S01E18: 'Bluff'

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: Transferred to the psych ward, Michael tries to clear Haywire's head and jog his memory of the missing piece of the blueprint tattoo; Bellick wants to auction off Michael's cell to the highest bidder; C-Note and T-Bag must team up in a high-stakes poker game, while Sucre's cousin Manche seems to hold all the cards.

















































Full Summary: Having got himself sent to the psychiatric unit in the hope of getting former cellmate Haywire to remember the destroyed section of the tattoo that he needs for the new escape route, Michael has hit a snag: the sociopath doesn’t even remember him. “Haywire, do I look even vaguely familiar to you?” he asks in desperation. “Are you the guy who stole my toothpaste?” Haywire replies blankly. Michael smiles with relief – which soon proves to be shortlived as Haywire is too heavily sedated to either know what’s going on or recall the tattoo. Has Michael got himself committed for nothing?

Meanwhile, back in the main prison, Bellick and Geary are standing in Michael and Sucre’s empty cell. With one former occupant in the psych ward and the other in solitary, it seems that it will be empty for a while. Geary comes up with a plan: “We promise to keep it a single for a few months, and auction it off.” Bellick likes the idea, and they soon have a customer who is willing to pay $200 for it.

However, he spots that the sink that is hiding the hole in the wall is leaking, so Bellick promises to have it fixed the next day. This presents T-Bag, who is watching the proceedings with alarm, with two major problems: the escape plan can’t go ahead with someone else in that cell, and they’ll all be found out as soon as anyone touches the sink.
T-Bag explains the dilemma to Westmoreland and C-Note, and the three cons realise they have no other option but to raise the cash to take over the cell themselves. But it’s not as easy as they’d thought – C-Note’s crew have thrown him out for associating with white supremacist T-Bag, and when he tries to collect the money they owe him, they beat him up. T-Bag sees only one recourse – joining in the regular kitchen card game. C-Note is
dubious as to whether gambling is the way forward, but T-Bag is confident that he can get them the $500 Geary wants. “Son, when I play cards, trust me, it ain’t gambling,” he drawls. “There’s maybe five people in the country that can do what I do with a deck of cards.” Westmoreland hands over his last $100 to buy their way in, and T-Bag insists that C-Note needs to play as well to help disguise the fact that they’re cheating – if they’re caught, it won’t be pretty. Can the two unlikely allies win the cash they need and escape unharmed?

Back in the psych ward, Michael has talked Haywire out of taking his drugs, and it seems that everything is beginning to come back to him. While he starts sketching the missing part of the tattoo, Sucre’s cousin Manche walks past on laundry duty. “I need you to give Sucre a message,” Michael informs him. “Tell him I’m okay, and that I’m trying
to fill in the blanks. He’ll know what that means.” However, Manche spots the burn on Michael’s back and realises it is in exactly the same place as the one in the guard’s uniform that he lent Sucre. And he’s not the only one to put two and two together, as Haywire recognises the blueprints hidden in the tattoo and works out exactly what
Michael is up to. Are they about to add two more members to the team of would-be escapees?

Things aren’t going well on the outside, either. While Veronica is busy with LJ – who has been arrested for the murders of his mother and stepfather, as well as attempting to kill Kellerman – Nick receives a visit from a mysterious man, who wants to know where Veronica is. “Pretty soon, we’re gonna call in our favour,” the stranger warns. “Unless you want to go back on our deal.” Nick assures him that he will keep a closer eye on her from now on – is he about to sell her out?

Lincoln is also in serious trouble. Veronica has secured the court’s permission to allow him to visit LJ – much to the surprise of Pope, who tells him he’s never seen a visiting order granted to a death Row inmate before – and he is enjoying the drive through the Midwestern sunshine after so long in solitary. But then a huge truck hits the van, sending it spinning into the road. Is this the end for Lincoln? Or just another ploy of the conspiracy?