Heartless S01E02 "Episode 2" Recap

Flashback to Ottman's Manor, 1666. At Ottman's Moor, a man named Christian meets with his pregnant lover in secret. He promises to take care of their child, despite having already been caught with her by his wife Gertrud. She is also pregnant with his child and scolds him for bringing shame to their name.

In the present day at the Ottman boarding school, Sofie's teacher has no information to offer her on who the woman in the mosaic with the heart design is. She wishes Sofie well with the moor christening, an initiation rite for new students.

At the Ottman Headmaster's house, sisters Clara and Emilie speak about their father and his strict restrictions on their desires to be free and socialise. Emilie is the older of those two and particularly headstrong. Emilie has cramps so her older sister Ida gives her a homemade remedy to drink and soothe her aches.

Sebastian and Sofie sneaks into the headmaster's office to try to find answers in their investigation. They know the woman in the mosaic is named Gertrud but they can't find anything else about her because of how long ago she was alive. Sebastian begins ruffling through files and papers but Sofie spots an old school portrait in which their mother is seen. She bears a striking resemblance to Sofie. They remove the photo from the frame and quickly hide it on top of a large piece of furniture when they hear the headmaster coming. They claim that they only came by to say they are enjoying their time at the school and feel it is a good fit for them. Headmaster Just is aware that they grew up in an orphanage from their file. He warns them to wait outside his office next time they come by and sends them off to fencing class.

At fencing class, Ditlev once again tries to flirt with Sofie though she remains school to him since he's been nothing but a violent brute. He warns her that he's watching her and once again brings up the moor christening. Sofie's roommate Nadja flirts with Sebastian. Sofie goes to fence with Emilie and loses her temper when headmaster Just repeatedly awards Emilie points when Sofie gets too unconventional with her fighting style. After they finish fighting, they shower and it is hinted at that Sofie has a fear of water. Emilie starts speaking to Sofie and tell her that her unconventional fighting is a good thing and that she could be a formidable fencer if she trains. When Emilie mentions the moor christening, Sofie asks her to explain what it is. Emilie shares that it's a secret party at which the new students are christened and there's something to do with a ghost of a troubled woman. Sofie becomes alarmed at the realization that they'll be put in water. She demands to Sebastian that they leave but he says they need to find the answers they came from. Sofie orders him to "get some" (meaning he needs to feed) and give her some since he owes her for syphoning off of her when she was the last one to feed between them.

Sebastian questions an older woman on the school's staff about the picture of his mother and the woman identifies her as Laura. The woman claims that she was a nice girl that worked in the kitchen until she randomly disappeared without taking her paycheck. She disappeared on the night of the moor christening nearly twenty years ago. He explains that Laura was looking for a woman named Gertrud and asks if she knows anything about this. The woman says that the christening used to be called Gertrud's Eve. It was supposedly named after the ghost that's been said to appear on that night. The woman asks why he's asking about Laura and he merely claims that she's a distant relative. He says that her room was emptied and her belongings were thrown away. Her room had been up in the attic.

Sebastian heads upstairs and encounters the kitchen girl Josefine that he is attracted to being harassed by her ex-boyfriend Pede. He approaches her after Pede leaves angry to check on her and introduce himself. He enquires if Pede is her boyfriend and she explains that he is refusing to accept that their relationship is over. The two share a moment in which Sebastian appears to consider kissing her but doesn't want to feed on her so he simply lingers before politely excusing himself. Sofie is angry at him when she finds out her didn't feed on Josefine since she is becoming increasingly ravenous. Sebastian assures her that he will find some other way of producing 'food'. He shares what information he has learned about Gertrud being a ghost that is said to appear on the eve of the christening.

Returning to the flashback, Christian's father warns him that the devil can appear as women and claims Christian has been enchanted by a witch. Christian insists that his mistress Ane isn't a witch but his father is insistent that she must admit her sins and be burned for being a witch. Christian meets Ane in the woods and ends the relationship, insisting that she needs to leave and gives her a bag of coins that she repeatedly drops whenever Christian tries to hand it to her. He walks away, leaving her distraught.

