So now that Blink is living among the Morlocks, can she invite some of her surface-dwelling friends down for a bit? Let’s find out. This is “teMpted.”

The episode begins with a flashback to Detroit, MI six years ago as Erg reunites with a friend of his, Pam, played by Olivia Grace Applegate, who is running from Sentinel Services. Luckily, she’s not a mutant. Evangeline is on the way to Flint, according to Pam, and Erg wants to stop her from running into an ambush, but then Erg asks Pam how she knew where Evangeline was crossing. After all, he never told Pam that.

He grows suspicious and asks what Pam did, and Pam reveals that Sentinel Services caught her three weeks ago. She made a deal that will endanger the lives of many others. Pam wants to leave so she and Erg can start over, and Erg was warned to not trust a human. He orders her to leave.

In present day in the Morlocks Tunnels, Erg speaks with some mutants getting ready to go on a supply run. Glow tells Blink that she doesn’t have to be so active and she can instead just get settled in, but Blink would prefer to be involved. She’s making up for lost time. After all, she hid who she was when living on the surface. Plus, she can’t let Glow have all the fun.

At the apartments, the Struckers and mutants go over their losses from the Inner Circle attack. They don’t have much of a choice but to keep looking for help, even though the Inner Circle is after Lauren. She’s been keeping herself up and both Benedict Ryan and Reeva Payge have infiltrated the government and leading the Purifiers. This is why John wants to act now.

If Lorna finds something, they need to be ready for what comes next.

Over at the Inner Circle’s makeshift Danger Room, Max, Tico, and Heather train. They’re joined by Lorna and Andy, with Lorna still trying to find out what Max is doing. Then Lorna accidentally cuts her arm with a blade and decides that she needs to clean up.

Above, Esme and Sage talk about the “other” project involving Lauren. Though Lauren is still resisting, Esme has a new plan in mind.

Lorna slips off into Max’s hidden room and finds something that gets her attention.

She later meets up with Marcos, saying that it was worth the break-in. She saw building plans for the White House, Pentagon, Sentinel Services, major buildings. The plan, sounds like, is to wipe out the entire government. The attack is coming and soon. Before Lorna leaves, Marcos warns her against plans that involve stabbing herself. That’d probably be for the best, yeah.

Blink, Glow, and other Morlocks raid the M&T Distribution Center for supplies, but officers and dogs soon arrive on the scene. And the officers have never been this fast. Blink creates a portal and the mutants manage to get in, but Glow takes a bullet in the process as the mutants escape.

Glow is brought back underground, with the medics doing what they can to help. However, resources are limited. Blink wants Glow taken to a hospital, but if she’s taken there, Erg knows that she’ll be arrested. And Sentinel Services could convince her to turn. No. Erg wants to work with the resources that the Morlocks have.

Over at the apartments, John and Marcos bring the few mutant leaders that they have, with some realizing that the X-Men’s trust won’t protect them from the Purifiers. They can’t lose sight of their mission. If they abandon their principles, the only option is war. Ultimately, though, the mutants aren’t convinced.

Caitlin injects Reed with a serum and asks how he’s doing with controlling his powers. Reed is focused on Lauren, who is drinking coffee to keep herself awake. She’s been sharing dreams with Andy for months, and sleeping is different because it feels like he’s trying to probe her mind.

Blink arrives arrive out of nowhere and asks Caitlin for her help with the injured Glow. If anyone of the Morlocks have a problem with this, they can take it up with Blink, but right now, she needs Caitlin’s help. It’s a bit surprising, this news, but Caitlin agrees. However, Blink has to make one more stop before leaving.

Later, Reed tells Lauren to put the music box away, as he feels that it makes her feel worse. However, she finds it comforting. It reminds her that this has been part of their family for a long time. Reed then talks about an old German story that his father told him. A father and his son rode on horseback. The son was afraid and heard something terrible calling out to him. The father said that it was just the wind in the trees.

When they got home, though, the boy was dead. The song of the box is that story set to music. Reed didn’t think about it at the time, but he felt that Otto was trying to warn him about the darkness that exists in their family. But this is in Lauren’s DNA. Caitlin likes it, but Reed is trying to warn her. Yes, the Von Struckers were horrible, but they’re the only people ever who understood what Caitlin’s going through right now.

The power that exists between Andy and Lauren, that level of destruction is dangerous. Lauren knows that, but the power is incredible. It doesn’t feel evil, but that she can right the world’s wrongs. Reed feels that isn’t true, though. Lauren apologizes, saying she was just being stupid.

Okay, so Caitlin and Marcos join Blink underground, given that Marcos has glowing blood, too. The theory is that his powers could somehow be linked to Glow’s. Caitlin feasts her eyes on the Morlock world for the first time as she goes over to Glow to start the operation. When the energy dissipates, it just becomes regular blood.

