Grimm The Beginning of the End

“It is better to die on your feet
Than live on your knees.”

The Grimm finale has arrived, capping  a season of shocking transformations, surprising betrayals, and more than a few unanswered questions. So how do you put an exclamation point to such a season? Why, more of the same, of course but this time in two hours.

Meisner was, and always will be, the face of the Resistance and Hadrian's Wall.
Meisner was, and always will be, the face of the Resistance and Hadrian’s Wall.

Still seething from watching Renard’s ascension to mayor, Nick tries to refocus on the overriding Black Claw agenda when Eve briefs the crew on her interrogation of Zuri and a single name: Conrad Bonaparte. Unfortunately, the intel on Bonaparte is scant, at best, but the gang has a bit more on their plate when two bodies are found at Hank’s. Two detectives from Portland North—Barabo and Masters—bring Hank in for questioning. Nick knows it’s some type of set up because the two bodies are the Black Claw members he took out the night before. Needing all the help he can to help his partner, Nick brings Wu in on the situation and they head to see Mrs. Miller, the witness that supposedly called in about the gunshots. When they get there, Mrs. Miller is nowhere to be found but the signs of struggle are evident.

While Hank is taken to a house in the country by the two Black Claw detectives and Hadrian’s Wall continues preparing for war with Black Claw, Adalind is struggling with her newest position as a glorified trophy wife. Not only does she have to deal with Diana’s attempts to thrust her and Renard together, but there’s also Mr. Bonaparte to contend with. The major player in the Portland Black Claw initiative, Bonaparte, after revealing himself to being Zauerbiest of significant power, makes the point to Adalind that going with the program is not only in her best interest, but her children as well.

Back to the Hank frame job, after Nick realizes Mrs. Miller is missing, he heads to Portland North, only to find a batch of Wesen officers all but carrying the Black Claw banner on their lapels. Discretion being the better part of valor and all, Nick heads back to his own precinct and formulates a new plan. If anyone knows where Black Claw is keeping Hank it would be Tony, Rosalee’s crazy ex. But if Nick’s position as a Grimm couldn’t shake the Wesen, what would? How about a pissed off hubby? Tapping Monrosalee for the plan, they get the address of the country farmhouse from Tony. It just so happens to be the same address HW got from the truck registration Monroe spotted outside their home earlier. Time to suit up.

Accompanied by Trubel and Eve (inexplicably adorned in a white wig on a stealth mission), Nick heads to the country house. They take down the two detectives, rescue Hank, and find the body of Mrs. Miller. But something doesn’t add up; why would Black Claw only have two members at such a strong hold?

Simply put, it’s a diversion.

Bonaparte tries breaking Nick with zauerbiest mind tricks.
Bonaparte tries breaking Nick with zauerbiest mind tricks.

The real target is HW HQ and it is a bloodbath. At the end, Meisner remains the only HW member alive and comes face-to-face with Renard and Conrad Bonaparte. While the new mayor isn’t opposed to the idea of Meisner joining the cause, Bonaparte executes his overriding authority, using his Zauerbiest powers to make the former Resistance fighter suffer before Renard ends it with a bullet to the chest. On Renard’s actions, Bonaparte remarks how the captain is compassionate. But it’s not a compliment, for in this circle, compassion is “dangerous for all of us.”

Nick and the others arrive back at the destroyed HW base and a distraught Trubel realizes that HW is “dead in Portland. There’s no one to fight Black Claw here but us.” The destruction of HW is too much for Nick and he ends up confronting his former captain and, though not quite as spectacular as their tussle a few seasons ago, Renard and Nick go one-on-one. The ensuing fight is quick and brutal but, in the end, the only thing that happens is Nick arrested for assault…a circumstance that plays right into the hands of Conrad Bonaparte.

Knowing it’s only a matter of time before Black Claw comes for them, the rest of the Grimm gang makes preparations to hide all the Grimm books and weapons and formulate a plan to rescue Nick. But even with hulk Wu taking down two of the Portland North Black Claw officers tasked to whisk Nick away and the others arriving shortly thereafter, it’s too late. Nick’s in Black Claw hands.

So, aside from wanting him to join the cause, what does Conrad want with Nick? More than the Portland Grimm, he wants the book detailing all Grimm—past and present. What better way to solidify Black Claw than to get more Grimms on the payroll or, if they’re not up to playing ball, know who to eliminate. Nick’s not giving up anything without a fight but he’s not prepared for Bonaparte’s Zauerbiest powers and the Wesen gets in Nick’s head, threatening Kelly in the process. Before more damage can be done, the cavalry arrives, engaging Portland North is a crazed shootout. As the bullets fly, Eve tracks down the fleeing Bonaparte and their biesty battle is intense and brutal, ending when Bonaparte hurts jagged glass at Eve, gouging the Hexenbiest’s stomach with one large piece.

At the compound, Adalind wakes from a nightmare, feeling that Eve may be dying. Bonaparte storms in, demanding the location of Nick’s safe house from Adalind. After forcing it from her as a spineless Renard watches on, Bonaparte tells the new mayor “They all die tonight.”

The magic stick--it's the only thing that can save the gravely injured Eve.
The magic stick–it’s the only thing that can save the gravely injured Eve.

Back at the safe house, Nick and the others arrive with the wounded Eve. She’s fading fast and Nick realizes the only thing that can save her is the magical stick recovered earlier in the season. It does work, healing Eve…but then the convulsions begin. Before they can even adjust to Eve’s newest predicament, Diana—on her mother’s request—gets a message to Nick and the others that Bonaparte and Black Claw are on their way.

With only one place to go, Nick directs the gang down into the tunnels, opting to stay behind and give his friends enough time to escape. In one of the better action pieces of the year, Nick becomes a one-man army, taking out the Black Claw henchmen one-by-one. But eventually the odds turn and, as he faces the final member, a Portland North officer, Nick takes three bullets to the chest.

But our Grimm doesn’t go down so easily. Thanks to the magical stick in his pocket, Nick heals up, ready to face Bonaparte and Renard. Knowing that he can’t turn Nick, Bonaparte enacts the same force choke he used to take down Meisner but then a funny thing happens. Renard, watching it all play out in the background, grabs a sword and casually skewers Bonaparte through the back.

Bodies strewn everywhere, Nick and Renard stare at one another, surprise etched on both their faces…

To be continued…

Grimmtastic

  • Wow, if this finale didn’t have the highest body count of any two Grimm episodes, I don’t know how. Though overly dramatic and not always logical in outcomes, the gunfights, biest showdown, and Nick’s dismantling of the Black Claw task force was wonderful entertainment. Hell, even Wu got into the act, hulking (or should I say “Hyding”) out, showcasing his newfound control of the monster within.
  • With all the action going down, it’d be easy to forget some of the key developments. Monrosalee having a baby, the destruction of HW and the Black Claw leadership will no doubt be a major part of Season Six. And then there’s Juliette, who’s back in the driver’s seat of her body. It seems that the magic stick did more than heal her physical wounds. We don’t get much on this new development, save for the fact that she “feels…a lot.” Where things go from here is up in the air but, considering Adalind’s decision to leave Nick, it opens the door for the newly returned Juliette to patch things up with her once love.
  • Finally…you don’t mess with a purple-eyed Hexenbiest’s momma! First, Diana takes Rachel out because of the woman’s feelings for her daddy but then Conrad Bonaparte finds out the hard way that putting his metaphorical hands around Adalind’s throat was not the thing to do. Sure, she may be a bit of a sociopath right now, but Diana could be a key cog in taking down Black Claw for good…or she could be Nick and the others’ worst nightmare.