S01E04: 'Cute Poison'

Light summary | Full summary

Note: The light summary of this article provides only gentle teasers as to what happens in this episode, and is suitable for reading before viewing. The full summary serves as a more detailed recap of the episode.










Light Summary: Seeing isn't believing when Haywire develops a fascination with Michael's elaborate torso tattoo, which further delays Michael's timetable for escape. Sucre has a change of heart when an unexpected visitor informs him of Maricruz's affairs. Lincoln's nightmares about his execution intensify. Veronica goes on the defence for Lincoln as she teams with an advocacy lawyer who may be more than interested in justice













































Full Summary: It’s a tough week for our hero. Not only is he still recovering from the confrontation with Abruzzi that cost him a couple of toes, but his cell-mate situation is giving cause for concern. Thanks to the sadistic Captain Bellick, Sucre has been replaced by the criminally insane Haywire, who is serving 60 years for murder. Haywire has a lesion in his nervous system that stops him sleeping, but this soon proves to be the least of Michael’s problems...

While his cell-mate is safely in the infirmary, Michael begins chipping away at the mortar behind his sink with the bolt he recovered during the race riot. But this is quickly interrupted by the return of Haywire, prompting Michael to cover up his work and return to his bunk. Knowing his co-operation is vital to their escape, he sets about trying to get the psychopath on-board. But Haywire isn’t biting – all the outside world holds for him is psych wards, halfway houses and the prospect of getting a job. As they chat, Haywire spots something that interests him. “Those tattoos, they’re beautiful,” he says. “Do you mind if I look at the whole thing?” Michael brushes him off firmly, to little avail.

The next morning in the yard, Michael is studying a tattoo on his wrist, where the words ‘cute poison’ are proudly emblazoned. Abruzzi stops by to see how the digging is going, and is very unimpressed when Michael relates his Haywire problem. “You made me a promise we were going to get out of here,” he threatens. “You renege now, and I’m gonna gut you.” Although both the mobster and Lincoln think violence is the only way to get rid of Haywire, Michael is determined to find another solution. Up in Warden Pope’s office, the model Taj Mahal they are building for his wife is almost complete, and Pope can’t conceal his glee. Michael asks him to move Haywire, but unfortunately there is nothing he can do without evidence of violence or sexual abuse – the cells are
Bellick’s domain.

Michael continues to rack his brains for a solution to the Haywire problem while carrying on with the next stage of his plan. It transpires that ‘cute poison’ is in fact a cunning mnemonic for two chemicals that are very corrosive once combined. Abruzzi gets hold of one of them, and Michael manages to get the other from the Prison Industries store room. While he is in there, Bellick corners him and stamps hard on his mutilated foot, warning him never to go around him to the warden again. Nevertheless, Michael is still able to drop the corrosive solution down the infirmary drain.

Meanwhile, Sucre is having woman trouble. His fiancée Maricruz has left him for the overly-suave Hector. She is worried that if his forthcoming parole hearing is cancelled, he’ll be inside for another ten years, and she’s not prepared to wait for him that long. There’s only one recourse – he needs to get back in on the escape plan. Michael is keen to have him, but there’s still the small matter of Haywire to deal with. “Someone is going to get hurt”, promises Michael. This seems ominous, but it soon emerges that he has another plan – banging his head against the prison bars to suggest Haywire has attacked him. The ruse works, and the friends are reunited. Working together, they chip away the bricks behind the sink, giving them a way out of the cell. However, Michael’s luck doesn’t seem set to last. Not only are the Secret Service agents hot on the trail of Veronica and her new legal partner Nick, but the shady twosome have also arranged for Michael to be transferred out of Fox River. Can he overcome this latest obstacle?