The Terror: Infamy (2×05) Shatter Like a Pearl Review

Chester finds himself taking pictures at Guadalcanal, but he is a little distracted by the news of the deliveries back at camp. This however should be the least of his worries as Yuko has possessed one of the men from the next batch as translators shipping out to the Solomon Islands. Here’s what went down in “Shatter Like a Pearl.”

At the camps, the Japanese Americans are given documents to fill out to prove their loyalty to the United States. The feel hesitant to answer and give the government extra ammunition against them, but it’s the first time they have been given anything close to freedom. With the prisoners protesting these documents, the soldiers start to threaten treason and taking away food if they do not comply. Ken Uehara (Christopher Naoki Lee), Amy Yoshida’s fiance, cannot bring himself to answer these questions because he sees them as ridiculous. Amy decides to save her fiance from being taken away and forges his answers to comply with what the government wants. When the men are taken away, Ken confronts Amy about what she is done and he is not happy.

Meanwhile, Luz is dealing with her own demons as she is constantly haunted by the images of her sons. She grasps for them in a lake only to pick up muck. She stumbles back home where thankfully the Nakayamas take her in with open arms. She returns to the lake, pretending to nurse her baby, when she is confronted by a soldier who brings her to father Bart (Ruben Garfias). He has news that her brother Dennis died in a battle in North Africa and pleads that she comes home with the babies. He manages to get them a meeting with the warden as they answer questions to get her out of the camp. She says goodbye to the Nakayamas and asks them to give back a toy to Yuko her midwife. As she leaves, they look at each other concerningly about this new development. As Luz walks towards the exit, Henry chases after her and embraces her before she departs.

Chester starts to question why he is even there with the military and tries to bring up philosophical discussions with Arthur, but they have more pressing matters. They are brought in to babysit a hostile POW who bit off the last interrogator’s ear. They enter and immediately the man starts calling Chester a dead man proving this to already be a great decision! After ruffling the POW’s feathers, Chester asks Colonel Stallings to engage with the prisoner hoping that he can get him to talk. During their talk, the POW reveals himself to be consumed by a spirit and refers to Chester by name. After it threatens his family, Chester lashes out and confronts the Yurei which causes the soldier to smile back. It tries to convince him to let it go, but instead he takes a photo in the hope of figuring out if his suspicions are correct.

After the man’s face doesn’t blur, Chester returns to continue his interrogation and starts punching the man after he disrespects his dead sons. He eventually gets the man to open up after talking about a shared interest in baseball. Turns out the list of names in his book is of his old teammates some of which have died during the war. They are interrupted when the new translators arrive including the Yurei. Chester returns to the prisoner, knowing what will happen to him, and gives him the choice for his future. Chester watches as the man slices his stomach open and kills himself. With his dying breath, he gives Chester the location of Admiral Takahashi’s hometown and his date of birth. However, things become worse when Chester is taken at gunpoint by Arthur who is carrying the bag with Yuko’s body in it. He is forced to drive out of the camp where they are shot at and stopped by the soldiers. Their jeep flips and Chester becomes pinned to the ground where he watches Yuko unzip herself from the bag and greet Chester by calling him Taizo.

• • • What is so special about Chester Nakayama?
    • Which ancient creature is attacking the prisoners?
    • What did the elderly men do to Yuko?
    • Who is Taizo?

What did you think of “Shatter Like a Pearl”? Let me know in the comments below!

If you liked this, check out my YouTube channel The Film Fanatic, my other reviews and my website!

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.

Dylan Phillips