PILOT EPISODE

Originally aired: September 16, 2013

 

The episode begins in 1781, the battle between British and American soldiers on the Hudson Bay.  Ichabod has been a spy for General George Washington who orders him to find and kill a man with an bow symbol on the back of his hand.  As he frantically checks the dead, suddenly a red coat riding on a white horse quickly approaches and seeing the symbol of the bow on the back of the enemy's hand, realizes he's the man George Washington ordered killed.  Though Ichabod shoots him which knocks him off his horse, to his shock the man gets right back up! The bullet didn't appear to have any affect on the Hessian soldier and with a swipe of his broad axe, slices open Ichabod's chest!  Not willing to die without accomplishing his mission, Ichabod grabs his sword and swiftly chopps off the Hessian's head!  Both fall to the ground, blood intwined!  

 

Fast forward to present day.  Ichabod bursts out of the ground inside a cave!  Confused he is no longer injured, he manages to leave the cave, stumbling through a river and then onto a nearby road.  He's never seen a paved road before, but doesn't have a moment to process when a semi-truck almost hits him, then a car!  Bewildered at what happened, he heads towards the town of Sleepy Hollow. 

 

Meanwhile, Sheriff August Corbin and Lt. Abbie Mills takes a dinner break at a local cafe.  Sheriff has been following mysterious missing persons cases up and down the eastern seaboard and has just found another one to add to his list.  Abbie is set to leave Sleepy Hollow in a week after being recruited to the FBI at Quantico, though the good Sheriff attempts to get her to change her mind.  As they leave the cafe, the Sheriff says hi to a priest.  Before they can get too far, they are dispatched to a disturbance at Olgave's farm so head over to find out what's going on.  Upon pulling up, all is quiet.  Abbie checks the house while the Sheriff heads to the barn.  Abbie notices the driver's side door of Olgave's truck is open and then observes his rifle on the ground next to the vehicle.  Abbie warns Corbin of the weapon, who is still in the barn.  Suddenly he hears rustling in the last stall, the horses are a little spooked and then all hell breaks loose when Corbin sees a headless man with an axe advance towards him!  At the doors of the barn, Abbie is almost sliced when the head of the axe breaks through the barn!  She falls back just as the doors fling open, the Headless Horseman rushes out, pauses a moment as if looking at Abbie, then takes off! Abbie is mortified as she sees Corbin is dead, his head has been chopped off!  She immediately calls it in.  

 

Ichabod has made it into town on foot and is immediately appreheded by Deputy Andy Brooks, after hearing Abbie's broadcast.  Once booked at the jail, Andy asks if Crane is the suspect.  He's not, but Crane knows!  After describing the broad axe and bow tattoo on the suspect's hand,