Sweet/Vicious season 1, episode 7, “Heartbreaker,” airs on Tuesday, and the episode promises to finally show us what happened to Jules.
We’ve been heading in this direction since the pilot episode of Sweet/Vicious. We knew that Jules was raped by her best friend’s boyfriend, Nate, but never told anyone what had happened to her. Instead, she trained, donned her black outfit, and prowled Darlington’s campus for alleged rapists to beat up.
Over the course of six episodes, we’ve pieced together parts of Jules and Nate’s story, but we never saw the whole picture. We know it happened at the Omega Theta house, we know Nate doesn’t consider it rape, and we know Kennedy only found out what happened to her best friend this past week.
But how did Nate get Jules alone? Why couldn’t she fight back? Why didn’t she tell anyone after it happened?
Here’s what you can expect to see in Tuesday night’s episode of “Heartbreaker.”
- It’s graphic. We see Jules’ rape scene, and it is as graphic a scene as can be shown on a cable network like MTV. Trigger warnings definitely apply here, so either prepare yourself for the moment or plan to skip through this memory. Although it’s an uncomfortable moment to show, it’s also important to see exactly what happened to Jules and the circumstances surrounding her sexual assault.
- It’ll make you mad. Despite a cameo appearance from an actor well-known for a role in another television show, the aftermath of Jules’ rape will infuriate you. It was not handled well by certain adults on campus, and it’ll explain why Jules is so hesitant to believe the authorities can help anyone who has been assaulted.
- There are moments of levity. Amidst the reveal of Jules’ backstory, Harris and Ophelia feature prominently in the present day, which brings a little humor to an otherwise extremely heavy episode. The comedy doesn’t feel forced, and it’s just enough to balance out all the other emotions you’ll be feeling this week.
- The plot continues to move forward. Although the majority of this episode takes place in the past, the current plot of Sweet/Vicious — namely that of Carter’s disappearance — continues to weave its way throughout the episode. A fairly major revelation is made this week, but don’t expect too much progress to be made just yet. They’ve got to keep us wanting more, after all.
- It’ll empower you. You’ll see the moment Jules decides to become a vigilante, and despite everything you’ve just witnessed, the look on Eliza Bennett’s face will make you want to don your own mask and help out those in your community who have suffered at the hands of others. It’s a powerful moment in the midst of a tragic episode.
Sweet/Vicious continues to tell a compelling story of strength, courage, and friendship while still adding in just enough humor and ass-kickery. We’re more than halfway through the show’s 10-episode freshman run, and it’s clear that the creators have moved past setting up this world with case-of-the-week stories and have begun to converge the storylines in a way that sets us up for the final confrontation.