Monroe and Rosalee get involved in a centuries old war when Rosalee harbors an injured friend and Nick must decide which side to choose when his Grimm duties conflict with his detective ones in this week’s episode of ‘Grimm.’
And if you’re keeping track, tonight’s episode was inspired by the fairy tale ‘Iron John.’
The episode opens with Nick now obviously more comfortable with being a Grimm, contributing to the Grimm book and writing about his encounter with a Klausteich. Meanwhile, Captain Renard comes home and finds a visitor waiting for him with a gun. The visitor speaks in German testing Renard but Renard passes the test as was able to understand the unwanted guest. We find out that the man is working for the Verrat and his name is Edgar Waltz. He is hunting a Resistance fighter named Ian Harmon and tells Renard that the Verrat believes that the resistance has established a presence in Portland to harbor “fugitives” and help them disappear. Renard doesn’t understand why Edgar is seeing him as he tells him that the Verrat’s problem with the Resistance is not his problem. Edgar reminds Renard that the High Command of the Verrat would not be happy to hear that he’s not being helpful with Edgar’s problem. Before he leaves, Edgar says in Latin “If you seek peace, prepare for war” and leaves. The phrase seems to have unnerved Renard.
Rosalee arrives to the spice shop to open up for the day. Once she gets in, Ian (who was shot by Edgar at the bus station) grabs her from behind. Rosale’s got skills as she stomps on her attacker and elbows him to get away. Just as she is about to open the door, Ian calls out her name. Rosalee obviously knows who Ian is and insists on taking him to a hospital but he refuses for fear that he will be found out and killed. He asks for Freddy but Rosalee tells him that he died in a robbery (in the episode ‘Island of Dreams’). Ian tells her that he was supposed to have papers for him to establish a new identity. (So that explains the passports found in the last episode ‘Love Sick’!) Rosalee tells him he can’t leave in his condition and helps him.
Nick and Hank’s first case is at the bus station. The detectives see the after effects of the chase between Edgar and Ian and found a witness. At the precinct, they managed to find Ian’s image on the bus station security tape. Ballistics show that the bullet was from a German company and that the bullet was made for a semi- automatic pistol that was made in the early 1900’s.
Rosalee calls on Monroe to help with taking the bullet out of Ian but Monroe seems reluctant. Roselee tells him who Ian is and apparently he’s quite known as a journalist but Rosalee tells him that he’s also one of the leaders of the Resistance. Monroe agrees to help.
Edgar is on the hunt for Ian and tries to get some information at a bar whose bartender is a Wesen (creature). He pretends that he needs to find someone who can supply “papers” as he needs to get out of town. He shows the bartender a passport as an example of the type of papers he needs. The bartender gives him the card of someone who can help him out. Edgar leaves but the bartender calls him back as he forgot to pick up the passport. As the bartender flips through the book, he realizes that Edgar is not the person he seems. Edgar talks to him in German and changes into a Wesen before killing the bartender.
While removing the bullet from Ian, Rosalee tells Monroe that Ian was an ex of hers. Monroe suggest that they call Nick if someone is really after him.
Hank and Nick arrive at the bar where the bartender was shot. They find a bullet casing similar to the ones at the bus station and Ian’s passport. Sgt. Wu tells Nick that there is a witness outside who saw the shooting. When Nick goes out, we see that it’s Edgar posing as a witness! (That little bugger!) Nick shows him Ian’s passport and asks if that’s the man he saw running away from the site. Edgar quickly turns into a Hungjager then back to human form before identifying Ian as the perpetrator.
Nick and Hank give a report of their progress to Captain Renard who decides to call an APB on Ian. Just then, Monroe calls Nick and tells him about Ian not realizing that is the man that Nick is looking for. At the same time, Edgar calls Renard and asks him if he has found Ian. He also wonders why Renard never told him that he had a Grimm working for him. Renard responds that it’s because Nick doesn’t know who Renard really is. Edgar warns him that his is playing a very dangerous game.
Edgar arrives at the shop of a Wesen, named Reginald, who makes fake passports. He threatens to shoot the Reginald’s family if he doesn’t cooperate.
When Nick arrives to the spice shop he pulls a gun on Ian telling him he is under arrest for murder. Monroe and Rosalee tell him that it couldn’t have been Ian as they’ve been with him at the time of the bartender’s death. Ian tells Nick that Edgar is an enforcer for the Verrat and is out to kill him. He then gives Nick a short history lesson about the Verrat, the Resistance and how it was the Grimms who had changed the balance of power when they decided to align themselves with the Royals all those centuries ago. Ian also tells Nick that his world is on the brink of war as the Verrat has already infiltrated the highest level of governments. Monroe asks for Nick’s help to get Ian out of the country but Nick’s more intent on finding Edgar as a means to end this all.
