Being the Wife - Scandal, Season 3, Episode 7

I'll give Olivia this:  she is actually trying to cut ties to Fitz, the most selfish man in the universe.  Also the most obtuse.  The episode is light on Olivia, and heavy on Mellie's relationships with Fitz, Fitz's father Big Jerry, and Cyrus.  There's also a helping of the evolving Quinn/Charlie "relationship".  And, blessedly, no annoying and mostly useless US District Attorney.

Olivia really doesn't want to answer the ringing Fitz phone.  Maybe she changes her mind because she thinks, this time, Fitz is calling to be honest, maybe even apologize.  Since she knew Fitz's dad,  I don't understand why she thinks Fitz would do that.  Fitz just wants to hear her voice, find out whether Olivia has decided to hate him forever, tell her once again that national security will always trump whatever "love" he feels for her.  Olivia does a great job of summing up the last two seasons when she points out that she is surrounded by men who leave body counts, and the strain is starting to get to her.

Look, I can only have so many killers in my life

Fitz begs her to leave the airplane crash alone.  Olivia says nothing, and tells Fitz that he's like a stranger to her now.  I suppose she's right:  when they were campaigning together and having an affair, Olivia must have felt she knew everything about this man.  Now, she realizes how much he has to conceal.  We learn later that Fitz, out of concern for Olivia, is having her followed by an old friend.

Olivia rallies the gladiators.  Jake enters with the rest, sitting at the table with everyone else.  Is he officially a gladiator too?  Since Josie is speech-writing for a bit, they've got a break from next year's election.  But they will not be idle.  Olivia explains that the picture of their new client, which Huck and Jake must already know, is her mother.  The gladiators will investigate the airplane crash that brought the plane down and killed all aboard.  There's just one catch, which only Huck and Jake already know: Olivia places a picture of Fitz up, explaining that he shot the plane down, ordered to do so by B-613, and that the order was given by her own father, who also heads B-613.  Wow, those are some serious cards on the table.

Just another day at the office

Mellie's contempt for her own job shines through, even to the reporter who Mellie is escorting around to help repair the image of her marriage.   Curating the White House art collection could be interesting, except that Mellie has a law degree and some really unrealistic expectations.  Wow, there's a scary moment when the First Lady has to make an executive decision on… china to use for a White House reception in a couple of nights.  This episode shows, as if we didn't already see, how disappointed Mellie is in how little her sacrifices have gained her.  Mellie and the reporter go back and forth over whether her home is North Carolina, where she was raised, or California, where she and Fitz lived before the Presidency.  Mellie, like a good wife, tells the reporter that home is where her husband is.

Quinn is playing shoot-em-up with her new buddy Charlie, pleased at her progress, although it's nothing to Charlie's pretty impressive marksmanship.  He tells her he's a PI now, working on a cheating husband case, hoping for more like it.  She later actually trails him to his stakeout, where he catches her.  And then, for some inexplicable reason, kisses her.  Charlie, morbid fascination is NOT sexual attraction.  I think.

Abby and Quinn together are doing a lot of grunt work digging on the airplane crash, comparing different reports and sources to find discrepancies.  They find a big one- the flight was supposed to be full, but there seems to have been a missing person. Who?  The congressional report has no answers, and the gladiators figure out why:  Fitz's dad, the late US Senator Big Jerry Grant, headed the congressional investigation of the crash.  Hmmmm.  Yet another coincidence.  The gate agent will know who was taken off the plane.  Quinn demands that Huck recognize that she was right about Olivia having huge issues with her Dad.  Since Huck knew about it already, it's hard for him to really gush about Quinn's intuition, and she leaves pretty dissatisfied with him.

We flashback to Santa Barbara, about 15 years ago, with Fitz and Mellie actually in love, though we know it won't last.  The entire flashback is shot with some sort of filter that makes colors drab, without actually going all black and white on us.  Fitz is considering running for the Governor's mansion in California while staying with Fitz's dad for a visit.  Fitz's dad surprises them with the news that a major player in California politics won't be running for Governor, opening up the field.  He also surprises Fitz and Mellie with Cyrus, with a totally 90s gay guy haircut and an open appraising stare as he assesses both Mellie and Fitz before even speaking to them.

I hate Fitz, but, dude, he's not meat in a butcher shop.

Cyrus later talks strategy, telling Fitz to just concentrate on military base areas, right-wing counties, and everyone who loves a veteran.  Oh, and run on your war record.  You know, like how you shot down a civilian plane once?  Fitz, who absolutely doesn't want to run on a career that was forged after the fact to hide his classified work, refuses and walks away, starting a major hissy fit with his dad.  Big Jerry is still resentful that his son didn't follow the career path Big Jer laid out for him.  Fitz would like his dad to admit that it was right for Fitz to serve his country and stand on his own two feet for a while.  Although, if Fitz has really learned how to stand on his own two feet, why is he going to daddy to be made Governor?

Mellie tries to convince Cyrus to stay, asking Cyrus if he'll help smooth things over between Fitz and Big Jerry.  Cyrus informs her that that is Mellie's job, because being a closeted gay man with a wife is all his plate can take.  "Be the wife", he tells her.  Mellie is insulted.  She's a partner at a law firm.  Cyrus laughs the laugh of the cynical and amused, then tells her she'll have to give that up if she really really wants to win the Governorship, maybe even the White House.  So Mellie womans up and tells Cyrus to come back tomorrow, when she will have fixed the problem and the bickering between Fitz and Big Jerry.

Back in the present, the gate agent tells a couple of gladiators, when they interview her, about a strange occurrence before takeoff, while the plane was on the tarmac and cleared for take off.  Apparently, the plane was held on the tarmac so a Federal Marshall could remove an Omar Something from the plane at the last minute, and whoever questioned her way back when never bothered reporting on that.  She always thought it was odd.  Was there anyone else who would have seen this?  Sure, the guy operating the stairs to the plane that were used so the Federal Marshall and Omar could leave the plane.  Where is he now?

Cyrus and Mellie plot on stymying the Vice President's backstabbing by selecting a hooker to seduce the VP's husband.  Mellie prides herself on picking things out, and finds who she thinks will be just the girl.  It will be at the reception, the one Mellie just picked out china for.  Cyrus then asks VP Sally to go to Iowa, on a glad-handling mission so that Fitz can do important President stuff.  Thinking Cyrus just handed her a chance to do more backstabbing, Sally agrees.  Mellie tries to sidebar VP Sally to just let her know that a female intern complained about Mr. Sally's hands not being on his own body.  VP Sally shoots down the accusation, but later, privately, reminds her husband not to fuck things up for them.  Her husband, tired of this conversation the last twenty times they had it, tells her not to worry.

