How far would you go to keep a secret? Would you keep up a false persona for your entire life to protect yourself and those you love? Would you lie to those you love the most in order to protect them? Would you kill for a secret? Would you die for a secret?
Roswell, New Mexico’s fifth episode was all about secrets — specifically how a ton of secrets were revealed and the repercussions that are to follow. Everyone was keeping secrets and all of those secrets were revealed. From stunning revelations from who Rosa’s killer is, to the truth about Rosa and Jim Valenti, to Max learning that Isobel did to Liz, this was an episode that was quite simply a game-changer.
Let’s break down all of the secrets that were brought to light in “Don’t Speak”:
Rosa’s Killer Revealed
I have to admit, I was shocked that Rosa’s killer was revealed just 5 episodes into this season. But that just goes to show you that there’s so much that’s yet to happen, and you can’t help but be excited about watching the repercussions of the big reveal.
Clearly we’d been misled on the Rosa front, which was brilliant. Everyone from Max to Michael to Jim Valenti were suspects in her death, and this episode showed the extremes that people will go to protect those they love. In this case, Max and Michael were keeping the truth from Isobel. That it was in fact her that was responsible for the deaths of Rosa and those three girls.
Who? What? Where? When? Why? My spidey senses are tingling!
Now, I think there’s more to the story than just Isobel killing Rosa. All we have is that. We have no details. Was it an accident? Was it really Isobel that killed her? Maybe she was trying to save her? We don’t have all of the details from Max and Michael regarding this secret, which would help. Did they come across Isobel and Rosa after the fact? Or did they watch as it happened? Those are two completely different things. I’ll be intrigued to watch as little by little more details are revealed — be it through Max and Michael’s memories or Isobel’s repressed memories.
But regardless, the repercussions of the reveal — especially Liz getting confirmation from Max that it was Isobel that killed Rosa and those girls — is going to be immense. Like, how do you stop Liz full-throttle from going after Isobel? How does Isobel deal with learning that she is responsible for those four lost lives? How does she attempt to make it right? How does she deal with yet another secret she needs to keep locked within her?
My gut is telling me that there’s so much more to this than we know. It’s not black and white. It’s not Isobel killed Rosa. There’s more to the story. And there’s clearly a relationship between Isobel and Rosa that we weren’t aware of. Were they friends? Frenemies? Something more? That’s the beauty of this reveal so early on in this season, we’re going to get answers to everything and help this cloudy mess become more clear.
Rosa’s Paternity Twist
The connection between Rosa and Jim Valenti is one that made no sense and yet the characters spent their time trying to make it make sense. Last week, we learned that Valenti was somehow involved with Rosa. It appeared to be an affair, but again there were little to no details. But everything came into focus with one photograph.
After Kyle discovered a key that led him to his dad’s old cottage — where he found Alex, who would go on this journey of discovery with him — the two old friends discovered a secret trap door below the cabin. What was underneath was a living area of sorts complete with fluids to help someone detoxing. At first it appeared as if this was Valenti and Rosa’s secret rendezvous where they would meet. But after Kyle discovered some fluids that were for detoxing, he inferred that his dad was trying to help Rosa get clean. But why?
Enter the photograph, where Kyle instantly recognized his dad’s hands. And in his dad’s hands was a baby with the initial “R” and a rose. It didn’t take long for Kyle to put the pieces together that Rosa was in fact his dad’s daughter, which means that it was Valenti and Rosa’s mom that were having the affair. Holy bombshell!
Now what? Does Kyle tell Liz? What good what that do for Liz to know that her mom was messing around with his dad? It would only tarnish her mom’s name. So this might be another secret that stays hidden. At least for now.
Max Learns the Truth About Isobel Sending Liz Away
We knew it was coming. And to be honest, I was expecting this revelation way sooner than Rosa’s killer reveal. If we’ve learned anything from watching Max these past five episodes it’s that his love for Liz is immense and all-powerful. Hell, it caused a city-wide blackout. So for someone that’s known him his entire life, Isobel should’ve expected the reaction she got when Max figured out the truth after her slip-up.
Isobel’s defense is something that I’m sure we’ve all said at one point or have all seen used at one point: “I was doing it to protect you.”
The whole “I’m keeping a secret to protect you because I care for you” thing has gotten people in trouble more often than it’s paid off. Isobel had to have known that eventually her secret would get out. But then again, Isobel is someone who has been forced to put on an act and tell lie after lie and keep secret after secret in order to protect her and Max and Michael.
As for what this reveal means for Max and Isobel’s relationship moving forward, I think you’ll see a little hesitation on Max’s part to completely trust Isobel. There’s obviously a lot of anger from him towards her after learning that the love of his life didn’t leave him but instead was sent away. Perhaps Liz would’ve stayed. Perhaps Max would’ve gotten the life he wanted. And it’s going to be all of those “what ifs” that really haunt him.
Isobel’s Secrets Divide Her And Loved Ones
The complexity of Isobel’s character is something that is as beautiful as it is frightening. There are so many layers to her character and so many secrets that she’s had to keep in order to protect her and Max and Michael. So much so that it’s taken a toll on her over the years. And specifically in this episode.
Ever since dabbling with playing around in Liz’s mind, Isobel began to feel the stress and weight of her decision that is unlike anything she’s experienced before. That’s when she slips up and says this didn’t happen last time, that she thought it would be just as easy. And Max easily read into that to mean that Isobel had played around in Liz’s mind once before, which meant that she had sent Liz away the first time. That secret that Isobel kept from Max to protect him ended up hurting him and her in the process. There’s no telling what strain that’ll do to their relationship.
Then there’s Noah, Isobel’s loyal and wonderful husband who is everything you’d want in a guy. He’s beautiful, sweet, caring, and a little daring. There are so many secrets that she’s been keeping from Noah, but that hasn’t been too difficult for her because she’s been playing this double life for her whole life. She’s put on this facade for so long that it’s become a part of her. It’s effortless.
That is, until Isobel goes missing and no one can seem to find her. Noah seems to assume that she’s seeing someone else, which isn’t the case. Then he discovers the dozens of acetone bottles and suspects that she’s a drunk who is hiding booze in nail polish remover bottles, which isn’t the case either. And it all stems back to the secret that she can’t tell Noah — even as he’s giving her an ultimatum: She’s an alien. How could she tell him that? How could she possibly tell him that and know that he would keep her secret? It was that very risk that she went off on Max about when he told Liz about him. So of course Isobel wouldn’t tell Noah. Even though she probably dreams of telling him every day and him opening his arms in support.
So now, her marriage is strained because she can’t be honest with the one person in the world she should be able to be honest with. What happens now? Does reconciliation only come in the form of honesty on Isobel’s part? And if so, what happens as a result?
Alex Discovers An Alien Secret
This was a gut-wrenching episode for us on the Alex front, where we learned about his painful past and how his father would beat him for being gay and just how very alone he was. We learned about his friendship with Kyle, which seemed to wilter after Alex revealed he was gay. Not because Kyle hated him for it but because it was easier to stay away.
But the secret that Alex uncovered in this episode had to do with that mysterious alien symbol, a lamp, and a wall. When he turned the lamp on, the symbol shined on a part of the wall. And maybe it was from the secrets that they uncovered in that house that made him curious, but he believed something was behind that wall. So he knocked it down to find, wouldn’t you know, a mysterious alien text.
What does he do now? Does he share it with Kyle? The military? Keep it to himself? Does he go to Michael? There are so many possibilities.
Roswell, New Mexico airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
