Doesn't Play Well With Others - Revolution, Season 2, Episode 5

After last week’s stunning display of competence from our characters, I guess we were owed an episode that reminded us just how royally they can and do screw up.  And I guess we know now what those cells in D.C. were being prepared for, and whom.  And we know how Wifey’s first husband died. 

Monroe wants to help, honest.  But he’s like a five-year-old who really wants to help do the dishes, and ends up breaking half of them.  After talking Charlie down from stupidly just storming Willoughby’s gates, he meets up with Miles at an abandoned set of piers for a bridge long since gone.  Miles is understandably reluctant to accept his help.  Monroe always brings out the worst in Miles, whether Miles is fighting with him or against him.  But Miles has an appointment with a Texas Ranger later that night, and Monroe can help him produce what he needs for the appointment – evidence that the Patriots are responsible for the attack on the town.

Texas Ranger Man puts on a good bluff for Ed Truman, but he later confesses to Miles that Texas does not have the manpower to kick the Patriots out, and that his job is to not make a treaty impossible, so Miles makes a deal to meet with him later to produce evidence that the Patriots are really good at defending towns they attacked in the first place.  When Charlie magically appears to tell Miles that Rachel is wanted by the same US Government that has been real chummy with her, and Monroe offers to help produce whatever evidence he needs, it’s off to the train yards they go. 

Titus’ Henchman produces the charred remains of the soldiers who almost killed Miles last night.  Henchman is angry, as there is no explanation, reasonable or otherwise, why two soldiers spontaneously combusted.  Ed blusters his way through it, but one must wonder:  who controls the Patriots – Ed Truman or Henchman?

Neville is surprised by a wagon that can’t possibly transport all the people who want to get on it.  Yes, folks, there’s a wagon right behind this one.  Just like there’s another subway train directly behind the one you don’t fit in, too.  Allenford informs him that this and future wagons are going to Magicland, with new wells and fancy sleeping arrangements out of the rain and everything.  She tells him he’s coming with her to D.C., rebuffing his attempt to brown-nose her.  Taking Neville with her reduces the trouble he can cause around her other soldiers, and keeps him where she can keep an eye on him.

Aaron takes one look at some false teeth by his front door and decides to pack for a trip.  We find out later the teeth were a gift from wifey months ago as a joke, and that wifey’s first husband was a real doozy.  We see Aaron applying for his job as a teacher, and later on we see that Aaron has actually been teaching electrical wiring at the Willoughby school, for reasons that are completely unclear.  Wifey later finds Rachel to tell her Aaron has disappeared, and Rachel offers to help, knowing Aaron cannot get far.  She finds him out by a bunch of boats sitting derelict in a field, abandoned since they no longer run.  Aaron reminds Rachel that he used to be rich by mentioning he used to own boats himself.  We learn that the soldiers from the night before aren’t the first people Aaron has killed with his “gift”.  Wifey’s first husband was torched while cheating on wifey and after threatening Aaron when Aaron found out.  Aaron, instead of realizing the potential of his power, has been terrified that he’s going to kill someone else for months before this.  No wonder when wifey praises him as a miracle, Aaron looks guilty.  Rachel assures Aaron he won’t kill anyone good, only bad people, which is a sure sign Aaron will kill wifey by mistake soon.

Neville is wearing pretty cool sunglasses as he walks along the wagon taking Allenford to D.C.  But the trip is cut short by fellow Patriots.  Allenford is spooked, but not surprised by their sudden appearance, but her efforts to talk her way through it fail, and the firefight gets her in the gut and kills everyone else, except Neville.  He starts to treat her wound, demanding to know why she was ambushed by her own team.  Allenford tells Neville that Magicland is really an internment camp for “re-education”, which involves psychological torture and forced hallucinogens.  Allenford felt it was unnecessary and uncalled for, and she’s been shot for protesting to her higher-ups.  Reality check- exactly what re-education is required to make former Americans saved by the US Government want to be Americans again?  This re-education is for much more, and much worse, than votes.  Neville, realizing Allenford is a nobody now and she can’t give him anything he wants, starts to leave.  But Allenford has a card to play: she tells Neville that Jason is at one of these camps, and she’ll take Neville to his son in return for treatment.  He reluctantly gets to work.  They are now allies, though they’ve both lied to each other repeatedly and will continue to do so.

The train yards are a bust for our intrepid heroes, but Miles and Monroe have a good bromance fight moment, and Charlie finds some wagon treads.  So it’s off to the ambush they go.  The ambush is predictable, and predictably fought off, with Charlie keeping the Patriots focused on her and her really loud gun while Miles and Monroe sneak around and kill the Patriots where they stand.  Except for one guy, Henchman.  Oh, the look on Miles’ face when he realizes who the double agent between the War Clan and the Patriots must have been.  Miles knocks him out with his just healed, handicapable hand.  Miles wants him alive, as Henchman is his proof.  The town will recognize him, especially the chick who was in the coop with Miles, as a part of the War Clan.  And now he’s in a Patriot uniform.  It will appear odd, to say the least, at how fast he changed sides.  Monroe is relieved to have the hard part done and Texas RangerMan on the way to take over.

So, of course Rachel screws it up by showing up out of the blue with Aaron.  Miles has to talk her down from killing Monroe, shush everyone up and send them away before Texas RangerMan arrives.  Rachel and Charlie have a snit-fit over Charlie bringing Monroe, which Rachel thinks was stupid.  Charlie is mad that her mother isn’t even thanking her for helping.  Aaron tells them they can bitch at each other later.  Monroe is playing backup somewhere, in case the meeting is screwed up by anything.  Texas RangerMan shows up, but Henchman has already killed himself with a cyanide tooth.  Miles is so impotently angry, pointing out how ridiculous it would be for a Patriot soldier to have such a thing, but Texas RangerMan tells Miles it’s not enough, and he’ll only recommend that Texas not trust the Patriots.  As he has decided to be useless, of course he gets shot suddenly and collapses dead.  And, of course, Monroe appears from behind with a gun and very pleased with himself.  Now, all they have to do is frame the Patriots for Texas RangerMan’s death!  Isn’t that awesome, Miles?  Rachel gives the worst I-told-you-so look to Charlie that a mother can give.  Aaron is convinced they’re all screwed.  The group slowly realizes they’ll have to cooperate to clean up the mess Monroe made, whether they want to or not.