“Pray for the Wicked” ended on one of the most unsettling images Primal has ever given us: Spear standing among the living as something that should not exist. Not reborn in glory, not healed by magic, but dragged back from death incomplete, rotting, and wrong. Season 3, Episode 5 will almost certainly pick up right where that dread leaves off, forcing everyone, characters and viewers alike, to confront a terrifying question: what does it really mean that Spear is back?
The Aftermath of Resurrection
The immediate tension in Episode 5 is likely to center on Spear’s condition. His body is still decaying, his presence repels others, and even nature itself may be reacting to him. Primal has never treated resurrection as a blessing, and there’s little reason to believe it will start now.
Mira’s people are almost certainly afraid. To them, Spear isn’t a savior, he’s a walking curse their instinct will be to protect Mira and her unborn child at all costs, even if that means turning against the man who once fought beside her. We may see rituals intensify, attempts to cleanse or banish Spear, or even discussions of killing him again, before his presence attracts something far worse, and that fear might not be misplaced.
Is Spear Still Spear?
One of the most chilling possibilities for Episode 5 is that Spear himself may not fully understand what he has become. His mind could be fractured; memories blurred, instincts sharpened into something more animalistic. He may still recognise Fang, still feel the pull toward Mira, but struggle to control the darker impulses awakened by death.
This opens the door to internal conflict, unlike anything we’ve seen from him before. Spear has always been a force of survival, but now he may be a force of imbalance. Episode 5 could explore whether his resurrection has tipped the natural order and whether the world is already responding.
The Wolves Were Only the Beginning
Those wolf-like creatures retreating in Episode 4 felt less like a victory and more like a warning. Episode 5 may reveal that they weren’t acting alone. There could be a larger entity behind them; a matriarch, an ancient beast, or even something drawn specifically to Spear’s unnatural presence.
The idea that predators can sense him is deeply on-brand for Primal. His decaying body, his altered soul, could act like a beacon, calling monsters from the shadows. Episode 5 may escalate the threat dramatically, shifting from pack hunters to something singular and unstoppable.
Mira’s Choice
Mira stands at the emotional core of what comes next. Pregnant, grieving, and now reunited with a man she likely believed lost forever, she is forced into an impossible position. Does she cling to the miracle of Spear’s return, or does she accept that the man she knew may no longer exist?
Episode 5 could finally give us a private moment between Mira and Spear, one not interrupted by violence. But instead of comfort, that moment may bring realization. She might see the cost of resurrection etched into his body and spirit and understand that his presence could endanger her child.
Her decision, to stay, to flee, or to confront the truth, will likely define the rest of the season.
Fang’s Instinct Knows First
If anyone understands what’s wrong before words can express it, it’s Fang. Animals in Primal often perceive truth long before humans do, and Fang’s reaction to Spear in Episode 5 could be critical.
She may be torn between loyalty and instinct, protecting him because of their bond, yet sensing that something fundamental has shifted. Fang’s children, too, may react differently, showing fear or aggression toward Spear. That contrast could visually reinforce how unnatural his return truly is.
If Fang turns on Spear, even briefly, it would be one of the most devastating moments the series could deliver.
The Shaman’s Shadow
Though absent in Episode 4, the shaman who resurrected Spear looms large over what’s coming. Episode 5 might finally reveal the true price of that magic. Perhaps the ritual wasn’t complete. Perhaps Spear’s soul is tethered to something else now, something hungry.
There’s also the possibility that the shaman returns, either to “fix” what he’s done or to claim something in return. Primal rarely gives without taking, and magic in this world always carries a brutal cost.
A World Turning Hostile
Visually, Episode 5 could lean heavily into decay and corruption, where landscapes may feel darker, and animals may behave erratically. Even the air might feel heavy, as if the world itself is rejecting what has been altered.
This episode might be slower in action but heavier in dread, a psychological descent rather than an all-out slaughter. Or, knowing Primal, it could combine both: moments of quiet unease shattered by sudden, horrific violence.
What Episode 5 Is Really About
Episode 5 is shaping up to be about whether love can survive what death changes.
Spear fought his entire life to protect those he cared about. Now, his very existence may put them at risk. The tragedy of that reversal feels perfectly aligned with Primal’s storytelling philosophy.
By the end of the episode, we may not lose Spear again, but we may lose the illusion that his return is a blessing, and that realisation could hurt more than his first death ever did.
Read more: Adult Swim Primal
