Wentworth 9x08: 5 Most Important moments In ‘The Abyss’

We’re in the final stretch now, inmates. In the eighth episode of Wentworth’s final season, Boomer receives happy news, Vera nearly crosses the point of no return, and a fan favourite is left in a life-threatening situation.

Here’s the five most important moments in Wentworth 9x08, ‘The Abyss’.

1. Rita is tempted by Judy

Early in 'The Abyss', Rita, while watching a news report on the assassination of American delegate Schwartz, theorises that Judy may be responsible, and informs the other H-1 residents of her belief that Judy may actually be a terrorist. Meanwhile, Judy lets Lou know of her opinion that Rita, not Marie, is the biggest threat to their escape plans. Despite some thinly veiled threats from Lou, Rita is prepared to go ahead and tell Will what she knows. That is, until Rita is charged with the murder of corrupt Detective Morelli, with Ruby on the hook as an accessory. Rita now faces twenty five years behind bars, and Ruby fifteen.

Judy, seeing an opportunity, offers to let Rita in on the escape plan, if she will keep her mouth shut. Rita is tempted, believing that from the outside she has more chance of clearing Ruby's name. However, after some harsh words from both Ruby and Allie, Rita opts not to join the escape, and instead let Will know all the information she has discovered about it.. if she gets a chance.

2. Boomer is pregnant

After a few seasons worth of baby-making plans that haven't quite panned out, in 9x08, Boomer begins displaying a few symptoms of pregnancy. At first reluctant to take the test for fear of being disappointed, she is encouraged to do so by Allie and Ruby. All three are delighted to discover that the result is Positive.

Unfortunately, Boomer's joy is short-lived. She plans to deliver the happy news to Gavin, the father of her baby, during visiting hours the next day. Boomer waits for hours, but sadly, Gavin never shows. Unbeknownst to Boomer, he may still be in the custody of the National Security Agency, or otherwise barred from seeing Boomer, after the discovery of their hidden camera last episode.

3. Vera almost poisons Joan

In the early part of the episode, Vera and Will are left to deal with Joan's attempt at blackmail after the reveal of the photograph of the two of them with Jake at Joan's supposed grave. Now, with the truth out in the open, Joan has no more need to hide the return of her identity from Vera or Will. The stakes are raised when Police arrive to interview Joan, having recovered the forged passports that reveal her plan from before her memory loss: to kidnap baby Grace and take her overseas.

Desperate to protect her daughter, Vera takes drastic action. She spikes a bottle of Joan's almond milk with Borax. However, before she can return the bottle to Joan's unit, she is distracted by a phone call from a distressed Ann. After dealing with the call, Vera realises that Jake has taken the poisoned milk to the staff room, and rushes in just in time to stop him from drinking it. Horrified at the tragedy she almost caused, Vera suffers a minor breakdown, believing her actions have made her almost as bad as Joan. Jake reassures her that this is not the case. Rather, Vera is the best of them all, having held on to her morals long after Joan's torment had pushed he and Will towards horrible actions.

Vera is comforted, but it still leaves them with the problem of what to do about Joan's blackmail.

4. Joan doesn't kill Vera

Early in the episode, Vera proves herself to be the biggest threat to Joan's quest to win over the courts, when she declares that the attempted blackmail won't work, and she will gladly own up to her role in the events to ensure that Joan does not go free. Vera eventually decides against this course of action out of fear for baby Grace's future, but Joan has no way of knowing this. Despite earlier expressing a desire to connect with Vera, Joan now decides that Vera has to die.

Stealing a cord from a broken kitchen appliance, Joan plans to strangle Vera in the library while she prepares for a class she is teaching. However, before she can carry out the deadly deed, she is interrupted by Ann. She witnesses Ann deliver a tongue-lashing to Vera for failing to come to her aid as she was suffering a breakdown (Vera had fully intended to go, but was distracted by the poisoned almond milk incident). Ann soon leaves, leaving a distressed Vera behind. Alone again, Joan had every chance of continuing her plan. Instead, she leaves the library, leaving Vera unharmed.

Did Joan simply decide it wasn't the right time, or was she genuinely unable to go through with the murder?

5. Rita is bashed

For much of 'The Abyss', Lou Kelly is seen going through all the audio files on Zaina's stolen phone, to ensure she didn't reveal anything incriminating about the escape plan to Marie. Towards the end of the episode, Marie, having been slotted after defending herself from Lou's crew with a shiv, panics, begging to be let out so she can talk to Rita. The reason is soon made painfully clear, as Lou continues to listen to the files: Marie accidentally recorded her meeting with Detective Jones, when she learned that Rita was a cop.

Soon after making her decision to tell Will what she knows about the escape plan, Rita is confronted by Lou in the exercise yard. Lou then proceeds to reveal to everyone present that Rita is an undercover cop. Rita's denials, and Ruby's support of her sister, fall on deaf ears. Many of the other inmates begin to brutally bash Rita, as the horrified residents of H-1 look on.

Will Rita survive?