Later, on her present-day marriage image repair crusade, Mellie takes the baby to the Oval Office for some Daddy time, gleefully telling the reporter that Fitz always makes time for the baby, who is cuter than the Defense Secretary.  But not today.  Mellie opens the door on an empty Oval Office.  Mellie is flustered while she reassures the reporter, though it's really her who could use some reassuring.  Mellie later will yell at Cyrus, because Fitz is who knows where, demanding that Fitz be at the interview tomorrow.  He can't make her any promises.

Olivia, who's taking a back seat while her gladiators work, is getting a report from Abby.  Even though Olivia hates personal contact, Abby warns Olivia that she needs a hug, and gives Olivia a good, two-armed embrace, which Olivia appreciates.  They'll find the guy who let the Federal Marshal and Omar Something off, and get to the bottom of why the plane was shot down.  She hopes.

Back in the past, Mellie is trying to reason with Big Jerry, which is her first mistake.  This guy literally thinks he's a great dad because he didn't beat his son, like Grandpa Grant did.  Mellie, horrified at Big Jer's complete asshole-ness, gets a full helping when she hears all about Fitz's secret mission to shoot down a plane that would have landed in London with a dirty bomb, and that Big Jer covered it up so the US Government wouldn't get sued by the survivors of the "collateral damage".  Big Jer is absolutely contemptuous of anyone who would judge his actions.  But Big Jer isn't done.  After confessing that he wasn't faithful to Fitz's mother, and Fitz knew, Big Jer then decides he wants Mellie too.  She tries to fight back, but Big Jerry is a strong guy, much bigger than her, and Mellie is totally unprepared for just how awful men can be.

Flashback Mellie, a mess, silently slips into her and Fitz's bedroom, creeping to the bathroom, but Fitz is actually awake and wants to cuddle.  Mellie, desperately trying to hide what her father-in-law has just done tries to beg off to take a shower, but Fitz really needs spooning and doesn't notice that she's just had sex anyway, even when he's holding her in bed.  He cuddles with Mellie while complaining that his dad has never apologized for anything, or ever even admitted that Fitz did a good job in the military.  Instead, Big Jer always just acts as if Fitz never does anything right.  Mellie is all too happy when Fitz tells Mel they'll leave in the morning, and try a run for Governor when the timing is better.

Mellie today storms in on Fitz while he's doing super important stuff to yell at him for being a no-show with the reporter, and trying to duck out of tomorrow's interview.  She angrily reminds Fitz that this whole exercise in humiliation for her is because of his affair, and to get him back on the re-election track.  She tells Fitz that he's like a stranger to her now.  This actually gets his attention, mostly because Olivia just said the same thing days ago.  The next day, he surprises both the reporter and Mellie by showing up for the interview, defending his wife for staying with him, and aces the reception.

Flashback Mellie tries to eat breakfast alone with Big Jerry, desperate to pretend nothing happened.  But, Big Jerry just can't help bringing it up and glossing it over, which disgusts her.  She realizes she has quite the trump card just in the nick of time, because she tells Big Jerry just what to say and apologize for when Fitz shows up for breakfast.  Fitz is stunned at this total turn in his father, but it never occurs to him to ask why any of this is happening.  We see Mellie's first victory in the game of politics, and we see her triumph a week later, when she and Fitz have a secretly-gay campaign manager and a staff and celebrate with a lovely toast.  We see Mellie's fake First Lady smile, the smile that refuses to acknowledge any difficulty or insult, 'cause she'll get you back later.

I'm going to crush you all

Team Gladiator almost manages to interview the stair guy from the airplane, but it seems that Charlie has convinced a certain alienated Gladiator that this guy needs to be knocked out so Charlie can break in and do a fun job.  Quinn is all to happy to help, using her sweet, innocent, chirpy brunette routine to jab a hypodermic that she obviously didn't examine the contents of into his hand.  She's excited as she calls Charlie to tell him he can come in now, only to get no response from the phone.  Just a lot of froth and blood out of the guy, and then he dies with his blood all over her hands.  Quinn, freaking, runs away to try to call Huck in a nearby alley.  But it's Charlie who shows up and shows her a video of the night's fun.  He informs Quinn that she's officially on team B-613 now.  And the Gladiators will never question the last guy to see Omar Something get off the plane.

But the guy I never should have trusted told me not to worry!

The White House reception goes swimmingly, with Fitz giving Mellie no reason to feel insulted, but she and Cyrus are still disappointed when they're plan with the hooker seducing VP Sally's hubbie doesn't work.  Cyrus' husband, James, tries to talk to Cyrus about something, but Cyrus is angry and reminds his hubbie that he hasn't been getting the great interviews because he either lobs softballs or gets taken to the woodshed.  James thanks Cyrus for reminding him why he just got fired that day and storms off.  Mellie and Cyrus commiserate together, until Mellie sees something interesting.  VP Sally's hubbie may not have dug the hooker, but wow, is he into James Novak.  Mellie and Cyrus realize they have something better than just marital infidelity, they have a closeted gay man and marital infidelity.

The gay conversion therapy clearly didn't work

Fitz's old friend gives Fitz a report on his tracking of Olivia, telling Fitz she appears to live the normal life of a busy professional.  Fitz is still convinced she's in danger, and is looking over the report he's just gotten on Olivia's family.  The last page has a very rare picture of Olivia's father, which had to be procured from a former badge from Dad's work at the "Smithsonian".  Fitz realizes what Olivia meant when she said she's surround by murderers.  She meant Fitz.  And her father.

Rowan Pope flashes his badge in a  top secret, drab, depressing building and goes to a super secret detention facility, where he tells someone sleeping in a cell that their daughter is asking about "you".  Mya Pope sits up in bed, distrusting what her own husband is telling her.  How long has she been down there?

Good, I hope she kills you

Broken Chain - Legend of Korra, Season 2, Episode 13

Korra fails at keeping Unalaq from bonding with Vaatu, with disastrous consequences.  Tenzin succeeds, only to still not have his daughter.

