The Death of the Queen Bee

The Death of the Queen Bee is the seventeenth episode of the fifth season of Bones.
== Synopsis ==
The team’s latest case takes Brennan back to her alma mater, Burtonsville High School, where she and Booth investigate the discovery of an unidentified skull and upper torso. With Angela’s help, they identify the victim as one of Brennan’s classmates, and notice a possible connection to a second murder committed 15 years prior. Brennan and Booth go undercover as a married couple at her class reunion to interrogate a set of suspects, where even as an adult, Brennan is still predictably misunderstood and her only friend lies in a strangely dark and offbeat janitor. Meanwhile, Hodgins spills a lab secret.
== Summary ==
Two teenage girls, Anna and Dede, spread a blanket on the ground. Katy Perry kissed a girl and now they are going to try it. They lean in for the kiss but a noise distracts Anna. A skull shoots out of the darkness and hits Dede in the face! Covered in maggots, she screams!
Booth cannot believe that Brennan went to high school in Burtonsville, Illinois. She tells Booth that she never had a boyfriend in high school. She was too busy dissecting animals. They approach sheriff Becky Conway. Brennan reminds Becky that they were lab partners at Burtonsville High School. Becky doesn't remember until Brennan comments that Becky has improved her health by losing so much weight. Becky wonders if they will attend the reunion. Brennan is only here for the case.
Sheriff Conway shows Booth and Brennan to the remains. A raccoon was "wearing" the skull when it ran into Dede. Brennan determines the skull belongs to a female and was severed post mortem. They need to canvass the area for more remains.
As they search, Booth encourages Brennan to go to her reunion. Brennan is not interested. Her classmates didn't like her. Booth believes this is an opportunity for Brennan to flaunt her success. Brennan discovers a human torso with the ribs removed. Becky and Brennan know exactly what this means. One of their classmates was murdered this way during senior year and the murderer was never caught. The Butcher of Burtonsville is back.
Wendell unpacks the remains on the Forensic Platform. Brennan supervises via webcam. Hodgins reports that insect activity puts time of death at ten days ago. Cam asks him to swab the dismemberment points. Maybe they can find trace evidence from a blade. Wendell finds hemorrhagic staining on what's left of the fourth and fifth ribs. It seems these ribs were fractured and snapped off.
Sweets and Booth review files from the first victim. Sarah Tidwyler was a member of the Class of 1994. The latest victim was murdered right before the reunion of the same class. The prime suspect in 1994 was Ray Buxley, the high school custodian. Sweets believes Booth and Brennan should go undercover at the reunion. He wonders how Booth is doing in regards to his feelings for Brennan. Booth assures Sweets he has moved on and severs their connection.
At the Lab, Wendell brings bones with metal flakes embedded in them to Hodgins. Wendell can't believe there aren't more murders in high school. Just look at what goes on: violence, drug abuse, pregnancies. Hodgins wonders if Wendell has been through a pregnancy scare before. Before? Wendell puts two and two together and rushes to confront Angela. Angela doesn't want to discuss this at the Lab. Wendell agrees to talk later.
Brennan explains to Booth that she knew Ray Buxley well. He gave her animals to dissect and they would discuss death as a part of life. Brennan bumps into Julie Coyle and Brad Benson. Julie apologizes. She hasn't slept in days because of the reunion. Julie doesn't remember Brennan at first but then it all comes back to her. Brennan liked dead things. Booth introduces himself as Bobby Kent, Brennan's husband. Brad married Evelyn Simms and he assures Brennan that Evelyn will be happy to see her despite their past differences. She is in Nicaragua doing charity work but will be back for the reunion.
At the Founding Fathers, Angela explains that she saw no reason to bring up the pregnancy scare once she found out it was a false positive. She didn't want to put any pressure on their relationship. Wendell understands but thinks it feels wrong. He would have done the right thing. Angela apologizes and the tension is broken.
