“Stand” is episode twelve of season three of Warehouse 13.
In the previous episode, “Emily Lake”, Sykes managed to get hold of the Janus coin where HG’s personality was being stored, so that it could be reunited with her body – Emily Lake – with the help of Jinks. However, it turns out that Jinks was working undercover – the entire thing, from his firing by Mrs Frederic in “The 40th Floor” to his burning by the Regents, was all done to make it plausible for Sykes to recruit him. This was done so that Sykes’ endgame could be discovered, and was the plan of Pete’s mother and Kosan.
Unfortunately, when Pete, Myka and Claudia arrived at the hanger whose address Jinks had given them, Sykes, Marcus and HG were gone – and Jinks had been killed (this did not come as a surprise). Was this because Sykes knew he was a plant, or just because Sykes discards tools when he has no further use for them? Whatever the reason, Sykes now has an intact HG and the plan would appear to have fallen to pieces and Claudia is rather upset.
This episode begins where the last left off. Myka is staying focused so that she doesn’t lose it and both Pete and Claudia are not doing so good. They now have no leads and no information as to where Sykes is and what he needs HG for.
Sykes says that he wants advice from HG – advice on opening a lock. He says that she has an old friend who could help. This triggers memories of London, 1889, Warehouse 12 and HG’s mentor, Caturanga (played by Erick Avari, who had a minor role in Stargate SG-1).
It turns out that the Warehouse isn’t entirely without clues. In Jinks’ things is a cigarette lighter – and Steve didn’t smoke. The lighter actually has something inside it, and on that is a video message from Jinks. He mentions that Marcus – who should be dead after Pete threw him off a fifth floor (or possibly fourth if you aren’t American) balcony and walked away from it – looks to have a connection with an artefact. Something Marcus said suggested that he might actually be dead. Sykes is heading to Hong Kong, although Jinks doesn’t know what Sykes’ endgame is. Jane knows what Sykes is probably heading for Hong Kong for though – the ancient Regent Sanctum that was shut down a hundred years ago, and was connected to Warehouse 7. Sykes seems to know where the Sanctum is, but the Warehouse doesn’t as yet, as all knowledge of it was purged from the databases.
They do quickly manage to find the location and follow Sykes. However, he only took HG and Tyler with him – Marcus remained behind. Tyler also suffers from Sykes’ typical treatment of all of his agents but Marcus. Sykes has control of HG using a riding crop belong to Cecil B. DeMille. The Sanctum cannot be entered until the lock – designed by HG’s mentor, Caturanga, when the Sanctum was shut down. The lock is a puzzle and failing to solve it is fatal. This is why Sykes wanted HG – she is the only person alive who knew Caturanga.
Sykes’ long-running plan is finally coming to fruition and things are going his way. Everything is looking really bad, butt Artie may have an idea leading into season four‘s first episode, “A New Hope”, rather than the season finale, the Christmas episode “The Greatest Gift”.