Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Blindspot 1x12 Review: "Scientists Hollow Fortune" (Fall Out Of Line) [Contributor: Jen]


"Scientists Hollow Fortune"
Original Airdate: March 7, 2016

This week on Blindspot, super solider with clear similarities to Jane bring her one step closer to figuring out Orion and her ultimate purpose.

CASE OF THE WEEK


When a thought-to-be-dead solider goes on a killing rampage, Team Blindspot is pulled into the mix because the soldier's name is — you guessed it! — tattooed on Jane's body. Patterson decoded the tattoo weeks prior, but considered it a dead end (no pun intended) because Sargeant Charlie Napier was deceased.

Charlie has amnesia and similar skills as Jane. He's been given powerful doses of the same drug that wiped Jane's memory. Team Blindspot uncovers a private contractor who kidnaps soldiers, fakes their deaths, and experiments on them in order to turn them into super soldiers. Charlie is their first success.

Unfortunately, we don't find out much more than that about Charlie. Team Blindspot is forced to relinquish Charlie back into military control and he's recaptured by the private contractor. The team comes to save him, but after another dose of the memory loss drug, he no longer remembers them. Charlie escapes and Jane pursues. They end up in a hand to hand fight and for the first time it seems Jane has met her match. Charlie is about to strangle Jane when Weller shoots him.

Jane identities with Charlie for obvious reasons, and the case suddenly brings to light what has been festering in the dark. Is it possible Jane (or Taylor, rather) is another government super solider? Charlie triggers powerful memories for Jane. She remembers SEAL training, dropping out, and officially joining "Orion." Is Orion the U.S. government's super solider program?

Jane is a willing participant in the flashbacks, but Oscar tells Jane that Orion is where she died. So maybe it's more than how she became a weapon — maybe it's how she was used.


TEAM BLINDSPOT


Oscar gives Jane her first mission: she needs to switch out Mayfair's pen. Jane adamantly doesn't want to betray her team. However, seeds of doubt are planted in Jane's mind when Mayfair allows Charlie to be taken into military custody again. And Jane blames Mayfair for Charlie's death because she didn't fight hard enough for him. Mayfair makes the argument about the chain of command, and tells Jane she needs to learn to function as part of a unit. In other words, Mayfair essentially tells her to be quiet and follow orders. Yeah, that's not going to happen.

So Jane switches the pens.

Oscar is becoming the voice inside Jane's head now, and those seeds of doubt are sprouting into full-blown distrust. However, Oscar is right. Jane's purpose isn't to be a cog in the wheel. Her purpose isn't to simply follow orders. Mayfair demands that Jane fall in line, but the truth is, without the truth she's powerless against the chain of command. Jane is not. Her purpose is to expose corruption and the tattoos are the roadmap to do it. She needs to fall out of line. Jane's subversive actions are necessary.

I still maintain that Jane's team are good people, including Mayfair, and I think Jane knows it, too. Jane's decision is less about distrust in Mayfair and more about her distrust in the FBI. Unfortunately, Jane's team is part of that system. Until she knows which side they should be fighting on, her lies are also necessary.


KURT AND JANE


Did you feel that jolt as Blindspot slammed the breaks on Kurt and Jeller? Any whiplash? My neck is a little sore, but I'll solider on.

Jane stood up Weller. A phone call would have been nice, but it wouldn't have led to the super awkward locker room talk the next day. Kudos to Weller for pretending that he stood up Jane. He's one smooth operator, that one. But the question is, does Jane believe Kurt? Or does she see he's just trying to save face? As perceptive as these agents are, I think we'll find they are absolute idiots when it comes to their own love lives. My money is on Jane believing Kurt's, "I don't think we're a good idea" speech.

After Kurt kills Charlie, there's noticeable friction between them. Because when Jane looks at Charlie, she sees herself. Kurt, however, sees Charlie as a bad man trying to kill his teammate. Things are very black and white for Kurt Weller. Killing Charlie to save Jane is a no-brainer to him. However, Jane is seeing the infinite shades of grey in between the black and white. If Kurt sees Charlie as the enemy, does that mean someday he'll see her the same way?

Well, no. Of course he won't, but Jane is somewhat ignorant to Kurt's never-ending heart eyes for her. Like I said, these two are going to be absolute idiots about each other. Still, Kurt is very much a cog in the wheel Jane is growing ever more suspicious of. Kurt Weller follows orders. He follows the chain of command. While Jane sees Kurt killing Charlie as evidence of his devotion to protocol, she misses the bigger picture. There is one thing Kurt holds above all else — Jane. He may follow protocol and chain of command, but Kurt Weller will follow Jane to the ends of the earth.

He proves it in the most powerful scene of "Scientists Hollow Fortune." Kurt finally confronts his father. Apparently, kidnapping Taylor Shaw isn't all Weller is angry about. His father was a drunk and distant parent. But one word from Jane and Weller is blending with the man while having a heart-to-heart 20 years in the making.

Kurt cannot get past his father's muddy shoes the night of Taylor's disappearance. His father finally confesses he attempted suicide the night Taylor was kidnapped. The shame and fear that Kurt would end up like him kept him silent. Both men break down. All of their secrets are exposed and the healing can finally begin.

This is Jane's real purpose. She is here to expose the truth, not hide it. She is here to heal, not break. Her purpose, of course, is revealed through Kurt Weller because they are one another's starting point. They are the center.

Kurt breaks his standard protocol with his father — he steps outside the lines of their relationship to reach the truth. Why? Because Jane asked him to. It proves Kurt will fall out of line for Jane. She only needs to say the word.

Stray Thoughts:
  • Kurt Weller reveals an excellent way to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My life is forever changed.
  • WHAT?! Kurt's sister and Reade are DATING? Oh, this is too much fun. Weller's gonna kill him. Where's my popcorn?
  • Unfortunately, Oscar didn't reveal anything the audience hadn't already figured out. I guess my expectations were too high for "the pen swipe" mission.

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