Enjoy the Torture! - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 22 - Series Finale

Oh, the joy of happy endings!  At least, for some of us.  Revolution ends its season, as well as the Series, with our heroes smiling as one of Miles' crazy plans finally works.  Literally, twenty episodes of failed ideas finally get erased because Miles finally gets lucky.  And Monroe finally comes through.  Aaron gets Priscilla back, but she has bad news for him which we only get to speculate on.

Let's start with Rachel and Aaron's electrocution experiment, which didn't work.  Nano Priscilla is still in control, although we finally get a glimpse inside the real Priscilla's head.  Real Priscilla is basically repeating the same awesome day over and over, enjoying a joke with her fake daughters, when a lightning storm strikes right outside the house, meant to convey that Aaron and Rachel's stunt actually pierced the dream she's having.  She's stunned, but her "daughters" try to get her attention back to them, and the dream she's having.  Nano Priscilla is busy working on Rachel and Aaron, as she literally tries to beat them to death.  Both notice that she's bleeding from an ear, and Aaron decides to re-try the useless talking from last week, this time shouting at Nano Priscilla, hoping to reach the unconscious, real one.  He tells her to wake up, that she's been taken over.  And he tells her that she's the love of his life, and he just wants her back.

It's faint, at first, but as Real Priscilla realizes she's hearing Aaron's voice, her "daughters" transform into eyeless, mouthless beings.  She realizes, finally, that it's a dream, and rushes out the door of her "house", standing outside and forcing herself to wake up.  As the Nano loses control, she gets a flash of disconnected images, too quick to make out before she can wake up.  Which, she finally does, crying at realizing that the last few weeks haven't been real.  Nano Priscilla, and Starship, are finally gone.

Miles and Monroe invade the courthouse just as Ed is walking President Davis away, a tech is setting up the gas and Marion as a patsy, and soldiers are chaining the doors shut.  They hack at the chains, and kill the soldiers at the doors.  Miles bursts into the courthouse, with all of Willoughby frozen in place.  Realizing that he's not properly dressed, and carrying a massive gun, he shouts, "Run, you idots!".

I've got a gun!  Run away from me!

His plan works- the people are convinced he's come to attack them, and rush away from the mustard gas, foiling Ed's plan.  He and President Davis  hear gunshots as their plan is foiled, and Davis begins to lose faith in Ed, who escorts him to a bunker.  Carver, President of Texas, joins them almost immediately, demanding to know what's going on.  President Davis sends a coded warning to Ed, that he just fucked up his last chance.  Ed, in true selfish fashion, simply shoots everyone there except President Davis.  The two men stand together among the bodies, and Ed says he's going with Plan B.  Carver is now dead, and Ed decides to make himself the hero.  Why not?  It's his plan.  He shoots himself in the arm.

Both Ed and Davis, the next morning, arms in slings, recount how Carver was killed by Miles and Monroe working for California.  Scanlon wanders in and out of the crowd.  While Blacksmith Joe and his daughter look on in fear, the newly-saved residents of Willoughby cheer enthusiastically for Davis and Ed as they announce that Texas has officially declared war, and the Patriots will be with Texas every step of the way. To disaster.  Willoughby will have to sacrifice Ed for the war effort, as he'll be right there with Texas, guiding them to "victory".

Back at the super secret hideout, Gene is crushed after finding Marion's body the night before.  They were lovers once, and then friends.  And, he sent her back to Willoughby and Ed despite her fear.  And now she's dead, probably by Ed for discovering the gas he was about to use on the town.  Monroe is bitchy, as he now can't find Connor, Neville, or Scanlon.  He whines to Miles that he went along with Miles to the rescue, only to lose his own son.  To Neville, of all people.  Rachel thinks the lives of about 200 people are a decent consolation prize, but we all know that's not enough.  Monroe's idea is to just kill President Davis.  Miles is thinking kidnapping, and he sends Gene, Dr. Rachel's Dad, to contact Miles' old buddy Frank Blanchard, stabbed by a Patriot cadet, but recovering in Austin.  Somehow, Miles will get Texas a full confession of the Patriots' crimes.  He sends Blacksmith Joe to find about three trusted buddies.  Joe is absolute as he assures Miles he's got friends, even if Miles isn't.

Rachel checks in with Aaron, who is worried over Priscilla.  She has a fever, and is sleeping it off.  Who will wake up?  Priscilla, or the Nano?  Rachel tells him to wait it out.

Neville, Connor and Scanlon, sitting around a campfire, decide to kill President Davis.  And Neville knows just how he'll do it.  Miles tries giving Monroe, Rachel and Charlie a pep talk, which Monroe cuts short.

Neville, Connor and Scanlon scope out the road Davis will have to take to get to the train station, which is, horribly, located far away, along an easy to ambush route.  Instead of close to the town it's supposed to serve.  But he's disappointed, as Team Miles hits it before they can.  Neville, Connor and Scanlon can only show up late to an empty convoy, Davis gone.

Foiled, twice in one episode.  A fitting end.

President Davis, gagged and tied up like the boss in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, is being marched away towards a waiting wagon.  When he gives Rachel a funny look, she confesses to the team that they already know each other.  

Sucks balls for you, dude

The Patriots, though, have caught on and are coming for Davis.  And them.  The front wave is on horseback, but there's a second wave coming on foot.  And their numbers are just not beatable.  So, stuck behind the ruined chimney of an old house, Miles sends Davis on with Monroe, to meet up later at whatever rendezvous they've got.  Miles is pretty bitchy about it, but he tells Monroe that he's trusting him, and Monroe understands.  If Monroe doesn't come through, Miles' whole plan is for nothing.  So, Monroe better choose him this time.  Monroe escapes with Davis, and Miles finishes off the mounted Patriots.  He, Rachel and Charlie run off to lead the Patriot soldiers on foot away from President Davis.

Dr. Rachel's Dad finds Blanchard easily enough in Austin, and he's back in fine, lecherous form.  Until, that is, he realizes Gene isn't his doctor.  Gene calms him down, and says he's got a plan from Miles.  Blanchard, not missing a beat, points to a paper he's reading, full of war and bluster, and says Miles is too late.  Gene, though, is still hopeful, telling Blanchard that Miles' plan is a little better than Blanchard thinks.

Miles, Rachel and Charlie are hiking through the woods, silently, until Monroe acknowledges that he might have been foolish to trust Monroe.  He polls Charlie, trying to rationalize his decision, but Charlie reminds him that Monroe is unpredictable.  Miles reminds them that Monroe came to help them end the mustard gas plot.  He also reminds them that he's supposed to be a good person now.  With faith.  And hope.  And sunshine coming out his ass.  They walk on together.  There's nothing they can do except get to the meeting place, and wait for Monroe.  To show or not.

Monroe holes up in an abandoned utility shed, setting President Davis around while he scopes out the surroundings for trouble.  Davis tries to use the moment to chat, and tries to butter Monroe up.  Monroe leans in real close, and uses his patented creepy half-whisper technique to set Davis straight.  He's never going to help Davis, who he considers a smarmy fake.   Miles' plan might not work out, but either way, Monroe will enjoy killing him.  The look on Davis' face, with a guy he can't scare and bluff, makes Monroe happy.

Outside, Monroe is approached by Connor, stubbly messy-looking.  Gone is the cute kid they picked up in Mexico.  Now there is a bitter young man who tells Monroe that both Neville and Scanlon are ready to shoot, and his only chance is to hand over President Davis for Neville to kill.  Connor is fine with Texas and California tearing each other apart, and reminds Monroe that they would have to kill Davis eventually, anyway.  Monroe turns him down.  After all the mistakes of the previous seasons, Miles is still willing to trust him.  Monroe, for once, wants to make his old friend happy.  Connor is tired, and he just can't take his dad preferring Miles over him anymore.  Neville and Scanlon open fire.  Monroe manages to kill Scanlon. Neville and Connor advance on him, and Monroe evades them by going back into the shed.  When Neville and Connor finally break in, they find it empty, with the door on the other side locked as the door they entered through shuts behind them.  Monroe, outside, barricades them in.  After placing Davis in the wagon, he rides off.  Leaving his son trapped with Neville.

It's the dead of night, when Monroe finally meets Team Miles at their rendezvous, which is an old farmhouse.  Miles is relieved when they show up, and announces that they're watering the horses and leaving in ten minutes.

This is us, being patient

While they wait inside with a still tied up and gagged Davis, Rachel takes the chance to sit Davis down, and tell him he's been a very bad boy.  And no, he's going to bed with no dessert.  Calling him an insult to the Real America, she curses him with a "Screw you from the bottom of my heart".  When Patriot soldiers surprise them, and take the house, guns on all of Team Miles, Rachel is still unrepentant.  She tells him, about to die, that people will figure out the truth about him some day.

