A double homicide leads Monroe and Nick into the world of underground fight clubs and we learn more about Captain Renard in this episode of ‘Grimm!’

******SPOILERS AHEAD! ******SPOILERS AHEAD! *******

It’s night and in a cabin in the woods, an elderly couple hears their dog frantically barking. Thinking the dog encountered a skunk or some other nocturnal animal, the husband goes and checks. A movement in the bushes catches his attention. Thinking it’s the dog, the husband turns and is jumped. Moments later, the husband walks through the door. His wife, noticing that he has a strange look on his face asks him what was wrong. Before he could answer, he removes his hands from his stomach and we see it is gutted before he falls to the floor. His wife screams in terror but before she can call 911, a creature blurs towards her and attacks.

Three men on horseback hear a scream and head towards the cabin. Inside the creature is hungry and has started to devour a raw steak that the couple was making for dinner. Hearing the men approach, the creature tries to run off but is cornered and lassoed then dragged off.

By morning Nick and Hank arrive to the cabin. They investigate the scene and found hoof tracks outside. Following the tracks they notice that there are drag marks next to the hoof prints as though something was clawing at the ground. In the dirt, Nick finds a leather object he thinks may have come off a saddle.

Juliette calls Nick to ask what he would like her to get at the grocery store for their third anniversary dinner. After the call, she starts to put the laundry away and finds in Nick’s sock drawer the box with her engagement ring that Nick had gotten in the pilot episode. She opens the box and begins to admire the ring. (Side note: Could Nick not find a better hiding place for the engagement ring box other than on top of his socks in the drawer?!? Good governor! Couldn’t he have at least stuck it under all the socks?!)

Back at the precinct, Hank tells Nick they got a hit on one of the bloody prints from the cabin. It belongs to a Dimitri Scantos who was released on probation for possession a month before. They decide to visit his parole officer, Leo Tamer, who informs them that Dimitri was a no show at his last appointment but he decided to show him some slack and not report the absence. He realizes while talking to the detectives that might not have been a good idea.  (Ya think?)

Nick and Hank then visit Dimitri’s work place – a boxing gym his uncle owns. They talk to his uncle Gus and inform him that Dimitri may be involved in a homicide. While Gus goes to his office to get a recent picture of his nephew, Nick approaches one of the members working out. He sees that the guy doing bar curls is actually a Wesen (aka a creature). Nick approaches him and makes a comment. When the Wesen turns, he immediately knows that Nick is a Grimm. The initial reaction of the Wesen is confrontational but Nick assures him he only wants answers about a double murder that occurred. He asks the Wesen, named Brian, where he can find Dimitri but he tells Nick that he hasn’t seen him in a while and the last time they were together they worked out and went for a run.

Brian takes them to the trail where he and Dimitri usually did their running. It’s near where the murders occurred and as they walk the trail, Hank notices horse manure. Before they can go further, Hank receives a phone call telling him that Dimitri’s car has been found near an abandoned warehouse.

The car has been picked clean and while they are there, Nick notices a guy watching them turn and run into a building. He decides to go find him thinking that guy might have seen Dimitri. Inside, they find a trail of blood which leads them to an area with ancient symbols up above and Latin writing on the floor with blood all around it. They continue to follow the blood trail and come to a wall with parts of a medieval weapon lodged into it. All of the sudden the police officer that was there to meet them with the car yells out that he’s got the guy they were following. By the time Nick and Hank get to him, the mysterious man had gotten away injuring the cop’s hand. The detectives lead him back to their cars to get him some medical attention.

Meanwhile, Brian is running on the trail when suddenly, the three figures on horseback seen at the beginning of the episode begin to chase him. Not hearing the horses behind him because he’s too busy listening to his iPod, he is lassoed and dragged away. (Okay, the dude must have had the volume up real high not to have heard three galloping horses right behind him let alone not sensing all the action that was closing in on him. But I digress.)

