After a short break, we are officially entering the second half of the season with episode 7 ‘’Truth or Consequences’’, which was just magnificent. When was the last time I mentioned how much I love this show? I doubt I’ll find the right words to express how I’m feeling - I’m honestly still trying to process how powerful this episode was, but let’s get started anyway.
Warning: spoilers.
Rats. Picking up where we left off two weeks ago, Arman and Thony are left with nothing but problems. Robert is on high alert after Cortés' death and demands answers - he already fished out the first person he suspected to be a rat - Julian’s right-hand man, Nick, who wasn't at the house when the FBI raid occurred. Let’s be honest, Kamdar had already made his decision, and Nick‘s fate was sealed - he only waited for Thony and Arman to join the party to make sure his message came across loud and clear. Sociopath indeed, Arman. I guess the lucky ones were those arrested during the Raid - Kamdar has gone into deep cleaning mode and won’t leave any loose ends.
As nervous and terrified as Thony was before they entered Fast Lane, she composed herself perfectly and showed no sign of fear inside of his office...until Kamdar decided to stab the man’s hand with his pen to then choke him in front of her and Arman...but even then, it wasn’t fear. It was horror, guilt, and anger because she once again got to witness how ruthless the man is - but also because she wasn't able to stop him without putting themselves in danger. I’m sure Nick Capshaw wasn’t an innocent man, but he became collateral damage as he didn’t play any part in his boss’ death, and that’s another death that could weigh on her conscience.
Thony was desperate to get home to make sure that her family was safe. Robert definitely did his work this time and started his own little investigation on her. As sickening as it must have been for Thony to hear him mention details about her life and threaten the people she holds most dear, she held her head high and reminded him that they have something he wants. Thankfully, Kamdar apparently never has enough money - and so he offered them another chance to make a deal with a new buyer, but the meeting will this time be set on his own terms.
To see Thony stand back and watch her family joke together, blissfully unaware of the danger looming over them because of her decisions, was heartbreaking. Fiona knows her sister-in-law well and quickly understood that something was wrong. To protect her and not add to her worries, Thony made the choice to keep her in the dark and only told Fi to be ready to leave the house if things went south for her. I wish she would have been honest and shared a bit more information - if she has to protect her family, she has to know what to look for and who to protect them from. But it’s a tough choice to make, and I fully understand why Thony decided not to tell her about the threat she inevitably brought home with her.
Healing. When did Thony even get a minute to breathe in this episode? She just went from one mess to another. Surprisingly, it’s not so much the fact that Chris got Detective Flores’ attention by coming to the police station that gets them in trouble - but the new evidence found through the camera footage that shows Thony watching Luca at the motel around the time Marco died. How powerful is love in this family, though? Sean Lew was amazing once again - the way his voice kept breaking as he worried his auntie T could go to prison to protect him was gut-wrenching. I was a mess during this episode, and they just kept going crescendo with Fiona then desperately trying to keep her son quiet and pleading Garrett to not take her son away.
I tend to ignore how manipulative Thony can be at time - not that I don’t see it - but usually the reason why she does it takes precedence over how she does it. And that’s what this show is so good at too - nothing is ever black and white - those characters just have to make the best choice possible when there are only wrong ones. This episode really highlighted that point by using Garrett’s character. The night Marco died, she did what she had to do to protect her entire family. Marco was already gone - what was done was done - so she had to limit the damage.
Thony managed to leave the police station with Chris after she reminded Garrett that if she didn’t attend the meeting, both her and Arman, but also Maya would be dead - and his chance of taking Kamdar down would be gone with them.
Garrett still didn’t have the entire story, but he was hurt to find out that Thony just used him at the time while he was struggling to find the words to tell her that her husband had died. Chris’ confession later probably helped him understand - and it was such a relief to see the young man realize that he was finally safe. To have an FBI agent tell him that he wouldn’t get in trouble or be held accountable for Marco’s death - and once again remind him that it was simply an accident - clearly lifted the weight off his shoulders. It looked like Chris could finally breathe as he hugged his mother and thanked Garrett.
Unfortunately, by focusing on helping Arman, Thony and her family, Garrett took his eyes off Maya. She knew Kamdar would hunt her down - and yet he blindly trusted the FBI with her protection, leaving her in a "fully protected safe house". Apparently, he didn't realize how dangerous and paranoid Robert Kamdar is when his little bubble gets breached. She would have been on his list either way, but her sudden disappearance after her boyfriend's death raised even more flags and made it crystal clear to Kamdar that she was a rat too. There was no room for any doubts when they found her in a safe house protected by the FBI. Kamdar has now the blood of agents on his hands too, which will surely make him even more nervous and cautious in the coming episodes, as he knows they’ll try to find the one that ordered the attack.
Nadia doesn’t like a paranoid Robert, and neither do I. Arman's decision to keep her in the dark is once again key to their plan. It isn't only keeping her safe, but also allows her to try and help him by using her relationship with Robert without raising suspicion. As fond as he is of her, no one is safe when he feels threatened - and we barely got the see a glimpse of the pain and fury in his eyes when he thought Nadia could have betrayed him. She definitely is his Achilles’ heel and I can’t wait for her to play him.
Nadia is still focusing on bringing La Havana back to the top and was starting to build her own path - but with Arman now in danger, I think her priorities may be shifting again soon. The little party she threw seemed like the perfect place for Robert to introduce Thony and Arman to their new business partner - and he took every chance to try and get on Arman’s nerves. I absolutely loved the little nod to the first time we met Nadia in the pilot, when Thony had to clean up her party, as Kamdar brought two girls with him, as a reminder of their good old times. It’s hard to tell how much time has passed since the first episode, but how things have changed for Nadia, Thony and Arman.