Davis, back on top with his soldiers around him, enjoys telling Rachel that Americans don't really want freedom.  They want to feel safe.  And they will hand over control to anyone who tells them what they want to hear.  He orders the soldiers to kill everyone on the spot, but they hesitate.  They drop their weapons as the camera moves to show... Blacksmith Joe!  His guys are the "soldiers".  This was all fake.  Dr. Rachel's Dad shows up with Frank Blanchard and a few Texas Rangers who heard the whole thing.  Everybody relaxes at the Patriots haul Davis away.  Miles finally gets the bad guy, telling Davis to enjoy the whole Texas prison experience as a parting shot.

The next day, Texas is all camped out and ready to roll on California, with Patriot commanders working with them.  Blanchard shows up with his troops, and the Patriot commanders don't realize what's happening.  Until, that is, Monroe gingerly steps in, and declares the treaty over.  Blanchard leads Texas on a slaughter of Patriot soldiers.  Where is Ed so Texas can kill him?

Ed is getting out of a port-a-potty just as the slaughter starts, and slinks off before anyone can find him.  But, it's still a great victory.  Miles tells Dr. Rachel's Dad that he'll get his town back.  And Charlie officially gives her blessing to Miles and Rachel, telling him to take her away somewhere and start over.  Yay.

Aaron is relieved when Real Priscilla wakes up.  She's not.  She tells Aaron about what she saw right before waking up.  It was fast, but Priscilla remembers seeing people.  Millions of mindless people.  And a grinning man.  She reminds Aaron that the Nano will easily find other people to control.  As she tells Aaron that the Nano is going to make the Patriots seem like Boy Scouts, we see President Davis.  And a tired, dirty Ed.  And Neville.  Each visited by a cluster of green fireflies, and then a ghost.  Davis sees his father.  Ed sees Marion, who he killed.  Neville, sees Jason, who he can't let go of.  They each tell the season's worst people to visit a town named Bradbury.  In Idaho, which is in what's called, the Wasteland.  As Davis, and Ed, and Neville hear this news, we finally see the Grinning Man.  He's a clown.  And he's lighting up.  The town around him lights up, left deserted years ago but coming to life.  Just in time for a crowd of people approaching.  The Nano's first victims.

Our new villain!

The series is ending here, when Team Miles will presumably trek all over the Mountains looking for a new villain to rail against uselessly for a season.  We'll miss these deeply flawed people floundering as they try to hold on to whatever they care about, or fail at correcting their own mistakes.  We wish them luck.  But, not too much luck.

We're All Okay - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 21

Miles tries to fight a guerrilla war like a good guy.  Is it a coincidence that he fails at it?  I think not.  Ed turns out to be even worse than we thought.

Neville and Monroe forge an alliance that lasts a whole day... which is pretty good for Tom Neville. While holding Connor by the throat with a knife, Neville lays out the mayhem he hopes to cause.  Neville admits what Monroe already knew, that the Patriots would never have freed Julia, and he's sympathetic, especially when Neville spits out all the revenge he wants to get.  Neville plans on a blood-soaked march to Washington D.C., ending by shooting President Davis in the head, personally.  Monroe sounds like he's trying not to masturbate right then and there when he accepts Neville's help.  The only catch is that Miles has pussied out.  Neville is unfazed.

Joe the blacksmith, wearing a spiffy US Flag armband, strolls outside the fence of the railroad station Willoughby magically has now, saying it's for water.  He really meets up with Miles, Charlie and Scanlon.  At first, it's all an imitation of bad spy movies, as they voice their mutual distrust with each other.  Until Miles declares that Marion has already said everyone's okay.  So, that decides it.  I guess Marion is in charge of the resistance now.  Joe helps Team Miles by bringing everyone to a spot where they get a perfect view of the train station without being seen.  Do the Patriots ever conduct security sweeps?  Or, do they just stand around with guns, looking at each other?

Joe points out the red tanker truck of mustard gas, which horrifies Miles.  He decides that they'll have to steal it.  Scanlon bitches that Monroe isn't around to help.  Miles tells him that now, maybe, Scanlon can step up instead.

While Joe is helping Team Miles, Marion is using her delivery of Ed Truman's lunch to spy on him.  Up until now, or maybe the last episode, Ed's been presented as this semi-bumbling nice guy, who wants Willoughby as a foothold on re-taking the United States by managing things better than they were previously.  He seemed committed to the town and to effectively running it.  Marion finds out that it's all a cover.  She finds an old photo of President Carver of Texas, along with papers covered in yellow crosses.  She manages to not get caught, cooing at Ed before she leaves him to enjoy his lunch.

After nightfall, she sneaks over to the Team Miles hideout, where Miles pieces together that Ed plans on killing President Carver, and a whole lot of other Texans, with the mustard gas.  Rachel has another problem for Miles to solve:  Aaron and Priscilla are missing.  Miles gives this problem all the attention it deserves:  almost none, telling Rachel to go look for them while he takes the train.

Scanlon sneaks over to Monroe's hideout, which is really the old hideout by the chemical factory.  He lets Monroe in on Miles' plan to steal the train of mustard gas to render it useless with lye and water.  Monroe starts off his war with the Patriots by basically hijacking Miles' plan.  He and Neville decide to take the mustard gas for themselves, to use on Washington D.C.

Marion's brought more than info, she's also brought two locals who want to help Miles take the train:  Joe the blacksmith, and his pretty daughter.  Miles is unimpressed; neither have ever fought or killed.  Joe has more than battle smarts, though.  He's pissed that the Patriots got his kid killed.  Turns out, he's the dad of the kid Miles shot in Austin.  The one posing as a new Texas Ranger to kill President Carver.  Miles decides to let them in on the plan.  He wanders back into the hideout, which they've all been standing in front of openly, together, for a few minutes.  Charlie follows him, to find out whether Miles will tell Joe how his kid died.  Miles agrees to, after they're done fighting.  He and Charlie gripe together about how being good sucks, and goes against all of Miles' instincts.  Miles may have realized that anybody can fight a war, if they're ruthless enough.  It takes a real leader to fight only enough that there will be something left to win.

As Miles and Charlie discuss the overall suckiness of good guy-ness, Gene basically has to talk Marion into returning to Ed.  She's frightened, and starting to realize that Ed is a lot more dangerous than she could have imagined.  With Scanlon watching, Gene and Marion have a hug before she goes back to the trenches.

The next day, Rachel is scouring the countryside, looking for Aaron and Priscilla.  She's confused at first, but after a few seconds, the sound she's hearing is definitely music.  And. not just any music.  Starship's We Built This City.  In the woods.  Or rather, from the creepy house in the woods.  Rachel slowly approaches the door, and is about to circle the house looking for a way in, when Aaron yanks open the door and tells her to leave.  Now.  Since Aaron can't actually hurt anyone, ever, Rachel simply storms past him into the house.  Where she sees the lights.  And the TV.  And the Patriots, still frozen in their gas masks.  The worst, is a middle-aged woman, sitting in front of a mirror, endlessly running a wire brush down her scalp, which long since lost its hair and started bleeding.  Rachel is horrified, but Nano-Priscilla walks in and welcomes her as if a backyard BBQ is about to begin.

Aaron fumbles as he explains to Rachel just what's happened to Priscilla.  As he explains the situation to an increasingly disgusted Rachel, he basically has to admit that he's just allowed the whole thing to continue with no resistance.  As Nano-Priscilla shows Rachel her most recent work, with rats on the floor of a closed-off room, Rachel realizes why she saw an entire road of dead rats in the early part of the season.  Nano-Priscilla waxes on about working on living things like rats and fireflies.  She thinks she's ready to experiment on humans, and lists all the awful things humans do to each other that she's going to end.  Rachel screams that the Nano is just a fucking science project with delusions of grandeur, and slaps her, and Priscilla looks put out for a moment.  But that creepy smile returns, and Priscilla tells them both that she looks up to them as parents, and will never turn "from them".  Does Nano-Priscilla think she's doing Aaron and Rachel a favor?  When they've already told her to stop?

Yep, I'm mastering rats

Joe's daughter sneaks Team Miles into the railroad station, by smuggling them in a hidden compartment in her wagon of food.  They immediately get to work on stealing the train.  Joe lures the train engineer into the train engine, where Miles forces him, at gunpoint, to start the boiler.  Charlie sneaks up to the guard in the tower, and knifes him, leaving him to bleed.

Amazing Stretch and Slim Powers

Let's give the Patriots an extra minute.  Just to be fair.

The whole thing goes great, until the poor dead guy's blood starts seeping through the bottom of the tower, to drip on soldiers below.  Who, really, can't ignore this.  After all, it happens in a spot they're actually guarding.  The alarm is sounded, and Miles and Charlie have a brief snit-fit over whether she took care of the guard, but they unite with Gene to ruthlessly shoot down advancing Patriots while Joe must take over the now-dead-engineer's job and get the train going.  He fumbles a bit, before he decides to just open every valve, which does the trick.  The train starts slowly, but the Little Train That Could really gets going.  Only four Patriots make it on to the train, and Charlie and Miles almost enjoy themselves in the shootout.  They all enjoy themselves once the train is theirs, with Gene blowing the whistle to celebrate their stunning victory over the worst soldiers ever.

