with both Annie and Esther.  In addition, if the creature is related to the local tribe he may have delivered the girls to them.  It seemed to me that Natalie's body had also been removed similar to the tiger in a previous episode, (see: Siberia Gets into the Thick of It) which makes me wonder how the beast was able to capture both girls, the cameraman and remove Natalie.  Is there more than one?  While I thought the tiger seemed to be a warning as it was mauled and then left right outside the settlement, following that logic it seems Natalie's body was a trap left for them to discover and mourn so the beast could return for the others.  I'm not sure if it's because I don't want this to be the end of Annie and Esther or just a hunch that they are still alive.  The theory I'm going with is that the beast is in cahoots with the locals and has kidnapped the girls, possibly to determine if they are a worthy sacrifice or if they have a connection to the land, before sacrificing them to Ogdy.

As always, thank you for reading and I look forward to your thoughts so please comment!  Check out DaLadybugMan's review here as he has a totally different viewpoint that can enlighten Siberia lovers by looking at the show from different angles.  Don't forget to tweet #SiberiaSeason2 as this is a truly spectacular show that deserves to be renewed and I don't know what I'll do when it concludes!  It's about time for me to round up all my thoughts and research for a new Theories post, so be on the lookout for that, and check back for my weekly reviews, recaps and thoughts!