Booth and Brennan venture inside the Custodian's Cabin, which is lined with sharp tools and stuffed dead animals. Ray Buxley holds a plate of ribs. Brennan is delighted to see him. She introduces her "husband." Ray scrounges for a dead animal for Brennan. She is touched by the gesture. Ray was away during the time of the recent murder because he was buying a first edition copy of Brennan's first novel. She happily signs it for him.Wendell and Angela video conference with Brennan in the Bone Room. Wendell is still working on casts of the blade injuries but reports that the victim has a remodeled mandibular fracture. Brennan recognizes the injury when she takes a closer look. She broke the victim's jaw with a tennis racket. This is her classmate, Evelyn Simms.
Sweets finds a picture of Evelyn Simms in the Burtonsville High Yearbook. She was Cheerleading Captain and Homecoming Queen. Brennan and Booth watch via webcam. Brennan recalls that everyone loved Evelyn. Brennan's classmates thought she hit Evelyn on purpose, but it was simply an accident. Sweets finds a page commemorating Sarah Tidwyler. She is pictured with Brad Benson. Brennan explains that the couple dated in high school. Brad is now married to the latest victim.
Wendell tells Cam that the blade used to dismember the victim had small teeth. They are looking for some type of saw. Hodgins has identified two particulates on the bone: calcium sulfate and flecks of aluminum. This means the saw can cut through metal.
Angela talks to Brennan about Wendell. He was so sweet. He said he would do the right thing and he meant it. Brennan agrees that Wendell has a strong sense of morality. Yet, Angela can't stop thinking about Hodgins and his offer to parent her child. He wasn't doing it out of a sense of obligation. He wanted to be with her.
Sheriff Conway informs Booth and Brennan that Brad runs an auto body shop. He would have access to metal-cutting saws. Inside the Burtonsville High Gymnasium, volunteers set up for the reunion. Brad chops pineapples, Buxley splits wood, Julie hacksaws coconuts, ANDY PFLEUGER wields a power saw. Weapons are everywhere.
Wendell shows Hodgins and Cam the fatal stab mark: a nick on the outer edge of the scapula. The weapon would have pierced the lung, causing Evelyn to bleed to death.
In Angela's Office, the Squints review pictures of the weapon-wielding Class of 1994. Were any of these weapons used to murder Evelyn Simms? Angela and Wendell spy an ice-carving tool on a table. It is a close match to the stab marks on the bone.
Booth and Brennan ask Sheriff Conway about Carrie Turner, the woman who carved the ice sculpture. Conway has only positive things to say about Carrie, but Julie interrupts. Evelyn was on the City Council and she recently revoked Carrie's catering contract. Carrie is now out of a job.
Angela breaks the bad news to Wendell: she is ending their relationship. She doesn't want to be his obligation. Wendell understands although he is disappointed. He thinks he knows whom Angela is really meant to be with anyway.
The reunion is about to begin and Booth preps Brennan to question Carrie Turner. Brennan doesn't think it will go well. She can't talk to her like an old friend because they weren't friends. Nevertheless, Booth and Brennan approach Carrie. She had to move back to Florida with her parents after she lost her job. She just made it back to town in time for the festivities. Carrie was not in town at the time of the murder.
Hodgins calls and reports that the calcium sulfate was chalk and there was also clear coat varnish on the bones. The weapon may have been a band saw. Booth knows where they are headed next: Shop Class.
As the partners walk down a dark hallway to shop class, they hear a saw. Brennan throws open the door where they find shop teacher Andy Pfleuger carving the names of his female classmates in wooden bubble letters.
Andy hands Brennan a carving of her name. Booth rejects the gift, reminding him Brennan is married. Oh well. Andy has a box full of names to hand out. Hopefully, someone will return his affections. Booth smells bleach and Andy comments that someone cleaned the place really well two weeks ago. Andy leaves as the reunion begins, giving Booth and Brennan a chance to look for evidence. Brennan takes pictures and scrapes dust from a computer vent. Booth gets a text: Brad had a large life insurance policy on Evelyn. Brennan pours the dust into a cup of water. Bone separates out. Someone was dismembered here.
In the Gym, the reunion is in full swing. Booth and Brennan dance as Brad makes phone calls, trying to track down Evelyn. A slow song plays and Brennan wants to dance. Booth doesn't want either of them to get the wrong idea. Brennan convinces her partner it will be completely innocent. Booth keeps room between them. Dozens of iridescent metal stars descend from the ceiling. Brennan snuggles up to Booth and continues to dance. It is just the like prom she never attended.
