It’s in “Ashes” that Jack gets to play the hero, finally gets to save the girl. Charlotte said goodbye to her new found sister in “Disclosure,” after knocking her out cold, lighting the Stowaway on fire and simply walking away. Of course our favorite revengeress wasn’t going to perish in the fire, but boy does her little sis know how to start one, the pub gets burnt to the crisp. And from the looks of it, the bar will not rise from its ashes, it’s the last we’ll be seeing of it, continuing in this season’s “Renaissance” mantra. Not all episodes are created equal, it’s a known fact of life, and of TV watching, but this season really promises great things, if they don’t stretch it out too much. I excuse my overuse of quotes for this one, I just really loved the dialogue.
The episode started with Jack carrying Emily out of the burning (and exploding) building. Honestly, I’m starting to enjoy his character again and the direction he seems to be taking. I liked him in season 1, wasn’t fond of him in season 2, despised him in 3 but now, I appreciate him again and his interactions with Emily. I love them together, love how their characters evolved, but I don’t want to see them romantically involved, or at least not yet, and I hope they won’t rush it, because that’s probably where they’re headed. Aiden just died, Emily isn’t ready, and Jack isn’t either. They’re just not ready.
“I’m not really sure, but being a cop all day that clocks in at his bar every night doesn’t leave room for much else, family, friends, people I care about. Maybe I need to say goodbye to the Stowaway and fill my life with things that matter.” - Jack
Jack and Emily in a better place than they’ve ever been, but their relationship is all but mended yet, and it became apparent when Emily wasn’t sure she could trust him, trust him with the truth about Charlotte, that she tried to kill her. Jack has a history of judging her and not agreeing with her. But she does, she trusts him, tells him. And I thought Jack would have had a harder time processing Charlotte was a murderer, and I expected him to want to save Charlotte, try and help her, because that’s what he usually does, but this time he doesn’t. Jack draws a line at murder, especially when the intended victim is Emily.
Charlotte should have known Emily was darn near indestructible. But she didn’t, and now she’s scared of what Emily’s going to do to her. I would definitely be. You should run girl, run as far as your legs can carry you, and as far as your lungs will let you. I thought I would enjoy new Charlotte, psychopath, sister-killer Charlotte, but I still can’t, can’t stand her whining, can’t stand her self-pity. Maybe she should have jumped, I really can’t stand her anymore.
The problem is Emily’s in big sister mode, and not in the big sister ‘I’m going to push her in the mud and pull her hair’ mode, in the ‘I’m going to do everything I can to protect her’ mode. Because Charlotte’s family, and that’s the only family she thinks she's got left. Victoria’s no longer her priority, revenge is no longer a priority and I yearn for a nice and dirty takedown. Emily doesn’t even really care about that at this point, she just wants to help Charlotte, to make it right. (Yawn.) But how do you expect to help the sister who very recently tried to burn you alive (and stuck around to watch)?
“So what is the plan anyway? Go find her hide away and return the favor? Maybe slap baby sister around a little, get payback for trying to kill you?” – Nolan
Emily’s going to war, but she’s going unarmed, she’s putting herself out there, just to talk. She just wants to talk with Charlotte, try to explain, try to say she’s sorry, but Victoria’s there, and she doesn’t want Emily barging in and messing up her perfect set up. This leading to an epic face-off, battle of the wills. They’re always spectacular.
“That would be too easy. I owe you so much more than a quick death. Buckle up, sweetheart.” - Victoria
Vicky’s pointing a shotgun at her, but Ems still doesn’t care, because what could she do? I loved the fact that Emily could see right through Victoria, tell she has something up her sleeve, it was a bluff, a calculated bluff, that she should be careful alert, should go back to her ninja ways. (I miss those.)
Does Victoria really care for her daughter or is she simply a pawn, someone she can use to more easily manipulate David? It’s always hard to tell with Victoria.
All I can really affirm with certitude is that I hate Victoria. It’s visceral, actual hatred for the women, which is why I really need to commend Madeleine Stowe for her impeccable portrayal of Queen V. Victoria’s still on the search for her throne and Daniel and Charlotte are unlikely the people that are going to help out. The fact that Victoria thought that Daniel, Daniel, put away some money and hid it somewhere for a rainy day made me giggle. Does she know her son? At least, in this episode, Daniel’s actually trying. He wants to work, understands he needs to, but it’s not easy being a Grayson. Everything seems so easy for Victoria though, the way she manages to manipulate the people around her, managed to manipulate Margaux, Charlotte, David… How can no one see her for who she really is?
There’s also a new variable in the system of equations and that’s Louise. She was in the mental hospital with Victoria, I’m not sure I understand what she really wanted in “Ashes”. She seems like she’s got a lot of money, why would she need Victoria? I just hope she wants to take her down, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
Charlotte and Victoria are so alike, yet so different, but I think I’d prefer a Charlotte acting like Victoria than a Charlotte acting like she does now. Victoria claiming Charlotte was the one to prove David’s innocence about David was so… Victoria. It made me want to throw the remote at the TV screen. Of course David believes her, why wouldn’t he, not like she’s part of the plot that had him lose 20 years of his life, of his daughterr’s life, not like she betrayed him, lied to him. Why would he ask about Amanda? Want to visit her grave? I’m going to abstain on going on and on about him, he makes me almost as mad as Victoria does. He better be hiding something, in this episode every time he smiled behind Victoria’s back, I was hoping he’d turn on her, but sadly it didn’t happen. He’s just soft, naïve and he believes Victoria’s cr*p and that makes me angry. He better get his sh*t together soon, because I’m starting to get real tired of Victoria always getting away with it and getting what she wants.
David wants to protect them, his family, or who he thinks his family is, and he thinks how that’s going to happen is by killing Emily Thorne. How is everyone’s way of dealing with things in this show murder?
“That’s it, pretend you’re indestructible. But superheroes they don’t get balloons.”- Nolan
The Nemily of it all was particularly cute in this episode, I love their dynamic. He was afraid of losing her in the fire, losing her to her revenge, losing her to Victoria, to Charlotte. He wants her safe, wants to protect her. I got brought back to season 1 Nolan, who was afraid of everything, unwilling to put himself in the line, now he’s running up to danger, shooting guns and I love how he’s evolved, because of Emily. David took a very, very long look at Amanda and I can only assume that he recognized Amanda, or at least realised she looked familiar. If they don’t all team up against Victoria, I will be very, very disappointed. Anyhow, good episode, but wasn't as good as the last two in my opinion.
