Violet reviews this week’s episode of Revolution. The cause of the blackout has finally been revealed! What will Neville reveal during interrogation? Check it out, along with Josh’s commentary provided in the Blue font. If you have not seen this episode, and intend to, we highly recommend watching it before reading this article! Spoilers everywhere!
The episode starts with Monroe coming out of his office to meet with Neville, who has been waiting for an hour, while Monroe and Flynn were discussing important business. We see a lot of friction between Flynn and Neville, as Flynn brings up Neville’s record of incompetence. Monroe has decided to send Neville on this mission to pick up something because he is still a trusted officer, and says not to make him regret it. As Neville is leaving, his wife is upset that she’s been having to act like their son, Jason, is dead, and Neville points out that if Monroe ever found out that Jason went AWOL he would question their loyalty. He tells her that he is doing this for her, and that she needs to forget about Jason.
I felt it was dangerous for Neville to lie about his son’s death. If any militia soldier spotted Jason, Tom would mostly certainly be dead. We also learn that Monroe is willing to side with Randall here, obviously because Randall has something that he needs.
Meanwhile, Charlie and the rebels are practicing sword fighting back at rebel camp. Aaron is looking through a journal with figures and drawings of what caused the blackout: Apparently there are a couple hundred quadrillion tiny little computer organisms out there which are programmed to absorb electricity and replicate, and they started reproducing out of control. Something went wrong at “the tower” but Rachel doesn’t know what. Aaron wants to reprogram the tiny computers and get the lights back on, but Rachel says it won’t work, plus Charlie is all that she has left, and she’s not going to leave her again.
We finally learn the cause of the blackout. I am willing to accept their premise. It is a fairly interesting and plausible explanation. Have to wonder the long term health concern, ingesting and breathing them though! As they are absorbing electricity…
Rebel scouts use mirror signals to alert the rebels that a Militia convoy is about 30 minutes away. Neville is sitting in the humvee rocking out to Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long” playing on an iPod. He asks the kid driving if he likes music, the kid replies “It’s okay.” It’s so weird to imagine a future without any music whatsoever. We do heavily rely on electricity to listen to music, but you’d think music would still survive in some form, whether it be through an acoustic guitar, or people just singing songs. But I guess music is not a priority in this society where you’re constantly at war. Suddenly a truck explodes in front of them, and the driver is killed, while Neville wanders out of the humvee disoriented, and the rebels capture him.
That is a good point, about music still being a part of society. music roots are thousands of years older than the development of electricity. I would imagine during wartime, it actually might be fairly prevalent, as a way to calm soldiers, since they are constantly high strung. As for Neville, he is not going to have a pleasant time…
The rebels then bring Neville into their camp with a hood over his head. Charlie gives Rachel the power cell that they found in the humvee, and tells her they found an amplifier, but it was smashed in the wreck. When Rachel figures out it was Neville that they captured, she is upset that they’re not going to kill him after all that he did. Miles goes and visits Neville in his cell, bringing out some torture tools. He asks Neville why the humvee was carrying 30 lbs of loose diamonds, and wonders what they need that Monroe can’t get. Neville ignores his questions and taunts him about Danny’s death, asking if he thought rescuing the kid would make up for all the hundreds he murdered. Miles responds by punching him repeatedly, and assures Neville that they’re not going to kill him, they’re just going to beat him until he talks, wait for him to heal, and then do it again. Meanwhile, Rachel dissolves the power flash drive in acid.
Regarding the diamonds, I am surprised they have value. I suppose it would, though I would think gold might be a more valued commodity. At least Neville is finally get what he deserves–a beating of his own.
Charlie is outside and see Jason walking up with a group of rebels. She asks him why he’s there, and he replies that he knows his dad is inside and wants to go talk to him. Miles says that’s not gonna happen, and Jason punches Miles for what he did to his mom. Miles tells him to leave because he can’t be trusted, and that if Jason comes anywhere near his father, he will bash his boy band face in, to which Jason confusedly asks Charlie, “What’s a boy band?” and she has no answer. Just another example in this episode of how music has disappeared from society, although in this case it points out a positive result: that we got rid of boy bands!
I am surprised that the rebels have so willingly let Jason into their ranks. He could have easily learned inside information and reported back to his father. The boyband bit was pretty funny though.
