The first half of Suits' 5th season was centered around the theme of what family means and to the ends someone would go to protect it. Faith tries to find some closure to it, showing the sacrifices the characters have to make to assure safety to those they love.
The episode was mostly told in flashbacks, showing Harvey and Mike's pivotal times in their lives. Those flashbacks would help them understand what they have to do to keep the firm and Rachel, respectively, safe.
Harvey's flashbacks are told diegetically while he narrates the last part of the puzzle about his mom, to Dr Agard. They show us what happened that made Harvey tell his father, after all those years, that Lilly Specter was cheating. But the important aspect of the story is not what happened to make him come clean, but what he did after, and how he felt. He left his family home and move to the city, move on with his life. He feels guilty for leaving Marcus and his father alone, after his mother leaves. This is interesting because Harvey biggest fear is people leaving but he did the same)
Dr. Agard helps him realize that he wasn't guilty for breaking up the family and that him leaving would not only not split the firm but save it.
Meanwhile after his meeting with Trevor, Mike goes to see the priest from him childhood. Their conversation allows us to see Mike's troubled teenage years and how he dealt and coped with his parents' death. Mike and Harvey share the same fear, people leaving them. Mirroring Dr. Agard's words, the priest helps Mike understand that you only need a little faith in the people you love.
Back in present day, the trinity of doom is still working on their machiavellic plan. Jessica needs Harvey and he's nowhere to be found, while Louis tries to find what Hardman has on Soloff. But Louis fails and gets blackmailed with his sister company, making him have an earnest talk to Jessica about what his vote will be. She understands, family is family, "Pearson will always consider Litt her partner" This scene sums up what Louis has been waiting to hear for a long time, and it's emotional because every problem they had, lead them to this moment of honesty and empathy, bringing some closure into it.
As soon as Louis leaves Jessica's office she loses it and Donna walks in. She doesn't need to justify Louis, but Jessica needs her to find Harvey. She's the right person for the job. But she doesn't, she ends up coming unannounced to Dr. Agard's office, and with no sight of Harvey and no introductions she asks to sit down. Donna plays the shrink sitting in the therapist's chair instead of the sofa Harvey usually occupies, and before Paula can tell her again she can't answer, Donna reads her and does her magic mind reader performance on her. And Donna does know almost everything. (I might be reading a bit too much into that last phrase "He doesn't know what he's missing" but that sounded like she might know what her feelings for Harvey are, too. And the will they/won't they circle keeps going on)
Donna didn't find Harvey because he was back at the firm, in time for the vote. He comes in bringing in a letter of resignation from Hardman, he doesn't represent the company going after all their clients anymore . He contemplates why Hardman went after them, and how he was the cause of the attack, but it is over and Jessica will protect the firm because they aren't just colleagues but family.
After the vote is done Mike goes to Harvey, he's resigning. Harvey gave him a family, but he has to protect the family he'll have someday. They hug, and things are all right between them. The episode doesn't give us a break with the touching (and feelings inducing) moments between the characters and soon after that, Jessica finds out Harvey is stepping down. She doesn't like it, but this is a sacrifice he has to make.
Meanwhile Mike is about to go home when he's intercepted and arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud. A plot point we have been waiting from the start but because of how the season was heading not everyone saw it coming. Did you? Who do you think turn him in?
Suits will come back around January with the 6 episodes left of this season.
Side Notes
- I want Paula Agard to recur, Harvey is not done with his issues, and she makes such a great character. (And Christina Cole does a wonderful job)
-Everyone was great tonight. All of them stole the scenes they were in. Suits keeps being a show I tune in every week because even if sometimes the plot gets repetitive the cast is superb and make it easy to see what the characters are going through.
(From @laura_markus)
- Patrick J. Adams blew me away. His acting with the priest, especially when he was yelling and started crying when he saw Grammy's book, was unbelievable. I am truly in awe and he absolutely stole the show.
- Those flashbacks were...a bit too much. There were too many of them in quick succession, and not enough real plot.
- Louis was actually a goddamn human being for once. That was nice to see.
- Very elated Jessica's staying. She makes this show, and that firm, successful.
- Okay. Here's the big one. That Mike/Harvey scene in Harvey's office. Thanks for reminding me of the ending to No Way Out; one of the saddest endings for a finale in history! They were both crying, and so was I. AND THAT HUG!!!!! Thanks for that, Suits.
