Warning, this contains spoilers. Previously on The Magicians. Penny’s (Arjun Gupta) hands won’t cast, but he can be helped by working in the library forever. In a locked Poison Room at the library is magic so powerful it can destroy worlds. A card for Kady (Jade Tailor) shows the book “The Art Deicidium – Author Unknown” is in the Poison Room. Eliot (Hale Appleman) announces his upcoming marriage to Idri. Margo (Summer Bishil) trades Eliot and Fen’s (Brittany Curran) unborn baby to the fairies in exchange for fixing the wellspring. Reynard the Fox attacks Julia’s (Stella Maeve) magical group. Reynard reunites with his son, senator John Gaines. Q has spoked to Julia’s shade – she’s not gone. Alice says shades are in the underworld and that can only be accessed by help from an Ancient One. Julia works out that Ancient Ones are dragons.
In Fillory, Eliot is working on his preparations to great King Idri. Eliot planned an elaborate welcome but the fire dancers are missing. Idri says he doesn’t care about ceremony and came for Eliot. They go off to become better acquainted and alone.
In the underworld, a group of people watch an orientation film. Q picks up a leaflet – “Don’t Panic! You’re probably not going to hell.” Julia lifts up her top, revealing the hole where her shade is missing. The video says if you’re missing your shade, please report to a bellhop. Julia suggests finding a bellhop until a shadeless man is escorted off by security, so she decides to keep quiet. Their number is called and they go to a reception desk. Julia and Q have their hands scanned to establish their identity. They ask about the man with the missing shade but they’re told it’s unlikely they can be put together again after such a long separation. There is some surprise from the receptionist as he finds they’ve both died 39 times. The receptionist realises it was caused by a time loop but says it takes a while to sort those out. He highlights some activities they can do while they wait. Julia asks if they can check on a few names.
In the library, Penny tries to perform “sphincter magic”, which he finds difficult, but it’s time to go back to work. If he has any questions he should direct them to his supervisor Sylvia, a teen who makes fun of his scarf.
Eliot tells Idri he married Fen because he had to but he didn’t know her at all. Now he doesn’t know Idri. Idri gets Eliot to stand and gets him to undo some clothes to reveal his chest. They are not allowed to touch. Idri blindfolds Eliot and says he can tell Eliot how he would like to touch himself and how he likes to be touched. After a short pause with nothing happening, Eliot removes the blindfold to find a rat in Idri’s clothes. Margo screams and runs in saying Fen has turned into a rat. Eliot orders all the rats to be captured and wants a council meeting.
Kady and Penny have (dream) sex. After, Kady asks about the poison room, but Penny says it’s locked down tighter than a nun’s pussy. Kady asks if the librarian has a book. If Penny can find it, it might have details about entering the Poison Room. Kady says Senator Gaines has gone back to work, made up an excuse about the kidnap and now has Reynard advising him. She believes Reynard has tricked Gaines.
In Washington, Gaines discusses getting more support for a bill. Senator Cowden is suggested, but Gaines says he won’t change his voting position. Reynard gets the advisors to leave and speaks to Gaines alone. Reynard says he can force people to vote his way if he uses his magic. Reynard shows him how – look the person in the eye and tell them plainly and directly – then he vanishes.
In the underworld, Q and Julia go to a bowling alley. Q wonders why anyone would want their afterlife to look like a terrible middle school party. Julia asks if this is still about the ‘incident’ and is surprised Q hasn’t moved on. Julia meets people from her former karmic circle, including Richard. Richard was killed by Reynard, and Reynard now has his bodily form. Julia asks Richard for help finding her shade.
The circle tell them about the underworld. Richard says the bowling alley is there because it’s whatever people need to settle in. He’s looking for his son but as he’s considered culpable for his death he’s not allowed access. As Richard and Julia talk, the rest of the circle insist Q bowls. The ‘incident’ turns out to be he got his fingers stuck. Julia’s shade hole is closing up much faster in the underworld. Richard says the reception should know where the shades are but they won’t be keen on helping. Q bowls a strike, which he’s excited about. Richard tells Julia in the underworld it’s always a strike in the first week.
The fairy ambassador finds Margo. He says Fen is in human form in the fairy realm. The took Fen because Margo tried to go back on their deal. The ambassador says there’s another power Margo made the mistake of overlooking. A power without logic that acts because it can. She must face that or face the end of the kingdom.