Vaatu is free of the Tree of Time and just prancing around for a minute while Unalaq stares lovingly at the Spirit of Dark and Chaos.  Vaatu gets down to business and approaches Unalaq so they can bond. Korra hurls fire at them to stay separated, then uses Avatar power to grab Unalaq, and throw him right back through the South Pole Portal and out of the Spirit World.  She sends Bolin and Mako back through the portal to keep Unalaq out until she can re-imprison Vaatu.

You again?  

Team Tenzin is wandering the forest of the Spirit World, with no luck.  Bumi and Kya fight over what's more useless, trying to find Spirit footprints, or following spiritual energy in a world full of it.  They decide to ask a nearby, tree-dwelling spirit for help, but it turns out to be about as helpful as the rent-a-car clerk in Planes Trains and Automobiles, and they barely escape the scorpion-like spirit.  After wandering the forest some more, even a nearby spirit mushroom can tell they're lost.

The talking mushroom needs its own show!

They start to bicker again when Iroh shows up with his friendly spirit fox.  Iroh is willing to help them find the way out of the spirit world, but Tenzin tells Iroh that they've come to find his daughter, and won't return to the human world without her spirit.  Iroh wishes them the best, but warns them that eventually they'll be somewhere where only the lost can find them.  Only Tenzin figures out what that means, and marches right back to the scorpion spirit, blasting it with air so it will come out and capture them.

Vague hints are free!

Bolin and Mako stand vigil at the portal on the human side, and Unalaq's attack is icicle missiles, which Mako and Bolin block, pretty easily, with fire and earth.  The second season team has done an excellent job on Mako and Bolin's fight scenes, showing that together and alone, their time as professional benders has prepared them for this.  These last episodes of Bolin and Mako fighting together have been staged to demonstrate what a superior team they are, at least as long as Desna and Eska aren't around.

Korra and Vaatu duke it out on the Spirit World side, with Korra hitting Vaatu with fire, blasting a hole in him that heals and he captures her with vines that hold her still so she can't bend.  She struggles with them for a minute before head-butting fire to startle Vaatu and free herself.  She then turns on the Avatar power, and we hear Raava tell Vaatu that she's locking him up for another ten thousand years.  All four elements approach and circle Vaatu, capturing him.

Bolin and Mako are slightly bored waiting behind Bolin's makeshift cover when Eska appears suddenly, calling Bolin her turtle duck, and she and Desna knock the brothers unconscious.  Eska can really make a term of endearment sound ominous.  Unalaq returns, leaves his kids to guard Bolin and Mako, and goes right back through the portal.  Korra is just about to place Vaatu back in the Tree of Time, when Unalaq attacks and Vaatu breaks free.  Korra is a little dizzy from Unalaq's water knockout, and can't stop him from bonding with Vaatu this time.

Mako and Bolin race into the Spirit World.  Desna and Eska follow, trapping them both in ice blocks that prevent them from moving and bending.  They are helpless as Desna and Eska watch Unalaq and Vaatu become one.  Unalaq declares himself the new Avatar for a new age.  Korra calls bullshit on this.  Their fight takes them back into the human world through the portal.  Desna and Eska guard Bolin and Mako.

Korra and Unalaq battle it out as Avatars, even though Unalaq can still only bend water, and Korra has all four elements.  Korra has a great move where she bends rock to shoot out of the ground under her, propelling her into the air so she can hurl fire at Unalaq.  He gains an advantage over her and tries to kill her by crushing her in a crevice in the ice.  Raava rallies Korra, who turns on the Avatar power for another attack.  She uses water as a coil to trap Unalaq's arm, then turns the part on Unalaq into ice so that arm is immobilized.  When she tries the same trick on his other arm, he ends up using the water link between them to draw her in close.  Then Vaatu takes over.

Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya are dragged by the scorpion spirit to the Bog of Lost Souls, and Tenzin explains that the fog that looks harmless is actually a spirit that infects minds, inducing amnesia and madness.  When Kya asks just how long they could be trapped there, they see General Zhao from Aang's battle at the North Pole.  He is still obsessed with capturing Aang, and confuses Tenzin for Aang, until Bumi and Kya drive him away and they can escape.  Tenzin tries to delay the inevitable by tying them together, but Bumi and Kya eventually forget who they are, and untie themselves, running off into the fog.  Bumi is terrified of cannibals he sees; Kya thinks her own brothers are trying to kidnap her.  Tenzin is left alone, about to forget who he is.

Mako tries to reason with Desna, who briefly remembers that his own dad didn't care if he died.  Eska is resolute until Bolin breaks out in tears.  Eska tells him "explain yourself further",  and he "confesses" to Eska that he loves her and now, with the world ending in Vaatu's darkness,  the ember of their love will never be big hot love flames.  Eska, touched, passionately kisses Bolin, and frees him.  She warns Bolin that no one can defeat their father, but maybe they can get together if Bolin lives.  Bolin and Mako race back to the human world to help Korra.  Desna is sure they're goners.

Sure, I want my dad to kill you.  But that doesn't mean I don't love you.

Tenzin desperately reminds himself that he is the son of Aang, and all the responsibilities that come with being the son of the last Airbender, and how important it is to pass on his father's legacy, and please his father, long dead.  Tenzin starts tormenting himself with fear of failure, fear of disappointing his father, and starts to go mad, until Aang appears.

You could have done this a lot sooner.  Just sayin'.

Aang finally clears up all of Tenzin's daddy issues with "You are not me.  You should not be me.  You are Tenzin."  Tenzin clears the infection and the spirit by repeating his name, driving out his fears and self-imposed expectations for pleasing his father.  The air clears, and Tenzin can see Jinora, sitting on her knees, not really aware of anything around her. Tenzin gathers her up, finds Bumi and Kya, and takes them out of the valley.  As they reach the top of the hill, the others remember who they are, and regain consciousness.  With the mist cleared, it's obvious what a mental prison the place is, as lost souls simply stand or sit or kneel blankly, totally inert and some so close to the hill to just walk out.  Kya and Bumi follow Tenzin, realizing their big brother saved them as the mist regenerates and the prison is secure again.

Leaving the party early

Vaatu opens up Unalaq and releases a huge amount of energy, that Korra tries to rebuff too late.  Vaatu's energy draws Raava out of Korra.

