And here we are, already to the final episode of this, the third season of Mohawk Girls. As the title’s playful take on the famous Prince Hamlet quote portends;  troubles indeed lie in wait for our ladies.

Caitlin (Heather White) has quite evidently fallen off of the the self improvement wagon. She’s quit her business course, is back eating junk food, and has even quit fitness classes with “Luscious Leon” (Alain Chanoine). Concerned, Leon drops by to check on Caitlin and finally we see the sparks truly fly. Leon confesses that he misses “Sexy Caitlin” and these two finally kiss!!!

Sadly, Caitlin also feels the pressures to date only Mohawk men and this causes great concern for her. Undaunted, Leon promises persistence until Caitlin decides if his being Blackhawk rather than Mohawk is a deal breaker or not.

To make matters even more complicated,  Caitlin is later wrongfully attacked by Trumpet (Kevin Loring) and  Butterhead (Meegwun Fairbrother) comes to her defense. Now poor Caitlin is left to second guess a potential relationship with Leon.

As if these troubles were not enough for our girls, #TeamThana  (Anna, played by Maika Harper and Thunder played by Kyle Nobess) also does not survive this episode unscathed. Thunder, and Anna’s Mother (Nadia Verrucci), both learn to their dismay that Anna has quit school. Thunder argues that the best way to change a flawed system is to work from within, ensuring that dialogue remains open.

Anna’s mother arrives, hoping to talk her daughter into returning to school. Ironically, it is Anna’s stand against the  “Colonial Oligarchy” that “Mean Girl Vicki” (Rachelle White Wind) finally declares that Anna is “one of us”.  Anna, who has fought so hard to finally be seen as a Mohawk by the community, rejects her white mother. This is a deal breaker for Thunder: “I could never love anyone who can turn against their Mom like that – we’re done Anna”.

Meanwhile, Bailey (Jennifer Pudavick) is still stressing over her relationship with Watio (Jimmy Blais). She recognizes what a “quality lump of clay” he is, but she also sees that Watio channels his passions in anger. She is struggling with the challenge of perpetual compromise that leaves her wanting more out of life. She finally comes to the realization that they are too different and she breaks up with Watio.

And finally, troubles are definitely in store for Zoe (Brittany LeBorgne) who has been planning a fundraiser for a family that tragically lost their home to fire. However, social pressures continue to mount for Zoe, and shirking her responsibilities, she escapes deeper into the BDSM lifestyle. I simply loved how Tracey Deer and Cynthia Knight set these sequences up throughout this episode.  Zoe’s detachment from her life was very cleverly played, no longer engaging  with her friends, her responsibilities, or the  viewing audience; we are simply left to experience just as she does in the world of fetish clubs.

With Zoe AWOL, the group of friends pull together to make a success of the fundraiser. Even Butterhead rises to the occasion for the greater good. Leon also puts in an appearance because Caitlin is “worth it”.

The show stopper though comes from Watio, who gets down on bended knee, declares his love for Bailey — with poetry even–and proposes in front of the entire community.

So, we are left to wonder, will #TeamThana get back together? Will Anna return to school? What is going to happen to Zoe when all her friends, who are worried sick about her, realise she was playing in the dungeon of a fetish club? Who will Caitlin choose, Luscious Leon or Butterhead? And finally, how will Bailey answer Watio’s proposal? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks  go to Tracey Deer, Cynthia Knight, and Rezolution Pictures for another great season. Looking forward to what’s in store in Season 4.

We begin  the penultimate episode of  season three with Caitlin (Heather White) and Danny (Jesse Nobess) working on Caitlin’s business plan, tossing a sprinkle of encouragement  and a dash of motivation in an attempt to get Caitlin back into  Kick Ass mode. But as we will see, encouragement and motivation are only a part of what it takes to Go Native for our Mohawk foursome.

