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Killing Me Softly With His Song is the fifth episode of season 3 of Roswell, New Mexico and the thirty-first episode of the series overall. It aired on August 23, 2021.

Synopsis[]

Official synopsis for Killing Me Softly With His Song from The CW:

ANYONE CAN FALL -- Liz (Jeanine Mason) makes the choice to lie to Heath (guest star Steven Krueger). Maria (Heather Hemmens) and Rosa (Amber Midthunder) stand up to Jordan (guest star Michael Grant Terry) meanwhile Isobel (Lily Cowles) does some digging into Jones (Nathan Dean). Also starring Michael Vlamis and Michael Trevino the episode was directed by Rachel Raimist and written by Alanna Bennett & Danny Tolli (#305). Original Airdate 8/23/2021.

Plot summary[]

Liz is being treated by a paramedic who believes she went into cardiac arrest. Liz convinces the paramedic it wasn’t her heart as nearby electronics react to her energy. Heath is concerned and wants to know what’s happening. Liz asks him to take her to Max in Roswell.

Max frees Kyle from the railing he’s been impaled on and it’s obvious Kyle’s about to die. Max isn’t ready to let Kyle go and attempts to use his powers to save him, despite the fact his heart can’t take much more abuse.

The next scene finds a very much alive but drained Kyle waking up on Max’s couch cuddling a stuffed alien. Max is also still alive; his heart held up under the strain of healing Kyle. Max has no idea how he survived but confesses he actually feels better than he has in weeks.

Maria barges into Max’s place and demands to know what Kyle thought he was doing by pissing off his murderer. She benches Kyle until Max’s handprint disappears, reminding them in the vision Alex said they were covering up a murder which must mean it involves aliens.Kyle reminds them he had no idea he was the occupant of the casket in her vision. Maria’s suggestion they act like it’s quarantine again and binge Buffy doesn’t go over well.

Max is called out to the Lopez farm to investigate the murder of Zeke Murphy. He has a tense exchange of words with another deputy, who comes to the conclusion that the Lopezes are gulity because their barn has multiple signs supporting immigrants and refugees, which Zeke was against.

Sheriff Taylor points out Zeke and the Lopez family disliked each other and argued over fence lines, among other things. She orders Max to arrest Manny and Vinnie and he reluctantly does so while Anatsa watches and takes notes.

Meanwhile, Isobel questions Michael about his sudden change of heart. Michael’s decided Jones does want to help Max, but Isobel is unsure of Jones’ motives. They both know Jones is hiding something from them. Michael believes they don’t really have any viable option other than to let Jones heal Max, especially given Max’s expenditure of energy healing Kyle. Isobel vows to get the answers out of Jones.

The Crashdown Café’s closed for the day as Arturo and a group of concerned citizens prepare for a peaceful march over the Lopezes’ arrest. They paint signs with “Alien and Proud” and “Immigrants Make America Great,” and Arturo asks for Rosa’s artistic skills to make the signs stand out.

Rosa smiles and jokes Liz won’t be happy she missed this. Arturo explains that now that he has his visa, he needs to speak out – just the way others did while supporting him. Rosa wants to help, but can’t because “Rosalinda” can’t draw attention to herself since she has already made that mistake with Wyatt.

Gregory is instantly jealous when Maria and Kyle show up together at the café. Maria says she’s just babysitting Kyle and Gregory doesn’t question why. Kyle looks around the café as Gregory says they’re all there to support the Lopezes and make Sheriff Taylor aware they’re not going to sit quietly by as the family’s framed.

Maria wants Kyle to sit out this battle, but he’s determined to go down swinging if that’s what it comes to. Protesters gather in the park across from the café, and Maria’s apparently given in to Kyle’s wish to make his voice heard as they man a table together outside the restaurant. (Kyle’s wearing a Kevlar vest to make Maria happy.)

A chant of “Sheriff Taylor has got to go” breaks out as white supremacist/the mayor’s son Jordan Bernhardt wanders up. He’s shocked to see Kyle alive after leaving him to die the prior evening. Jordan threatens war if the marchers don’t quit.

The LA-to-Roswell road trip is underway and Liz finally wakes up after being passed out for hours. Heath’s completely confused and frustrated that she won’t explain what’s going on. Something is sucking the life out of her and he has no idea why she thinks there’s a cure in Roswell.