Korra collapses on the ground, dazed and too weak to stop Unalaq as he whips water at Raava, each blow severing spiritual links with her past lives, starting with Aang and finally working back, as Raava is vanquished, to Wan, who disappears in a flash of light. Each disappearing Avatar hits Korra like a blow to the chest.

Ten thousand years of spirit power and knowledge, wiped out

Unalaq whips Raava again, and she dissolves into light particles that melt away like firecracker sparks.    Raava is gone.  The unbroken chain of Avatars is no more.  There is no one to stop Vaatu now.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

Team Tenzin is walking back to the portals, with spirit butterfly friends of Jinora to guide them, when Jinora stops, and informs them that something terrible has happened, and Jinora will have to leave them.    She hands her dad a spirit butterfly, tells him to find Korra, and disappears.  After all Tenzin and his siblings risked, Jinora isn't leaving the spirit world anytime soon.

Vaatu unleashes, and now we see the end of Unalaq.  Vaatu grows enormous, and Eska and Desna come through the portal to watch their father completely disappear into an enormous, black and red spirit giant.  Bolin and Mako reach Korra, and together they watch as Vaatu reaches up to the Aurora Borealis that extends all over the globe during Harmonic Convergence, and it sucks him from the ground.  He disappears into the Aurora, to create the world of darkness and chaos he's wanted for 10,000 years.

Well, at least Unalaq is gone

That's More Like It - Walking Dead, Season 4, Episode 7

So.... I guess he's the Governor again. Or at least a Scoutmaster.  Even that calming, soothing, speechifying voice is back, to go along perfectly with his homicidal mania.  There was a time, when I thought the destruction of his daughter brought about a psychotic episode that ended only when most of Woodbury was dead.  Now, I realize anything could bring out Phil's violence.  Kittens.  Untied shoes.  Phil spends the episode either being reminded of his past, or re-creating it.

We start with Megan and "Brian" being helped out of the walker pit by a very reluctant Martinez.  But what's Martinez supposed to do?  If Martinez kills Phil, he'd be responsible for Tara, Lily and Megan.  We find out later that Martinez just can't handle that responsibility again, not after losing his own family when the world turned.  Martinez fishing them out of the pit is juxtaposed with Phil dodging questions from Megan about his own father, who turns out was a total dick.  Martinez, on the other hand, pretty much rolls with it and makes a decent deal with Phil right at the edge of the pit: I'll call you "Brian" and won't tell them all about the town you destroyed, and you take orders from me.  Megan fears her dad was mean because she's bad.  Phil reassures her she is, in fact, good.  Too bad not everyone else is.

Totally sure everything will be okay

It's a good deal, with Phil, Lily and Megan sharing a camper with only one leak in the roof.  But Phil is actually ashamed that this is all he can offer his new family.  Is this what Phil was like before?  Always trying to provide more for his family than he actually could, and beating himself up for it?  Obsessing over whether he was correcting his own father's mistakes?  When his wife died of cancer, did Phil spend the 18 months before zombies re-examining every medical choice they made? Blame the insurance company for her death?  Since Phil loves Megan like he loved Penny, did this mean she was the only bright, good spot of his life?

Lily and Tara adjust well to the camp, with Lily providing the camp's only medical care, and Tara getting a girlfriend she can talk guns with (I'll take a .22 rifle by any reputable manufacturer, myself).  Megan doesn't seem to have kids she can play with, which leads to a pretty disastrous game of tag, but otherwise it's really only Phil's demons that camp could do without.  It's got about 20 adults, 2 of whom had military experience.  Pete was a loyal soldier to the end;  his brother Mitch ditched as soon as he could gas up his tank.

Martinez, The brothers Grimm, and Phil all head out to a cabin supposedly filled with supplies, to discover its owner dispensed some pretty extreme justice.  The owner, after killing others, labels himself a murderer and blows his own head off.  Phil bends over to look at the same picture he used to carry- Dad, pretty Mom, pretty little girl adored by Mom and Dad.  They inspect the cabin, and find a room with the zombie Mom and daughter, as well as the head collection.  Phil takes out the undead with his knife.  To Phil, this is all old hat and really just reminds him of the good old days, which Martinez must be aware of.

As the searchers share some beer they discover, Phil cleverly dodges questions about his past, saying on "I survived".  Is he talking about before or after the world turned?  Martinez is complicit here and later, when the ladies can't get any info out of Phil about his old life, or the town he and Martinez both left.  Phil actually starts clearing the table rather than answer any questions about Woodbury.  As he lets the leak in the roof get at him again, Martinez asks if Phil can come over to play... golf.  

All alone, you, me, some booze, some golf clubs and your murderous pathology

Up on the roof of Martinez's camper, with Martinez obviously drunk, Martinez explains that the ladies and Megan are the only reason he's here, as Martinez will never take on the responsibility of a family again.  You can't promise they'll be safe.  No one can keep that promise, so no one should make that promise.  Phil just repeats that he won't let anything happen to them "again".  Does Phil even know the difference between this family and his first one anymore?  Is he trying to re-create that family, get it right this time?  Martinez, drunk, doesn't think about it either way.  Since the day went so well, and Phil was pretty useful, and he doesn't seem to want to even talk about Woodbury, let alone re-create it, Martinez decides it's a great time to offer to share power with Phil.  The hit from the golf club is quick and silent and knocks Martinez down.  Phil then shoves Martinez off the roof of the camper.  Martinez, beyond the pain and confusion of what is probably a terrible concussion, is shocked that Phil is dragging him across the grass shouting "I don't want it! I don't want it!"  while doing the very thing that will lead to Phil getting it.  At first, Phil holds Martinez' head over the edge in a rage, zombies grabbing Martinez's head. Martinez's body is slowly dragged into the pit and Phil lets go.  He collapses on the grass.  He has just killed the one guy outside the prison who knows just how terrible he can be.  Lily, for the life of her, can't figure out why Phil can't sleep that night.

 Not victim blaming, just saying you really should not have trusted Phil

Pete and Mitch announce Martinez's death to the others, who are demoralized that their leader died after drinking and wandering too close to the zombie pits.  Pete and Mitch announce, to everyone's immediate booing, that Pete will be in charge.  Only after a lot of tension and complaints does Pete announce that they'll hold an election in "a couple of days".  Goddess bless him, Pete probably would have tried to hold an election.  Pete, Mitch and Phil wander the woods for supplies.  Pete is already fretting about how much responsibility leader a bunch of campers is, and will Phil help? Phil doesn't respond as they find another group of campers close enough to reach by a few hours' walking yet somehow never seen before today. Mitch wants to attack them for their supplies; Pete wants to bring them and their supplies in.  Phil has no opinion, other than realizing that these two will bicker and disagree and nothing will ever get done effectively.