When Nano-Priscilla leaves to find another human test subject for her human-controlling campaign, Rachel immediately decides that she and Aaron will need to stop Nano-Priscilla.  Aaron cowardly tries to talk her out of even talking about resisting Nano-Priscilla.  Rachel baits Nano-Priscilla to come back, and smugly enjoys it when there's no reaction from Nano-Priscilla.  Rachel points out that the whole point of her slap was to see if Nano-Priscilla can be caught off-guard.  Which she can.

Oooh, there's something fancy going on and Marion is getting all gussied up as Ed comes in wearing his own dress uniform.  Ed's all happy while he opens the drawer containing his gas mask and war crime orders, but he only digs deep enough to uncover a jewelry box.  He presents Marion with a lovely necklace, while she tries to play his loving fiancee.  Come on, Marion, put something into the role.

So I Married a War Criminal

Scanlon meets Monroe at some unspecified, unguarded point along the train tracks, with the lye and water he's not going to use on the mustard gas.  Monroe sends Connor and Neville away for a private meeting with Scanlon.  Connor, a little pissed at being treated like a kid, bitches to Neville about Monroe and Miles' bromance.  Neville doesn't have any explanation for it, just empathy.  He hates their love/hate-ship even more than Connor does, because he's had to put up with it for longer.

Nano-Priscilla returns with a young woman she's coaxed into coming to the house.  When she opens the door, Rachel is standing there, with a shotgun pointed at the woman, who runs off.  Nano-Priscilla is pissed, and starts stalking into the house.  In bare feet, for some reason.  With the power turned back on.  With her bare feet in a very convenient puddle, Rachel throws an appliance in the puddle and Aaron plugs it in.  Nano-Priscilla is electrocuted, and collapses.  Aaron, completely uselessly, begs the real Priscilla to come back.  Which she doesn't.  Totally furious, she turns the lights right back on.  She means business now.

I'm sure MacGyver would have done the same

Team Miles shows up, and Monroe pops out to hold a gun to Miles and steal the mustard gas.  Miles bitches and moans, mostly about how Scanlon totally sucks, and Monroe tells Miles that he's turned into a pussy.  They all look pissed.  At each other.  But it gets interesting when Neville sees Charlie again, and decides that he'll kill her this time.  Miles steps between them, reminding Neville that it was the Patriots who turned their kid into a killing machine that went after Charlie, but he is unmoved.  Until Monroe pulls a gun on Neville.  Words are said, shots are fired, and a couple hit the tanker.

My first great plan is to ruin yours

Which should release mustard gas from the bullet holes, but doesn't.  The team panics at first, but then realizes nothing's coming out.  Miles bangs on the tanker, probably the first time he's made sure if anything is even in there.  The tank is empty.  Where's the gas?

Ed and Marion, with front row seats, watch some schoolkids sing "America the Beautiful", with the rest of the town watching behind them.  Marion asks Ed why there are Texas Rangers present, and Ed is excited when he gets up and introduces both Presidents Carver and Davis.  So the United States and Texas can announce a great new alliance to take on those dirty terrorists, California.  The camera pans up, and we see the top floor is covered in mustard gas cans.

Miles figures out Ed Truman's real plan:  gas Carver.  But here, in Willoughby.  Starting a war with Texas and the Patriots wiping out California.  Texas might win, but would be seriously depleted, just in time for the Patriots to topple them.  And it will start with the slaughter of Willoughby's residents.  Miles convinces Monroe to come with him to stop it, and Charlie and Gene hop on to travel.  Connor is stunned that his dad will sign on to a suicide mission just because Miles has asked him.  He takes the bratty kid routine up a notch by refusing.  Monroe calls him on it, telling him he's grounded.

As President Davis glad-hands President Carver, Ed stands next to them on stage, and gives a totally obvious signal to some soldier in the back.  Marion, already horrified that Carver is here in Willoughby to be killed, totally announces her intention to spy on Ed by leaving the assembly.  She promptly gets into the top floor, and can barely take seeing all that poison gas, set up to kill her and her neighbors.  She turns around to see Ed, still with that Nice Guy smile, telling her that he really does love her.  Before he stabs her.  So Marion was right.  Going back to Ed was a big mistake.  He leaves her body there, probably to be blamed as a patsy for the attack, and heads downstairs and outside, where the Chief Mustard Gas Soldier is waiting with his gas mask, and we hear the kids singing again.

Did Ed ever have any intention of actually running Willoughby?  Did he always view the people of Willoughby as convenient collateral damage?  Probably.  He yelled at President Davis to let him run the Texas operation his way, and one presumes this is his way.  Ed always seemed like a guy whose morals were decided by convenience.  If being decent was the easiest way to get what he wanted, he'd be that.  Same for being violent.  He's ridden by so many people during the season:  Dr. Horn, Doyle, Neville, that it was hard to find out what his actual leadership style was.  Instead of just a guy willing to go along with others' crazy schemes, turns out Ed has some of his own.

Next week:  Revolution is not being renewed, so we'll have to be content to see what stories are closed next week.  And we'll have to endlessly speculate about the stories that aren't.

Children's Crusade - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 20

President Davis and Monroe share a common problem- they're not getting the wars they wanted.  They both have their own visions of the future, of a government that they can make right, this time.  So, Miles must stop both of them.  Will he stop complaining about everyone else's psychoses long enough to do something concrete that helps defeat the Patriots?

We start back in DC, with an anxious Ed Truman appearing in the White House.  Davis is polite, very sorry about the mess he made killing Allenford.  Let's hope Allenford regretted killing his own wife before he died.  Davis, to symbolize just how much trouble Ed is in, orders him to sit on the bloody chair Allenford died on.  He does, thinking that this is the time to obey.

So, Davis rants that Texas and California should have been fighting now, that Carver, President of Texas, should be dead.  And how did Monroe and Miles manage to keep them from succeeding?  By Ed failing.  Because Ed is in charge of the Willoughby situation.  Ed, who we know is just barely succeeding as an administrator of the town, tries to be conciliatory at first.  But Davis' guard behind him already has his hand on his sidearm.

Ed, desperate, shoots up into the air.  Davis tries to order him back down, but Ed doesn't want to die today.  He'll stand, and protect what little is left of his dignity.  He then accuses the President, a violent dictator, of meddling in Ed's work, sending other people to handle Miles and Monroe, who all failed and interfered in the running of Willoughby.  Davis, instead of killing Ed, wonders if maybe he got it wrong after all.  Maybe, instead of sending Horn and Doyle and Neville, he should just admit that Ed has the balls of Hillary Clinton and give him what he wants.  So, what does Ed want?

Well, a train ride back to Willoughby, for starters.  Since when do trains run through Texas?  Straight to Willoughby?  Where is this train station?  We don't know.  We do see Ed greeted by Shaw, torturing people in Texas for over a year now.  Shaw presents Ed with a local, who repeats to Ed that he's seen the enemy at a local chemical factory.  Ed is thrilled.  Not even back and his hard work with the locals has paid off with intelligence.  Some army dude puts his head in, and wants to know when Ed will need them.  Oh, now.  Ed then orders Shaw to find Neville. And fire him.  With a severance package of lead.

Charlie is wandering through an abandoned golf course (what, Ed didn't re-open the golf course?), calling out for Miles, who can hear her, but not much else.  A bloody, weak hand rises from the tall grass (come on, Ed, just cut the grass and open the course), slowly floating in the air.  Charlie's about to go when, a quick look back reveals Miles' hand.  She runs to him, plunking down at his side as she calls for her Mom.  We next see Miles recovering in Gene's medical tent, doing well enough to be restless.  Rachel wants to coo at Miles for a while, but he has more important things to discuss, and holds up the guitar pick from the basement.  The one that reminded him of Rachel.  She's clueless, and he's a little disappointed that she doesn't automatically remember that night.

Aaron checks up on Nano Priscilla, who doesn't understand that advertising is all fake.  Can't Aaron get her to go outside, interact with some real humans?  For a being that supposedly sees all, the Nano can be duped by magazine pictures.  Aaron starts bitching that he wants Priscilla back, but the Nano tells him that she's doing what she wants for as long as she wants.  Aaron is about to uselessly beg for Priscilla's return, when he hears birds.  Lots of them.  Like, from the Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Either they're shooting an Alfred Hitchcock movie, or you should run

All of the camp is just staring at entire flocks of birds fleeing something.  Really?  Aaron worries that it's the Nano, but Priscilla can only tell Aaron that he should run.  So, Aaron does what he does best, panics, and bursts through the crowd like George Costanza at a kid's birthday party, screaming that they should run.  Everyone is a little confused at first, but then Miles sees the yellow smoke.  And they all panic.  Mercenaries, Mathesons, and Monroes scramble to run as fast as possible through the maze of the abandoned factory, while the gas flows toward them, and Patriots hiding in the gas, take pot shots at people fleeing to higher ground, and collapsed in the yellow haze.   The men who arrived with Ed.  They're a chemical warfare team.

