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[sc:wptop]Hello, SleepyHeads! This week on Witness Prophecies, we discuss Sleepy Hollow Season 3 Episode 16, entitled “Dawn’s Early Light” which originally aired on March 25, 2016. By the dawn’s early light, Abbie Mills and Ichabod Crane learned that they had a map to take them back to the catacombs. We also had a “twistory” lesson about Francis Scott Key and “The Star Spangled Banner!
Light was shed on several situations, beginning with Pandora and The Hidden One. We have wondered for several weeks how much longer she would put up with her narcissistic husband’s verbal abuse and this week was the breaking point, as he tortured her for giving the original emblem to the humans. Pandora has “seen the light” and is now willing to work with Abbie and Crane to defeat The Hidden One before he can destroy the world – but it involves restoring her box. Can they trust her to help them or is she simply seeking to once again enjoy the power her box gave her?
Ezra Mills tried to shed some light on the past she shared with his daughters by bringing Abbie an old family photograph album and continuing the dialogue that Abbie and Jenny originally opened with him. Jenny remains skeptical, but was clearly awed when Papa Mills gifted her with her favorite strawberry taffy candy from a childhood store. The relationship between father and daughters is awkward, as one would expect when a parent has been missing from their life for so long. James McDaniel, Nicole Beharie, and Lyndie Greenwood all gave very real and poignant performances as we felt the pain that their characters are working through. There are still questions about why Ezra didn’t look for his daughters upon his return, as we continue to hope he will not disappoint them again – we don’t want him working for any evil entity or person!
Abbie has been focusing a light on her own situation, her feelings, her wants and desires for her life. Her time in the catacombs has made her more reflective about her role as a Witness and she believes she can have more – and right now that means a romantic relationship with Danny Reynolds, her boss at the FBI. It is interesting because her bond with Crane has never been stronger. 
When she was trapped in the catacombs, Crane risked his life and his mission as a Witness to save her. When he was trapped with The Hidden One in the archives, Abbie put him above her Witness role. Pandora told The Hidden One that the witnesses had showed her what a true bond was and that it could overcome any power, that they had each other and loved each other. Is this the strongest of friendships between friends or is there unacknowledged love between them? When Abbie and Crane sat together in the park and watched the light dawning and shining on the flag sewn by Betsy Ross, their bond was sealed when Abbie said “Let’s go,” and they will be on their way to the catacombs.
Finally, our “monster of the week,” who reminded many of us of The Headless Horseman (and oh how we miss him – hint, hint, Sleepy Hollow writers and Corey Castellano!), had a way of making light of his own! The Eternal Soldier, who was simply protecting the Betsy Ross flag by throwing fireballs at anyone who tried to take it, was frozen and smashed by Jenny and Joe Corbin. What a team!
History Lesson of the Week – Fort McHenry, Francis Scott Key and “The Star Spangled Banner”
Fort McHenry is a five-pointed star shaped fort, located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was built in 1798, and named after James McHenry, who was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland. The fort was designated a national park in 1925.
Beginning at dawn on September 13, 1814, British warships began bombing Fort McHenry and didn’t stop for 25 hours. The British were attempting to capture Baltimore and its harbor, but were unable to get past the fort, losing the battle.
Francis Scott Key was a lawyer who was working with British Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Skinner to negotiate the release of prisoners, including one of Key’s friends. They had boarded the British ship on September 7th, and were not allowed to return to their own ship as they had seen the strength of the British troops and became aware that the British were going to attack Baltimore. They became prisoners themselves for the next several days. The 35 year old Key watched from the deck of a British ship as Fort McHenry was bombarded. On the morning of September 14th, he saw in the early light of dawn, that the flag was still flying at the fort, inspiring him to write a poem, “Defence of Fort McHenry,” on the back of a letter which he had in his pocket.
The poem was set to the popular melody, “The Anacreontic Song” by English composer John Stafford Smith, and within days, the song was published and became popular. Washington Irving, then editor of The Analectic Magazine, reprinted the song in November, 1814.
In 1889, “The Star Spangled Banner” became the official tune to be played at the raising of the flag for Naval events. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that it be played at all military and other appropriate occasions. It was played during the 7th inning stretch of Game One of the 1918 World Series. On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a law making “The Star Spangled Banner” the national anthem of the United States of America.
O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
And there really IS a statue of Orpheus adjacent to the fort – and the pedestal contains a time capsule ….
Link to Wikipedia article on The Star Spangled Banner
Link to Wikipedia article on Francis Scott Key
Link to Wikipedia article on Fort McHenry
April 1, 2016 – Season 3 Episode 17 – “Delaware”
And SleepyHeads – don’t forget about the book, Sleepy Hollow – Creating Heroes, Demons & Monsters, by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry. You can order it on Amazon, by using the Golden Spiral Media link.
Feedback
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