‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ 1.09 Recap: “Hey Evil, Why Don’t You Eat My Butt?”

It’s Ash vs. Ash on ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ this week, and that’s just the start of the glorious insanity in store.

Pablo and Kelly arrive at the cabin in the woods to find Amanda murdered and Ash fighting an evil clone of himself. After a couple minutes of bickering as both Ashes try to convince his friends that the other one is the fake, Kelly and Pablo make their decision and shoot the hell out of one. What convinced them? While both Ashes made mildly racist comments, they know that the real Ash isn’t racist against Asians. That’s rock solid logic right there.

Ash, presumably the real one, wants to get right to work dismembering the corpses of his clone and Amanda so that they don’t come back to cause more trouble. Unfortunately, the gang is interrupted by the trio of friendly hikers who helped Pablo and Kelly out in the last episode. They’ve gotten lost and hope to spend the night in the cabin. Obviously, that’s not a good idea. Instead, Ash asks Kelly and Pablo to lead them back to civilization while he takes care of business.

When Ash chops up his evil duplicate, some of the blood touches the ‘Necronomicon’ book, which comes to life and talks to him. It begs him not to bury it in the basement, but he won’t listen and throws it in the refrigerator for now. While distracted by this, Amanda’s body disappears. That’s not good.

Out in the woods, Pablo flirts with the cute blonde hiker Heather, which makes Kelly jealous. Suddenly, Deadite Amanda murders the other two hikers. Pablo and Kelly shoot at her but run out of bullets. Heather attempts to run but falls and breaks her leg. Pablo tries to save her from Amanda, only for Amanda to get the best of him. Fortunately, Ruby shows up out of nowhere and rescues him. Amanda gets away.

Ruby makes her introductions and dismembers the bodies of the dead hikers. Although she makes it clear that she blames Ash for everything, Pablo and Kelly have no better options, so they lead her back to the cabin to meet Ash for herself. She tells him that she wants the book, and that burying it in the basement won’t do anything. The only way to destroy it is to use a special magical dagger to cut the face off its cover. Ash agrees, and does so, then gives the de-faced book to Ruby.

Ruby opens the book and chants a spell. The cabin starts shaking violently and the book face flies through the air and attaches itself to Pablo’s face. Ash asks Ruby if she knows what she’s doing, and she responds that she wrote the book in the first place.

Episode Verdict

The cliffhanger implies that Ruby is evil, but I’m not sure that’s necessarily the case. I guess we’ll find out the truth in the season finale.

I’m disappointed that Amanda is a Deadite now, and her monster makeup isn’t particularly good, but this is one of the funnier episodes of the season with lots of goofy slapstick humor in the Sam Raimi tradition. I’m excited to see how the season ends.

1 comment

  1. CC

    What was with the Lovey-dovey talk between Amanda deadite an Ruby? Two demons in love? Or were Ruby and Real Amanda a thing?
    And the “Magical Dagger” by the way, is The Kandarian Dagger last seen in the final scenes of Evil Dead II.

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