After the killer’s public announcements, Scream has every character on edge and a few familiar faces in jeopardy on this week’s episode – plus major points for a chase scene!

The beginning of the seventh episode shows Eli undergoing a daily routine to start his morning… Except for the fact that it’s in someone else’s house, while he watches them sleep with a knife in hand. As Emma gets ready for school, her and her mother are visited by the police who inform them that Riley’s emails came from Emma’s laptop. She finally tells the police about the farm with pictures of her, and they decide to further investigate (with suspicious glances between Maggie and sheriff Acosta.) After a night of revelations for Noah, he and Audrey head to breakfast when Zoe notices her fellow geek and enlists him for a date/study session.

Frustrated with Kieran’s odd partnership with the police, Emma confronts him as to why he keeps doing things behind her back – and he claims it’s for her own good to keep her alive. Brooke begins to grow concerned after leaving Branson tied up in a hotel room, so she seeks out the help of Audrey to fix the situation if possible (good luck…) Finally realizing there is something larger at play, the sheriff goes to the James’ farm and finds a single picture of a young Emma and a man in black holding her hands with his face scratched out. If I came across a childhood photo of myself in that setting I’d probably become fairly fearful, just saying.

When Emma gets to work, Eli picks up on problems between her and Kieran, telling her that he was a part of the reason his stepdad and mom left before being killed in a car accident (and is simply scared to lose people.) It’s the first time Eli attempts something considerably nice for his cousin, but if we’ve learned anything from Scream it’s that you can’t trust anyone completely. Zoe takes Noah to a lake (ditching the concept of studying) and he accidentally gets her to reveal that something happened last season that resulted in a therapist alongside skipping school for a considerable amount of time. Suspicious behavior – of course!

Brooke and Audrey make their way to the hotel Branson was tied up in, but they discover that he’s no longer present with no evidence of any foul play (they are in for a surprise.) They assume he escaped himself, before Brooke gets a text from his phone saying she must meet him at his old school office to apologize or he’ll turn her in to the police. They decide to go together, but as they leave we see the killer placed a webcam and is very aware of everything they are doing. Zoe finishes changing into a bikini for the lake, taking a picture of herself on Noah’s phone but also dodging a phone call from Audrey to have one-on-one time with him.

Ms. Lang tracks down Emma after trying to contact her (she also locked Emma up during the last episode) but Emma isn’t in the mindset to talk to anyone she feels like she can’t wholly trust. Eli tells her that after work he’ll have something fun for them to do, which Emma reluctantly agrees to with light flirting (oh, and Kieran didn’t look too pleased from a distance.) Noah’s date goes well and he invites Zoe over later, leading him to a drugstore for a safe-sex advertising for the younger viewers (wrap it up!) so Audrey’s attempts to contact him fail one after the other. Audrey does however receive a text from the killer that says if she doesn’t go alone to the school, Brooke will get evidence of Audrey’s knowledge of Jake’s death.

At the school, Ms. Lang conducts research on the Lakewood 6 for what I’d assume is a book about the murders and hears a noise that startles her. She looks outside her office and sees nothing, but her phone rings courtesy of the killer. He briefly mentions Branson and says he’s waiting outside in the hallway for her. A nervous Ms. Lang only discovers a windup pig (like what Jake found, hmmm) and reenters her office where all of her belongings have been thrown around. Now frustrated, Kristen Lang walks outside again towards the lockers and bumps right into the killer who is holding Branson’s hand with a slight wave. She manages to kick him/her and dodge the first swing of his knife, sending her running down a hallway where she trips over Branson. The only word he has time to muster is “run” when the killer plunges a knife into his chest. She gets back to flight mode and sprints upstairs, but trips with enough time for the killer to catch up. He/she grabs her and throws her back into a wall, then tosses her over the handrail which causes her to crack her head open and begin bleeding out on the floor.

By the time Audrey and Brooke get to the school, Audrey convinced her to wait for her signal to enter, but she only finds the janitor who saw Ms. Lang before the killer could finish the job. Brooke rushes in behind her and tries to help, urging Audrey to call for help (Ms. Lang was still found breathing.) At Noah’s house, Zoe decides to snoop and finds the audio that Audrey admitted bringing Piper to Lakewood so she emails a copy to herself when he isn’t around. By the time he comes back, they begin to initiate some romance – but Audrey once again a interrupts and ruins the moment with news of Ms. Lang. Late into the evening, Eli takes Emma and breaks into a model home (as he likes to do) for the purpose of feeling like he’s living another life. While the begin to enjoy food and drinks, the killer can be seen around placing Branson and Eddie in the bathtub upstairs.

Audrey and Noah go over what the killer has been up to, luring them to the school – but not sure what his endgame was because of the janitors interruption. In an interesting turn of events, Miguel (the sheriff) takes Maggie alone to the farmhouse and admits that this could all be about Emma and it’s possibly “their own fault” which also includes Quinn Madox… My mind is running rampant. Back at the rebellious date between Eli and Emma, he begins to speak negatively about Kieran and tries to kiss her until the fire alarm sounds and sends them rushing outside. The fire starter isn’t seen, but as the exit we catch a glimpse at Branson left behind in the tub gasping for breath before the room is consumed with fire.

Overall Grade: 8/10

This included one of the best chase scenes of the Scream series and rivaled the films with the Ms. Lang suspense of the scenario. The reveal of the Emma photo makes me wonder if Brooke and Emma are a major role to the killer’s motives this season, making me more excited for what’s next on Scream. The series continues to add great mysteries and horror, cementing that Scream is a must-watch in every way.

Aedan’s Final Thoughts:

– My current theory is that there are two killers this season. The accomplice from last year plus a new sidekick, with the main suspects being Kieran, Noah, Maggie, Emma and possibly one of the new kids.

– Still admiring the creativity of that chase scene, sorry Ms. Lang…

– Branson has faced death about three times now, I don’t think we’ll be seeing him again.

– The childhood photo of Emma legitimate creeped me out. I’m having major Nightmare On Elm Street vibes going on.

– Brooke has potential to be a key player after Jake, Branson, Ms. Lang, and the new reveal of her father and Emma’s mother from their childhood.