If these two don't shut up, I will kill at least one of them

 
After they arrive back, in foul moods because some other group of thugs attacked the same camp later that day, and made off with the supplies they wanted, Phil decides this isn't going to work out.  Mitch and Pete's bickering will ruin the camp.  It's only a matter of time before it explodes and the camp breaks up or is too weak to defend itself.  He rushes into his camper and tells an unbelieving Lily that they have to go, because he's not going to lose them again.  He still can't tell the difference between this family and his first one.  Megan, totally sure of "Brian", is already packing, but Phil has to beg Lily to trust him.  Later that night, Phil, Lily, Megan, Tara and Alicia are on their way out, but they can't get past a pit of zombies trapped in some sort of mud or goo flooding the road.  Phil is totally defeated.  He can't leave, and he sure as hell ain't gonna' accept the pathetic leadership options the camp has.  The next morning, back in their camper with the others asleep, Lily wants to know where Phil is going, and what he's doing.  "Surviving", he tells her.

Worst. Roadblock.  Ever.  

"Surviving", apparently means showing up at Pete's, the kind army guy who wouldn't attack yesterday, and knifing him from behind, killing him.  It also involves showing up at Mitch's with a gun pointed at Mitch as he calmly explains to a bad ass with his own tank that his brother is dead, and Mitch is going to do what Phil wants from now on.  Does Mitch maybe realize that Martinez didn't die by accident at this point?  Hard to say.  Mitch, for all his bluster, is not a chess player and didn't see this coming, which means that Phil is ahead of him.  Phil explains that Mitch will like his leadership, because Phil will do and order whatever it takes to survive.  Phil even has a handy explanation for Pete:  Mitch and Phil can just claim he died a hero on a supply run.  Phil explains, juxtaposed with weighting Pete's body down and tossing him in the pond (notice: no head wound) no one uses because it's polluted, that everyone loves a hero.   Not Phil, though.  Turns out that Phil's older brother was a hero.  Didn't help him.  Phil doesn't want to be a hero.  He wants to live, and protect the family he barely holds on to his sanity for.

Later, Phil is cleaning out his old wound, with his eye patch raised.  In the previous episode, Phil never takes it off, even for sex or sleep.  So when Lilly comes in unexpectedly, Phil scrambles to put it back on so she can't see his eyeless eye.  Lily, though, stops him, and takes a good long look at his missing eye. She's unfazed.  Despite being a nurse, the scene is pretty clear.  Lily is telling Phil that she accepts him as he is, even the scary parts.  She just has no idea how scary the parts can be.  Whatever you do, don't ever complain about how hard it is to be the leader to him.

Phil leads a meeting of the campers, making sure the vehicles all block the perimeter, and that ammo is collected and accounted for.  They seem to all like reporting to him.  He's in full Governor mode, going over locations to gather supplies with others, warning the campers to report all strangers to him.  Phil goes back out to the pond and we realize he's replaced his aquarium collection with the pond.  Pete, dead and zombified, is struggling to swim out of the pond, chained to a weight that keeps him from ever surfacing.  Phil is fascinated with zombie Pete, maybe wondering how he got in there in the first place.  But it's too good to last, and a game of tag ends with Megan almost getting bitten, with Tara completely useless as she tries to drag the zombie away.  Phil ends it just in time with one shot.  The camp is shocked.  Mitch realizes that Phil ain't playing, and is mentally ruling out a coup.  Phil just walks away.  Just like that day, in Woodbury, when he shots a bitten townie the day after Rick and Co. made off with Merle.  Which reminds Phil.  There's a prison just a drive away.

And on those prison grounds is Rick and his kid, growing food.  A short walk away, and old man is laughing with a happy and smiling Michonne, done looking for the man who now has a gun on her.

Quantum of Harmonic Convergence - Legend of Korra, Season 2, Episode 12

This episode does a great deal of setting up, yet never slows down.  Believe it or not, but after a battle of sky bison and prop plane against the Northern Water Tribe, then the battle of Team Avatar against Unalaq, this is all just a prelude to the action of the last two episodes.  Each episode from here on in presents part of the final confrontation between Raava/Korra and Vaatu/Unalaq.  Each episode has periods of building excitement through fighting, and then crushing setbacks due to losses in battle or losing focus which bring the tension down until something new gives Team Avatar new hope, or Unalaq makes the situation worse and they must respond.  In this one, we get to the beginning of Harmonic Convergence and the freeing of Vaatu.

End of the world, schmend of the world, now break up with Korra

We start with comic relief on Varrick's battleship the Ju Li, as an incensed Korra practices ripping apart a dummy Unalaq while Mako watches and Bolin tells him to tell Korra the truth about the break up already.  Bolin shows off stuff he found on the ship, which includes a bite from a cat gator.  Apparently, there's a whole level of them on the battleship.  However, Mako's delayed in telling Korra about their breakup, as Asami, holding it together quite well, tells them they'll have to land at Katara's healing compound, where she is treating the injured Southern Water Tribe fighters that survived last episode's failed rebellion.  Kya and Tenzin bring Jinora, who has been without a spirit in her body for a week.  Katara is impressed with Jinora's endurance, but doesn't know how long her body can survive.

At the South Pole, Unalaq can taste his total victory.  Eska and Desna approach him, and tell him that he's conquered the South, can they go home now?  But Unalaq tells them the plan is just beginning, go and prepare for the inevitable battle with Korra.

Yeah, sure Dad.  We'll get right on it.

Team Avatar frets about getting to the South Pole without an army, until Bumi inspires a great and daring idea from Asami - she'll fly a prop plane to the South Pole base with Mako and Bolin and create havoc that will distract the base from Ugi the sky bison flying into the Portal.  The plan only goes well for about one minute, as Asami's expert maneuvers bring the plane with Mako and Bolin strapped to the wings right up to the base, dodging ice missiles from water benders below, and regular missiles from the Automatons that mysteriously ended up in Unalaq's hands.  Asami gets them close enough that Mako's fire can reach the base, and Bolin can toss some of Varrick's remote explosives into the base, causing an circle of flame throughout the camp.  It goes great until Desna and Eska get involved, hurling missiles at the plane until the back fuselage comes off and Asami crash lands, with Mako and Bolin thrown into the snow.