Booth and Brennan eat while discussing the murder. Brennan can't stop admiring the stars. She realizes that the stars could be the murder weapon. She balances on a chair and takes one down as her classmates look on. Angela analyzes a picture of the star. She confirms that it is the murder weapon. Wendell points to a photograph of the shop class. The stars were drying on the drying rack. The killer pushed Evelyn onto them, breaking her ribs. The stars stabbed Evelyn and punctured her plural cavity.
The Squints report the news to Brennan. They just have to find out who made the stars. Brennan approaches Mr. Buxley. He realizes that Brennan is here to solve a murder and reveals that Julie Coyle made all the decorations.
Brad discovers that Evelyn never made it to Nicaragua. Julie comforts him but Brennan and Booth are onto her game. They lead her away in handcuffs as Julie laments her fate. It was her turn to have Brad. She and Evelyn made a pact in high school. They killed Sarah Tidwyler to get her out of the way and promised to share him. But Evelyn didn't want to let go when the time came.
Angela finds Hodgins at the Lab. She wants to know if he heard about her breakup and wonders how Wendell is doing. Hodgins assures Angela that Wendell is better for having known her. He knows. He's been there.
At the Founding Fathers, Booth and Brennan are reunited with the Squints. Brennan is glad she attended her reunion. It made her see how lucky she is to have the friendships she does today.
== Cast ==
=== Main Cast ===
*Temperance Brennan - Emily Deschanel
*Seeley Booth - David Boreanaz
*Jack Hodgins - T.J Thyne
*Angela Montenegro - Michaela Conlin
*Camille Saroyan - Tamara Taylor
*Lance Sweets - John Francis Daley
=== Intern of the Week ===
*Wendell Bray - Michael Grant Terry
=== Guest Cast ===
*Julie Coyle - Megan Hilty
*Officer Becky Conway - Jenica Bergere
*Brad Benson - Victor Webster
*Andy Pfleuger - Ben Falcone
*Carrie Turner - Suzy Nakamura
*Ray Buxley - Robert Englund
*Dede - Shanley Collins
*Anna - Aviva Brandes
== Featured Music ==
*"Street Player (Remix)" - Chicago
*"Last Second Chance" by Vaughan Penn
*"Kiss from a Rose" by Seal
*"Can You Handle It" by Mojophonic
*"The Bomb" by The Bucketheads
*"It Won't Stop Getting Better" by Jason Walker
== Notes ==
*When Sweets talks to Booth about Ray Buxley, he describes him as "Freddy creepy", referring to Freddy Krueger, the villain of slasher movie series A Nightmare on Elm Street. He was played by Robert Englund, who plays Buxley.
*There are numerous references to Freddy Krueger throughout the episode:
**When Brennan and Booth first meet Buxley, he opens a locker and clicks his fingers against the door 'Freddy style'.
**Buxley makes sudden appearances and disappearances like Freddy in the dream world (e.g., when Brennan and Booth are walking through the dark hallway looking for the shop class, when Brennan and Booth are talking about the smell of bleach in the shop class)
*Booth calls himself Bobby Kent, who works for a newspaper, a possible reference to Clark Kent aka Superman which has been brought up before in Mummy in the Maze.
*Being that this is 2010 and Bones was the class of 1994, this would be the class 16 year reunion. Most reunions are in 5 and 10 year intervals so this may have been scheduled to originally air in 2009.
*When the Becky Conway introduced herself, she says she is the Sheriff and has a badge that says, "Sheriff's Department". Her uniform shoulder patch shows she is an Illinois State Trooper (Illinois State Police).
*When Booth & Bones are on the dance floor, The Bucketheads "The Bomb" is playing. However, that was released in 1995, not the year she graduated. Also Seal "Kiss from rose" did not get a U.S. release until July 1995.
*It is revealed in this episode that Brennan was known a Morticia because of her interest in dead things.
**In The Foot in the Foreclosure Brennan claimed that she never had a nickname other then 'Bones' even though her classmates called her Morticia.
== I don't know what that means ==
*When Brennan mentions that she would talk about death with Mr. Buxley, Booth says she was Wednesday Adams.
== Quotes ==
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Category:Season 5
Category:Episodes