Prison Break - Episode 3.01 Recap

Episode 3.01 - Orientacion Airs: September 17, 2007

We Meet Betty Crocker

Scene opens with Betty Crocker in her room putting on makeup. She has what appears to be scratches on her face - looks like fingernails.

An Intro to Sona

Cut to Sona. It’s raining and mass pandemonium. We see Michael, Mahone, and someone holding some sort of chicken-bone charm that he throws into a puddle. Everyone cheers.
Lincoln is in the American Embassy saying that Michael is innocent. Unfortunately he can only find the night clerk, who tells Lincoln that he will have to wait for the consult. When the night clerk that Michael is in Sona he doesn’t look very happy. “Tthe worst of the worst are there.”
Back at Sona, a fight breaks out in the courtyard. Thieves, rapists, murderers. Someone is killed. Michael walks up to the body and stares ahead, a look of near panic on his face.
The next morning the consult is on the phone asking for Michael to be moved to somewhere more “moderate”. He hangs up and tells Lincoln that he’s a free man in the states. He offers to assist Lincoln in finding LJ [can you see a little manipulating coming in here!!]. He tells Lincoln that Michael may have a self-defense plea and they will be transfering Michael to a new facility the next day. He then says that he’s pretty confident that the “charges will be dropped”.

Poor Bellick & Mahone

Michael is asleep against a wall at the edge of the courtyard. The body is still in the middle. Bellick staggers out in what looks like a diaper, his face is all bloodied. He asks someone for water. The man points to a puddle. Bellick says “bite me”. They throw him down in the puddle and tell him to drink it. Sapo (naked as Bellick) comes out and helps Bellick away.
Mahone has flashbacks and realizes he is out of his precious medication. He approaches Michael and they have a banter of words. Quite a few prisoners eavesdrop. Michael says that every time he looks at Mahone all he can see is the man who killed his father. He then says “you’re on your own.”

Michael’s Concern For Sara

Sofia is outside the prison yelling to bring her husband out now. She knows he was killed the night before. Lincoln arrives and talks to Michael through the fence. He says he’s going to get him out and tells him to hold on one more day. Michael says he keeps waiting for Lincoln to mention a “certain someone”. Lincoln says he doesn’t know where she is. “If anything happens to Sara…” Michael responds. Lincoln assures him that everything will be fine and he’ll be back the next day.
As he walks away Lincoln closes his eyes.

Superstar

Lechero’s man steps up and calls Michael “Blanco”. He says it’s time for orientation. Michael says he’s not interested. Lechero disagrees and tells him that it’s not for him to decide. He lifts up his shirt to show some knives in his waistband. We see Lechero’s haven. Michael, Mahone, and a few others line up. Lechero tells them about the prison and asks for some history. He stares at Michael and tells him that they get the news, that he knows all about the escape. But he then says that Michael is not a superstar here. “I’m not going to make waves,” Michael responds, looking down at the ground.
Lechero then confronts Mahone, telling him that he heard about their argument in the halls earlier. He says that in Sona they deal with their disagreements like men. He holds up the chicken bone charm. I guess it’s their way of initiating a duel? Mahone says that’s not necessary. Lechero also notices Mahone’s hand shaking but Mahone stares him down.
The last man in line is rather frightened of Lechero and has a bit of an accident. Lechero freaks out and pounds him onto the floor saying never to use his floor as a bathroom. “I think he gets the message,” Michael steps in. Now we’ve got a staredown between Lechero and Michael. With a laugh Lechero tells Michael that he’s a brave man. Then he yells for everyone to get out.
After Michael leaves we find out that Lechero is afraid of Michael and fears that the other inmates will rally around him, put him on a pedestal.

A Friendly Face

A new man has arrived. It’s T-Bag!! Michael doesn’t look too happy. You’d think he’d be excited to see a friendly face.

Ulterior Motives

Michael heads out to the fence to meet with Elliott Pike, a lawyer of sorts to represent him. Elliott mentions Michael breaking out of the prison. He offers assistance once Michael gets past the wall. He says that there was a reason Michael was put in there. Michael walks away…
A guy attacks Michael, saying that he took something from him. Lechero steps in. Michael is frisked, along with his bedding. They find drugs. “That’s bull,” Michael responds. It’s an obvious set-up!

A Scare

Lincoln heads to the Panama Hospital with a picture of Sara. He gets a call from the Constable’s Office. They found a woman with the description of Sara. She’s at the morgue. He heads over, but thankfully it is not her.

Death of a Friend

Sapo and Bellick attempt to get some food but it appears they are not worthy. Sapo starts whimpering and Bellick tells him to hang in there. Sapo tries to climb out the window. Everyone starts yelling “runner”. Of course Sapo doesn’t make it very far! Bellick is a little teary to see his only friend gone. And Michael looks like he’s going to be sick. He turns around and finds the chicken bone charm.
Michael talks to Lechero, saying that he didn’t take the drugs. Lechero says he has a duty to maintain order and insists that Michael fights. There’s a system and the system means honor. Michael asks what happens if he refuses. Lechero says he’ll come after him. Michael then asks if he always sets up his fights.

An Errand

Bellick is cleaning up the sewers. As payment for his “rent”. Whistler is down there, watching Bellick limp through the sewage. He asks Bellick for a favor and says that he’ll feed him. Whistler pushes some food through a hole in the bricks. It’s not chicken. Whistler hands over a piece of paper and tells him to run the errand for more “food”.

The Surprise

Lincoln’s phone rings. It’s LJ. He says he’s in Panama and he got the number from Sara.

The Rules

The Sona inmates want a fight. T-Bag approaches Lechero and gets down on his knee. He offers his friendship. Lechero asks his name and T-Bag says Lechero can call him “friend”.
Mahone tells Michael to go for the kneecap. Michael says he’s surprised that Mahone cares. Mahone tells Michael that he’s his “get out of jail free card” and tells him to survive the fight.
Bellick slips Whistler’s note into Michael’s pocket as Michael meanders into the ring. Bellick also another paper in the opponent’s pocket. Lechero makes a speech over the fight. Michael says he’s not going to fight. As soon as the guy turns away, Michael kicks him in the kneecap (thanks Mahone!) and beats him down.
Michael tries to walk away but everyone pushes him back. Lechero tells him that only one man can come out alive. He keeps fighting and tries to push through the ground again. The guy whips out a knife. Mahone tackles him and stabs him. “Rules are rules!” He shouts out to Lechero. “Without them, we’re all savages.”

I Know You

Lincoln goes to a bar in a high rise restaurant. He gets lectured for not having a jacket so he goes and gets hone! He sits at the bar and orders water. Betty Crocker is at a table and starts talking to him. She starts to hit on him. Lincoln asks about her face and she says it was a cat. Yeah right!
As they talk, he clearly tells her it is the wrong time and he is waiting for someone. “Yes it is Lincoln,” she says. “We have a lot to discuss. Specifically your brother.” She then gives him an iPod and says that she highly suggests that he talk to him.
The dead bodies are brought out from the prison. Sofia rummages through the pockets for the note from Whistler.

Ultimatum

Lincoln arrives back at the prison. Michael asks about the transfer. Lincoln tells him that he needs to break out Whistler. Lincoln holds up the Ipod. It’s a video of LJ saying that he’s so sorry, that they captured he and Sara. Lincoln then says that Michael has a week to break out Whistler or LJ and Sara die.