Penny tries to find the librarian’s name – she says he may call her Head Librarian. Penny continues his charm offensive, asking what to call her outside work. She says personal relationships are prohibited. Then she says he’s not her type, being emotionally unstable and over boisterous. Penny notices she’s carrying a lunch bag which might have her name on it. Syvlia laughs in the distance.
Richard starts causing problems in the reception by taking dozens of numbers. Julia and Q sneak into an office and try to use a computer, which is locked. Julia finds a book with notes about various disconnected shades and the letter E. Q suggests it’s Elysium. Richard is taken away by security and Q and Julia leave.
Gaines tries to convince Senator Cowden by normal means that he should support the bill. It doesn’t work, so Gaines uses his magic. The senator agrees to support it but then has a heart attack. Gaines talks to Sydney (his wife) and tells her that he’s not human. She doesn’t believe him, and as he tries to convince her he accidentally uses magic. She falls under his spell too. She leaves to go home, leaving Gaines distraught about how he’s now manipulating people.
Q and Julia go into a house full of magical Shade children. A boy is making money float. It’s magic to give money to a little boy with a shitty dad who has run away from home. They’re all making tiny miracles for people on earth. Q says they’re looking for a shade that looks like Julia, and she’s probably made friends with some of the shy and awkward children. The magical boy says asks if it’s the girl who is always getting in trouble? Julia laughs and says that’s her. The boy directs them upstairs. They see a painting, which the boy says is Miss Persephone who hasn’t been there for a while. Julia says the painting is Our Lady Underground. She was real all along but she was just AWOL, and Julia was stupid to love her.
Eliot holds a council meeting about “The Rattening”. Other strange events are happening, including upside-down rainfall and every chicken in Fillory having laryngitis. Eliot asks if there is a pattern, then suggests it’s something to do with the people in the room. He’s laced the wine with truth serum – he’s ‘trufied’ them. People admit to minor crimes before Margo says it’s caused by the fairies and she knows where Fen is.
Penny checks the fridge which is full of identical lunch bags. Sylvia tells him it’s not his break. Penny says he just wants the Head Librarians name. Sylvia passes him the lunch bag she’s just stolen from the Librarian. Her name is Zelda S. Penny asks why Sylvia is there as she’s just a little kid. Her father is a “legitimate business man” and sometimes she needs to go into hiding. Penny says she’s just like the whiny kid Willow in the Sopranos, but Sylvia corrects him and says her name was Meadow.
Margo tries to explain her actions to Eliot. He says Margo started it all when she declared war and has her taken to the dungeons, but to make sure she has the best room and her coconut oil.
Q and Julia look for shades in the house. Julia is shocked when she sees which shade is misbehaving. Q comes into the room and he’s found Julia’s shade. Julia has Alice’s shade. “Alice’ runs over and hugs Q, saying she misses him so much. Julia talks to her shade. The shade asks if she got Reynard yet. She says ‘Alice’ talks about Q all the time – he’s a good guy but he’s stupid. Julia asks her shade if they can bring ‘Alice’ too.
Gaines told security to keep Reynard out but he easily convinces them to let him in. A sad Gaines knows he’s been accidentally controlling his wife all the time and asks if anything about their relationship is real? Reynard is unsympathetic and talks about Gaines’s ambition to be President. Gaines talks about the bad things he heard from Kady and Julia about Reynard. As Reynard rants, he reveals he loved Our Lady Underground. Gaines senses a weakness, as there are some things Reynard can’t control after all.
Eliot is busy turning everyone back into human form but is exhausted. Margo can’t help in the dungeon. A chance conversation with Josh convinces Eliot he needs governors to help. Josh has just invented Fillorian democracy. They go to high five but suddenly Eliot is back at Brakebills. He thinks he’s just been kicked out of Fillory.
Eliot searches for Zelda (Schiff’s) book. It’s been relocated to the Poison Room. Penny talks to Kady in a dream about accessing the room. Sylvia turns up, having jumped into Penny’s head when he jumped into Kady’s. Sylvia offers help in breaking into the Poison Room. She’s been trying to get in there herself as she’s curious about a few things.
Gaines visits Kady. He says he wants to help get Reynard. Margo goes to the fairy realm.
Shade Alice tells Q how to get back to earth, via a portal. She was the reason Q couldn’t get the Niffin Alice back. He says one day he’ll return to the underworld forever and will find Shade Alice. Q goes outside and calls an elevator. Julia comes out with the Alice Shade. As security approach, Julia says they only have time to save ‘Alice’ now. Shade Alice tells Q it’s all going to be OK.