Later that night, Nick is in Aunt Marie’s trailer where he finds some old film about the Verrat. Apparently a Grimm was able to film an execution of Wesens by Hungjagers. The Wesens were killed because they dared to marry outside their breed. Just as he finished watching the film, Nick’s phone rings. It’s Edgar and he’s calling for a truce and wants to meet with him.
At the train station, Edgar and Nick meet. Edgar threatens to kill innocent people if Nick doesn’t help him find Ian. Before he can continue, Reginald calls to let him know that Rosalee came by for a passport. Edgar leaves but not before telling Nick that if he is followed, he will shoot the first person in his path.
Rosalee gets the fake passport from Reginald and Edgar begins to follow her as she heads back to the spice shop. Nick and the rest of the squad arrive at the camera shop to find Reginald dead.
While getting everything ready for Ian, Edgar comes into the shop as though he is a customer. Rosalee tells him the shop is closed and he should return the next morning but he implores for her help. She acquiesces (she’s such a softie!) and tells him he’ll be a minute. As she is about to put the fake passport into an envelope, she finds a note from Reginald warning her about Edgar. But it’s too late. Edgar pulls out a gun and asks where Ian is. He tells her to call and get him to the shop. Rosalee calls Monroe and tells him to get Ian to safety but Edgar politely takes the phone and tells Monroe that if Ian is not there in 15 minutes, he will shoot Rosalee. (Let’s face it. He would have shot Rosalee anyway. )
Frantic, Monroe calls Nick and tells him that Edgar has Rosalee and is heading to the spice shop. Nick arrives at the shop at the same time Ian and Monroe do. Nick goes into the shop and tells Edgar that he has Ian. As they are talking Monroe comes in and says he’s got Ian. While they are arguing, Rosalee manages to get a hold of some pepper powder and throws it into Edgar’s eyes. The Blutbad side of Monroe charges at him and tackles him to the ground. Nick and Ian both have guns pointed at Edgar. Just when you think it’s over, Ian shoots Edgar dead.
Ian tells a stunned Nick that sometimes it’s hard to know what the right thing is but at least now Monroe and Rosalee are safe. Nick arrests Ian and takes him handcuffed to his car. Rosalee and Monroe beg Nick not to take him in. Nick tells Monroe to get rid of Waltz’s body.
After driving several miles to the bus stations, Nick lets Ian go for the sake of his friends. He gives Ian his backpack and the envelope containing the fake passport and some money and tells him not to come back.
Captain Renard arrives at the scene where Edgar’s body is found. They conclude that whoever shot Edgar was probably the one Edgar was after. Hank hopes to be able to catch up with whoever shot Edgar but Renard says that someone may catch him first. At that moment, Nick flashes back to Ian’s warning that his world is on the brink of war.
A lot of the show’s mythology was revealed in this episode. We learn that a war is coming between the Verrat and the Resistance and it encompasses the world. The Verrat is made up of seven royal families who are corrupt and have infiltrated high levels of government, law enforcement, politics, etc. They send out agents to kill anyone who they think are dangerous and oppose their organization. One of the reasons for this war, according to the Resistance, is that the Grimms have allied with the royals.
Now this brings us back to Captain Renard who we have suspected comes from royalty and now have proof that he is part of the Verrat. We still don’t know if he is a baddie or what as Grimm history states that Royals and Grimms have an alliance. I’m beginning to think that Renard either has his own agenda or may be keeping Nick away from ruining his own plans or maybe Renard has secretly joined the Resistance but doesn’t want the Verrat to know his change of allegiance. As he doesn’t know how much Nick knows about the Grimm history, he may not want Nick to find out he is now a Resistance fighter. That would explain why Renard would try to kill Aunt Marie for fear she would blow his cover to the seven royal families. And we could even take this conspiracy theory farther and include Juliette who may be on Team Renard. There’s always been something mysterious about her, don’t you think?
This episode was so enjoyable to watch as it brought Sebastian Roche (who played Balthazar in ‘Supernatural’ and Mikael in ‘The Vampire Diaries‘) and Neil Hopkins (who was Liam Pace in ‘Lost’) as guest stars. They both brought an interesting dimension to the Grimm mythology of the two opposing sides in the Grimm world.
And just to leave you with a thought…remember the episode ‘Three Coins in a Fuschbau?’ At the end of the episode, Nick is watching an old reel of Hitler and noticed that the coins were on his lapel jacket and he turns into a Wesen. Take what we now know about the Grimm mythology, how many now think that in the Grimm world, Hitler was a Hungjager who rose to power because of the coins. Things that make you go hm…….?
If you missed last week’s episode or are looking for more clues of Grimm history, check out the ‘Grimm: Love Sick’ recap!
