Quantico season 1, episode 14, “Answer,” definitely made us wish for a few more answers. Instead we ended up with a lot more questions.
Let’s start with what we know and learn about the present day:
Alex Parrish- Most trusted
Alex is left shaken by Natalie’s death in last week’s episode, and heads out to the snowy Vermont countryside to talk to Simon and get one ally that she can trust back on her side. The Simon she meets in the forest seems a shell of his former self. We’ll get back to Simon’s story in his section.
Alex also repairs what little damage might have been done with her relationship with Booth. They seem to be back on the same side again, even if Alex is still relegated to the basement at work.
Simon Asher- Worthy of Alex’s trust
Not only is Simon carrying the guilt of being the one that let go of the trigger that killed a host of FBI agents at the makeshift headquarters, but he’s carrying around guilt for blaming Alex for telling him to do it as well. The guilt is so real and strong that he starts every day considering taking his own life. He doesn’t ever go through with it though, which demonstrates his struggle to get back to his former self. He wants to be the fighter we’ve seen him to be, he just needs a jolt to get back there. This is why I love Simon. He’s one of the most complicated and realistic characters on television, and this episode cemented him in that role once again.
Alex gives him the jolt he needs to move on and find life post-explosion. The words we think pushed him over the edge? “Forget control. This is about justice.” She might leave him in the cabin in the woods, but he doesn’t stay there. He finds a bit of the Simon we know and love again and brings the fight back to the terrorists by arriving at Alex’s apartment. His message to her? “You can count on me Alex. No matter what. You always could.” He then proves he’s back in the game courtesy of some sort of tech that he plugs into Alex’s phone. *cut to black* *cue frustrated fangirl growls*
Interesting present day facts
- Miranda informs Booth and Nimah that she received an email from Natalie that morning requesting an emergency leave of absence.
- Nimah locates Alex via cell phone locator in Vermont using software that she uses to track Raina on a regular basis.
- Miranda is furious with Nimah for reporting Raina’s relationship with a member of the terror cell they infiltrated.
And now let’s head back to Quantico:
Drew Perales
He and Alex are assigned the same case to work for their suspect interviews lesson. The two are supposed to interview an actor representing a suspect that walked free thanks to the case crumbling in court. The lesson quickly becomes nothing but background when Perales learns some pertinent information from Alex about who’s to blame for his fiance’s death in Chicago.
Alex clues him into the coincidental nature of his fiance’s death and the Chicago sting operation gone wrong. She goes to Liam for more information and believes she’s got nothing, but lets slip to Drew that the guns sold to the suspects the sting was supposed to catch were the exact same make and model that was used in the shooting on the L-train that killed Alicia.
Rather than take this information and present it to Liam in a controlled setting, Drew explodes on the witness stand, unable to hold in his fury. Liam tries to control the situation, but Drew lays the entire truth on the room full of NATs. Cut to his office, and Liam calls Drew out as the liability that he poses to the Bureau and expels him from the program.
Caleb Haas
Caleb’s minor role in this episode is definitely setting up a crazy future storyline. He has been moonlighting as Mark Raymond, a straight-laced, glasses-wearing persona. We see him talk to someone via video chat, although we are not privy to who is on the other end of the line. We also see him meet with a woman who slips him an envelope. Surely we will learn more about his possibly nefarious activities soon, but this definitely keeps him square in our suspicious sights.
Shelby Wyatt
Another minor role in this episode, but her bonding with Iris Chang will hopefully prove important down the line. The two didn’t work well on their assignment, but it seems that very few did. Shelby eventually admits her frustrations with uncertainties in her past. She tells Iris all about the 13 year con she had perpetrated against her. Iris replied with a story about having to leave an aunt of hers behind in Shanghai to be taken and tortured by police. While Shelby’s uncertainty eats away at her, Iris uses hers to remember the good times and embrace that peace.
One more important fact:
The end of the episode gave us a startling confrontation between Miranda and Liam back at Quantico. She figures out that he and Parrish slept together and demands his resignation by the following morning. Where this goes from here is anyone’s guess, but all the applause for Miranda putting her foot down where Liam is concerned.
Least trustworthy NATs based on events of this episode
- Drew Perales: He has more reason than anyone at this point to want the FBI to pay. His pregnant fiance’s death is entirely the fault of a blown op. Highly suspected.
- Caleb Haas: Even discounting what we suspect of him in the present day events, his alter-ego Mark Raymond, and his current behavior has him high on our list. Public Enemy #2.
- Will Olsen: He’s onto Caleb’s alter ego, and if Caleb isn’t working against the FBI, Will is brilliant enough to play double agent. Especially if Quantico teaches him how to communicate more effectively, the only skill in which he isn’t terribly proficient.
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