As Heath continues to question Liz, the car radio gets staticky and engine problems force them to stop. The radiator hose is burned to a crisp and Heath admits he has no idea how to repair a car or why he’s driving her to her ex-boyfriend. Liz claims Heath has nothing to worry about; she and Max are done. Liz asks for his trust for now and promises she’ll eventually answer his questions.

Liz figures out how to MacGyver the engine to get them back on the road.

Max meets separately with Manny and Vinnie in jail, and Vinnie reveals The Roswell Regiment (the white supremacists group led by Jordan) has been attacking employees and messing with the livestock. Both Manny and Vinnie like Max but point out that, when he’s in uniform, he’s not their friend. They didn’t report The Regiment because they knew nothing would be done. However, Vinnie did speak with the reporter.

Maria’s furious Kyle slipped away and bailed out Manny and Vinnie. She believes Kyle just painted a larger target on his back and is further endangering his life.

Maria would love to be with the protesters and Kyle apologizes she needs to watch him. Michael overhears and steps up, volunteering to take over babysitting duties. “I bet I’d make a pretty good bodyguard…alien and all,” says a sober Michael, who needs to fill a few hours while Isobel continues investigating Jones.

And speaking of Isobel, she’s over at the cave confronting Jones. She turns off the cage and he agrees to answer her questions. He brings up their mutual acquaintance, Noah, but she shuts down that topic.

As they’re talking an aura encircles Jones, with a halo over his head turning yellow. Jones runs through what he did yesterday – his one day on the loose in Roswell. Isobel reveals yellow means deceit and asks what he left out from his description of his day outside the cave.

Jones brings up Noah again and claims the yellow in his halo is a projection; it’s hers, not his.

Angered, Isobel sends Jones back into his cage. However, she did receive a key piece of information – Jones visited a dried-up fishing hole he used to love decades ago.

Isobel attempts to find the specific location and finally lands on the right fishing hole. She discovers Jones burned something and finds Zeke’s partially destroyed wallet.

Max suggests Sheriff Taylor make a statement since the protest isn’t subsiding. A brick with “die pigs!” on it crashes through her office window; and Deputy Max, who argued with them earlier, claims the rioters want them defunded and dead. Max believes it was Jordan and his group that tossed the brick, but the deputy thinks they should call in The Regiment for support since they’re understaffed.

Sheriff Taylor orders Max to turn over the names of protesters with violent records. She also orders the other deputy to call in The Regiment.

The Regiment hits the streets in masks and military attire while carrying assault rifles. Two of them harass Arturo as he’s loading food in his car, and one pushes him to the ground. Rosa rushes out of the café and threatens to call the cops, which only antagonizes the trashy twosome. The situation escalates when one of the slimeballs places his rifle under Rosa’s chin. Arturo gets up, fire extinguisher in hand, and sprays the two men, forcing them to run away with their tails between their legs.

One of the men drops his phone and Rosa retrieves it.

Max meets up with Anatsa at the Lopez ranch and she’s surprised he’s so compassionate. He explains the Valentis always listened to both sides and he’s following suit. He wants to keep that spirit alive in Roswell. Max believes there’s more good cops than people realize, but Anatsa points out white supremacists robbed the Wild Pony and are openly harassing minorities on Roswell streets. This racism in police departments isn’t confined to Roswell. “I could run a stop sign and my story could turn sad at any moment. That’s the system we live in,” says Anatsa.

Max’s attention is drawn to nearby fresh tire tracks that don’t match the Lopezes’ truck. He thinks they indicate Zeke’s body was dumped here to frame Vinnie and Manny.

Max rushes to the café after receiving a text Liz needs him there immediately. Heath refuses to leave Liz’s side until she sends him off to look for Dr. Jane Golden. Once he leaves, Liz fills Max in on what’s happening. She thinks the connection between them is causing her to experience his heart failure; if the connection isn’t broken, she’ll die.

Maria, Kyle, Michael, and Gregory discuss the state of unrest in Roswell, and Maria again points out The Regiment will be coming after Kyle since he bailed out the Lopezes. Maria suggests they take out Jordan since he’s their leader. Rosa joins them and wants to be in on this battle, tired of staying on the sidelines.

Rosa hands over the phone and reveals she saw him type in his passcode.

Kyle is summoned to help Liz, while Max and Michael watch as she struggles to hold on. Nothing works, so Max steps in to use his power again. Unfortunately, that drains Kyle and Max is forced to stop. Michael figures out their life forces are tied together, and if Liz is healed, Kyle dies.