Aaron, with a head start, has managed to scramble up the small hill leading from the factory.  Miles spies an empty tanker truck, with its cargo hold open, so they all scramble in:  Miles, Monroe, Connor, Charlie, Rachel, Dr. Dad, Scanlon, and finally, Aaron, who was actually thinking of going back for Priscilla.  They lock themselves in, Monroe holding a gun to the hatch as a last stand from the Patriots.  Priscilla is taking a gentle stroll through the carnage, disturbed by what she sees.  Two Patriots find her, still standing in a haze of deadly poison gas, and they have a staring contest.    Other Patriots scramble up the hill, encountering the tanker.  Unable to open it, a Patriot decides to shoot some holes in it, for good measure.  The survivors scramble to plug the gaps.  After that, it's a long wait, through cries for mercy and gunshots.

A better world.  A yellower world.

Ed, back in Willoughby, is rummaging through a drawer in Marion's home.  She's surprised, but happy to see him, wondering what he's digging through.  Ed leaves, promising to swing by later that night, after she's home from visiting her dad's grave.   Marion, hesitantly, goes through the drawer.  It's the usual. Uniform, socks, gas mask, scary instructions about something shocking.

I've only got one gas mask.  And it ain't for you.

After nightfall, Team Miles creeps from the tanker.  The air has cleared, and the Patriots seem to be gone.  Priscilla finds them, and they wander off together in the night.  All the mercenaries, except Scanlon, are dead.  They are back to the small group they started with.  Around the fire, still reeling from the carnage, Priscilla claims she hid in a fridge to avoid the gas, having smelled it before anyone else did.  Rachel seems satisfied with the answer.

Monroe, not caring about anyone else's survival, wants revenge.  He decides to steal some mustard gas himself, and take out some Patriots, as many as possible.  Innocent people included.  He tells Miles that he's tired of listening to people who don't want to just kill everybody.  It's time to kill everybody.  Just when you think Miles will try to talk some sense into him, he gets up and agrees with Monroe instead.  Monroe, Miles, Connor and Scanlon march out into the darkness.  Rachel follows, saying nothing, and Miles turns around to face her.

He tells her, frustrated, that he can't think of anything else to do.  He's done trying to save lives, too.  So Rachel, bitterly disappointed, says she's not fighting over Miles anymore.  In true high school girl fashion, she declares that Monroe can have Miles. And Miles can have his war.  But Miles can't do this and have Rachel.  She dumps Miles right there.  As the four men ramble towards wherever an extra can of mustard gas might be, Monroe tries to console Miles.  But there's nothing worse than a sympathetic Monroe.

Miles gets Monroe to tell him what the brilliant plan to retake the Monroe Republic is.   Monroe insists that he still has a ton of soldiers in the Northeast, and that they will rally to him when he re-appears, alive, after the Patriots tried to kill him.  It's never occurred to Monroe, that the Patriots framed him for the nuke that destroyed Philly.  If he sets foot in the Northeast, he'll be slaughtered on sight.  Miles doesn't say this, but it's obvious that he thinks Monroe is an idiot.  But Monroe isn't done.  Once the victory parades in Philly end, he and his instantly reborn Militia will defeat the Patriots in D.C., and take Georgia.

Miles isn't surprised, just disappointed.  He realizes that Monroe wants the entire East Coast, and isn't afraid to use chemical weapons to get it.    Monroe insists that he'll bring some order to the East Coast, after the bloody mess the Patriots have made of it.  Miles reminds Monroe that crazy psychopaths don't bring order.  Monroe, acting contrite, says he's learned from his mistakes, and this time will be different.  Except that, trying to find some mustard gas for wiping out the town of Willoughby, Monroe has already shown that nothing has changed.  And Miles knows it.

Also wandering in the dark, despite Rachel's worries, are Priscilla and Aaron.  Has it ever occurred to characters that all the comings and goings from their new top secret hideout might give them away?  You don't get a hideout, and then go roaming the countryside.  You hide out there.

What did the crazy AI do now???

Aaron follows Nano Priscilla into a dark and creepy house, with horror-movie-shenanigans in every little scene detail.  Aaron at first sees someone reading a newspaper, and retreats to a corner like a scared little kid, but when there's no activity, he slowly approaches, only to find a dead Patriot.  Aaron removes the gas mask to see that his eyes bled, meaning he probably died from some internal hemorrhage.  As he realizes what Nano Priscilla's been doing, the lights and sounds of a 21st century home blast all of sudden on Aaron.  It's momentarily terrifying to be surrounded by what was normal, but Priscilla sashays into the living room, like a 50s housewife in a magazine ad.

She has big news for Aaron.  She thinks, after reading a few magazine articles and reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods, that she's got humanity figured out.  She declares to Aaron that humanity is miserable.  Aaron sarcastically tells her this is not news to him, as he is the Great Wallower in Misery of the show.  Priscilla isn't done.  She's sure that humans being miserable, sad, angry, jealous, whatever, is the source of all their bad behavior.  Figure out how to keep humanity happy and contented, and they'll behave.  Aaron is horrified, mostly because he doesn't think the dead Patriots still sitting around the house look all that happy, though they have stopped gassing people.

Aaron looks ready to give up on ever getting the real Priscilla back.  Nano Priscilla isn't just here to observe for a while.  She's got a long-term project that includes killing humans until she finds the magic way to alter our limbic system into permanent contentment.  As he tries to leave, Priscilla traps him in the house, deciding that he will help her.  But why should he?  He can tell Nano Priscilla will never give him his ex-wife back.  So, what will Nano Priscilla threaten him with next?

Shaw finally finds Neville in the dark, who looks like a shell of his former self.  Agreeing that Ed Truman wants an update, Neville leads Shaw right to his temporary home, and abandoned house (the one from last week?).  Shaw already has his gun drawn behind his back.  Neville can't see it, but we all know that tone he's using; the I'm-going-to-kill-you-before-you-kill-me voice.  Neville pours them both some old hooch, as Shaw tells Neville that he no longer has to look for Monroe.  Neville still doesn't act, turning around as Shaw pulls out his gun.  Before he fires, he steps forward, and the floorboard gives way to a massive, steel bear trap that slices right through Shaw's leg.  He's in excruciating pain and on the floor.  Neville tells him he has time for one drink, and that they're going to talk a while.

Scanlon bitches about being bait for Monroe's plan. When Connor defends his dad's strategic brilliance, and points out that if Scanlon is worth so much more, how are his mercenaries dead, they have a nasty fight, ending only when Connor pulls a stick or blade out the fire and holds it to Scanlon's neck.  In a very strained voice, Connor threatens Scanlon with some unspecified violence, and says that Scanlon has no idea how dangerous Connor really is.  As they are bonding, gas-masked Patriots approach, but Miles and Monroe, in gas masks of their own ambush them.  And look what Monroe now has.

Marion, like she does every Sunday, visits her dad's grave.  At night.  Alone.  Dr. Dad, her former boyfriend, who knows her routine, meets her there.  Marion, who doesn't support Team Miles, ever since Monroe's attack on the kids' brainwashing camp, doesn't want to leave with him, but Charlie appears with a shotgun, and apologizes for kidnapping Marion.

Neville plays with his victim a bit, trying to get Shaw to confirm if his wife is dead.  He spends some time pointing out his responsibility for Jason's death, how he didn't listen to his son, he wasn't there for the kid. But his real blame, real hatred, is reserved for the Patriots that turned his son into a living weapon. He admits that Jason was right, as Shaw tells Neville that he doesn't know if Julia is alive.  But Neville reads his face, realizing that Shaw holds out no hope for his wife.  Shaw, finally, after torturing and killing others, is in the position of begging for his own life.  It isn't pretty how weak bullies actually are.  Shakily declaring his whole family gone, even after everything he's done, tells Shaw, in between stomping on his broken leg, that the Patriots will burn.  He then wastes a perfectly good pillow as a completely ineffective silencer when he shoots Shaw.

