10 Episodes
Short on time? Here's the essentials:
The strigoi plague has New York City in its grip. Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, a CDC scientist, desperately seeks a bioweapon to stop the infection, driven by the abduction of his son, Zach, by the strigoi's leader, the Master. Abraham Setrakian, an ancient vampire hunter, and Dutch Velders, a hacker and Eph's ally, fight alongside him.
The season's central conflict revolves around Eph's struggle to save Zach and destroy the Master. Key turning points include the Master's apparent decapitation by Quinlan, a half-human, half-vampire warrior, and the subsequent revelation that the Master is still alive and communicating through Zach. The strigoi evolve, overwhelming human defenses, and Eichhorst retaliates with strigoi suicide bombers. The season culminates in a devastating loss for humanity.
In the end, Palmer is possessed by the Master, and Kelly is killed by Eph. Zach then detonates a nuclear bomb, plunging the city into darkness and allowing the strigoi to roam freely.
Season 3 of The Strain covers episodes 1-10. Here's everything that happened:
Season 3, Episode 1: New York Strong - The strigoi evolve, as Eph struggles with his bioweapon's declining effectiveness and Zach's abduction. Fet assists a Navy SEAL team hunting the Master in underground tunnels, leading to a deadly ambush where most of the SEAL team is killed. Kelly visits Eph, offering to trade Zach for the Lumen. The episode concludes with Eph facing the impossible choice.
Season 3, Episode 2: Bad White - Eph grapples with the Master's offer to trade Zack for the Lumen. Dutch reunites with old friends but questions their safety. Palmer seeks Setrakian's secret to the White, experimenting on unwilling subjects. Zach sees Kelly feeding and receives the White from the Master. Quinlan finds Eph attempting to steal the Lumen and proposes an alliance.
Season 3, Episode 3: First Born - Quinlan's origins are revealed through flashbacks, showcasing his unique connection to the Master. Eph and Quinlan set a trap using the Lumen to lure the Master, aiming to exchange it for Zach. The confrontation at Coney Island leads to Quinlan decapitating the Master, though the Master's worm escapes. Gus is arrested but then conscripted into a strigoi sweep team.
Season 3, Episode 4: Gone But Not Forgotten - News of the Master's apparent demise spreads, but Setrakian and Eph remain wary. Justine faces PR problems and Eichhorst retaliates with strigoi suicide bombers. Eph reconnects with Dutch, while Gus is conscripted into service. The episode concludes with the Master communicating through a strigoi, telling Eph, "He is with me, always with me," referring to Zack.
Season 3, Episode 5: Madness - Setrakian seeks help from Palmer regarding the Master's new host. Eph and Dutch experiment to understand strigoi communication. Fet discovers a massive strigoi nest beneath Central Park. Abraham recalls a past encounter and dismembers a strigoi, sealing it in a trunk and dropping it into the sea. Palmer is visited by Eichhorst and Desai, leaving him feeling sidelined. The episode concludes with the characters grappling with madness and obsession as they seek solutions.
Season 3, Episode 6: The Battle of Central Park - Feraldo's plan to reclaim Central Park commences, with Fet leading a team to destroy the strigoi nest. Gus and Angel, forced into tunnel combat, encounter Fet and assist. Meanwhile, Eichhorst and Kelly evacuate Zack, who leaves a message for Eph. The nest is destroyed, but thousands of strigoi overwhelm the city, leading to a strategic loss for the humans.
Season 3, Episode 7: Collaborators - The episode reveals Fet's family history through flashbacks to World War II, where his grandfather is a prisoner under Eichhorst. In the present, Fet discovers his parents' suicide after they were infected. Palmer, desperate for the White to survive, makes a deal with Setrakian. Eph and Dutch seek the Master's communication source. Palmer doses himself with the White.
Season 3, Episode 8: White Light - Eichhorst tests the blood chamber, revealing its purpose as a human slaughterhouse. Gus kills his Strigoi mother to save Angel. Quinlan informs the Ancients of the Master's betrayal, but Eichhorst attacks, detonating a bomb that destroys the Ancients' lair. The episode concludes with Quinlan's fate uncertain.
Season 3, Episode 9: Do or Die - As NYC falls, Eph and Dutch race to complete a device to stop the Master. Justine, Gus, and Angel make a final stand, but Justine is infected by a strigoi worm. Palmer gains control of tactical nukes, while Angel dies heroically with Justine and Frank in an explosion.
Season 3, Episode 10: The Fall - Palmer helps Setrakian's group plan an ambush, but the Master arrives and possesses Palmer. The Master, now in Palmer's body, is then captured, but Eph's son Zach detonates the nuke. Kelly is killed by Eph before Zach triggers the bomb. The resulting explosion darkens the sky, allowing the strigoi to freely roam.
