June 9th is right around the corner, which could only mean one thing: Orange is the New Black is finally back for its fifth season! But, before the Litchfield gates open and invite us back in for another year of madness, you might need a refresher as to where we last left our favorite inmates. Here’s a recap of what went down in the previous season.
(SPOILERS!)
Season Four picks up right where Season Three left off. The old inmates discover a hole in the fence and make their way to the lake as new inmates fill the prison. The overpopulation leads Caputo hiring additional Correction Officers. This is when Desi Piscatella comes on board as the authoritarian guard Captain.
Speaking of Correction Officers, following orders from Kobra, Aydin Bayat joined Litchfield as a CO to kill Alex following her betrayal. While everyone was out by the lake, Aydin targets Alex in the greenhouse and attempts to strangle her, but Lolly interferes and beats Aydin until he is assumed dead. They decide to deal with the body later that night, but when Alex returns to the greenhouse, she realizes that he isn’t quite dead yet and she must finish the job herself. The next morning, both Alex and Lolly go back to the greenhouse, but find that Frieda have also discovered the body. She suggests they cut Aydin into pieces and bury him in the garden.
Later on, Lolly’s paranoia kicks in and she attempts to dig up Aydin’s body parts. Freida tells Alex that Lolly is now a threat to their secret and must be killed, but Alex is not okay with this and attempts to protect her (with the help of Red). Lolly meets with Healy and admits killing Aydin, but Healy assures her that the event is only in her head. However, as the season progresses, Aydin’s body parts are actually found in the garden, revealing Lolly’s admission to be true. Lolly is sent to Psych.
Piper is having trouble with her underground panty business. The Dominicans ask if they could join her team, but she rejects them because her business is not for “thugs.” This leads the Dominicans to start their own panty business and sets the tone for the racial divide that is seen throughout the season. COs target the ethnic minorities for random searches and Piper is given permission to start a security force, which ultimately ends up being an all-white group that has no problem voicing disdain for the prison’s minorities.
To get back at the Dominican’s business, Piper plants a pair of panties in Maria’s bunk, which, when discovered, gives her added time onto her sentence. The Dominicans retaliate by branding Piper with a swastika on her arm.
Alison Abdullah is one of the new inmates at Litchfield, and is bunked with Black Cindy. While the two don’t get along at first, their dislike for Scientology sparks a bond between them. New inmates also include the famous Judy King who is given special treatment in the prison, including a much larger room that she shares with Yoga Jones.
Taystee is promoted to become Caputo’s assistant. This gives her access to the internet which she attempts to use to sell pictures of Judy King to online tabloids. The inmates manage to get a picture of Judy kissing Black Cindy, which is ultimately published online. This leads the two to fake a relationship to avoid trouble with Caputo.
Sophia is still in the SHU following the incidents with Aleida and Gloria in Season Three. Sophia’s wife argues for her release, but is unsuccessful. Sophia tries to get Caputo’s attention in creative ways (including flooding her toilet). While her attempts fail at first, she is finally released back into gen pop near the end of the season.
The mutual hate for the Litchfield guards (due to many reasons including Humphrey terrorizing Maritza into eating a dead mouse and instigating the fight between Sankey and Crazy Eyes as well as Piscatella’s treatment of the inmates) unites the inmates despite their division throughout the season. They stage a peaceful protest by standing silently on the cafeteria tables demanding that Piscatella be fired.
This triggers Piscatella. He orders the COs to pull the inmates down. Crazy Eyes panics and Poussey comes to her help, but before she can calm her, Officer Bayley is given orders to take Crazy Eyes to Psych. He struggles to grab her and somehow Poussey is forced underneath Bayley as he attempts to control Crazy Eyes. Poussey is suffocated from the weight and dies.
Poussey’s body is left in the cafeteria until Caputo can figure out a story to tell the public. He releases Judy King to keep her away from the drama of the situation, and refuses to fire Officer Bayley. Taystee overhears and rallies all the inmates throughout the halls of the prison. Humphrey attempts to pull out his gun, but the inmates are able to push it out of his grip and it ultimately lands with Daya. She aims the gun at Humphrey, and the inmates urge her to shoot.
Season Five is said to pick up right where season Four left off. Will Daya pull the trigger? Will the public learn of Poussey’s actual cause of death? Will the inmates continue to be united against the COs?
We’ll find out on June 9th.