Maria and Rosa sneak over to the Lopez ranch and eavesdrop on Jordan and his goons meeting with the racist deputy. Jordan reveals he’s called in Regiments from other counties.

One of Jordan’s henchmen discovers Maria and Rosa lurking in the dark. They’re still being held at gunpoint when reinforcements wearing alien masks pull up. Jordan confirms he moved Zeke’s body and is ready to burn down the Lopez ranch, certain they killed his friend. Jordan, completely lacking self-awareness, angrily declares the system’s rigged against guys like him – you know, white men.

It turns out Anatsa and Vinnie are the “reinforcements” under the alien masks and have been live-streaming Jordan’s rant since they pulled up.

Michael and Max take Liz and Kyle to the cave, and Max demands Jones heal them. Jones says Max is the problem and his friends will die unless he allows him to heal his heart. Isobel arrives and stops Jones, revealing Jones murdered Zeke by burning him alive. Jones admits he did it so he’d have enough strength to heal Max. He chose a truly evil, wicked person, and then sacrificed him. (Zeke was beating a farmer when Jones grabbed him.)

Left with no other option, and with Liz on death’s door, Isobel and Michael allow Jones to heal Max.

Max comes to on the cave’s floor and is completely healed. Liz and Kyle are gone, but Isobel happily shares they’re both fine as well. Isobel demands a hug from her bros now that everything’s all good.

Jones is returned to the pod.

Kyle and Liz have a heart-to-heart chat and she reveals she quit her job and is moving home to Roswell. Kyle knew that would happen and isn’t surprised. Heath shows up and is introduced as Liz’s colleague, and Kyle takes off to let them talk. Heath’s disappointed she sent him on a wild goose chase for a doctor who doesn’t exist. He felt like he was failing her as he raced around town looking for Dr. Golden without any luck. He’s also disappointed she didn’t feel she could trust him enough to tell him the truth. Heath’s deeply hurt and has realized they won’t be saving the world together.

Outside the café, Michael apologizes to Rosa for putting her in the driver’s seat that fateful night. “I wish I could give you some kind of justice, but this is sadly the best that I can do,” says Michael while scrubbing graffiti off the wall.

Michael believes that since Rosa got a second chance, there’s hope for him as well.

Liz joins Max in the cave and thanks him for saving her life. They acknowledge they can’t stop hurting each other and that’s why they don’t work. She confesses she sent Heath away because it’s for the best, and because she can’t stop thinking about Max.

Later that evening, Sheriff Taylor holds a press conference and admits mistakes were made.

Zeke’s death was ruled an accident and Jordan’s taken the place of Vinnie and Manny in jail. Isobel and Anatsa absorb the news while seated at the bar. Anatsa offers a toast to Deputy Evans and Isobel adds, “And the smart women in his life.”

Gregory and Maria are also drinking at the bar, but Maria isn’t celebrating Jordan’s arrest. She still thinks something’s going to happen to Kyle, and when Gregory gets up to grab more beers, she finds Kyle’s current location on her phone and drives off.

As the episode ends, in a voiceover Maria says she’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep her people safe. She hopes they’d do the same for her.

Kyle uses a hidden key to enter Max’s place. The lights are off and in the shadows we see someone in an alien mask lurking in the hallway.

A brilliant flash of light catches Max’s eye as he’s driving and he pulls a U-turn. Max discovers broken glass and blood on the floor in his home. Nearby, Maria is lying motionless.


Cast and characters[]

Starring:

Guest-starring:

Co-starring:

  • La'Charles Trask as Bert
  • AJ Voliton as Vinny Lopez
  • Morgan Redmond as Alan Winkler
  • Santiago Segura as Manny Lopez
  • Matthew Menalo as Brock Holmes
  • Claire Fort as Paramedic

Mentioned:

Powers[]

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Trivia[]

  • The title for the episode was revealed on March 2, 2021 when the writers room Twitter account posted an image of the script's title page.[1]
  • The episode is named after the song "Killing Me Softly With His Song" composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel and Lori Lieberman in the 1970s. The song was popularly performed by Fugees, released as "Killing Me Softly" in 1996.
  • Anatsa's speech about the stop sign draws parallels to Liz's speech about that topic an season ago.

Quotes[]

Jones: Listen to my feelings, Isobel. I'm not lying. I traded the life on one evil racist for the lives of three good people. Does that make me a villain?

Gallery[]

Promotional stills[]

Other images[]

Videos[]


Navigation[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. Roswell New Mexico Writers, Twitter post: March 2, 2021.
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