As short as the scene was, it felt so good to see Arman back in control and comfortable for a tiny moment at La Havana. He became the black sheep in his own territory, and Hayak was still casting a shadow over him after his death. This time, he was finally able to shake hands and make small talk again to hopefully attract new members to the club. But the most interesting scene came when he taught Robert a little lesson. There was never a doubt that Arman is brilliant and made for this - he was mostly responsible for Hayak’s success - but to get to hear his analyses and see how clear-sighted he is, was a pure pleasure.
It was also a way to show his own power - he may not have the money or the connections to fight him right now - but he is smarter, and his deep understanding will prevail in his fight with Kamdar. Not to mention that Arman put Robert exactly where he belongs - in the sociopath box. He said it so casually!! He has been so broken lately, and those scenes felt like a nice little break from all the tension and trauma he is going through...even if it was just him hiding it all under the surface to keep up appearances while Thony wasn’t there.
Let me take a second to talk about the butterfly effect and how one little decision can change everything. Thony made it clear she would help Arman and stay by his side while they try to find a way to get rid of Kamdar - but if she hadn’t insisted on joining him to meet Cortés, none of that would have happened. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming her at all - I love the fact that she’s so supportive and wanted to play her part - but the thought just hit me during the episode, and I had to put it somewhere. Even though regrets won't change the past, this is something that she could feel guilty about (at least I know I would).
His better half. Arman spotted Thony the second she came in, and the least one can say is that he was stunned. She really is his light and never let's him down. I loved the fact that Thony was in charge of the deal, Arman let her lead the way, and just quietly looked at her with pride as the new buyer seemed to be impressed too. How could they not? Little mama came in looking like the boss that she is, with a burning fire inside of her, and had no time to waste. Everything went down as smoothly as possible, and they finally thought they had passed Kamdar’s test - but he had other plans to make them prove their loyalty...
The scene that followed was just breathtaking, and it was all on Arman’s shoulders. He could either kill Maya - an innocent woman that, just like Thony, wanted no part in this world - or watch the woman he loves die before dying himself. Arman was faced with an impossible choice, but Kamdar knew exactly which button to push to force his hand - and pointing a gun at Thony was definitely the right way to do it. The entire scene was just overwhelming: Kamdar counting down, Thony begging him not to do it, Maya’s muffled cries - Arman was crushed, but the moment Thony’s life was threatened, he knew he would have to pull the trigger...once again, to keep her safe.
Arman doesn’t take lives easily, or for pleasure. He always struggles after killing someone, and whether it was in the first season or now - you can literally see the strength it takes away from him every time. Adan Canto was simply outstanding in this numb and then emotional moment after killing Maya. The way he tried to come up for air, visibly sick to his stomach, struggling to breathe quietly through his tears, and unable to hold it in any longer, was just beautifully painful. Arman darkened his soul to, once again, save the woman he swore to protect - to keep her light in his life - because without her, he would be giving up on the good part inside of him. Little does Nadia know, Thony isn’t dragging Arman down with her, she is the one keeping him afloat.
Thony was in shock - Arman has kept her safe many times, but it was the first time she saw him kill in front of her. When he saw her walk past him without looking at him, he was terrified she could reject him and see him as the monster he once again thought he's become. But her view of him didn’t change - once again, there was no other choice, and she understood, but she still needed her own space to process it all. On their way back, when she saw how much it weighed on him - felt his pain, and saw him break down - it made her push her own emotions aside to remind him of what he told her earlier by simply reaching out and holding his hand: "We have to see this through. We’ll do it together.". They are now linked by another tragedy and another secret - while Garrett kept the people she loves safe, Thony had to watch someone important to him die for her.
Also. I was already crying with all of that, but please - when ‘’I need my girl’’ started playing, I was gone. CHILLS. I love this song that is so powerful and just hypnotizing - and it just added a whole new level of pain to the scenes. Dear writers, you can’t do that to people - it hurts.
On a side note: How lucky were they that Robert didn’t torture Maya to death to get her to talk and eventually reveal that Thony was working with Garrett? (or should I say, how stupid was Robert to keep her mouth taped - who was going to hear her scream in the middle of the woods? or was he scared to not be able to think while she screams and begs?)
Garrett also needed his girl...he failed Maya, but also himself - his chance of making up for his mistakes is now gone with her - and one can only imagine the crushing pain, anger, and guilt he is going to feel. Arman was already nervous when he found out that he was involved in this case on a personal level, and knew how reckless he could be. But now that she's dead - Garrett will probably be on his own rampage. Let’s hope he won't get blinded by rage and put them in desperate situations - they are in, they are his free ticket and best way to get close to Kamdar.
Will it really matter to him when he finds out that Arman is the one who killed Maya and gets to hear the entire story? After all, he had no other choice - and Kamdar is the one to blame for her death. But he will feel even more betrayed by Thony - and I fear the anger we saw in the interrogation room as they talked about Marco's death was only foreshadowing what's to come...The second half of the season promises to be even more emotional and thrilling!
Alright, that's all for now! I could use another break to recover from this emotional episode, but I’m glad that we'll be back next week with episode 8 - Spousal Privilege!
What did you think of this episode?
Let me know in the comment!
