The deliciously blood-filled fight scenes in “The Killer of Killers” might be the series’ best yet—though it’s hard to declare anything the best on a show that has so much going for it. This week, the fun continues as Ash and company remember once again that there’s no such thing as a nice, quiet breakfast.
First, though, we catch up with Amanda and Ruby, who pull into the brujo’s farm just as Ash, Pablo, and Kelly are leaving. Before they can start up the chase, Ruby is confronted by a fiery skeleton, who barks “Ruby! You double-crosser! The others will never let you get the book for yourself,” before pulling her into the fire. Amanda thinks Ruby’s a goner—but we know. Come on, we ALL know! Ruby will be back, no doubt.
So will Ash’s hand, which is missing from Ruby’s car when Amanda hops behind the wheel. No time to look for it (again, it WILL be back!), because she’s not about to let Ash get away from her again. Lucky for her, he’s dawdling in the Western Moose, trying to convince the waitress to let him pay for pancakes with a bathroom romp with “a genuine beef stud.” She ain’t buying it—but Ash is saved, sorta, by Amanda, who bursts in just as he’s assuring himself “I’d do me all day long” in the bathroom mirror. Of course, they brawl, and of course Ash takes a pause to ogle her cleavage and admire her perfume (“Is that ... lavender?”)
After everything, Amanda just doesn’t get it—until she sees Ash in action. “I’m not a killer. I kill killers!” he protests. And she’s finally on his side once the evil Deadite wind crashes into the restaurant, yielding some awesome kills (ice-skate to the skull!) and Deadite-ing both Amanda’s boss, who’s rushed to the scene, and the unamused waitress in the process. Enter Kelly and Pablo—who’ve just had an awkward moment about Possessed Kelly’s attempted seduction, because Un-Possessed Kelly prefers to keep Pablo in the friendzone—as Ash’s backup.
Earlier, he was worrying about bringing them to their next stop, the cabin (with a side mission to Ash’s newly-sober buddy Lem’s militia stockpile, which should yield more adventures), but with every fight it seems like Ash really realizes how important they are to him. Though Pablo cautions Kelly about being motivated by revenge, she’s delighted to mash the waitress’ head into the restaurant’s meat slicer, which isn’t even the grossest moment in this episode (also contenders: “A new member for my fan club!”; “What, you never saw a guy with a chainsaw arm before?”; exploding head; etc.)
This breathlessly-paced episode ends with Amanda joining Ash, Kelly, and Pablo in their quest to return the book to the cabin—fighting Deadites, and most likely Ash’s hand, and definitely Ruby, along the way. And what’s the deal with Lem, anyway? We’ll surely find out next week.
(Fave exchange: “This guy’s behind everything.” “Say whaaat?”)