Wentworth 9x09: 5 Most Important Moments In ‘The Reckoning’

In the penultimate episode of Wentworth’s final season, things have understandably reached boiling point. Following Rita’s bashing after being outed as a cop last episode, the residents of H-1 race to find the evidence that will exonerate she and Ruby before Lou decides to finish the job. Meanwhile, Joan Ferguson finally gets her day in court.

Here are the five most important moments in Wentworth 9x09, ‘The Reckoning’.

1. Rita returns to the General prison population

Despite her bashing, Rita is thankfully returned to Wentworth suffering nothing worse than a few broken ribs. Her former H-1 cellmates, including younger sister Ruby, appear to turn on Rita in favour of Lou. However, this is just a ruse. Allie, Boomer, Ruby and Marie are feigning their allegiance to Lou so they can buy some time to find Zaina's stolen phone.

The phone still contains the recording of Marie's interview with Detective Jones, confirming that Rita is a cop. As much trouble as this recording caused, it is also the evidence Rita needs to prove she worked with Jones, and get she and Ruby off Murder charges. Will Jackson is in on the plan also, in the hope that the phone contains information an Lou and Judy's escape plan.

2. Judy may be exonerated

At one point in ‘The Reckoning’, Judy Bryant receives a surprise visit from her Father. As fans will remember, Judy was disowned by her Father last season after incriminating evidence was found on her laptop. However, in this episode, Mr. Bryant arrives with the news that this evidence may have been planted by the NSO. Judy’s extradition has been cancelled, and she may even get out sometime soon.

While this is great news for Judy, it is bad news for her partner in crime, Lou. Not wanting to risk her chance at release, Judy orders Lou to have their escape called off. Instead, Lou, who doesn’t care so much about escaping as causing damage to Wentworth’s staff, makes a final deadly alteration to the plan..

3. Joan reveals the truth in Court

Meanwhile, Joan Ferguson’s murder trial has begun. It seems like her amnesia defence is working, and there is a good chance she will be let off. Unwilling to allow this to happen, Vera informs Joan that she will expose her in court using the notes she stole from Miller. While they can’t be officially used as evidence, it would be enough to block Joan from using the amnesia defence. Just as Vera is about to do so, however, Joan admits the truth to the Court, that her memory has returned and she belongs behind bars, as her psychopathy will return if she is taken off Psuldrycin. She also changes her plea to guilty.

Given the timing of Joan’s admission, the implication is that she may have owned up in order to spare Vera a contempt of court charge and possible Prison sentence. Vera, of course, simply assumes it is another scheme. In an added twist, Miller tells Joan he took her off Psuldrycin when the drug tests started. Joan’s increased empathy may be genuine.

4. Marie gives her life for Ruby

For much of 'The Reckoning', Marie Winter is shunned by her H-1 cellmates, as none of them quite believe the recording that outed Rita was made by accident. Not even Rita entirely believes her, but with little choice, she has a request for Marie. Believing that she is on borrowed time at Wentworth now that her cover is exposed, Rita asks that Marie protect Rita for her, since neither the crippled Allie or pregnant Boomer will be able to do so.

Later, Ruby receives a tip from Zaina, and sets off to search for the phone. Unfortunately, she is lured into a trap by Lou and her crew. Just as things are starting to look bad, Marie, who followed Ruby despite her protests, manages to hold off the crew long enough for Ruby to escape. Sadly, Marie is then apprehended by Lou and stabbed in the gut. Marie died saving the woman she had once wanted to kill, bringing her tragic story full circle.

5. The arrival of the bomb has been brought forward

Meanwhile, it has been a bad episode for Ann Reynolds. She loses control, beating Judy with a baton, and later, Will blames her for Marie's death since it was her decision to close down the Protection Unit in season 8. Will plans to report her to the Prison board, which will likely cost her her job. Then, as she is leaving, Ann meets with the NSA agent on Judy's case. He informs her that they have proof that Judy's contact has built a bomb, and that the delivery of said bomb has been brought forward to the following day. However, he cannot make any arrests until the bomb enters Wentworth and can be linked to Judy.

Ann at first rejects this proposition, wary of further blood on her hands if things go wrong.. until the Agent informs her that he can link Judy's contact, and possibly Judy, to the bombing that killed Ann's daughter. Whether this is true or simply the Agent manipulating Ann is uncertain, and frankly, beside the point. The bigger issue is that neither one of them know that Lou, not Ann, has been the true mastermind behind the plan, which is not an escape attempt, but an attack on the Prison Staff.

Wentworth looks set to go out with a bang.