Wow. Just WOW! The latest episode of Freeform’s Cruel Summer had one hell of a twist ending! We’ve been teased multiple times of all the possible opportunities Martin had to snatch Kate, but as “Happy Birthday, Kate Wallis” reveals, how she ended at his place was nothing like we had expected. Here’s a recap of what happened on approximately August 29, 1993, 1994, and 1995
A Whole New World | In addition to the episodes time jumping between the three years, we are given flashbacks to when Kate (Olivia Holt) was being held captive in Martin Harris’ (Blake Lee) basement. He tells her that people have given up looking for her, her family, friends, police, and even her boyfriend Jamie. “He’s dating Jeannette Turner now,” he informs her. “Skylin has moved on from Kate Wallis.” In a previous episode, we saw that after coming to, after she lost consciousness, Kate woke up to find groceries, supplies, etc., surrounding her, so we know he plans on keeping her there for a while. “Get comfortable. This is your world now.”
Promises, Promises | For Kate’s Sweet 16 celebration (1993) she, Jamie (Froy Gutierrez) and her two best friends go to the mall. He gifts her a promise ring. “It means that I’m all in on us,” he tells her. “I really wanna buy you a big old house, and have a big old family, just like your parents. That’s the dream, right?” By the end of the day, he’s totally wasted and stops by Martin’s house to pee in his yard. He passes out and Martin offers an embarrassed Kate a ride home.
Before Kate exits the car, she vents that her mom is going to be pissed, and that she has high expectations when it comes to rules, “even if she breaks them herself.” She reveals to Martin that she’s been harboring a big family secret that’s been eating at her, and says that the situation hasn’t gotten any better. She says that she wants to unload it otherwise she’s going to explode. “Sounds like it’s time to light on the situation,” Martin says. Touching his hand (what?!), she replies, “That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”
Under Pressure | Kate’s mom, Joy (Andrea Anders) pressures Kate to do “The Marsha Bailey Show” (1994) to talk about her kidnapping experience. She tells her daughter that it would be a great opportunity and an honor to be interviewed by Marsha, who has interviewed presidents, Whoopi Goldberg, and even Miss Piggy. Kate is against the idea, and even consults her father about going on the show.
The local news reveals that Kate had not been the first minor that Martin Harris had his eye on. The report goes on to say that an unnamed teen from Widow Falls, Texas is alleging that she had a close call with the assistant vice principal long before his move to Skylin. Kate tells her parents that the girl is exaggerating.
When asked how she knows about this, Kate says that Martin had told her so. “He just helped her after class. He was just her tutor.” Kate is upset that the teen is doing this just for her 15 minutes of fame and that it’s wrong. “Then right the wrong,” her mom tells her. “Go on Marsha Bailey and tell the truth. That girl might be lying, and Jeannette is absolutely lying, but you know the truth.”
Best. Birthday. Ever. | Mallory (Harley Quinn Smith) is assigned Kate’s birthday keeper to keep her from engaging in conversations with her mother about court, lawyers, and anything legal or unpleasant. Mallory has a big surprise for her best friend, taking her to the skating rink where she is now the assistant manager. “Perks are extremely limited, but includes a set of keys and the ability to close for maintenance,” Mallory tells her.
“After my last two birthdays, I pretty much given up on ever having a good one ever again,” Kate says. “I honestly don’t know how I’d still be standing without you, Mal.” What follows is a sweet montage of the two besties dressing up and having a blast and skating (Mallory confesses that she’s not really good at it) at the usually-always-packed skating rink. “Best birthday ever!” Kate exclaims.
Facts. No Printer. | After their birthday celebration, Kate and Mallory hang out in her bedroom and the birthday keeper finds an old printer in Kate’s donation box. Mal asks if she could have it because she could really use one. Kate says that it’s not a problem and that the printer was just a backup one. Mallory finds that the printer is not broken, but jammed. And upon further inspection she finds out why. And the reason why is pretty shocking.
Kate presents the crinkled up paper, which was the reason for the printer jam, to her mother. On that piece of paper, the word “Liar” printed on it. It was Joy who had printed out the defamatory letter and pinned it outside their door. “How could you do this to me?” Kate demands of her mother. Kate explains that she had been raised to be blindly obedient, trusting and open, and blames her for everything that happened, including going on the Marsha Bailey show, which eventually got her sued.
Joy reveals that she was jealous that Kate was still punishing her for what happened, and that she sent the letter because her daughter needed a bad guy. “That is what motivates you, since the time you were a little thing,” she says. “And I needed you to take this lawsuit seriously.” Joy deeply apologizes to her daughter for not protecting her from Martin Harris, “but I will die trying to protect you from everything else, even if you hate me for it.”
Meanwhile, back at Ashley’s (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) dorm room, Jeannette’s brother, Derek (Barrett Carnahan), had just finished hooking up with her, and asks to check his email on her computer while she takes a shower. He discovers that Ashley had been engaging in conversations with his sister’s enemy, Kate, in an abduction victims chat room. The information he finds in the chat is so crazy, that he prints it out to hand over to Jeannette. “What? What?!” Jeannette says completely baffled at the text on the papers. “Oh, my God.”
Mama, Don’t Screech | Kate enters her house just moments after getting out of Martin’s car (1993) and her mother is livid that her daughter kept all the party guests waiting. Joy notices that Kate reeks of cheap booze and accuses her of drinking, to which Kate says she hadn’t. When her mother questions her honestly, Kate replies, “I’m not the one in this family with a honesty problem.” It finally comes out in the open as Rod joins his family in the living room, where Kate reveals that the matriarch had been having an affair. “I saw mom kissing Scott Jones,” Kate says to her father. Joy denies the accusations, saying that Kate is lying for attention and that her imagination is just running wild.
“I’ve been keeping this secret in all summer and I can’t anymore,” she tells them. Joy slaps Kate in the face, and Kate goes up to her room to start packing her stuff to run away from it all. “God, Kate, how tacky?” Joy says. “Funny, that didn’t sound like an apology for child abuse,” Kate replies. Her mom goes on to say that Kate is just like her 24 years ago — simple, naive, boring. She adds that she can predict Kate’s every move, telling her to go ahead and go to Renee’s or Tennille’s, “until you come crawling back with your tail between your legs.”
Knock, Knock. | With Joy knowing Kate will just run off to one of her friends’ houses, Kate flees to the only other place she knows where her mom won’t find her — Martin Harris’ house. “I did what you said, ” she tells him. “I unloaded the secret that I’ve been holding. My mom hit me.” He apologizes to her and says that his advice was only just to help. She explains to him that if she goes to her friends’ house or even Jamie’s, her mom will find her and drag her home.
“Martin, I’m scared.”
“Come inside.”
Cruel Summer airs Tuesdays at 10p on Freeform.