‘Wentworth’: The Five Most Important Moments In 9x02, ‘Requiem’

Wentworth’s final season has already proved that it is going to be a wild ride from start to finish, killing off a major character in the very first episode. Episode two, ‘Requiem’, keeps up the fast pace established in the first, as the officers and inmates deal with the fallout of the latest tragic death, while other problems continue to arise around the prison.

Here are the five most important moments from Wentworth 9x02, ‘Requiem’.

1. Joan is experiencing emotions

After revealing her returned memories to Dr. Miller in the previous episode, 'Rogue', Joan Ferguson continues her sessions with him, as well as taking Psuldrycin, an empathy boosting drug he prescribed. Early in 'Requiem', it appears that the drug may be beginning to work. Ferguson is clearly troubled listening to her neighbour, Marie, crying through the night in grief over the death of Reb Keane, and later admits to Dr. Miller that she wishes she could have helped. However, still experiencing some psychopathic urges, Joan worries whether the return of her emotions only complicates matters. Miller counters that the difficulties are worth it for Joan to regain a more solid grasp on her humanity.

"Hasn't there ever been anyone you've had a desire to connect with, on a human level?"

Joan later remembers that she once desired to have a real friendship with Vera. This was possibly hinted at in 'Rogue', as Ferguson has fantasies of murdering Will and Jake, but had no such vision regarding Vera. Joan later hopes to connect with Vera by helping her discover the identity of Reb's killer, but things do not work out in Joan's favour.

Time will tell if The Freak’s wish to connect will mean her salvation, or tragedy for others.

2. Judy hatches a plan.

While most of the prison is preoccupied with Reb’s murder and who the culprit may be, Judy Bryant has her own problem to deal with. The assasination of the American official sent to collect her has slowed down her extradition, but not completely stopped the process. Now, she seeks a way to delay it further.

She seeks help from her lawyer, who offhandedly mentions that if Judy had an intimate partner with an illness or long term injury, her extradition could be stayed on compassionate grounds, and the case would likely get tied up for months. With this information, Judy forms a wicked plan. Soon after meeting with her Lawyer, Judy comes across former Top Dog Allie struggling in her cell after falling while trying to reach her wheelchair. Judy kindly comforts Allie, offering her help with anything she needs. The implication here is that Judy plans to establish a bond with Allie so she can use their relationship as grounds to halt her extradition.

The problem? Judy, unbeknownst to Allie, is the reason she is in a wheelchair, after stabbing her at the end of season 8. Allie is still under the impression that Lou was responsible. In the past, when Allie has fallen in love, she’s fallen hard, so if she were to fall for Judy only to later discover the truth, it would break her heart. The situation also wouldn’t bode well for Judy, especially if Boomer or Ruby, who view Allie as family, were to find out.

3. Boomer tries to get pregnant

Ever since bonding with Doreen’s baby son, Josh, in season three, Boomer has wished for a baby of her own. Her last attempt, using sperm that her Transgender friend Maxine had frozen prior to her gender reassignment surgery, sadly failed. However, Boomer has a new plan. Since late last season, Boomer, with help from Ruby, has been writing lesbian erotica that Gavin, the man whom she catfished last season, has been posting on his prison themed fetish site.

During a visit with Gavin, Boomer offers to get him footage of real 'action' inside the prison. All he has to do is sneak her a camera.. and give her a sample of his sperm. Gavin reluctantly agrees, and after obtaining the sample through a staged conjugal visit, Boomer rushes it back to her unit, getting Ruby to help her inseminate herself.

If Boomer's plan is successful, it could get Jake, who bent the rules to allow her the conjugal visit, into trouble. A pregnancy could also hamper Boomer's ability to serve as Top Dog, but as seen later in the episode, that may no longer be an issue..

4. Rita is arrested

After escaping her Witness Protection placement in order to go rescue Ruby from crooked cops in the latter half of season eight, Rita remained on the run, planning to go make peace with her Father, Blair, after Ruby revealed that he was dying of cancer. Rita has spent the first two episodes of the new season by her Father's bedside, keeping Ruby updated on his condition. In 'Requiem', he is lucid for long enough to recognise Rita, giving them just enough time to make their peace with each other. Blair makes Rita promise to look after Ruby, and to ensure he makes it out of prison in one piece.

Soon after Blair's death, the police finally catch up with Rita. She goes peacefully, likely headed back to Wentworth. It will be interesting to see how new characters like Lou react to the presence of someone as strong, reasonable, and respected as Rita. She was once a favourite to be voted in as Top Dog, before she was forced to leave and enter witness protection.

5. Lou and Marie kill Sheila.. and Lou declares herself top dog.

After accusing Allie, then Marie, of Reb's murder, Marie is forced to reveal that Sheila was the killer. Lou almost strangles Marie for her role in helping Sheila obtain the sedatives, but ultimately lets Marie go and sets her sights solely on Sheila. Cornering Sheila in a supply closet, Lou offers her a choice: Either drink a vial of Strychnine, or Lou will cut her throat. Sheila drinks the poison. Lou spends quite some time gleefully watching Sheila suffer the effects of the poison, before a horrified Marie stumbles opon them. To end Sheila's suffering, Marie attempts to suffocate her with a broom handle, and eventually, Lou helps.

Later, after Sheila's body is discovered and Wentworth is plunged into a Code Black lockdown, Lou, in front of all the Prisoners gathered in the Cafeteria, happily takes responsibility for the murder. She avenged Reb's death while the current Top Dog, Boomer, did nothing. As she is dragged away to the Slot, Lou declares herself the new Top Dog, denouncing Boomer and Allie as useless.

Will Lou's declaration stick? We'll have to wait for next week’s episode of Wentworth to find out.