While at JFK, Goodweather is approached by Abraham Setrakian, an elderly Armenian Harlem pawnbroker who insists the victims' bodies must be destroyed and the elaborately carved, coffin-like cabinet that was removed from the stricken plane's hold must not leave the airport.
Meanwhile, recently paroled Gus Elizalde is hired by Mr. Eichhorst, a mysterious man connected to Eldrich Palmer, a wealthy and powerful entrepreneur.
When Eph and Nora discover the cabinet missing, they are unaware that Jim Kent, their CDC co-worker, allowed its release from the quarantine area after seeing a business card given to Gus by Eichorst.
Writing for the International Business Times, Amanda Remling called it "one of del Toro's most jaw-dropping creations yet", praising the focus on suspense rather than gore, and favorably compared the "insane" closing sequence to the "mind-blowing deaths" on Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead.
[8] Meredith Borders of Badass Digest said that the pilot looked "incredibly cinematic and, frankly, expensive", but opined that it would have benefited from a longer runtime and slower pace.
[9] Elizabeth Harper of The Escapist wrote that the episode had "the look and feel of del Toro's work" and was particularly reminiscent of Pacific Rim, "spinning a brightly colored world inhabited by an equally vibrant cast of characters."
She said that the characters, while not "entirely unique", display "quirks that give them life beyond simple stereotypes", and wrote that the moody and dramatic lighting, while unnatural, added to the supernatural feeling and created a fittingly stylized world.