"I am Strong."
This episode was bit slower than most, presumably setting up some intense stuff coming up. We begin with the journey of Jack's necklace, we learn a soldier bought it for a girl who ended up with someone else and left it at a bar, then a guy picked it up and when he died in the war the woman in the photo with Jack took it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Speaking of journeys, Kevin and Zoe are experiencing some difficulties with communication, she mentions her dad lives in China and she doesn't want to see him, which throws Kevin for a loop and reminds him just how much he doesn't know about her and so he tries to get her to open up but she's not having it. Later, when they're eating at a market, he finds out the necklace he thought was so special can be gotten anywhere and it makes him doubt the whole reason for his trip. Adding to that the frustration of not knowing where Zoe stands and he's in a bad mood for sure, but then Zoe gets food poisoning and he forgets himself for a bit to take care of her.
Later, Kevin talks about his parents' marriage, he says he doesn't want those kinds of secrets in his relationships but he admits he's falling for her and though he wants to know everything about her, he's willing to live in the mystery if it means she'll be around. I have to say "you smell like peaches" and "you keeps snacks in your purse" are the least romantic reasons to fall in love with someone, I get they were trying to be original but I'm pretty sure these writers can do better than that. She tells him her father sexually abused her and that she's falling for him too. His reaction was not great but I guess perfect wouldn't be realistic.
Jack finally reaches his little brother and pretty much first think Nicky says to him is that if he dies in the war is not on him, which shows just how negative he is, it seems he already was that way, but war couldn't have helped and he seems very affected by it all, he says Superman was just a nickname, that Jack shouldn't try to live up to it. Still, we know Jack will try, he asks to bring Nicky back to his team and save his soul but they refuse him and tell him to go back to his guys. He apparently gives up, which is very unlike him, and begins his way back, he gets a ride from a local and the guy turns out to be carrying cans to make homemade booby traps so he asks the guy if he's VC and his only reply before leaving is "sometimes". After that, Nicky's superior gives in and tells Jack he has two weeks to set his little brother on the right path.
We also follow Jack and Rebecca's road-trip to LA, which at first seems a bit awkward since they dn't really know each other yet, but then they have a nice dinner, they dance together and they start opening up to each other. Jack is very respectful, even a little too respectful for Rebecca's taste, but eventually, they sleep together and they continue to get closer until she wakes him up from a nightmare and he closes up. When they get there she confesses to a friend she's desperate for him to let her in and she seems pretty smitten already, but later when he says he just doesn't want to bring the war into the relationship she seems to accept it.
While Rebecca is meeting with LA people Jack goes to see Squirrel's parents to tell them in person how he died, he is expecting to be blamed for it but they comfort him. After that, Rebecca tells Jack that the audition didn't go well and she wants to go back home. He asks to hear her sing and she does while he cries presumably for the first time in years. Great performances all around but I can't wait for things to pick up a little.
"It's just a stupid nickname."
What did you think of the episode? I look forward to your comments and I leave you with the poll.
