‘The North Water’ Episode 3, Homo Homini Lupus, is titled after a Latin proverb that translates, “Man is wolf to man.” Through its dark plot, the episode unravels the savageness of a man who kills one another in the middle of nowhere to satisfy their demons.
Episode 2 established the mysterious murder of a cabin boy Joseph Hannah, and the proceeding storyline gives his murderer a face. At the end of Episode 2, Patrick dreamt about Joseph’s murderer. Who had known that his dreams would come true?
The Murderer of Cabin Boy
Drax witnessed against carpenter Mckendrick in the murder case of Joseph Hannah. However, Patrick had doubts, and they robbed him of his peace.
In Episode 3, Patrick discovered that Mckendrick has a numb thumb and thus cannot inflict bruise marks on Joseph’s body. Hence, Patrick pleaded with Brownlee to let him scrutinize Drax’s body as he was the only man capable of such ferocity.
Though Patrick didn’t find any signs of infection in Drax’s private body parts, he did find a tooth embedded inside Drax’s swollen hand. Drax tried to run away from the cabin, and in his response, cracked captain Brownlee’s skull with a walking stick. He was going to hurt Patrick, but he was saved by the crew.
Drax was caged at the ship’s bilge. Partick tried saving Brownlee, but he died of the injury. Cavendish took over the command of the ship and ordered his crew to travel further north. He planned to finish Brownlee’s incomplete job, i.e., to sink the ship.
Symbolisation of Otto’s dream
Otto narrated his nightmare to Partick, suggesting that all are going to die. Only Partick would survive. However, he would later be eaten by a bear.
Patrick tried to pacify Otto and convinced him that his dream was just an overthought. But deep down, even Patrick knew that it was in a dream that he discovered Drax’s savageness, and hence these dreams hint at an upcoming danger.
Patrick and His Disgrace
From the beginning of The North Water, Patrick was established as a disgraced army surgeon who looted Indian treasure during his posting in the lands. However, Episode 3 cleared out all the clouds.
In an explicit flashback scene, the story underlined that Partick was instructed by his senior, Corbyn, to loot treasure from an Indian house. However, they got ambushed, and Patrick lost his fellow surgeons. Partick was declared reckless, greedy and was labeled a traitor. He tried to argue with Corbyn and threatened to reveal his name, but Corbyn was a man of many privileges.
In the end, Partick got court-martialed. His career as a surgeon met a dead-end in England. To remedy his pain, he started consuming Laudanum and transformed into an addict.
Finally, The Ship Sunk
The ice nipped the ship, and it started sinking. The following day, the crew abandoned the ship and moved out. One part of the crew traveled to the nearest ship, Hastings, to seek help. While Cavendish, Otto, Drax, Patrick, and others stayed back to wait for help.
The ship stayed strong for a while, and Cavendish teamed up with a cuffed Drax to tamper it further. The ship sank, and the remaining crew took refuge in tents outside in the wild arctic. They eagerly waited for help from the Hastings, but after a storm, the ship disappeared. Cavendish thought they ventured out to escape from the bergs and decided to approach the Pond’s Bay to seek help from Hastings or any other ship that would come along. While his crew suggested their denial, Cavendish went violent and compelled everyone to move out on gunpoint.
‘The North Water’ Episode 3 ‘Homo Homini Lupus’ Ending
Homo Homini Lupus subtly suggested the contradictions between Partick and Drax. Patrick was a disgraced surgeon, looked shamefully by society for the crimes he didn’t commit. He was following the orders of a privileged commander who refused to take the blame. Yet, Patrick treasured the ring as a remembrance of the guilt and falling prey to his greed. He thought by stealing the treasure, he might be able to leave the army and live a comfortable life, but his greed destroyed his life.
On the other hand, Drax turned out to be a man of no morals. He had no guilt, remorse, or repentance for killing the cabin boy or Brownlee and wasn’t even bothered by the law or labels it would stick on his head. Patrick overthought and thus had to rely on drugs to silence the voices, but Drax never thought about his actions once committed. Their lives will further clash in the upcoming episodes, and they might help each other balance their flaws or become each other’s strength.
Patrick got insanely anxious about his medicine chest that was transferred to Hastings. The box held his large stock of Laudanum. In its absence, Patrick soon started experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Otto nursed an ailing Patrick while they all moved towards Pond’s Bay. In the end, they witnessed a dead body on a floating piece of ice, which hinted that Hastings didn’t make out. The ship would have sunk along with the crew. There was no hope left for Patrick and the crew.
Will they be able to survive the wild arctic? OR, will Otto’s Dream come true? The North Water Episode 4 will reveal further.
The North Water is a 2021 Period Drama TV Mini-Series created by Andrew Haigh for BBC.