Rachel tries to get into Neville’s cell by bringing him food, but the guard won’t let her in, so she knocks him out. Charlie stops her before she is able to go in, and asks what she is going to do, to which she replies that she is going to kill Neville. Charlie protests, saying they need him alive, and she’ll kill him herself when Miles is done with him, but not now. Rachel says this is for Danny, but Charlie says that they’re at war and can’t get emotional, to which Rachel replies that Charlie sounds like Miles. Rachel goes outside and asks Miles in what world does it turn out that he’s better for Charlie than she is, and starts crying, as Miles comforts her with a hug. Jason is watching them, and sneaks in to see Neville.
I feel for Rachel here, but she feels completely responsible for the Blackout. Why would she so willingly kill the one lead they have so quickly? It was clearly the wrong decision, despite what does happen later on…
Jason asks Neville what he did wrong. He did everything Neville asked him to — hurt and killed people for him. What more did Neville want from him? Neville tells him that it’s a hard world, where if you’re weak, you’re dead. He didn’t want Jason to be like him, so he was hard on him, but he was always proud of him. Jason can tell that Neville’s just saying this to get him to set him free, so Neville changes his tactics to bring up Jason’s mother, saying that this was his last chance with Monroe, and Monroe will kill her if he doesn’t come back. We already know Jason is a mama’s boy, so this tactic works on him, and he takes out his knife and picks the locks on the cuffs. He says he knows the area and wants to help Neville with the mission. He asks where they’re going, and Neville says an old cement factory in Findlay, but can’t say anymore. Just then we discover that Miles and the rebels have been listening in, and that Jason has tricked his father into giving up this information. They cuff him back to the chair. At what point was this plan put into action? It sure looked like Jason was stealthily planning out an opportune moment to sneak inside to see his father. It didn’t seem like there was any time between the scene with Rachel and Miles and the scene where Jason arrives in his father’s cell to have devised such a plan. Did the plan go all the way back to when Rachel was trying to get in to Neville’s cell to kill him? Her whole scene with Charlie felt real, as did the following scene with Rachel and Miles. At what point would Miles all of a sudden decide to trust Jason?
This was a interesting scene, at first you are wondering how Jason is so easily allowed to wander around the base. You then think that Jason is going to be a jerk and betray the rebels for the sake his father’s love, and then for the sake of his mother. Turns out neither one! And we get a wonderful reaction from Neville. I can’t imagine that Rachel was involved with this plan though, as her conversation with Charlie had no bearing on the plan, as I assume Neville did not hear any of that conversation. I think it was worked out with Miles, who may have alerted the others the plan was working. I also think it was more of an ominous scene for the show when the doors open and all of the main rebels get to witness Neville’s accidental betrayal.
Flynn goes to see Monroe, who tells him there’s still no word from Neville, so he must have failed. Flynn says he’ll make the pickup personally, pointing out that he was right about Neville, commenting that it’s so hard to find good people, and that he’s just here to serve.
We find out from Jason that word has spread about Danny taking out the copter, and that a lot of people joined the rebels because of him.
The show continues to use Danny as a martyr.
Neville has called Padre in, claiming that he wants to make a confession because he’d like to go to his lord with a clear conscience. He takes Padre and another guy by surprise and stabs and kills them. Somehow Neville had gotten a hold of a nail and freed himself from the chair.
Yeah, this wasn’t going to go well clearly from the beginning of the scene. I wonder where the nail came from though. He hadn’t left that chair in a while. I also wonder how a thick nail can pick a handcuff lock…
Outside the old cement factory, the rebels sneak up and see that the place crawling with Militia, and Charlie points out that Flynn is there too. Jason goes to shoot Flynn with his bow and arrow, but doesn’t get the chance, as gunfire breaks out. While the rebels and Militia have a shootout, Flynn gets away with a container. The Rebels end up winning the gunfight, and they go inside and find some sort of chemistry lab set up, and three containers with the nuclear sign on them.
Jason is showing is resolve to joining the rebels, willing to put himself in harms away. I thought the rebels should have made more of an effort to take down the vehicle with case, but I guess they did have a lot of soldiers to deal with. I wonder what the ratio of soldiers between the militia is compared to the rebels. I wonder if quantity of soldiers will be a problem?