Back at the top-secret garden shed/rebel hideout, Monroe tries to offer Miles some hooch, to celebrate their victory.  But Miles defies all Monroe's expectations and refuses to get drunk.  Monroe is stunned.  Miles somehow lures Monroe outside, maybe offering to drink with him there.  Once Monroe is outside, Miles shuts the chain-link gate and locks Monroe out.  We see Rachel mixing something, and she explains that it's lye and something else, made to neutralize mustard gas.  The mustard gas that Monroe just stole to use.  Monroe realizes he's been had, and that Miles had already chosen Rachel, even before leaving with him.  Dr. Dad brings in Marion, and Miles explains to her what they've got.  Marion could have assumed that the mustard gas was really Miles', except that the scary plans she saw earlier prove that the Patriots are moving a chemical weapon into the area.  She tells Miles that Ed Truman is bringing about 100 tons of the stuff to Willoughby.  It's bad news, but Marion is already paying off as a spy, which she agrees to do for Miles.

Yeah, sure, how hard can spying be?

Monroe isn't happy.  He tries to tell Miles that he's pussy-whipped, but Miles isn't having it.  He tells Monroe, again, that he can't be a part of anymore crazy, violent schemes by Monroe.  Monroe has finally been more trouble than he's worth in the war against the Patriots, and Miles tells him he can go or stay.  Miles won't kill him, he can't, but he won't help Monroe do anything.  He tells Monroe that Monroe will end up alone again, and he'll have only himself to blame.  Again. The bromance is officially over.  Rachel had nothing to do with it.  But Monroe knows better, as he saves a specially angry look for Rachel.  Who has the decency not to gloat.  Monroe takes off with Connor, and Rachel is relieved when she hears it from Miles.

Rachel, though, wants to know: why is Miles changing tactics, and cutting ties with Monroe?  What does he want now?  Instead of telling Rachel what he admitted to her dad, that he's fighting just to have something to fight, he shows her the guitar pick again.  Rachel, still doesn't realize its significance.  So, Miles informs her that it's a specially rare pick, made in Germany.  And that he owned one before the blackout.  He was using it to play guitar the night they met.  He tells Rachel that they've both done dumb, terrible things.  But that she's rejected cynicism and chosen hope, and so will he.  For her.  And Charlie.  Because wanting to be with them again is the only reason he climbed out of that basement.

Neville makes a different choice.  Monroe leads Connor back to the chemical factory, totally free of any Patriots now, and he proceeds to some back alley area, where he unearths a trunk full of guns, declaring that their father/son takeover of the nation begins today, and they don't need Miles after all.   Connor is a poor substitute for Miles, though, as Neville manages to take Connor by the neck, almost like his son Jason did just weeks ago.  Monroe thinks that Neville is here for him.  Oh, no.  Neville is here because he and Monroe have work to do.  So Monroe gets his wish from a few episodes back.  The son of a bitch who could get a job done is with him.

The show's damsel in distress.  In distress again.

Hang In There, Kitty! - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 19

Who really knows Miles?  Who knows him best?  Who knows him, deep down?  Who knows what he really needs?  Who knows what's best for him?  Certainly not Miles, who only seems to want to live to the next episode.  Which is what he spends this episode doing.

Charlie's doing poorly.  She looks like she's on Valium from the second she leaves the building in Austin where she killed Jason.  She stumbles through the panicked crowd.  No one notices her, not even a cop.  Except Miles, who has magically evaded being tackled himself after killing the would-be assassin.  He whisks her away, where she can stare blankly behind them as the wagon they flee Austin with proceeds to Willoughby.  They're close to home base now.

Miles, somehow knowing what happened but not the details, tells her that bad things happen, that at least they won this round against the Patriots.  Monroe is all for this sentiment, and wants to know what Miles has planned next.  Miles just wanted to console Charlie, not give Monroe a chance to go commando again.  But Monroe won't be stopped.  He tells them killing Neville is next, to prevent him from killing Charlie once Jason's death is known.  Their plans are cut short when seven Texas Rangers ride into hearing and then sight.

Monroe instantly wants to kill them.  Miles, like a tired parent with a five year old, explains that it's great if you don't kill people whose help you want. Miles shoos everyone off the wagon and sends them to find cover, while he'll take the wagon and lead them away and lose them.  It goes great, until Miles literally hits an old piece of trash, with the logo $#!& HAPPENS stuck on it.  It's big enough that the bump rips the harness off the wagon, and Miles pretty much flies off, tumbling down in time to grab a knife and gun.  The Rangers catch up in time for Miles to hunker down behind an old car left in the forest(?).  At first, they bicker over whether Miles tried to kill Carver or prevented someone else from doing it, but eventually there's a shoot out, which consists of Miles picking them off, while none of them got a shot in him.  He runs out of bullets before he can shoot the last one, and dashes off into the forest.

All your days are bad ones, Miles

The last Ranger follows and catches up to him, so of course they sword fight.  They go back and forth, and the Ranger draws first blood, a nasty looking gash that will need stitches.  Just as the Ranger is about to press his sword into Miles' neck, Miles grabs the guy's head and slams it into the sword handle.  A second later he stabs the Ranger in the gut, and the Ranger dies.  Miles stumbles off.

Aaron is still helping Nano Priscilla experience all the joys of human living, including the joy of hearing 80s music on a real Walkman.  Priscilla is impressed by Starship's We Built This City, a song that could not be more cringe-worthy.  Bur Priscilla loves it, once she powers it up and puts on the headphones.  She's hooked on tacky 80s pop.  Way to go, Aaron.  Outside, Monroe only has a moment to notice Stay-Puft is back, but Charlie is hysterical when she realizes that Aaron is safe and sound, scolding him for running off.  Rachel comes to say a strained hello, and hear Charlie claim she's fine.  When Charlie realizes that Miles isn't back yet, she, Rachel and Monroe go off in search.  But only after Connor gets in a bitchy, petulant teen-angst-ridden dig at Monroe's love for Miles.

Miles needs the help.  He's staggering past an abandoned electrical tower, when his coat becomes an unbearable blood rag on him, and he takes it off, reveal a gaping, oozing wound in the process.  He stumbles into a ruin of an old house, looking through shelves and finding nothing, until he sees a First Aid Kit.  So close, just across those old boards.  The Miles can hear breaking the second he steps on them.  He willingly falls into an old basement, rolling around until the pain subsides, wondering why this is his day.  Well, at least he can crawl out, until more weakening floorboards causes a nearby wall to collapse right over the opening.  So, now he's trapped in a dark basement that will eventually run out of air.

As they track Miles, Rachel must have found out about Jason, because she offers Charlie a sympathetic shoulder.  Charlie, of course, shuns the offer.  When they realize Miles took the wagon on pavement, and the tracking is done, they split up.

Aaron finds Nano Priscilla still listening to Starship, which you think the Nano would know enough to be embarrassed by.  Aaron asks if she could find Miles?  Sure, but it's not worth it.  Nano Priscilla knows, because six months ago, the Nano probed Miles' mind, and found some dark matter there.  Or maybe dark energy.  Something dark.  Something she reflected back at Miles.  Turns out, the Nano have probed exactly 3,289 people, to satisfy her curiosity of humanity.  Now, how 'bout Aaron lets her get back to Starship?  What's Miles compared to the best music ever?  Oh, and how 'bout a pizza for someone really curious about human eating?

Miles checks out his basement, which lacks food or water, but has an old aerosol spray can of something, a fixed window giving him some light way above him, and a poster in a corner of a cat holding on to a rope, saying "Hang in there, Kitty".  Well, at least he has inspiration.  After failing to break the window, he realizes his wound won't wait, and rips apart a bed for fire kindling.  He lets his sword hang in the fire until it glows red-hot, sticks something in his mouth, and lets out an agonized scream as he cauterizes his own wound.  All this fire reminds him a certain burning shed.  About six months ago, to be precise.  Later, after recovering from the pain but losing sanity due to his injury, dehydration, and hunger, he tries rummaging.  The only thing he finds is a kitty figurine that he thinks is insulting him.

Charlie is wandering a dirt road somewhere when Neville gets the jump on her.  Charlie turns around, knowing that, at best, she can buy herself some time.  After Neville has her disarm at gunpoint, he demands to know where Jason is.  Neville looks like he's been awake since losing Jason.  Charlie tells him she doesn't know where Jason is, so Neville forces her to walk on, leading him to Team Miles.  As they start off,  Neville starts insulting Charlie, blaming his son's desertion on Charlie's ass and Jason's crush on her.  In other words, anyone but himself and his own obsession with revenge.  He tells Charlie that he's going to get his boy back, and then Charlie is going to leave him alone.  Yeah, 'cause Charlie was really stalking him.  As if Charlie is to blame.  As if Neville isn't.

You are all getting on my last nerve.

Rachel and Monroe find the Rangers' bodies.  They do a bit of Forensics, guessing at what happened. Monroe insists on hitting higher ground, without bothering to find Charlie, because that's where Miles would go and they can't waste time.  Besides, Monroe knows Miles, and knows where Miles would go.  Rachel points out that Miles knew Monroe well enough to try to kill him. Twice.