In the present, Headmaster Just tells Ditlev to watch closely at during the christening to make sure Emilie doesn't attend, as he has forbidden her from attending. He also says that the christening must not get out of hand. Ditlev passes on Just's orders that things mustn't get out of hand but they all laugh sadistically, intent on doing whatever they please.

Emilie puts on a new dress with the help of Clara. Ida orders her to take it off and the two argue. Emilie only agrees to let Ida take the dress off when she threatens to get their father. Emilie becomes increasingly enraged, while Ida attempts to undo the buttons, until she seemingly manifests telekinetic powers that cause her to break a glass of water. Ida orders her to clean it up and leaves. Clara admits that she's seen the power Emilie has. Emilie tries to use the ability again but the broken pieces only shake slightly.

Ida warns her father that Emilie has "started" and that she herself was over 20 while Emilie is only 17. Headmaster Just warns Ida to make sure that Emilie doesn't go to the christening and Ida agrees.

Sofie helps Nadja get ready for the christening. Nadja enquires if Sebastian is seeing anyone and Sofie says that he isn't boyfriend material, as it always goes wrong. Sofie says that he sucks the life out of those he gets involved with. Nadja asks if he simply hasn't met the right girl yet and Sofie says that isn't the case. Nadja leaves to go to the christening while Sofie stays behind.

That night, Ida becomes suspicious and checks on her younger sisters. Though Clara is asleep in her bed, Emilie is nowhere to be found since she has snuck out to attend the christening. Sebastian arrives and tells a fellow student that Sofie isn't coming since she doesn't like water. The student tells Sebastian that Nadja is looking for him and warns him not to hurt her if he's not interested. When Sebastian encounters Nadja she has already consumed a fair amount of alcohol. She continues to flirt with him, raving about his hair and saying she could fall in love with him because of it.

Frederick and Pieter visit Sofie and forcibly bring her to the christening. The prefects explain that witches used to be thrown into the moor and if they floated they were innocent, guilty if they sank. They declare that they'll be testing to see if they have any witches. One by one, the new students are pushed into the moor and the crowd cheers.

Sebastian tells Nadja they should get back to where the other students are but she repeatedly insists that they should stay where they are until he leaves her, seemingly not wanting to feed on her. She then continues to drink alcohol from the bottle she is carrying.

The final student to be thrown in is Sofie, who cries out for Sebastian before being pushed in. Emilie watches the scene, seemingly concerned from having earlier observed Sofie's anxiety about water. She is the only student to go into the water and search for her, while the others simply stand back staring. Emilie swims deep to where Sofie has sunken down to and kisses her to give her some air before helping push her back up to the surface. She helps get Sofie out and Sebastian comes rushing over to check on Sofie, apologising for this latest trauma. Sebastian nearly attacks Ditlev but another student separates them. He again checks on Sofie before storming off and the students disperse under the orders of the prefects. Sebastian finds Nadja highly drunk and almost passed out entirely slumped against a tree. He feeds from her but doesn't take too much so she stays alive, albeit passed out. After feeding, he picks her up and takes her back to her room.

Emilie kisses Sofie goodbye before returning home where she is met by a furious Ida who asks what happened at the lake. Emilie says she is wet from having helped Sofie out of the water. Emilie tells Ida she isn't her mother and Ida claims she is better than their mother ever was. Emilie berates Ida for doing all of the domestic, motherly duties of the household and asks if she fucks their father too. Ida storms off, furious.

Sebastian meets Sofie back at the manor and gives her some of what he has fed off of Nadja and says he'll see her tomorrow. A ghostly figure seemingly passes by downstairs and Sofie follows after the voice. She finds water on the floor and sees the ghost of Gertrud telling her to find the heart.

Heartless is available for streaming on Netflix.