Unfortunately for Team Avatar, the portal is also guarded by a small herd of dark spirits flying in circles around the light energy emanating straight up from the portal.  Tenzin flying Ugi, with Kya, Bumi, and Korra on board is right behind Asami's plane until they decide to fly around, looking for a way in.  Dark Spirits immediately bombard the sky bison, dragging it down.  Bumi kicks at one particularly big one, but falls and grabs onto the back of the spirit briefly before they both fall off Ugi into the snow below.

Dude, it's a Spirit, not a cockroach

Bumi is just the prelude, the spirits bring Ugi down, with the passengers getting thrown everywhere.  A groggy Korra sees Norther Water Tribe Troops approaching, then comes to seeing her father, Tenzin, and Kya held as Unalaq's prisoners.  Asami, Bolin, and Mako are thrown in bound in chains for good measure.  Only Bumi is still at large, giving them absolutely no confidence whatsoever.  Unalaq and his kids enter, and Unalaq, who has gone total Bond Villain at this point, tells the whole team his plan.  He wants to free Vaatu from the Tree of Time so he can bond with Vaatu as Raava is bonded with Korra, becoming a Avatar of Darkness and Chaos, in counterbalance to Korra, the Avatar of Light and Peace.  Korra thinks this plan is awful, mostly because she knows enough about Vaatu to doubt he'll ever share Unalaq's body and spirit; he'll consume Unalaq as soon as they're bonded, and nothing will hold Vaatu in check from destroying human civilization.  Unalaq leaves for his big date, telling Desna and Eska to keep the prisoners out of the spirit realm so he can bond with Vaatu.  Korra tries working on them, but Desna loses his shit and shouts out that of course they believe in their father.

Bumi wakes up to see that his new enemy, a Dark Spirit, isn't done with him.  After some completely ineffective punches, and a knife throw that ends up almost killing himself, Bumi literally takes out his flute by mistake and desperately tries a little music, which of course works.  If you don't have strategy, try desperation.

He just wants a little love.  Is that so hard?

Unfortunately, Bumi decides this is a great idea for taking the base at the portal and rescuing his friends.  And who should come thundering up but Naga, the polar bear dog, with Bolin's pet ferret?  Bumi decides that's a sign from the universe that his cockamamie plan is destined for success.  So he infiltrates the base at the portal.

Like Maxwell Smart, but dumber

The Dark Spirits come to him, all right.  But they, apparently, have no taste, and attack Bumi despite the killer show tune medley he delivers.  So, Bumi beats it to the Automatons that Unalaq has at the base, and jimmies himself in there, only to discover the spirits can follow him right in.

Peekaboo!

The Dark Spirits also start the Automaton with their spirit energy, and since Bumi doesn't really know how to operate one, he just starts pulling levers.  The Automaton clumsily destroys the entire base when it throws a lasso that catches on to the antenna tower, bringing the tower down and sweeping it in a wide arc that takes out everything except the center tent with Team Avatar.  Bumi, about to lose the Automaton, ejects his seat, and comes exploding out.  He lands on ice and slides, still strapped in his seat, right into the middle of the tent, declaring his rescue went perfect.  The others are stunned, until Desna and Eska show up.  But Naga has those two covered, knocking them out as she storms into the tent.

Team Avatar doesn't have much time, only minutes until Harmonic Convergence.  They stumble to the portal, and Korra sends Asami back with Ugi and her dad, who is injured.  The plan at this point: Tenzin, Kya and Bumi will leave and find Jinora's spirit.  Bolin and Mako will keep Unalaq away from Korra long enough for her to close the North Portal, preventing Harmonic Convergence and keeping Vaatu locked away for another 10,000 years.  After not being able to promise that any of them will survive, Korra leads them in.

Seriously?  Why is this suddenly a Bond movie?

Unalaq is waiting with Dark Spirits, who attack Team Avatar.  Tenzin and his siblings beat it for the spirit wilds and the search for Jinora, and Korra launches an awesome Avatar attack, driving the Dark Spirits away completely.  

No more Dark Spirits for me, thanks!

Korra rushes to the portal as Mako and Bolin use fire and earth to battle Unalaq.  They are a beautiful fighting team, with Bolin using rocks not just as missiles, but also to create cover.  Mako's fire is all over the place.  Unalaq does some awesome move where he's in the air, then creates an ice slide so he slides down and lands right in front of Team Avatar.

But Korra is too late.  Vaaut mocks her as the planets align, and she is pushed back by the energy in the portals as they bend into the arc of Harmonic Convergence.  The energy from the arc reaches the Tree of Time, freeing Vaatu.

Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

Unalaq is thrilled, but Korra can only stare with determination at Raava's longtime arch-enemy.

Uh Oh, The Missus - Revolution, Season 2, Episode 9

Tonight, our intrepid anti-and-unwilling heroes get answers to a few burning questions.  Just in time for the end of the first half of the season.  Too bad they don't like the answers.

The episode starts with Team Rachel about to impossibly storm the castle, only find it's Sleeping Beauty's castle.  Instead of a Princess, they find a tunnel.

I'm sure this leads to Candyland...

Rachel continues her nearly unbroken streak of trying to get the group to change course and plans at exactly the wrong time.  She is dead set on finding her Dad, and "rescuing" him from the Patriots.  She spends most of the episode trying to get everyone to turn around and go back the the death-hole they just escaped from.  Neither Miles or Charlie are having it.  Are there a bunch of soldiers waking up around them who will want to kill them? Better stay and find Dad.  Is Aaron in danger?  Better go rescue Dad.  Is Monroe hacking people up and stashing everyone in a basement?  Better fret about Dad and whether he's okay to Charlie.  Is Miles dying?  Better go rescue- what? Miles is dying?!?!?!?!?  Oh, that gets her out of her must-rescue-Dad funk.

Why won't any of you let me make this about me? Why?