Miles has piled every piece of rickety furniture in that basement up, and tries to use his sword as a crowbar on the opening, but it's useless, and his hopeless ladder collapses, knocking him out just in time for Monroe and Rachel to show up above and call out a few times.  When they hear nothing, Monroe decides to look elsewhere, and when Rachel bitchily nags Monroe about changing his mind, Monroe decides that he's had enough of Rachel questioning him.  Yes, they're finally going to get into the three-episode tug-of-war they've had over Miles' future.  So they list each other's worst qualities, starting with Monroe laying into Rachel for being a hypocrite, despite always whining over doing the right thing.  Monroe goes into great detail, saying she's the dictionary definition of "girlfriend from hell".  Monroe tells her she's just a psychopath with a screwdriver, which is a reminder of the colleague she killed in Season 1, just to stay alive herself.

Rachel listens calmly, before she tells Monroe he's an insecure child, that he's a poisonous devil on Miles' back, urging him on to do the worst thing possible, and Miles hates him for it.  Monroe is dragging Miles down into the mud with him because Monroe can't stand to be alone there.  She calls him pathetic.

Oh, no.  The bomb drops when Monroe demands to know why she did something bombshell-ish with him in Philly.  Something at night.  Something that Rachel's probably going to have to explain to Miles one day.  Rachel reminds Monroe that she was his prisoner.  For years.  Monroe reminds her that he didn't force her.  They slap each other, and then Monroe grabs her head and makes her kiss him.  She breaks it off, grabs her gun and tells him to stay away from her.  So, Rachel couldn't even be faithful to the guy she cheated on her husband with.  Is Monroe's hatred for her from being jealous over Miles?  Or, is he jealous of Miles over her?

I've always hated you, except for that one night

Charlie leads Neville to a dud- a safe house long since abandoned, except for the extra-handy knife still stashed under a table.  Neville keeps her from grabbing it, though, and starts demanding to know why Charlie's lying about Jason.  She evades his questions a couple of times, but eventually has to admit that he's dead.  You can see Neville's brain collapsing on his face as he tries to deny it.  He fires the gun, and multiple shots go into the wall above Charlie's head where she's crouching on the floor.  As she gets up, Neville insists on knowing whether it was Miles or Monroe.  Charlie, who's resisted talking about this with both Miles and Rachel, opens up completely with the man she probably hates most of all.  The man who killed her father and kidnapped her brother, setting up her long journey into hell.

Charlie can't hold back tears as she tries to convince Neville that it was self-defense, that the Patriots must have read his number, because he could not be stopped, only shot.  Charlie assures Neville, through her tears, that she cared for Jason and didn't want to kill him, but he was no longer himself.  She admits hating herself for doing it.  She lets Neville place a gun on her forehead, and jumps when the gun clicks.  The clip is empty.  Tom is done.  Charlie pretty much bared her soul to the guy.  Jason needed a dad who would get him as far away from the Patriots as possible, not futilely try to get his wife back all the way from Washington, D.C.  Jason needed a dad who wasn't always trying to con Patriots so he could hatch a clever revenge plot.  Jason never had a chance of beating Neville's own selfishness.  Neville falls to his knees, crying over a son he took for granted would always go along with whatever crazy idea his dad had.   Charlie slowly walks away, leaving Neville alone with his grief.

Rachel and Monroe also get a chance to share some feelings when Rachel finds Miles' coat, covered from the inside with blood. Lots of it.  Rachel starts freaking out, while Monroe stays in denial mode.  He goes down on one knee to reassure Rachel that Miles is alive, goddammit.   So, Rachel believes Monroe this time when he insists that he knows Miles is alive.  Together, they get up and keep searching.

They're still searching, two days later.  Connor tries to talk Charlie out of going searching again, saying he's sorry and all, but Charlie shuts him down and goes on about how she doesn't deserve to live, not after her brush with Neville.  Gone is the fatalistic nihilist of the mid-season.  In her place is someone really thinking about what tomorrow should be, and it will include her uncle.  Rachel and Monroe are totally in sync now.  They'll fight over who knows Miles best, or who he wants the most, when they've found him.

Aaron watches them go, and begs Nano Priscilla to help them find Miles, offering her pizza made with ingredients he will personally harvest.  He even offers to milk a cow.  Nano Priscilla puts down Neil Gaiman's American Gods, and like a mother annoyed at being disturbed by her five year old, tells Aaron it ain't happening.  Aaron yanks the book away, and tells her that she's only looking at superficial elements of being human.  What matters is your loyalty to the people you say you care about.  And then he plays the I-created-you-dammit card.  Nano Priscilla assures Aaron that she does love him, but that she will definitely kill the real Priscilla's brain, and maybe a few more, just so that Aaron gets the point.  She doesn't owe him anything.  She takes back her book and tells Aaron to work on her pizza.

Miles is awake, but even worse off.  Still bleeding, he's left a trail of blood to the place where's he's sitting, scratching "I'm sorry" into the wall.  He can't see the point in going on and that fucking Hang In There, Kitty poster is just mocking him at this point.  With the image of a whiskey bottle.  In a bar.  And a strangely familiar man walking past him and out the door.  Miles can't resist, and he follows the stranger to an ominous-looking shed in the middle of nowhere, just like the one from the premiere.  It's empty.  The camera makes a point of showing no one behind Miles, so when he steps into the room and we hear a voice, Miles turns around to face..

Ben.  Ben fucking Mattheson.  His dead brother.  He looks grizzly, but alive, and Miles realizes that this is a vision.  Ben doesn't contradict him, just spends some time reminding Miles of all his moral failings.  Ben is pissed that Miles fucked his wife, but he's even more pissed that Miles couldn't admit it to him.  Ben tells Miles that Miles must be glad he's dead, so he can really have Rachel all to himself.  Says he wouldn't be surprised, as decency isn't Miles' great talent.  So, was it Ben that knew Miles best?  All of Miles failings, made even more bitter because they involved his wife?  Ben claims to know Miles, knows that he's a savage, and that is why the people around him suffer.  That Rachel and Charlie will die if he stays in their lives.  Miles doesn't want to believe him, but a mirror magically in the shed reveals Rachel's and Charlie's bodies, throats slit, and Miles punches into the glass without thinking, breaking it and ripping open his hand and wrist.  He has blood on his face, and the mirror is shattered.  And Miles is alone again.  The Nano is done taunting him, and has gone on to another human.  Miles opens the shed up, turns around, and realizes that his hand is still bleeding.  For some reason, he can't leave the shed as it is, and burns it to the ground.  Just like in the premiere.  Is this the original intent of this season?  Was it always vague so the writers could give it any meaning they wanted?

Miles can't even kill himself.  For a second, it looks like he'll just waste away there, until he spies an old, dusty guitar pick on the ground.  It reminds him of something else.  Playing music for a woman he loved, who's still alive and worth living for.  So Miles gets back up, and uses the aerosol spray to build yet another rickety fire.  He stuffs the Kitty poster into the space between the floorboards above and the collapsed wall, and uses it, properly, as kindling.  What else should one do with a useless motivation poster?  The fire causes another cave in, but this one re-opens the hole, and leaves a lot of rubble for Miles to climb out on.  With his bloody hands just barely holding on above, Miles stumbles out of the hole.  Yay.

About A Boy - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 18

For over a season, I have whined and bitched and moaned about Jason continuing to stay with his father.  Tom Neville banished his son from the Monroe Militia, made him tag along as he fruitlessly looked for Julia, then let the Patriots kidnap him for re-education.  After retrieving him from re-education, he then made him go right back to working for the Patriots.  Tom then failed at rescuing his son from said Patriots when the boy got caught raiding an office for more information on further re-education camps.  Then, Tom takes Jason to Texas, to kill Monroe on the extremely thin, next to no, chance that the Patriots would release Julia.   Jason has literally needed about a season to finally be done with Tom's constant scheming to get ahead, only to find themselves behind again.

So, now that Jason finally broke free of his father, of course the show would kill him off.  The show's writers are basically saying that Jason's purpose was to be his father's assistant, and doesn't get to make his own way in the world.  Which is what's really sad about this episode.  That, and the fact that his death was entirely preventable.

Let's get right to it:  Miles and Monroe are primarily responsible for Jason's death.  Jason outright admitted to them that he had a number tattooed on his eye, and Miles and Monroe already know the consequences of a Patriot agent getting a hold of him.  So why, in the name of all that's good, do they let Jason wander alone amongst a crowd that contains at least one Patriot agent?  Who the fuck is that stupid?  Even if Jason is on the up and up, and he very likely was, who lets someone go unsupervised who can so easily be re-purposed by the Patriots in a fucking moment?

 At least Rachel and Dr. Rachel's Dad have the good sense to not waste any screen time this week on their hand-wringing. Well, Rachel will get in a little wasted time.

