“Penny Dreadful” has been moving in some strange directions lately, and the show has been dealing with some deep issues, discussing the effects our actions have on our lives, and situations from which there is no return. The most recent seventh episode of the show’s current season solidified that notion, putting the characters in some rather dramatic situations, and raising some serious, complex questions.
Mr. Ethan Chandler has been carrying a lot of guilt over his past actions, even things that weren’t directly his fault. He has killed various people while in his wolf form, and of course he’s done it in human form as well but he seems to see the two as distinctly different and separate. He also believes in the idea that we all carry responsibility for our own actions, as he previously said to Miss Ives a couple of episodes earlier “I believe we make ourselves who we are. The blood’s on our hands, not God’s”.
It’s not clear if the character believes that his actions under his wolf form are his own fault or not, but he does seem troubled by having those actions in his past, and it looks like he has a lot to redeem himself for, at least in his own eyes.
On the other hand, it’s somewhat questionable how much exactly he could redeem himself in the first place, as he took part in an extremely violent, bloody massacre that would not be exactly easy to forget. And then we have Sembene who sees things differently, having been trusted to watch the complete metamorphosis of Chandler. He shares the interesting sentiment that a creature is a combination of everything it consumes, and that seems to apply to his situation with Chandler as well.
Meanwhile, Miss Ives makes the announcement that she’s decided to leave London, and Mr. Chandler says he’s coming with her. On the other hand, Mr. Ferdinand adds that they don’t need to know where they are going, and the story gets a bit complicated between the characters.
While they are looking for herbs outside, Miss Ives uses the opportunity to tell Mr. Chandler that the relationship between her and Sir Malcolm has become a bit different, now that he is with Ms. Poole. He has apparently lost his anger, and she says that the resentment and rage were exactly something that they shared, she saw it as a bond between them. And in the end, she believes him to be in love, and she wants him to be happy after all.