Hank and Nick determine they are dealing with some type of “Gladiator Fight Club” (and what’s the first rule of Fight Club kids? That’s right! “Don’t talk about Fight Club!”). The detectives are trying to figure out what the Latin words on the floor means when they realize that their own Captain Renard knows Latin! (How convenient!) Renard translates it and tells them it says, “Man’s first happiness is to know how to die. His second, is to be forced to die.” He asks them if they knew who was responsible for their findings. Nick and Hank tell him that they don’t know but did find a leather strap in the building that matched the leather strap found at the crime scene and the amount of blood indicates some kind of brutal fighting. They decide to track down who owns the warehouse.

Later, Dimitri’s parole officer, Leo, is walking to his car in a parking garage when a car is about to hit him. It stops just as it traps him against the wall. All of the sudden, Captain Renard steps out of the car! (gasp!) He angrily tells him that his “little blood sport has gotten out of hand.”  Renard is upset because Leo screwed up. Apparently Renard supplied him with a list of names that he could use for his “games” and Dimitri was not on that list. This does not make Renard happy. Leo’s cocky attitude only infuriates Renard even more as he tries to explain to Renard that Dimitri was exceptional and that the gang bangers and drug addicts on Renard’s list don’t make for a good fight. Dimitri is bringing in the dough and Renard will get his share. But Renard will have none of that. He tells Leo to shut the games down before his greed and stupidity ruin them both. Leo counters “Times have changed, your Highness. Royalty ain’t what it used to be!” Renard pulls out his gun and tells them that in the old days he would be drawn and quartered and he better clean up the mess he’s made or he will do it for him. This does not faze Leo as he tells Renard he’s in it as deep as he is and should be careful how he treats him. Renard has no answer to that and allows him to leave.

Nick decides to head to the trailer and as he opens the weapons cabinet, notices medieval weapons similar to those at the abandoned building. As he is looking through the Grimm Book, a knock is heard at the door and it’s Monroe. He assures Nick that he has made sure he’s not been followed and thanks Nick for inviting him into the Grimm sanctuary. He realizes how much trust Nick must have with him to confide in him and allow him inside the trailer by himself before. Monroe is in awe of the trailer calling it the “freaking Smithsonian of Grimmology.”

Nick asks Monroe about Lowens, Gladiator Lowens to be exact. Monroe tells him that they are fierce and fueled by generation of bitterness. They were often captured and made to fight in gladiator rings. Nick suspects that this may be happening and asks Monroe if he could help him find out where and when it was happening.

The next day, Renard tell the detectives that Brian was missing and that his car was found near the abandoned warehouse where Dimitri’s car was found.  He informs them that Brian and Dimitri had the same parole officer and that the boys should go talk to Leo again. Renard advises the detectives to visit Leo at home.  (Nice play Renard!)

By the time Nick gets to Brian’s car, it’s night. Just then, he receives a phone call from Monroe who is waiting for a contact to tell him where the Lowen Games are being held. As he is talking, a truck pulling a horse trailer drives up. Nick panics and tells Monroe to get out of there but it’s too late. Someone hits him from behind and drags him into the truck. As they drive away, someone else drives Monroe’s car but before he can get to his final destination, Nick is there blocking the way with his gun drawn. He demands to know where they have taken Monroe.

They have taken him to the abandoned warehouse where the area with the Latin writing on the floor is set up like a UFC ring. But instead of MMA fighters, you have Lowens dressed in gladiator gear fighting to the death using shields and weapons. They put Monroe in a cage until it is time for him to fight. While inside, he sees another Wesen in the cage next to him obviously in pain. Monroe takes a look at what may have been causing the Wesen agony, and sees that a nail is stuck in his hand. Monroe pulls it out just in time for dinner to be served. As Monroe looks at the raw meat, he realized that the piece the Wesen next to him is chewing on has a tattoo. Leo comes in and informs Monroe he is going to fight whether he likes it or not and to get him into a Blutbod fit to fight, they cattle prod him.