Tom, when faced with his son's desertion, can't even keep Jason tied to him with promises of getting their mother back.  Jason angrily announces that Julia is dead, and has been for a while.  Which is what I would have done if I was the Patriots, too.  Does Tom really think that he'll be able to just waltz away with Julia, even if he gives the President Monroe's head on a plate?  Jason finally outright says what Tom really doesn't want to believe.  Jason points out that his dad is foolish for believing anything the Patriots say, and walks off into the darkness.

Miles and Monroe err in even bringing Jason to Austin with them.  After leaving his Dad, Jason surprises Connor taking a dump (I guess), and uses him as a hostage to get into the group.  After admitting that he has no plan except getting into Team Miles, Jason passes along some information that confirms what Duncan's nephew has already told them- something's going down in Austin.  Jason, in addition, has an address some Patriot agents are going to.  Why do Miles and Monroe take him along?  They leave Duncan's former mercenaries, so there are plenty of armed babysitters around.  Why not just leave Jason?  In fact, why not just leave Connor, who accomplishes absolutely nothing in Austin, too?

You know what, Jason?  Just shoot him.

So, Miles, Monroe, Connor, Charlie, and Jason head off on the wagon to Austin for a super-duper top-secret mission to save the President of Texas from assassination.  They quickly find the headquarters for the Patriot cadets sent to complete the mission- a flophouse with general store below, run by the crustiest woman who ever crusted, Shirley Jenkins. Shirley makes them pay in advance for information, but then complains about some kids who haven't paid her for their room yet.  That was the first clue.  Jason immediately proves his worth by getting them in safely, and decoding a note so Miles and Monroe figure out that their first target is Blanchard, a retired Texas official.

You kids let me get back to chewin' on rocks

Miles and Monroe have a little blindfolded fun with Blanchard, his dutiful whore standing by, but can't resist letting Blanchard in on the joke.  Over drinks, they spill what they know to Blanchard about the Patriots, and he's open with them in return.  Turns out, the Patriot cadets have already struck a member of Texas' Cabinet, and implicated California, governed by a Ms. Governor Affleck (Expect next season to focus on California when Texas falls.  Because Texas will fall.)  Blanchard didn't completely buy the idea that California wanted to assassinate a Texas official, mostly because California is too busy with yoga classes.

To be fair, Blanchard is right.  Why would California, which has its own coastline, agriculture and industry, expand into scrub country?  Texas has little arable land, and lots of almost useless oil (I guess you could make kerosene out of it, but that's it).   California would only see an annexed Texas as a burden.  The only thing California needs Texas to do is not give the Patriots a foothold in the West.  Blanchard is gung-ho to get Miles and Monroe to President Carver and get going on those Patriots.  But first, Blanchard figures he should maybe put on pants.  Monroe is openly relieved;  the cavalry will literally be coming to Willoughby to save the day. Miles, on the other hand, won't drink the booze (I wouldn't either), and doesn't sound all too thrilled.  Blanchard disappears to make himself pretty.

Monroe accuses Miles of being completely pussy-whipped, reminding Miles of his good ol' bachelor days of making war without a second thought.  Monroe is wondering where the bromance has gone.  Monroe blames Rachel for these changes, as Miles wants to please her and has himself changed after being exposed to her special kind of tortured dithering.  Miles has no answer, and never will anyway, because they hear a fight in Blanchard's bedroom.  One of Blanchard's whores is stabbing him viciously.  Miles and Monroe separate them, and the whore stabs herself, much like Kim two episodes ago after blowing away her own father.  Monroe confirms that she, too, has a tattoo on her eyelid just as the Texas Rangers show up.

They are shocked to see Monroe alive, and not so shocked when Monroe tries to talk his way out of trouble.  When that doesn't work, Monroe makes a smoke bomb so he and Miles can escape.

In the meantime, Jason and the other kids have been busy.  After capturing one of the Patriots who returned to the flophouse, Jason realizes its one of the brainwashers from his own re-education camp. They have a tortured conversation, with Bad Guy ridiculing the guy who's already beaten him up and wants to kill him.  Probably not a good idea, because Jason takes out a knife and gets Charlie to uncuff him.  By the time Miles and Monroe return with their news, Bad Guy is already dead.  And Jason knows their plan- they'll assassinate President Carver the next day at his big public speech.

Well, lets go back to some unidentified Texas scrub/forest, where Priscilla is burning her hand on purpose in the campfire, can suddenly hear wagons from much farther away than Aaron can, and she sobs at the mention of her kids.  Aaron is starting to freak out, and decides to watch Priscilla all night.  Priscilla literally lies awake, not even blinking.  Which really freaks Aaron out, to the point that he figures out that the nano tech have taken over Priscilla.  Nano-Priscilla tries to comfort Aaron- Priscilla's mind thinks she's making French Toast for her kids, and is enjoying herself.  But Nano-Priscilla is having the time of her life, using Priscilla as a science experiment to really experience feelings, sex, and the sweet, tart taste of a juicy apple.  Nano-Priscilla has no intention of leaving Priscilla's mind, and if Aaron will play along, the real Priscilla will be fine.  Eventually.  So they mosey on to Willoughby, so Aaron can introduce his fake ex-wife to everyone.

President Carver is unthrilled at the attack on a barely alive Blanchard, and the news that Monroe is alive.  Turns out that Blanchard's attacker also had California papers, which would make her the sloppiest assassin ever.  He has the security at his speech doubled, because he's not canceling.

President Carver's speech goes on and on about how awesome Texas is, while the Fabulous Five approach.  Miles, in a decision that will get Jason killed, decides they'll all split up and look for anyone familiar from Willoughby.  Considering that Monroe, Charlie, Connor and Jason don't actually know anyone from Willoughby, this further compounds the stupidity of sending Jason off on his own.  Monroe manages to knock out a Ranger who makes him, leaving him snoring under his hat, but Jason excites the interest of Shirley Jenkins.  And her henchman.

After grabbing Jason and taking him behind something, they make absolutely no commotion whatsoever as they hold Jason's head in place and read his eyelid.  Shirley calls herself his Commanding Officer, and questions him.  Jason spills everything, and then Shirley's henchman hands him a high-powered rifle, and shows him an anonymous office building with a direct line of sight to Carver.  Wouldn't the Rangers have that building locked down and monitored?  They can't catch Monroe, they can't kill him, they take fucking forever to realize he's still alive, and now they just allow a perfect shooting spot to be completely unguarded.  Yep.  Texas will fall.  Jason is lining up his shot when Charlie, who also wandered in with no resistance, tries to stop him.

Carver is finally wrapping up his speech, and then introduces Texas' newest Rangers, a bunch of fresh-faced kids all totally loyal to Texas, except for the kid we know came straight out of Willoughby's re-education camp.  The kid that Miles let go.  The kid who led the Patriots to their last safe house.  So the Texas Rangers don't even vet their cadets.  Yep, Texas will fall.  Miles spots him and realizes what he's going to have to do if Carver is to survive today.

All totally legit because they've got the right hat

Jason and Charlie have a knock-down, drag out fight, with Jason almost succeeding twice in choking her.  During which time, lots of noise is made that attracts absolutely no attention or any guards.  And the building they're fighting in looks suspiciously like a building where books are... deposited.  So will the assassination go through?  Charlie, realizing that Jason has been activated and probably isn't even aware of what's going on, tries to talk him out of it, even when she has no air.  Jason is silent in this scene, saying nothing, just trying to kill Charlie.  The second time she scrambles free, she grabs the rifle left laying on the floor and points it right at Jason's chest.  He takes the knife she stabbed him in the leg with out.  He's about to lunge at her when she shoots him point blank in the chest.

Finally, the people of Austin notice that something's amiss.  Rangers are running everywhere, people start screaming, and little secret Patriot cadet with the Ranger hat takes out a handgun.  Another shot goes off, and Carver gets blood on his face.  But it's not his blood.  Patriot cadet in a Ranger Hat collapses, a red hole in his abdomen.  The crowd gets down, which is weird because it's Texas and shouldn't someone have shot the one guy still standing in the crowd with a gun?

Gee, maybe someone should arrest the shooter

Miles actually is not immediately shot or tackled by anyone, or maybe isn't ever, and has time to show on his face that he really didn't want to kill the kid.  Jason collapses into Charlie's arms, who sobs piteously as Jason dies and not a single law enforcement official even enters the room.

On a lighter note, Rachel is trying to convince Duncan's Nephew from fighting with Monroe anymore and not getting anywhere when the mercenaries get all worked up about a couple of newcomers.  Aaron has arrived, and he magically found their new hiding place after they've been switching camps every episode.  Rachel is thrilled to see him, and pleasantly surprised when Aaron re-introduces her to Priscilla.  How long will it take Rachel to figure out Priscilla's secret?  And how long until Rachel acts and screws things up even more?

