Hannibal/Aperitivo

Aperitivo
Season 3, Episode 4
Airdate	June 25, 2015
Written by	Nick Antosca and Bryan Fuller & Steve Lightfoot
Directed by	Marc Jobst
← 3x03 Secondo	3x05 → Contorno
Hannibal — Season Three

Aperitivo is the fourth episode of the third season of Hannibal, and the thirtieth episode overall.

Starring: Hugh Dancy (Will Graham), Mads Mikkelsen (Dr. Hannibal Lecter), Caroline Dhavernas (Dr. Alana Bloom), Gillian Anderson (Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier) (credit only)

and Laurence Fishburne (Jack Crawford)

Guest Starring: Joe Anderson (Mason Verger), Gina Torres (Phyllis "Bella" Crawford), Raúl Esparza (Dr. Frederick Chilton), Katharine Isabelle (Margot Verger), Glenn Fleshler (Cordell)

Guest Starring (end credits): Kacey Rohl (Abigail Hobbs)

Co-Starring: Dwight Ireland (Doctor)

Plot Overview

As the dust settles on the aftermath of their near-fatal attack, Will, Alanna, and Jack try to move on from their wounds. As Jack does his best to cope with his worsening wife, a scarred and bitter Chilton approaches fellow survivors Will, Alanna, and Mason Verger regarding retribution against Hannibal.

Notes

Locations

• Baltimore, Maryland

• Wolf Trap, Virginia

• Florence, Italy

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• It's reveald Chilton survived being shot by Miriam Lass, but has to use makeup, a contact, and partial dentures to keep up appearances.

• It's confirmed Alana survived her push out of the window, but has to walk with a cane.

• Bella succumbs to her cancer.

• Mason has had some reconstructive surgery to his face and appears to have some use of his limited mobility of his arms.

Characters

• Jack is given forced retirement from the FBI.

• Alana meets Margot for the first time.

• Mason is working with Alana to capture Hannibal.

• Chilton approaches the other survivors of Hannibal's attack for revenge, but all reject his persuasions.

• Will leaves in his boat for Italy.

Referbacks

• The first act begins as did "Primavera", but this time shows Will being visited by Chilton.

• The events of this episode take place from between the events of "Mizumono" and much of the previous episodes of the season, as it reveals how some of the events have been set up as seen in "Primavera and "Secondo".

Trivia

The Show

• Hanging on Mason's bedroom wall is The Ancient of Days by William Blake. Blake's The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun will play a significant role in the latter half of the season.

Behind the Scenes

• Mason returns, this time being played Joe Anderson, replacing Michael Pitt from the previous season.

Allusions and References

• This episode marks the death of Jack's wife Bella. In the novels she passes away during the events of The Silence of the Lambs. Much of this in the episode is lifted from the novel, including Jack's comment about the view from the window being the same. Also included is Hannibal's condolence to Jack (in the novel, it's prior to her death). If one reads the letter, it can be seen to include a quote from "A Fever" by John Donne, just as in the novel.

• Much of the dialogue with Mason is adapted from the Hannibal novel, particularly his initial conversation with Alana paralleling his deposition with Clarice. Margot telling Alana to politely refuse Mason's offer of chocolate is another reference, this to a recurring mention of chocolate that alluded to Mason's paedophilia.

Quotes

• Alana: What are you doing here?

Will: Mm, visiting old friends.

Alana: You're not tempted to forget?

Will: No, I don't want to forget. I'm building rooms in my memory palace for all my friends.

Alana: Friendship with Hannibal is blackmail elevated to the level of love.

Will: A mutually-unspoken pact to ignore the worst in one another in order to continue enjoying the best.

Alana: After everything he's done, can you still ignore the worst in him?

• Mason: You know, I thank God for what happened. It was my salvation. Have you accepted Jesus, Dr Bloom? Do you have faith?

Alana: I was raised in a religious atmosphere, Mr Verger, but whatever that left me with, it's not religion.

Mason: Left me with more. You see, I'm free, Dr Bloom. I'm right with the Risen Jesus and it's all okay now. And nobody beats the Riz.

• Mason: I want you to understand, Dr Bloom, that this is not a revenge thing. I've forgiven Dr Lecter, as our saviour forgave the Roman soldiers.

Alana: Forgiveness isn't all it's cracked up to, Mr Verger. I don't need religion to appreciate the idea of Old Testament revenge.

• Chilton: You are alive because you did not pull that glass from your neck. Will Graham is alive because Hannibal Lecter likes him that way.

Jack: Maybe it's one of those friendships that ends after the disembowelling.

Chilton: I would argue, with these two, that's tantamount to flirtation.

• Mason: I would like you to begin arrangements for Dr Hannibal Lecter to be eaten alive.

Cordell: Do you... have a preference for how you would like him prepared?

Mason: Ah, Cordell. If I had lips, I would smile.

• Alana: You're preparing the theatre of Hannibal's death. I'm just doing my part to get him to the stage.