“We have to distrust each other.
It is our only defense against betrayal.”
As overly cynical as the introductory text seems to be, considering the empty home he returns to, Nick Burkhart can probably relate. The woman he (seems to) loves and his baby boy are gone, taken by Adalind Schade and into the arms of Sean Renard and his Black Claw affiliates.
Understandably upset, Nick bounces all over the place, his anger threatening to consume him. His best decision is dropping by Monrosalee’s. The pair, Rosalee especially, is able to calm Nick, suggesting they take the news to Meisner and Hadrian’s Wall. But if a ‘storm the gates’ sentiment was what Nick expected, Meisner brings him down to reality: with Black Claw being holed up in a veritable fortress and in possession of baby Kelly, there aren’t too many options left to the Grimm. Thankfully, Trubel has Nick’s back, telling him as much at the safe house. Time has allowed Nick to calm down a bit and he echoes Meisner’s words of the danger an assault would be to Kelly. A surprising call from Renard halts their conversation and Nick heads to the precinct to meet his commanding officer.
The tension between the two men is understandably thick but they get through the tete-a-tete sans violence, but not without a few threats. Renard seems to really have bought into the Black Claw agenda and does his best to sell Nick on the possibilities with a New Wesen Order. He stresses that the coming fight is one Nick can’t win. The Grimm’s reply—“I don’t think there are gonna be any winners in this one”—is classic foreshadowing. Realizing the potential bloodshed coming, Nick fills Trubel in on the magic stick and what it could mean. “You’re a Grimm,” he tells her, “if anything happens to me, you and only you know where it is.”
Trubel returns to Hadrian Wall’s HQ and fills Meisner and Eve in on the current situation. But she wants to do more and Eve recognizes the anger in the young Grimm. The conversation between the two center on anger and Adalind. Eve’s response to Trubel’s question on Adalind’s choice is an unemotional analysis of even the toughest tests. “I think there is a choice, even when there appears to be none. But it’s the reaction that determines whether the choice is good or bad; not the person who makes it.”
Early the next morning, Nick and Hank trade intel on their eventful nights. While we’ve discussed Nick’s personal conflicts, Hank’s had a few of his own. While he and Zuri have taken the next step in their rekindled romance, Hank also caught the cagey Tony breaking into Zuri’s. But whereas Hank’s unaware of the truth, we know Zuri’s playing the Black Claw angle. It’s not until Monrosalee ID Tony as Rosalee’s one-time associate and Wu confirm’s Tony’s laptop had cloned and synced with Hank’s mobile that they piece together Zuri’s hand in all of it. They need proof though and, after Nick fakes Zuri out about the potential danger she’s in, she calls Conrad Bonaparte for directions on her next steps. Hank hears it all and confronts her; she tries to play the victim card before attacking him. He’s able to put her down and the detectives deliver the Black Claw agent to Eve and Trubel for interrogation…
We end on the gang watching Renard give his mayoral acceptance speech, bringing his ‘family’ to the stage. Nick watches it all in impotent rage, whispering two words of promise to his former police captain, words he plans to see through.
“You’re dead.”
Before the season’s done, someone sure as hell will be.
Grimmtastic
- Unlike the last few weeks, Grimm’s starting to tighten their story strands. Nick’s bad night and his rising conflict with Renard took center stage. Sure, we have the Renard/Adalind/Diana dynamic and Zuri’s betrayal of Hank, but those are part of the overall story arc. And what a good arc it has become. One of my favorite moments of Grimm yore was the Renard and Nick fight a few seasons back. Based on the promo for next week’s finale, it looks like we’re going to revisit that brawl. This time, it looks to be taking place in the police station.
- For someone that was used by a lover, Hank took Zuri’s betrayal extremely well. Sure, he may display severe mistrust issues in the future but, for now, he’s displaying the attitude of a pro.
- Speaking of pro, Eve’s about to put her professional skills of interrogation to the test on the captured Zuri. But more interesting to me is her conversation with Trubel. The Hexenbiest, for all her detached analysis of situations, acknowledges there’s a less objective side still alive and well inside of her. It doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing her Juliette side this season but this is food for thought as we head into next year.
- One last important scene was Wu gaining control over his Mr. Hyde alter-ego. Based on what our white hats are up against, this short scene may become integral in the coming fight against Black Claw.
