‘The Strain’ Catch-Up Guide: 6 Things to Remember About Season 2

It’s no spoiler to say Season 3 of FX’s The Strain is going to find wannabe permanent vampire slayer Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) in his most desperate state yet: His biggest ally, and one-time love, Nora, is dead, and his son, Zach, has been kidnapped.

Here are the six Season 2 events that will most likely drive the dire circumstances for Eph and his efforts to save New York City — and the world — in Season 3:

1. Double Loss

Dr. Nora Martinez (Mia Maestro) committed suicide in the season finale, after being infected by Eph’s strigoi wife, Kelly (Natalie Brown). Nora made peace with Eph before she died, but Kelly, working for the Master (Jack Kesy) and Eichorst (Richard Sammel), kidnapped Zach (Max Charles), her son with Eph, while he was with Nora.

2. One Scary Mother

The Master had Eichorst turn blind children into a new breed of vampires called Feelers, who were given to Kelly to help her suss out Eph and Zach. Kelly’s memory was also restored, to allow her more tools to bond with her son now that he’s in her care.

3. The Book of Death

Setrakian (David Bradley) got his hands on the Occido Lumen, an ancient book he hoped would reveal the only way to kill the Master.

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4. Vamp Tamp

When Staten Island councilwoman Justine Feraldo (Samantha Mathis) became frustrated with a lack of action by the NYC mayor and his office in dealing with the impending vampire doom, she took charge of the situation in her own borough. When local media began noting her success — which she proved by displaying headless vampires for the press — NYC Mayor Lyle (Ron Canada) finally paid attention and asked to use her vamp-thwarting tactics throughout the city. She alienated him by demanding the city’s wealthy residents pay an extra tax to be protected from the strigoi, but after Mayor Lyle was killed, Palmer (Jonathan Hyde) offered Feraldo political and financial support, as she was appointed the new special director of security for the city. One of her first acts in her new gig was vowing to help Eph and Nora mass produce the anti-strigoi bioweapon they created.

5. In the Same Boat

A mysterious human/vamp hybrid named Quinlan (Rupert Penry-Jones) arrived, with his own plan to kill the Master. He, Fet (Kevin Durand), Setrakian, Gus (Miguel Gomez), and Angel (Joaquin Cosio) appeared to escape from the city in a stolen tug boat in the Season 2 finale.

6. Frenemies: A Hate Story

Palmer’s allegiance to the Master may be done, after the Master killed Palmer’s beloved Coco Marchand (Lizzie Brochere), right in front of Palmer, when Palmer refused to pay for the Master’s bid for the Occido Lumen.

Watch a preview of Season 3:

The Strain Season 3 premieres Aug. 28 at 10 p.m. on FX.