Then Erg storms over, upset that Blink brought a human down here. He orders Caitlin to leave, but just about everyone she knows is a mutant. These are her people. If Caitlin can’t do her work, the Morlocks will be short one mutant.

Lauren continues to keep herself awake through carbonated drinks and splashing water in her face. When she finally nods off, she meets Andy on a rooftop, but immediately snaps herself out of it. However, she can’t stop herself from dozing off. She tells Andy that she’s not joining the Inner Circle, but Andy just wants her to be happy. He reminds her of their childhood connection and how much he misses that.

Andy, meanwhile, rests as the Frosts work their telepathy and speak through him. Both Andy and Lauren truly understand each other, and Andy misses Fenris. As does Lauren. They can do anything that they want here. They should be able to let go and just be themselves.

They join hands and their powers combine yet again, but Andy tells Lauren that this doesn’t have to be a dream. She can meet him here tomorrow. The Frosts intensify their message, but Lauren runs off and she finally awakens.

Back underground, Marcos gives his blood to Glow. It buys time, but her blood still isn’t clotting. Caitlin can do more, but she needs supplies from the clinic. Trashed or not, it’s their only hope. Erg suggests that he and Blink go themselves, but Caitlin needs to go as well because she has the pharmacist and doctor knowledge. Erg won’t have any dead weight, but Caitlin’s packing heat, so she’s not exactly defenseless.

The next day, Reed searches for Lauren, but instead finds a note. He shares it with John and reveals that the note has something to do with Andy. But it said nothing about where she’s going. They realize that the Inner Circle is trying to bring them together.

Speaking of, Lorna talks with Tico and Heather, with both of them still being vague about the details of their missions. In enters Max, who demands to know who entered his room and messed with his stuff. And that is Lorna’s cue to exit.

John and Reed hit the streets in search of Lauren. John is picking up a faint trace, but he realizes that she’s walking in circles. Reed believes that Lauren is confused about her powers and place in this war. He tried to talk with her, but Lauren’s experiences are nothing like his.

Glow, Blink, and Caitlin arrive at the clinic after the Purifiers trashed it to shit. Erg wonders why a Purifiers would hit a medical clinic, and it’s because this is a clinic run by humans who treat humans. Luckily, Caitlin finds just what she needs. Erg soon joins in on the search.

Lauren heads to a transit station when she spots officers questioning some folks on suspicion of being a mutant. From a distance, Lauren tosses an energy disc to cause a bit of damage.

Underground, Marcos continues transferring his blood to Glow, who is stable right now. Marcos gets a call from Lorna, who is freaking out that Max suspects something. Marcos tells her to run, but Lorna wants to continue finding out the plan. Well, if they can’t get Lorna out, then they have to get Max out. Luckily, Marcos is good at getting people to talk. He hates doing this, but this is the only way.

There may be something Lorna can do to get Max out. She used to change her grades in school, for example. She can feel her way through simple stuff in computers, so she decides to give an idea a shot. Still, Marcos wants her to be careful.

Back at the clinic, Purifiers have arrived. Caitlin can’t leave until her work is finished, so Erg and Blink are left to take on the Purifiers. Caitlin does manage to shoot one, and Erg counters by firing his energy at the Purifiers. Luckily, Caitlin is done, so Blink creates a portal.

John and Reed arrive at the station after Lauren’s damaging act, with John figuring that Lauren is heading towards the Inner Circle. Reed realizes that the power is almost irresistible, but John wonders if Reed is talking about Lauren or himself. Reed owes it to Lauren to tell her the truth, but they first have to find her.

At the Inner Circle, when Sage finally leaves the one room she’s apparently allowed to be in, Lorna slips in and works her magnetic hacking abilities to access the camera footage. She finds Max regularly leaving and returning to the Inner Circle and zooms in on the location name where Max is getting alcohol.

Underground, Marcos wants to continue giving his blood to Glow, even though he’s cautioned against doing that. She tells him that it’s too risky to keep doing this, but luckily, Caitlin, Blink, and Erg finally return.

John and Reed catch up to Lauren, who is in no mood to talk. She shields the two from getting any closer, but Reed refuses to talk until he talks to his daughter. Reed knows that she’s going to Andy, but Lauren says that her father doesn’t understand. But Reed felt what she felt. He wasn’t completely honest. After he got the music box from the doctor, he reveals that it wasn’t the first time he saw it.

He found it while searching for it at home. Otto’s story to Reed one of the reasons that he tried to suppress his son’s powers. Lauren feels that she can’t resist anymore, but Reed reminds his daughter that she’s not alone. In fact, he can help her.

As Lorna trains in the Inner Circle Danger Room, Max joins her, realizing that she’s too good to cut herself by accident. It just seems weird. Another thing that’s weird is Lorna’s interest in the team’s hit job. As Lorna points her blade at Max, she reminds him that she is Polaris and that her father was part of the Inner Circle before it even was the Inner Circle. So if Max will run his mouth, he better do more than guess.