The Stupid, Selfish Thing - Revolution - Season 2, Episode 17

Ugh.  So, Monroe gets his army at a very convenient time, also potentially getting his new right-hand man.  And as Monroe is doing what he wants, it inevitably makes whatever Miles is trying to accomplish impossible.  And Rachel tries to mother Charlie (again), with predictable results.  At least Tom Neville got rid of a real douchebag.  And, turns out, Truman is looking to settle down!

First, Truman has to deal with Tom Neville putting another bug in his ear about killing Doyle, who is a truly awful excuse for a human being.  Truman puts Neville off.  Truman definitely hates Doyle too, but he got in trouble big-time following Neville before.  And he's not going to kill anyone to please Neville.  And besides, Doyle isn't even in town.

Monroe and Miles watch as freed kid Kyle leads the Doyle and the Patriots right to their last safe house.  Monroe blames Miles, as he let Kyle go in the first place.  Monroe should remember that Miles' inability to kill everyone is the only reason Monroe is still alive.  But I digress.

It was a crappy safe house anyway

Monroe wants to take Duncan Blake's mercenaries and start fighting.  No one's in a hurry to fight again, considering all they could do was retreat the last time.  Miles, especially, won't do anything to help Monroe think he can get his Republic back, and now everyone, even Charlie, knows what Monroe's big top secret plan was.

Dr. Rachel's Dad decides that he will return to Willoughby secretly and start getting the support of the actual residents of Willoughby.  Duh.  They have really been wandering the Texas scrub outside town for months, without actually checking on whether the people of Willoughby even want to be fought over.  Miles decides to go with, which was his stupid mistake.  Monroe needs a baby sitter who can actually keep him in line, and Rachel ain't it.

Neville leaves Truman's office to be confronted by Doyle's guys.  Who knock him out and kidnap him.  Should be interesting.

Charlie makes fun of Connor for going along with Monroe's crazy plan, telling him their matching thrones will be totally adorable.  Connor insists he's finally doing what he wants.  Charlie, her mercenaries, and Connor spot some trouble ahead.  The mercenaries march forward despite Charlie calling them back, because it's their own.  Monroe questions their leader, to find out that they are the remains of Duncan Blake's forces, newly driven from New Vegas by the Patriots.  A guy named Scanlon fills Monroe in, claiming that the Patriots have been killing war clans throughout the Plains.  Oh, darn.  Those war clans were, I'm sure, filled with great law-abiding people.  Duncan Blake is dead, leaving no one in charge of her former mercenaries.  Scanlon and his men are ready for a fight, but Scanlon doesn't want to be in charge, literally giving leadership of his fighters to Monroe.  Who does his best to not look like a kid on Christmas morning.

Fire and dead bodies always lead to interesting new plot points

Dr. Rachel's Dad and Miles make it back to Willoughby completely unseen.  For like, the twentieth time.  How can the Patriots still be holding this town?  Dr. Rachel's Dad and Miles stop at the local bar, run by Local Woman Marion.  Who is closing earlier than Miles remembers.  He would know; he was the town drunk, which Marion reminds him of by sarcastically calling him by his old name, Stu Redman.  So they've already got an uphill battle with her.  They try.  Since Team Miles has been hanging outside town, the Patriots have had free rein to tell the locals whatever they want about Miles, Rachel, and everything they've done.  Marion may have drunk some Kool Aid, but she probably had no way of knowing anything else.  So Dr. Rachel's Dad must try to break through, find some way to prove that the Patriots have been lying, and that Team Miles wants the Patriots to leave for Willoughby's sake.  Marion really isn't buying it.  Dr. Rachel's Dad brings up the man who died last week after reading the number tattooed on his daughter's eyelid.  Since he hasn't been seen in town for a while, there's a chance Marion could decide he's telling the truth.

Totally not a wanted fugitive

Marion is still trying to decide when we hear people coming in.  Turns out, Marion closes early every night now so she can serve dinner to her new man... Truman!  I always knew he was a romantic at heart.  And they're engaged!  Truman, unlike the other Patriot head honchos, seems honestly interested in making a go of it in Willoughby.  Sure, he's got people in Washington to please, and who will shoot him in the head if he doesn't.  But there's no email, not even a telegraph.  He can pretty much control what Washington knows about and should think of his work.  In the meantime, he's got villagers he made a bunch of crazy promises about restoring the old life to.

Monroe and Scanlon, now closest buddies ever, march their soldiers off to the re-ed camp.  Rachel thinks the whole thing is a terrible idea, but has no power to stop them.  Connor is going because his dad is going.  Charlie is going because her mercenaries are going, which horrifies Rachel.  Rachel, who dragged Charlie into her war in the first place.  Now, she doesn't want Charlie fighting.

Neville wakes up in Doyle's office at the re-ed camp.  Doyle has figured out that Neville is encouraging Truman to kill him at first tries to sweet talk his way out of it, trying to blame Truman for it all, but Doyle shuts that down so Neville goes into full anger mode, lobbing insult after insult at Doyle.  Who decides he'll finally indulge his wish to have Julia killed, and strangle Neville with his own belt.  He even takes his belt off (what if his pants fall down while he's strangling Neville?  Why don't guys think about these things?) Boyband will survive, but only to be Doyle's drone and drudge. Doyle wants to kill Neville personally, to see the look on Neville's face when he realizes Doyle is about to get everything he's wanted, including Neville's son.

Truman and Marion have a lovely, though tense dinner, while Miles and Dr. Dad hide in the basement.  Dr. Dad thinks they got through to Marion, and that she could help them.  Miles is sure Marion will screw them over.  Why?  Because Miles has a theory about human behavior:  people will always do the stupid and selfish thing.  It's the only thing Miles will ever count on.  Poor Miles.  People are always letting him down and he's always giving them more chances to do it again.  Dr. Dad wants to know why Miles is even bothering to fight the Patriots instead of booking.  Miles is just there to save the people he cares about.  Because things will get worse.  Things always do.  Miles can't solve the world's problems- he and Monroe tried that, and only made life for millions worse.  Now, Miles is just fighting to keep the world's problems from engulfing his own.

Marion tries to see if Truman knows what happened to her newly missing neighbor, but gets nowhere.  When Marion comes down to help Miles and Dr. Dad avoid getting caught, she tells them she'll give them a chance to escape.  The chance turns out to be Marion getting Truman to take her out on a walk.

While Truman, Marion enjoy dinner, Doyle is strangling Neville.  Sadly for Doyle, Neville has been working the ropes holding him to the chair, and he struggles with Doyle.  They're interrupted by Monroe and his mercenaries attacking the re-ed camp.  Doyle is distracted by the chaos long enough for Neville to grab the belt and slowly choke Doyle.  Neville must enjoy getting the better of his enemy.  He and Boyband escape into the woods, avoiding the slaughter of cadets and drill seargents at the camp.

Here he is... fucking over Miles

As the battle winds down, Charlie and Connor see Monroe shooting Patriot soldiers injured and laying around the camp.  Charlie's disgusted, but does nothing to stop him.  Connor's a bit concerned, but Monroe makes it all better with a creepy, Godfather-esque gesture of affection.  Monroe always gets a little sentimental after killing.

Truman and Marion make it outside to the streets of Willoughby, only to be confronted with the aftermath of the battle at the re-ed camp: the few cadets and Patriot soldiers who made it out retreated back to Willoughby.  Lots of the town's teenagers are now dead, and Marion takes one look at the destruction and spills the beans to Truman, who storms her basement.  But not before Marion confronts Dr. Dad and Miles with what Monroe has done, insisting that the Patriots were right about them all along.  Once Truman misses his chance to capture Miles and Dr. Dad, he goes right to the re-ed camp, empty since Monroe left it right after the slaughter and pillaging.

Truman is examining Doyle's body when Neville appears.  Neville tells Truman it must have been Team Miles attacking the re-ed camp.  Truman points out the guy was strangled with his own belt after having held two prisoners who appear to have escaped.  Neville tells Truman that if he writes the report Neville's way he can make it look like Doyle was killed for being sloppy, discrediting Doyle and getting his command back.

Monroe and his mercenaries have retreated back to yet another undisclosed location, and are celebrating their victory when Dr. Dad and Miles find them.  When he realizes what Monroe has done and how it has screwed him, he punches Monroe in the face.  Monroe is knocked down, but gets right back up.  Miles asks how Monroe could have screwed him.  Monroe reminds Miles of his years-old theory:  people always do the stupid, selfish thing.

Rachel tries parenting Charlie, who is cleaning up after the fight. Rachel tries to get some deeper reason why Charlie would go and slaughter the town's kids at the re-ed camp.  Charlie reminds her that men she's supposed to be commanding went, so she couldn't possibly stay behind.  Charlie then levels with her mom;  Team Miles is a suicide pact.  Charlie's just here until she can't fight anymore.  So what is Mom fighting for, Charlie wants to know.  What has Mom dragged them into this mess for?  For you, Rachel says.

Geez, Mom, can't you see war is messy?