One of the newest hurdles complicating Caitlin’s healthy lifestyle choices comes via “Mean Girl Vicki” (Rachelle White Wind). Seems Vicki has a new man in her life and she cannot wait to spill the beans to her rival. As it turns out Caitlin’s father (Lawrence Bayne) is her new Beast boyfriend (and oh my goodness, nice touch with the hickies–Priceless!). Hat tip to  T. Deer and C. Knight! I did NOT see that one coming.

Once again we turn to a scene with Anna (Maika Harper)to deliver our outsider’s cultural lesson of the week. Anna is visiting with Lollipop (Devery Jacobs) before her lecture, and learns that western  education was the tool of assimilation for her people. The schools’ curriculum, the administration, and the text books are all the instruments of the white man. The Residential School System is revisited, reminding us that the government used education as a guise to strip Indigenous people of their culture, and that many  people today are still suffering the loss of the culture that was beaten out of them in residential school. This leaves Anna with some questions about her own educational experiences.

Turning to Zoe (Brittany LeBorgne), we learn that she is suffering from a lack of her extra curricular activities and this is causing  significant distraction on her part. Zoe is clearly neglecting the fundraiser’s organization.

Meanwhile, Bailey’s (Jennifer Pudavick) 30th birthday is fast approaching and Auntie Velma (Ashley Michaels) declares “whatever she wants she may have as this is a birthday that needs ushering in”.  Bailey, always full of wanderlust, decides she wants a trip with Watio (Jimmy Blais), but under no circumstances will he travel. Watio believes that signing any piece of paper declaring he is a Canadian means he gives up his sovereign rights as a Haudenosawnee citizen. This is yet another strike in a mounting list of strikes against Watio.

To compensate, the girls decide to take Bailey away for a girls’ weekend and Anna thinks a survivalist weekend will get them all in touch with their Native heritage. The girls dive in to their weekend, each with their own level of commitment, but it is Bailey that rises to the challenges and proves she is the warrior. Along the way, Zoe’s kink tendencies prove a problem again. Additionally, Caitlin falls into the hookup trap; fine by campfire light, but by harsh morning’s light the fish prove more interesting.

For their final day, the girls decide to get naked and try some mud wraps. But this being Mohawk Girls, you know this is not about to go smoothly, and indeed some young pranksters abscond with our ladies’ clothing.  Bailey concocts a plan to create cover ups and they succeed in making their way back to camp.  Bailey proves herself to be the  survivalist and Jennifer P. totally owned her character tonight.

Once home from their weekend  reality comes crashing back.

Bailey is immediately reminded that the differences between  herself and Watio are mounting. Meanwhile, Caitlin heads to the bar where she is once again humiliated by Butterhead (Meegwun Fairbrother), and Zoe delves deeper into the BDSM lifestyle. Zoe arranges to meet another potential  master, “Hell’s Angel Biker Dom” (Marc-Andre Boulanger), but he proves to be less than dominating. And finally, Anna stands up to her  Philosophy professor (Larry Day). Anna is upset with  the lack of Aboriginal philosophers  included on his syllabus which leads her to impulsively quit, not just his class, but school altogether.

So we are left to wonder how Thunder will react to Anna quitting school. Is Caitlin going to get back on track with her healthy lifestyle choices? Can Bailey make things work with Watio? What is next for Zoe?

Episode four directed and produced by Tracey Deer and written by Cynthia Knight is entitled Self-Helpless, intertextualizing  a little known movie of the same name about four mates who decide to follow a path to self improvement through the advice of self-help books. This time though we have our four Mohawk ladies all striving to improve their lives in some way, shape, or form.

We begin with Zoe ( Brittany LeBorgne) who has admitted her relationship  with Ohserase (Shawn Youngchief)  is only to improve her social standing in the community. However, even though this very sweet and suitable Mohawk man  is eagerly  trying to woo Zoe, he just doesn’t seem capable of scratching her adventuresome  itch. Instead of faking it, Zoe opts to adopt Anna’s three month rule in order to avoid having to engage in a sexual relationship with him.

