Doom Patrol Recap With Spoilers: Everybody Hurts in “Pain Patrol”

The Doom Patrol is in something of a fractured state heading into the third episode of the second season, “Pain Patrol”. While Dorothy is adjusting to her life at the Manor fairly well, Cliff, Rita, and Jane are all dealing with their complicated emotions over the realization that Niles is the reason for their pain. Elsewhere, Vic has left the group entirely to deal with his own trauma and Larry ends up facing his family following the death of his son, Gary. But the pain and suffering of the team is far from over — and a terrifying new villain is now in the mix, Red Jack. Read on for our full-spoiler recap of “Pain Patrol” to find out how it comes together.

Warning: Spoilers for the third episode of Doom Patrol‘s second season, “Pain Patrol” below.

The episode opens in a flashback to Whitechapel, London in 1888 with Niles as a child walking through an alley when he’s stopped by a cop and warned about the Ripper. Niles pickpockets the cop’s watch and stays in the alley only for a woman to come flying out of a cloud of dust screaming and bloody a terrifying man — Red Jack — follows but Niles doesn’t run. He watches as the man kills the woman, butterflies escaping her corpse.

In the present, Niles eats a breakfast that Dorothy made. Cliff interrupts, angry with Niles, but Niles tells him he needs to work on himself. He and Jane decided to leave and head on a road trip to Florida to see Cliff’s daughter, Clara. Jane passes out on the way and ends up in The Underground for an intervention. They want her to stop being part of the Doom Patrol and to stop taking care of Dorothy. In Detroit, Vic shows up for group, but it’s been changed to Wednesdays by Roni, who takes Vic up to her place where they end up having sex after revealing their respective physical traumas to one another.

While talking with Rita and Dorothy, a bunch of butterflies show up at the manor with an “invitation” for Niles from Red Jack and one of Larry’s bandages. Niles convinces Rita to go with him and tells her if they get separated to follow the butterflies. In Red Jack’s palace, Larry is suspended by chains, his bandages begin to unravel, exposing those in the room with him to his radiation.

Flashback to Doom Manor in 1966. Larry arrives with Niles, wearing a heavy suit and using an oxygen unit to protect others from his radiation. Rita is left in charge of getting Larry acclimated in his room as well as with the bandages Niles has left for him. She encourages him to change into the bandages and doesn’t look away when she sees how damaged his skin really is. They bond and become friends.

In Florida, Cliff goes to his daughter’s home and tells her who he is and also discovers that she’s pregnant. It doesn’t go particularly well, with Cliff overwhelming Clara. She closes the door on him, but he refuses to leave, resulting in the police coming. Cliff realizes he’s been selfish and eventually, he and Jane leave.

At Red Jack’s, Rita looks for Larry while the villain explains that he is lonely and wants Niles to come be an equal with him — and he will teach him to be such an equal and to torture others for their pain. It would mean eternal life, and Niles seems tempted but turns him down so Red Jack takes him as a victim instead. Red Jack tortures him by making him experience being Cliff. Rita finds Larry and as Red Jack begins to turn them all into butterflies for his collection. She risks herself, exposing herself to his radiation to save him by using her powers. Niles kills Red Jack before he can fully transform them. Rita and Larry free the butterflies — Red Jack’s victims.

At Doom Manor, Dorothy accidentally breaks Danny the Brick playing hide and seek and Niles consoles her. Rita tells Larry that lost causes aren’t lost if there’s someone to fight for them — and she’s fighting for him. Niles tries unsuccessful to repair Danny and begins working on a Robotman 2.0 for Cliff. In Detroit, Vic is stood up for the date he’s asked Roni on, though she sends him an email revealing the truth about her past and the terrible things she’s done. He leaves and Roni watches from her car. In the bus on the way home, Jane finds herself locked in a cell within the Underground. She’s no longer primary.

New episodes of Doom Patrol land Thursdays on both DC Universe and HBO Max.