Back at Neville’s house, his wife is having tea with a few other ladies, when Neville frantically bursts in. At the beginning of the scene, I wasn’t sure if this was a flashback, because the house looked so nice, and the women were dressed so elegantly, enjoying afternoon tea as if the blackout never happened. Apparently, Militia wives get to lead lives of luxury. Anyway, the wife kicks the ladies out, and follows Neville upstairs, where he is frantically packing. He tells her that they need to leave, their lives are no longer there. Monroe is unstable, and the Militia is going to come for them, so they have to go.
I am curious where Neville will go. I anticipate he would have to head to a different region, and hope to not be recognized, as I am sure his enemies will be more than just the rebels and militia.
Back at rebel camp, Rachel asks about the briefcase that Flynn escaped with. Their best guess is that the man was selling Flynn a bomb. They wonder how are they supposed to fight nukes?
This is a good question regarding battling a nuke. I am not sure the show will bring it up, but since the nations are relatively close to each other, nuclear fallout would be a huge problem even for the Monroe Republic, as the weather could potentially bring it to them. I am not sure a nuke would be the wisest of weapons to use in Monroe’s war.
Nora looks at Padre’s dead body and comments that they should have killed Neville when they had the chance. I’m sure Rachel would agree with that.
Yeah….Rachel probably would agree I am sure.
Rachel tells Miles that she has to leave, intending to go to “the tower” and get the power turned back on, but Miles says she’s not going. Rachel protests, saying that the bad guys have power, the good guys need it too. Miles comments that no one’s a good guy. Rachel wants Miles to promise that he’ll take care of Charlie, but Miles says he won’t let her do this. Rachel tells Miles, “You can’t be who you were. You need to take better care of her than you ever took of me.” Then Miles kisses her passionately.
I am curious about that line Rachel says. How did Miles take care of her? As far as Rachel leaving, it seems futile for just her and Aaron to head out. I would actually agree that Charlie should accompany her, at least have someone capable of fighting, and why not it be her own daughter? I feel bad for Nora, she doesn’t realize any of this is going on yet.
Rachel and Aaron are getting ready to embark on their journey. Miles comments to Aaron that he and Rachel are gonna get themselves killed out there, and Aaron just tells him to find Monroe’s nuke so he can sleep better. Charlie tells her mother that she should go with them because they’ll need her, but Rachel makes it clear that she’s not coming back, and tells Charlie she loves her. Charlie asks Rachel if there’s any chance she’ll see her again, but Rachel says she’s not a child anymore and is not going to lie to her. And with that, Rachel and Aaron leave. I’m still not sure why Charlie didn’t go with them. I don’t see how Rachel and Aaron are going to hold their own out there with just the two of them, especially considering that Aaron isn’t exactly known for his fighting skills. They could definitely use Charlie on the road, and how many times has Charlie been told not to do things but she did them anyway?
As stated above, I agree Charlie should go with them. In fact they should have a few people heading with them. It seems like a silly effort to have two non-trained people to handle the journey all the way to the west coast.
My thoughts on the episode: I’m glad we FINALLY got to know the cause of the blackout, even if it was just a vague idea which only brings up more questions. I want to know more background on Miles’s story, and what’s the story with him and Rachel. I like how we got a tiny peek into upscale Militia officer living. No wonder Neville’s wife wanted to maintain their good graces with Monroe. Where are she and Neville going to go, and how is she going to deal with the shock of going from comfortable living to probably being on the run, living on scraps? Will they get absorbed into some rebel outfit? I’m curious as to the kind of trouble Rachel and Aaron are going to run into on the road, and how they will deal with it.
This was a pretty good episode. I am still skeptical as to why the rebels accepted Jason so readily. I do not think he has ill-intentions at this point, but to accept the enemy in so easily seems rather dangerous. I am glad to know the cause of the blackout as well, and am glad it was a fairly believable scenario. I am curious as to Neville’s plans, as he seems like he really has nowhere to go. I also want to know Randall’s/Monroe’s plans for the nuke. It looks like this season we will be seeing the Georgia Republic along with potentially the more western territories.
Next week: We get to leave the Monroe Republic and see what the Georgia Federation looks like.