Hank, meanwhile, is at Leo’s house to question him but no one answers. He decides to investigate the barn next to the house and inside finds chain mail, swords, shields and medieval weapons. He calls Nick and tells him what he found. Nick tells Hank his location and that Monroe found out where a fight might be held. Hank tells him he will meet him at his location and Nick tells Hank to bring back up.

Munroe is taken into the ring and realizes he is to fight the Wesen, who we now know is a Lowen, that he pulled the nail out of earlier. The Lowen attacks and Monroe has no choice but to pick up his shield and weapon and defend himself.

Nick has reached the abandoned building and finds the arena where the fight is occurring. He walks into the crowd of people who are too busy watching the battle between the Lowen and Monroe to notice a Grimm is walking amongst them. Just as Leo is about to give the kill order, Nick reaches him and puts his gun to his head. Leo is not scared. After all, Nick can’t fight all the Wesens surrounding him if he pulls the trigger. Leo gives the thumbs down for the Lowen to deliver the final blow but not before Nick declares that he will fight in Monroe’s place. If Nick wins, then both he and Monroe get to leave.

While all that is going on we see that Renard is in a confessional, but the priest knows he is not there to confess. Renard tells him that he has an issue with a fellow “parishioner” who has lost respect and strayed. The priest asks if he has made an attempt to bring him back to the fold and Renard answers that he has but the parishioner no longer fears the sword, here or in the hereafter. Renard is then asked if the parishioner is beyond redemption and Renards states, “Absolutely.” The priest clarifies that Renard is not asking for forgiveness to which Renard states, “No, I need your wrath.”  The priest tells him to give him a few minutes to change and leaves with the cryptic saying “As it was before…” with Renard finishing “so shall it be again.” (Loved the whole double-speak in this whole scene!)

Back at the Lowen Games, Nick is deep in combat with the Lowen. He tries to stay alive until Hank can arrive with back up. Nick is able to gain the upper hand and Hank arrives in the nick of time!

Oh, but unfortunately, this was the night of the special anniversary dinner and Nick is late. Juliette was obviously hoping tonight would be a special night. She goes back to Nick’s sock drawer and takes out the box and thinks about the relationship.

Leo is frantic and is trying to get away but first he needs to grab his money. He is interrupted by Renard walking into the office. Leo accuses Renard for the disruption of his games and threatens Renard. Just then something flies at Leo and begins to brutally attack him. Renard walks away satisfied that his “issue” with the “parishioner” has now been taken care of.

I must say, each week the episodes of ‘Grimm’ seem to get edgier and I like it! This episode had just the right amount of gruesomeness, intrigue and surprises without sacrificing the procedural storyline it’s known for.

As time goes on, we see Nick becoming more comfortable with his role as a Grimm to the point where it no longer freaks him out when he is recognized and is now using it to his full advantage to get information in order to solve a case. What I have seen, however, is that the Wesens are now able to pick up his Grimmness quicker than before as they no longer need that much face to face time before catching on. Makes me think that Grimms must secrete some hormone because the Wesens don’t need to change in order for them to figure out Nick is a Grimm. Also, in the ring in order to defeat the Lowen, Monroe told Nick to dig deep down into his Grimm roots. That hints that there must be some “power” that is only bestowed on Grimms to help them fight Wesons.

This was an excellent episode with Captain Renard! After all the build-up regarding his character, we learn so much about him here. We now know that he is part of a monarchy that apparently wants to establish a realm in this world, that he must be very old as he probably knows Latin from a time when it was a dominant language and has minions throughout the city. It makes you begin to think, who is in on Renard’s plan?

If I had to complain about anything in the episode, it would have to be the shaky camera work during the fight segment. The quick take-aways and earthquake like moves only served to give me a headache instead of giving the impression of a quick action scene.

All in all, the episodes are getting better and next week it looks like we’ll see more of Captain Renard and what his plan has been all along

If you missed the last episode of ‘Grimm’, you can catch up with the ‘Grimm: Tarantella’ recap!