As they track Aaron through X-Files type fog, totally uncharacteristic for Texas, they encounter a horde of Patriots also looking for Aaron because of the extremely sick fucker in the wagon.  Who is now visibly sick, but still giving orders.  That armed guys follow.   Just sayin'.  Monroe helps them literally hack their way through soldiers to a hide-hole, then to the school where Aaron and wifey are holed up.  Along the way, Miles has to confess to Monroe that he's dying of some blood-poisoning from a prior hand wound.  Miles makes the colossal mistake of asking Monroe to step up and take some responsibility for peoples' safety once Miles can't.   Isn't that like asking Dice Clay to babysit?  Eventually, they leave, and follow the Patriots to "Stay-Puft".

Aaron spends the episode talking to a kid that only exists in his brain.  The whole thing is wonderfully staged, resembling both the movie A.I. and the children's book The Little Prince.  Little Boy waxes on to Aaron about something called Spring City in Oklahoma, and apparently both the audience and Aaron need to know that it has the second largest ball of twine in the world.  Expect a road trip there in the second half of the season.  What we need to know now, is that the boy claims to be from there, and left to search for his "parents".

Why are you in school?  This is Saturday!

When a healed wifey awakes, and can't see or hear this boy, Aaron panics, thinking he's in Crazytown.  But it's wifey who tells Aaron to hash it out with "Kevin", a blast from Aaron's past, or at least the form the nano tech decided to take for Aaron to see.  When Aaron was turning on and off the power, those ridiculously fast fingers did a lot more.  They also enabled nano tech to make the jump from programmed to self-aware.  Aaron inadvertently created A.I. This A.I. is like Skynet, only worse, because it has only wanted to spend the last six months pleasing Aaron.  So if Aaron, who has always been beaten down, and probably hated everyone who ever bullied him, wanted someone dead, the nano tech gleefully obliged.  If Aaron is hurt, the nano tech brings him back to life.  If Aaron is in danger, the nano tech puts everyone to sleep, and sneaks Aaron out the tunnel.  Aaron is horrified to learn that an all powerful, intelligent technology will kill.  For him.  Since nano tech is ridiculously small, can be breathed, exhaled, eaten, go through you and anywhere else, this A.I. is actually all-knowing.  Aaron is horrified to learn that nano will make all his fantasies about killing come true, and tells the nano to stop killing and leave him alone.  "Kevin's" last service to Aaron is tell him that the Patriots have arrived at the school.

Neville gets himself and Boy Band assigned to Roger, who bristles a little at the whole thing, especially when Neville reminds him his dead traitor wife brought Neville and Boy Band into Allenford's life.  Long story short, when you finally give up on Mrs. Neville, Julia, there she is.  And with another man, just so Neville can be even more shocked, and feel even more betrayed.  Neville handles it with the slow walk-by, so Julia can see what she's been missing.  Turns out, she did miss it.

I totally trust you now after that quickie

After handling business, she tells him that she thought he was dead, which is a pretty good assumption. Especially considering he thought she was dead.  But while she married someone else, Neville plotted revenge.  Julia calls his revenge and raises him a coup.  I think.  Not sure what she's got planned.  But Boy Band gets to see his mom again, with Neville making sure Boy Band knows this is all on the hush hush.  Three episodes ago, he openly disdained his mom for her prior affair.  But his eyes on seeing his mom again give him away.  He'd kill dad if it meant having his mom back.  In a second.

There are a series of scenes where Aaron, wifey, Charlie, Monroe, Miles and Rachel dodge and try to hold off Patriot soldiers.  Monroe and Charlie have the decency to stick to fighting,

The only characters doing what they're supposed to be doing

but Miles and Rachel decide to re-hash out a confab they had 22 fucking years ago, just so that Miles can confess that he lied, and actually, he really loves Rachel and she's the only girl for him.  Then he passes out, leaving Rachel to shoot at soldiers trying to bust down the door and try to get Miles to tell her he loves her again.  Aaron and wifey get caught by Dr. Brain Tumor, and it goes poorly, with Dr. Tumor insisting that Aaron cure him dammit.  Aaron tries to tell Dr. Tumor that it's not that simple, even though it actually is, or was, until Aaron told "Kevin" to get lost.  So Dr. Tumor shoots wifey in the chest, thinking that it will trigger Aaron's healing powers.

 Look, I just want you to cure cancer, not end world hunger.

Dr. Tumor triggers a lot more than he did the night before, and when Aaron changes his mind about "Kevin",  it results in first Dr. Tumor going up in flames, then all the other Patriots.  But "Kevin", is also not the same obedient servant he was last night.  "Kevin" is confused- why does Aaron change his mind, with death as the result?  Why didn't Aaron want him to heal wifey again?  Aaron suddenly remembers that's an option.  But "Kevin" has realized that maybe being a creator doesn't make someone a god, and he's outta here.  So wifey stays dead.  Besides the obvious plot point that Aaron fulfilled by choosing death over life, the scene also represents consequences.  Wifey stays dead because that's the only way Aaron will leave, and hopefully go to Oklahoma.  Aaron's choice also frees up Team Rachel to leave without being followed.

But what about Miles?  Does he die just as he admits the truth to Rachel?  Will Monroe ditch the group and try to find his kid?  Why would he do something so pointless, when there's the second biggest ball of twine in the world next door in Oklahoma?

Hollywood Ending - Legend of Korra, Season 2, Episode 11

Team Avatar is reunited!  Heroics from Bolin save everyone and free Mako from jail.  Varrick's dastardly plans are foiled, but he still gets his way!  Asami has her soul crushed.  But everyone toughs up for the trip to the South Pole.

Korra, Tenzin, Kya and Bumi return to the Air Temple where Tenzin's family has been waiting for them.  But Tenzin's wife doesn't see Jinora until Tenzin lifts her up, carrying her down to the ground to a panicked mother.  Tenzin and Korra both blame themselves, and Tenzin vows to bring her back.  Kya places Jinora in healing waters, bending to keep Jinora functioning without a spirit in her body.

Guess we suck as babysitters....

Bolin visits Mako in jail, wanting to share his own happiness from fame and money.  Maybe Bolin is trying to cheer Mako up.  In true completely obtuse Bolin fashion, he emphasizes how different their lives are now.  Mako reminds Bolin he was framed by Varick because he figured out Varick was attacking Asami's business and the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center.  Bolin thinks that using his crazy story as an insanity defense is the way to go.

I'm doing great... guess you're not

Mako wants to speak to Asami.  Bolin reminds Mako that Asami is too depressed to visit, as jails remind her that her dad is a criminal.  So Mako warns Bolin to be careful and watch for Varick to launch something at the premiere of Bolin's biggest mover yet that night.  Bolin dismisses Mako's warnings, certain Mako is crazy.