Back underground, now that Marcos has a location from Lorna, it’s time to go. Glow is back to normal, as she thanks Marcos for what he did. And now Marcos has things to do. Glow figures that Lorna will always have Marcos’ heart, but some of him will always be with Glow as well. Literally, in fact.

Erg concedes to Blink that she was right about Caitlin. Before she leaves, he prints an “M” onto her face. The two tell Blink that they’ll find their way out rather than getting a portal. They bid Blink farewell and promise to send their greetings from her to John.

Speaking of, as we get our musical montage, John returns home, Reed shares his dosages with Lauren.

All of a sudden, on the rooftop of another building, Andy tells the Frost Sisters that he can’t feel Lauren anymore.

Max stops by his favorite liquor store and is in the middle of a call with Heather when he gets a surprise visit from Marcos. A fight breaks out and things go haywire as Max manages to shoot Marcos in the stomach. As an injured Marcos escapes from Max’s vehicle, it goes up in flames and explodes as the episode comes to a close.

Well, that was definitely an explosive ending. Like the episode’s title, we have a lot of characters being tempted either to make a judgment call or risky move that could endanger or improve their situation. With more details about Reeva’s plan coming to light, the mutants must utilize every resource that they have. But if the meeting was any indication, the underground is on its own.

But they do have allies in the form of Lorna and the Morlocks, however reluctant Erg is. His temptation to turn Caitlin away is based on his prior experience with trusting humans. He’s been burned once, but you can’t allow one experience to define every subsequent encounter. He already wanted no part in helping the humans above ground.

However, Caitlin has been in this fight long enough to know that she has a role to play. Glow was in danger, after all. What was Erg going to do? Tell the only qualified person for miles who is open to helping mutants to go away? No. As the episode progresses, Erg sees Caitlin’s prowess as a doctor. Through learning about why humans choose to help mutants at the clinic, he witnesses for himself that there are good humans.

By episode’s end when Erg gives Caitlin the “M” mark, it’s a key moment that shows he has come around. Caitlin may not be a mutant, but in Erg’s eyes, she is an ally. This was a great moment and it felt very earned because Caitlin put her life on the line to save Erg. Plus, we’ve seen how much Erg detests mankind, so for him to give Caitlin the same brand that he gives other Morlocks is a sign that he accepts her.

It was also great and proactive on Blink’s part to go to Caitlin in the first place. She knows that Caitlin has medical experience and the mutants underground could only do so much. So why not get Caitlin, as well as Marcos, given the similarity of his powers to Glow’s?

Speaking of, I continue to enjoy Marcos and Glow’s interactions. Sean Teale has always had great chemistry with Emma Dumont, yes, but his scenes with Laysla De Oliveira are equally fantastic. Eclipse and Glow are positively radiant and you can tell by the expressions on Glow’s face that she has deep feelings for Marcos. But his heart still belongs to Lorna.

Lorna, by the way, is also being tempted, but it’s to dig deeper. She wants to uncover Reeva’s master plan, but she has to be careful that she doesn’t overplay her hand. Sage and Esme have already warned her about wanting to know too much. Her asking Max so many questions didn’t help either, with him growing more suspicious of her. After all, if Lorna’s not involved with the mission, why should it be any of her business?

Though I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t like her pulling the Magneto card. She truly is her father’s daughter when she reminds Max that she’s royalty. Even though she should be wearing that headpiece everywhere she goes, but I digress. She got her point across, though it looks like Marcos could be in danger, based on how the episode ended.

Also, it’s good that Lorna is being proactive. She could keep trying to ask questions, but when that doesn’t work, she goes into the footage to find where Max is going. This, in turn, would lead Marcos right to him. It’s another demonstration of Lorna’s abilities. Plus, she can’t exactly ask Sage to do it without blowing her cover.

Then we have Lauren, who is being tempted to find and join forces with Andy. While it’s unclear if she realizes what’s happening, it’s good on her to acknowledge that the dreams feel different. I would guess that she doesn’t know that the Frosts are behind this, but something is off. She knows that much.

Kind of like Pyro in X-2, Lauren realizes that she has devastating powers. With proper practice and guidance, she could be devastating. We’ve seen the thrill she gets as of recent when perfecting her abilities. But she isn’t a monster. Lauren tells her father that she would use her powers to help people. She may have great abilities, but she still needs proper guidance.

I like how much Reed is trying to protect Lauren without feeling like he’s sheltering her. He shares that same story with her that he told Caitlin, but even he can’t stand in her way. By giving her some of his serum, I think it’s less about trying to take away her powers and more just put her at ease. At least, that’s how I read it. With this, she can actually get some sleep.

But with Marcos injured and the show taking a break next week, I assume because of the State of the Union address, we’ll have trouble getting to sleep in trying to figure out how things will escalate. We’ll find out when The Gifted returns. See you then.