Your Guide To Every Major Event In 'Orange Is The New Black' Season 5
*Warning: This post contains spoilers from 'Orange Is The New Black' Season 5*
Orange Is the New Black is officially back, and the prison drama's fifth season is a heavy-hitter when it comes to both crushing, emotional moments as well as lighthearted, fun ones.
The new run of episodes gives viewers a more intimate look than ever at the large cast of inmates, as Litchfield turns upside down and the prisoners take control.
The riot puts the power in the hands of the women we've seen under the thumb of the industrial prison complex for the past four seasons, giving us a completely fresh and unexpected storyline that unfolds over the course of three tense, chaotic days.
As you get into the wacky, scary, claustrophobic new season of OITNB, here are the major events that really influence the show.
1. The Riot
Following the death of Poussey and Caputo's refusal to punish CO Bayley for his role in it, Season 4 ended with all the inmates storming the halls of Litchfield until they come upon CO Humphrey, the sadistic guard that's been torturing them (most notably Maritza) over the course of the season. He drops his gun and Daya picks it up, pointing it at him as her fellow inmates cheer her on.
After much trepidation, Daya finally decides to shoot Humps in the leg. As he bleeds out, begging for medical attention, the inmates agree they've officially begun a riot, and report to the other officials in Litchfield that Humps was still loose in the prison and going crazy with a gun.
2. The Hostages
While most of the other guards are under the impression one of their own has gone crazy, the inmates work together to round up all the guards and lock them up. Maria leads the Hispanic girls in a public strip search of the guards to demean them, and Taystee posts a picture of their new guard-hostages online to announce their riot to the world.
3. The Gun
The first half of the new season makes clear who holds all the power in Litchfield: whoever has the gun. Daya starts out with the gun, hanging onto it after she shoots Humps and starts the riot, but quickly loses interest in keeping up her newfound position of power.
We later learn Gloria knocked Daya out and took the gun from her to try to prevent Daya from further implicating herself. She keeps the gun hidden in her pants until Angie and Leanne pants her and grab the gun for themselves. They use their newfound power to force the guards to put on a talent show.
But after Angie and Leanne get too drugged out, Pennsatucky grabs the gun from them and gives it to CO Coates (AKA "Donuts"), who has been hiding in the ceiling and keeping up his hidden romance with Pennsatucky. Coates uses the gun to escape the prison.
4. The Piscatella Raid
The major event that's been building for the bulk of the season finally happens towards the end, when CO Dezi Piscatella dons full riot gear and sneaks into Litchfield to act on his vendetta against Red and try to end the riot.
Though Red tries to warn her friends that Piscatella is hiding out in the prison and capturing those close to her, they write her warnings off as delusions since she is still coming down from her addiction to speed.
Piscatella finally succeeds in covertly capturing Red, cutting off her hair to humiliate her in a small room in front of Piper, Alex, Nicky, and Boo. Luckily, Frieda's secret bunker is connected to the room, and she's able to subdue Piscatella with a poisoned dart and save Red.
