BWW Recap: The Salem Witch Trials, Time Travel, and More are Explored in this Week's SLEEPY HOLLOW

Tonight's episode opens with a haunting and terrifying robbery at an auction house near Sleepy Hollow. One of the purgatory escapees has broken in to steal a book of spells for the occult. The thief steals the book, and kills two bystanders in the process using "blood magic."

You can already tell we're in for one of those fabulous side-plots I love so much.

The show cuts to Crane "scouting" for homes for sale. He hopes to establish a real life, and eventually purchase a home. (Having no record of ever existing or credit could pose a problem, Abbie concludes.) Crane is amused by the "marketing" of the home - referring to how it's been staged. He also expresses an affinity for granite counter tops.

Abbie shows him a photo of the stolen book, and he identifies it as "The Grand Grimoire" - a volume of FORBIDDEN black magic. It was originally used for academic purposes only, but it has been largely sought after by evil for ages.

The witnesses head to consult Katrina, who tells them her powers are peaking from practice since escaping purgatory.

Meanwhile, we also get to see of what has become of Henry Parrish. He's been sulking in what looks like a cheap, falling apart motel since he killed Moloch. He turns away the friendly proprietor offering to send up a cleaning lady, and tells her he recognizes the type of murder from the auction house, which he saw on the news.

Back at the station, Abbie tells Crane that the blood at the scene didn't match the victim. Using traces of moonflower in the blood, they determine the blood came from a sorcerer who uses blood magic.

Using footage from the security cameras, Katrina identifies him as an evil Worlock who all witches fear called Solomon Kent. He was responsible for the Salem witch trials, having committed a crime against a relative of Katrina's and then covering it up by accusing the person he harmed as a witch. He also accidently killed a woman he loved.

The coven of witches make banish him to purgatory to pay for his crimes, but the damage had been done - and he had set off the entire Salem witch trial epidemic. Kent must have escaped from purgatory when Moloch was killed.

I'm not really buying this Sleepy Hollow-ed version of history. I don't think this particular tale is as well thought out as some of the others they've done. Then again, it's not the worst, either.

Katrina learns he's only procured half of the book he needs - and it cannot be used without the other half.

After a commercial break, Captain Irving confronts Abbie for her behavior the previous week when he came back from the dead. He tells Abbie he holds no resentment. She and he make up, and part ways.

Crane thinks he's identified the reason Kent has stolen the book. He thinks Kent wants to resurrect the soul of the girl whom he wronged and accidently killed. They say that if the doors to the other realm are opened, other - likely malicious spirits will find their way into our world as well.

Crane and Abbie spot and confront Kent in a warehouse, but he overpowers them. Katrina enters and send him falling backwards. After a confrontation where Kent he questions Katrina's motivations - he summons a daemon to fight Abbie, Crane, and Katrina. During that fight, he puts the two halves of the book together, which appears to have come out of nowhere.

Katrina goes to confront Kent once more, leaving the witnesses to confront the last daemon. Katrina manages to temporarily subdue Kent (and as always, Abbie and Crane kill the evil daemon) - but Kent is able to escape Katrina's grasp. Katrina says she is no match for him and will not be able to defeat him.

While cutting away to a commercial, I thought that Kent looks very much like Hyde from the most recent revival of Wildhorn's Jekyll and Hyde on Broadway. What do you guys think? Tell me in the comments below or on twitter at @alanhenryTO.

Abbie meets with Irving to ask him about what he remembers from coming back from the dead. Sadly, he doesn't remember much - but gives her some excellent wisdom and advice to keep battling on.

Back at his Motel, Henry Parrish is still sulking. He witnesses some rough guys insulting and threatening the owner and her son, but goes back in his room and closes the door.

Abbie and Crane are still trying to figure out how to defeat Kent without magic, since Katrina is out of commission. Using a phrase that Kent uttered while they were fighting, they figure out Kent is trying to go back in time. They surmise he could destroy the entire timelines and must be stopped.

Abbie and Crane believe that Kent will try to go back in time at midnight due to some convenient reason that went right over my head, but everything on SLEEPY HOLLOW is time sensitive but usually irrelevant to the overall plot anyways - so I'm sure I'm not missing anything particularly important.

Irving shows up to help them battle Kent. Abbie wants to face Kent, but Crane says he's going to go up against him. Abbie and Irving are left to plan the big battle ahead.

The episode picks up with Kent beginning the incantation in the woods to go back in time, but the three heroes show up to stop him using some creative trickery. They hook a generator up to a puddle in order to electrocute and subdue Kent.

Abbie and Crane think that Irving is down, but in fact - he's back by the body of Kent. Before he disintegrated Kent - he stole the Grimiore book. Clearly, Irving has plans of his own that our witnesses don't know about. Abbie and Crane appear none the wiser.

In a terrifying shot, we see Katrina practicing dark magic/appearing possessed.

In a final scene, we see Henry Parish confronting the guys who were acting rough with the Motel owner and her son. After a cryptic speech, he attacks them with his powers, and appears to kill them. He's clearly out of his slump. He then heads to the woods where he meets Captain Irving - who delivers him the Grimoire. He states his allegiance to Henry - who states that "destiny bends to his will."

What an amazing episode! So much was revealed, and yet - we still get a fully satisfying mini-side plot. I'm so disappointed Irving isn't on the right side! I was so happy to see him back on the show - but this should make for a cool long term character arch and provide Orlando Jones with some more opportunities to shine.

I'm thrilled Katrina is getting more screen time, and finally actually doing something. We she was battling Kent, I was cheering at my television. I want to see more of this Katrina.

A special shoutout must go to the Sleepy Hollow Writers. I'm constantly amazed by Crane's eloquence. I want someone to write me trash talk equally as good! I noticed #Ichabbie is still going strong each week on twitter. Do you guys think that there's something more than a brother/sister relationship there. I just don't see it. (Let's discuss in the comments and on twitter!)

What did you think of tonight's episode? Let me know in the comments below or on twitter at @alanhenryTO!

See a preview for next week's episode below!