We also learn that Zoe is still on the hunt for a new Master but unfortunately none of the characters listed online fit her tastes. Unable to focus or relax she opts to attend the community baby shower that Auntie Velma (Ashley Michaels) is hosting. Zoe learns Iostha’s (Allyson Pratt) sister’s house has burned down. Looking  for another opportunity to improve her standing in the community, and avert the possibility of being fired, Zoe offers to host a fundraiser. She sweetens the pot, promising to secure an appearance by Six Nations singer/songwriter Derek Miller in the hopes to raise enough funds for the family to place a substantial down payment on a new house.

Meanwhile Bailey (Jennifer Pudavick), has  settled, literally,  into her relationship with Watio (Jimmy Blais), but her motivation is simple: to leave the adventuresome twenties behind her. However, Bailey is learning that this is not so easy with an opinionated perfectionist like Watio. Instead of enjoying an afternoon playing in the outdoors or an adventure in the city, Bailey opts to stay in doing home renovations in order to spend quality time with her new man. Anna (Maika Hunter) points out that “you can’t leave who you are behind. You can’t give up who you are for a guy”. However, Bailey believes (at least for now) that this is necessary in order to be this new mature Bailey.

Meanwhile, Caitlin (Heather White) begins to feel the pains involved with all of her life changes and has a series of set backs over the course of this episode. We being with a small melt down with “Luscious Leon” (Alain Chanoine). Leon shares his own strategies, “to push through the troubles to reach your goals while remembering the positive gains you have already made”. These words become Caitlin’s personal mantra as she deals with the baby shower after having just secretly ended her own pregnancy with an abortion.

While at the shower, “I’m a Keeper” (NOT!) Butterhead (Meegwun Fairbrother) shows up and flirts with all of the single ladies. His behaviours prove too much for Caitlin to handle and she lashes out, publicly humiliating him and informing all who will listen that Butterhead still cuddles up with his mother at night. Overcome with emotions Caitlin then hides in the washroom drowning her sorrows with cakes and drink.

Next we turn to Anna, who is still upset with “Be still my beating heart Thunder” ( Kyle Nobess) for failing to defend her in Where are the feathers? Anna is invited by Lollipop ( Devery Jacobs) to attend  a protest in Montreal to support the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Still feeling she needs to prove her Mohawk-ness, Anna attends the protest organization meeting. It is here that we learn some details about the actual situation facing Indigenous women and girls in Canada today. We learn that statistically Aboriginal women and girls are tragically  the group most at risk for experiencing violence in Canada. Since Canadian parliament was prorogued in September 2013, the national inquiry into this situation came to a halt. The protest featured here in this episode aims to focus attention on implementing a new national inquiry into this tragedy.

While at the meeting, Anna becomes upset at the bitterness and anger she hears and is concerned that violence may very well be likely at the protest. Later when she too is at the baby shower, she shares her concerns with Caitlin, but Caitlin reminds her that while Mohawks believe in letting others live as they choose, they also believe in defending themselves.

Taking this advice to heart, Anna decides to attend the protest. Thunder too decides to attend in support of both the cause and in support of Anna. Finally, at long last Thunder declares his love for Anna (cue the goosebumps), and Anna reciprocates with her love for Thunder.  #TeamThana for the win.

Finally, it should be noted that this episode was dedicated in loving memory to Thom Parkinson, Second Assistant Director, Mohawk Girls. Mr. Parkinson  passed away suddenly at the age of 56 on August 6, 2015.

So what do you think is next? Will the new mature Bailey continue to show her face or will the old adventuresome Bailey re-emerge in the final two episodes of this season? Will Zoe come to appreciate Ohserase? Will Caitlin turn to Leon for moral support following her misstep into old habits? What is in store for #TeamThana? Let me know in the comments below.