A Thorn at Her Side

"A Thorn at Her Side" is the second episode of the animated Netflix series Rose and Thorn. The episode was directed by Hannah Ayoubi and written by Jane Backer.

Synopsis
Even after learning of Thorn, Rose just wants things to go back to normal. Normal, however, is a concept that died to them.

Plot
During the previous episode's events, Thorn Canton attacks members of a gang, whom she interrogates for information. Another member informs their leader of the attack.

Back in the present, Thorn explains via video to her alter, Rose Forrest, that she is currently hunting down the gangsters that killed their father. Rose, however, refuses to believe anything that is happening is real, believing instead that she is simply in a dream. Her anger at this causes her to black out, allowing Thorn to front. She cleans up the disaster left by Rose's breakdown, and goes to bed herself.

Rose wakes up the next day, still believing everything was a dream, and returns to school, only to realize Thorn really did made her ghost her best friend. Thorn then tries to talk to Rose througth their mind and combince her to help her in her vendetta, but Rose refuses. Thorn then warns her that she made enemies the will come for her, but Rose ignores her. In a private mansion, politician Tobias Whsle meets with his subordinates, the same ones who Thorn fought and later tried to kill Rose. They inform him of their failure. Fearful of the danger Thorn poses for their organization, "The 100", Whale orders them to double their efforts on finding and killing her.

After a day at high school, Rose apologizes to Melinda for her behavior in the last few days. Thorn, meanwhile, tries to warn her about the criminals out for her blood, but refuses to listen to her until she says they will hurt their loved ones In that moment, members of The 100 show up and kidnap her. Thorn tries to get her to surrender control, but Rose refuses and tries to call the police, only to learn her kidnappers work for the police. They take her with Amanda, a killer for The 100. Amanda almost kills her, but Thorn takes control of Rose's hands and unties their body, allowing them to escape. While Rose is still unwillimg to believe anything is real, she is beginning to have doubts and wants to find out what is going, starting with findong out what happened between her and Troy's father.

Traveling to Troy's house, Rose discovers that he was secretly a sexual abuser and a pedophile, and that Thorn threatened to expose him unless she gave him a list of names of people related to her father's murder, only to expose him anyways out of disgust, leaving Rose surprised at this. She thinks on why Thorn would do it, and Thorn, hearing her thougths, explains that she just couldn't let a man get away from his crimes, which is why she wants to make The 100 pay.

As she walks back home, Rose sees Melinda again, only fir Amanda to reveal herself and threaten to shoot Melinda unless she surrenders. Seeing her best friend about to be shot, Rose finally listens to Thorn and lets her front. Thorn uses her gadget to fight Amanda without being noticed. After overcoming her, Thorn attempts ro interrogate her on information about her employers, but Amanda refuses to talk and instead kills herself. Rose regains control, sees Amanda's body, and learns that Melinda is fine.

Returning home, Rose writes in a diary that there's a voice in her head, and suggests an allience to Thorn on the condition that she vanishes afterwards. Thorn then fronts, and agrees.

Main cast

 * Sarah-Nicole Robles as Rose Forrest / Thorn Canton
 * Wendie Malick as Elizabeth Forrest
 * Chloe Bennet as Melinda
 * Keith David as Tobias Whale / The Director

Guest cast

 * Tara Strong as Amanda
 * Brett Dalton as Chiller
 * Fred Tatasciore as Troy's Father

Trivia

 * At one point, Amanda uses a bat to fight; Tara Strong, her voice actress, also voices Harley Quinn, who is known for using a bat as a weapon.