

Season 2, Episode 5
Written by Andrew Chambliss
Directed by David Solomon
Original Airdate: 4 December 2009
“You just woke up a lot of people. And they all think you’re a bitch.”
Echo
REGULAR CAST
- Eliza Dushku as Echo
- Harry Lennix as Boyd Langton
- Fran Kranz as Topher Brink
- Tahmon Penikett as Paul Ballard
- Enver Gjokaj as Victor
- Dichen Lachman as Sierra
- Olivia Williams as Adele DeWitt
SPECIAL GUEST STAR
- Keith Carradine as Matthew Harding
GUEST CAST
- Alexis Denisof as Senator Daniel Perrin
- Miracle Laurie as Madeline Costley
- Stacey Scowley as Cindy Perrin
- Jillian Armenante as Grace
- Nelson Franklin as Burt Styne
- Summer Glau as Bennett Halverson
CO-STARRING
- Maurissa Tancharoen as Kilo
- Jessica York as Reporter
SYNOPSIS
Daniel Perrin stands before the press, delivering a revelation that shakes the foundations of those who have hidden in the shadows. He exposes the existence of a secretive organization manipulating lives, turning people into tools for power and pleasure. At his side stands Madeline, once reshaped and controlled, now free and ready to testify. Her story is meant to confirm Perrin’s accusations and bring the truth into the light.
Elsewhere, Adelle DeWitt faces scrutiny for releasing Madeline early, an act that has now put her establishment at risk. When questioned about how to counter this growing threat, she is advised to do nothing, to trust that forces beyond her control already have a solution in place. Unwilling to sit idly by, she assigns Ballard to prevent Madeline’s testimony.
Ballard searches for vulnerabilities, leading him to suspect that Perrin’s wife, Cynthia, is more than she appears. The concern spreads among the others – if she is like Madeline once was, she may be programmed to silence her. Meanwhile, Madeline is confronted with a fragment of her past, a haunting image of her own hands ending a life, a moment she does not fully recall but now must reconcile.
In an attempt to take control, Echo is sent to Perrin, a pawn in a larger strategy. As Perrin observes her, suspicion grows. He questions the nature of her presence, recognizing her for what she is and using her as further proof of the deception he seeks to expose. But as truths are unravelled, so too are lies. Cynthia is not a mere accomplice – she is his guide, his handler, the architect of his beliefs. He is the one who has been shaped, molded, and given purpose by those pulling the strings. The pulse meant to disable his wife does nothing to her, but shakes the foundations of his own reality, unlocking memories buried deep within him.
Echo flees with Perrin, yet both are unravelling, their minds shifting and distorting with each passing moment. Perrin stumbles through fragments of his past, recalling who he was before he was reshaped. He had once belonged to a family of influence but lacked ambition, until unseen forces carved a new path for him. Echo, overwhelmed by the swirling personas within her, must navigate not just her own reality but his as well.
A call is placed, a plea for direction, but help does not arrive – instead, Cynthia appears, attempting once more to reassert control. The familiar words meant to bind Perrin’s will falter. The framework within his mind has cracks, and he resists. When force is used against Echo, it only fuels her resolve. With all that she has been – warrior, strategist, survivor – she fights back, drawing strength from the echoes within her. She convinces Perrin to retreat with her, but their path is fraught with obstacles.
Ballard, too, must make a choice. At the airport, he confronts Madeline, warning her that those supporting her might be no different from those she seeks to expose. But Madeline holds a mirror to him, reminding him of his own compromises. She demands autonomy – to make her own decisions, regardless of his concerns. He steps aside, allowing her to walk away, choosing to free himself from the role he has unwillingly accepted.
The pursuit does not end. Echo and Perrin are seized, brought into a different domain. Here, the purpose behind Perrin is made clear – he is a tool, meant to dismantle one part of a system while preserving the greater whole. He is the face of justice, but not justice itself. He will be manipulated into shaping laws, ensuring that those in power remain untouched.
Within this new labyrinth, another figure emerges. A mind skilled in reshaping others, one who recognizes Echo not just as what she is, but who she was before she became many things. Memories of a past identity flicker in recognition, but mercy is not granted. Instead, pain is inflicted. The past collides with the present, and the struggle for identity and autonomy continues.
TRIVIA
Dolls in the DC Dollhouse are named after Greek Gods. Maurissa Tancharoen, who appears throughout this season as Kilo is a co-writer on the show and married to Jed Whedon, Joss’ brother.
Summer Glau was the Prima Ballerina in Angel‘s Waiting in the Wings. She also portrayed River in Firefly.
CONTINUITY
Paul is shown the recording of Mellie being triggered by Adelle and killing Hearn, which happened in Man on the Street.
Madeline says Paul was “kind and gentle” last time she was at the Dollhouse. Their most recent meeting happened in Instinct.
Topher based his disruptor on Alpha’s remote wipe tech, which was used by Alpha in Gray Hour and, unsuccessfully, by Topher in Belle Chose. Paul is quick to remind Topher of Echo becoming a serial killer after the attempt.
Echo as Brie becomes self-aware by flashing back to the events of Vows, Ghost, Instinct, and Belle Chose.
This episode marks the first time that another Dollhouse facility is seen onscreen, expanding upon earlier references (for example, in A Spy in the House of Love and Haunted) that there are at least twenty similar facilities worldwide.
Paul tells Madeline about Mellie. Her engagement as Mellie was introduced in The Target and lasted until Briar Rose.
Adelle figures out Rossum’s plan to trump up Perrin’s reputation, then use him to pass any laws or regulations they want. The idea of Rossum eventually gaining enough political power to write laws was introduced in the Victor-as-Ambrose flashback from Epitaph One.
Topher’s disruptor will be used again and enhanced in The Left Hand.
Topher’s test subject of choice, Kilo, will serve him again in Meet Jane Doe.
Bennett is revealed to have history with Caroline. It will be hinted at purely from Bennett’s point of view in The Left Hand and told via flashbacks in Getting Closer.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
EPISODE
Belonging / The Left Hand
STORY ORDER
Belonging / The Left Hand