Who could resist seeing this?

The premiere starts off fantastic, with Bolin arriving with his co-star Ginger, and taking some nonsense from the announcer as proof that he and Ginger are dating, which Ginger brushes off, calling Mako "as dumb as the rocks you bend".  Smart one, that Ginger.  President Reiko arrives with his wife, enduring Varick's shameless ass-kissing, and reminds Varick that his propaganda films won't change his mind- he still won't send Republic Forces to the South Pole.  Varick, behind Reiko's back, is confident that tonight will definitely convince Reiko to intervene.

I'm sure my evil kidnapping scheme will go just as planned....

Chief Beifong has her police officers patrolling the premiere, including the two most incompetent cops ever, more obsessed with eating than patrolling.    However, said cops don't notice when a tiny boat with about four bad-looking guys in Northern Water Tribe army costumes comes to a rest just under the stadium, and four water benders take the detectives easily.

Ginger, Bolin, and Asami are all sharing a box in the theater which is conveniently also the pro-bending stadium with a giant movie screen on one side.  The "mover" is classic early talkies cinema, full of obvious cuts to conceal effects, and a convoluted Doomsday device that Nuktuk, Hero of the South, must stop.  Nuktuk arrives in Republic City and gets enthusiastic help from the President, in an obvious propaganda technique.  As one of the animal characters, played by Bolin's ferret, dies in the movie, Bolin leaves, getting air on the railing that has a view of the dock.  Asami comes out to comfort him, wanting to make sure he understands his ferret isn't really dead.  Bolin, typically, knows the ferret will live as it comes back to life at the end of the mover.   Polarity shifts, and all that.  No, Bolin is really upset that members of Team Avator have all gone separate ways, and he misses his friends.  Asami reminds Bolin that people change, that things are different these days for everyone.  Then Asami goes back in, leaving Bolin to notice the empty little boat just underneath the stadium.

Bolin discovers the two worst detectives ever stuffed in a locker, and he immediately realizes that Mako is right.  Off he goes to the President's box in the theater, to fight off the water benders trying to kidnap President Reiko and his wife.  Each move in his fight matches the movie.  Bolin uses his earth bending to defeat the kidnappers, as Nuktuk "bends" water in the mover to defeat the evil Unalaq's armies.  Bolin and his attackers leap down onto the pro-bending platform, with the water benders accessing the water underneath and Bolin using the clay discs from the platform.  Once awesome move has Bolin building two towers of discs, and slamming them together as a wall from a blast of water.  Bolin, after much heroics, defeats the attackers as Nuktuk defeats Unalaq in the mover, and Bolin becomes a real life hero.  Bolin demands one of the water benders tell him who hired them- he admits it was Varick.

Bolin defeats three water benders all by himself!

Varick realizes the jig is up too late;  Beifong is right there in Varick's box to arrest him.  Asami congratulates Bolin and Ginger is suddenly practically married to Bolin.  Asami wants to get Mako freed from prison.  Bolin, at first, thinks he should have time with Ginger first.  Reiko and Beifong are relieved to have caught the culprit behind the bombing and piracy, with Beifong praising Mako for figuring it out first.  They're all about to head over to jail to free Mako when a sky bison interrupts all the action.  Enter Korra!  With Tenzin!  The band's back together!

Korra tries to tell Reiko Unalaq's real plan, using Harmonic Convergence to free the spirit of dark and chaos and ruin the world, and tells him the time has come to commit his troops.  But Reiko, after a moment of thought, still refuses.  If the world will be in chaos, he says, his troops must be in Republic City to protect the people.  Tenzin is angry, but Reiko holds firm.  So Korra settles for going with everyone else to jail to free Mako.

Sure, the show's about you.  But that doesn't mean it's ALL about you.

Quick editorial:  I like Reiko.  Sure, he seems like a real pain in the ass.  But notice, he wants his troops to protect his constituents, not Korra.  He's  immune to shameless propaganda.  He's a hard ass, but he praises Mako after Beifong admits he was the real detective here.  I look forward to watching his character working with hot-headed Korra.

At jail, Mako is brought out to all his friends, Chief Beifong, and the two most incompetent detectives ever.  Beifong offers Mako a detective position, and fires the two louses he'll be replacing.

The band's back together!

Korra, not to be outdone, kisses Mako full on the mouth, to Asami's mortification.  Mako is terribly confused as he reminds Korra they just had a fight, and is embarrassed when she admits she's lost chunks of her memory, and was their fight bad?  Considering that they broke up, you'd think Mako would say, "Do bears shit in the woods?"  Instead, he can only manage a weak "no".  So Asami continues to look heartbroken.  The team struggles to find a solution to having no army, until they consult…. Varick!  Who else would know how to deal with an impossible situation that the Father of Impossible Situations.

The original Club Fed

Varick, the King of Being Ready for Anything, is luxuriating in his own private, opulent jail cell with his trusty assistant Ju Li to care for him in prison.  Admitting that Varick industries built the prison, so he made his own private luxury cell, just in case, for himself, Varick tells the group he's done a lot for them.  He told Korra that Unalaq was up to no good, he made Bolin famous, he helped Asami's business after almost ruining it, and he put Mako in jail.  Oops, those last two were bad.  Oh well.  Varick's an ideas man, not a details manager, and his latest idea is for Team Avatar to take his battleship, named Ju Li after his battle-ax assistant, to the South Pole.  Team Avatar... together again... and away!  Off to the South Pole, Jinora, Unalaq, and Vaatu!

Korra is excited to finally be helping her dad, even if it is without an army.  Tonraq has decided to recapture his city from Unalaq's forces.  They start the attack from the top of a hill bordering the city, ice-boarding down to the city, but are ambushed by Unalaq's dark spirits.

One way to snowboard

Tonraq isn't fazed, he proceeds to finding Unalaq, and the two waterbenders duke it out, arguing over the past while they do.  But Unalaq is just more powerful than Tonraq.  He easily deflects Tonraq's best shot, traps him in a pillar of ice, and knocks him out.  Then Unalaq gleefully pronounces that this will be Korra's fate, too.  All that optimism on the Ju Li... all totally wrong.  They'll arrive in an even more hostile land than they even thought.

So... close....