Action, philosophy, and emotion. A beautiful sacrifice. A complete transformation. Heartbreaking but promising. (Some plot steerage, excessive foreshadowing.)
Spoilers Ahoy!!
Harold Finch engages in several important conversations in this episode, beginning with a scene at a sidewalk cafe. He's alone, looking for all the world like the eccentric billionaire he is, carrying on a one-sided conversation with his brain child, occasionally looking up at the cafe's camera. Finch, pulling a Root and actually speaking from the heart with his Machine? This alone made me sit up and listen:
"I know some very bad things are coming. I know I'm probably going to die. I accepted that a long time ago. But I was wondering if...the people I've roped into helping me, my friends, whether they get out alive? .... I suppose I may have made that impossible. Even if you could tell me, it's probably too late." Interrupted by a waitress who apparently remembers him, Finch hurriedly leaves, glancing up at the camera again: "Goodbye. And thank you."
So it's obvious that Harold is feeling unusually tender from the start.
Back at his underground sanctuary, Root chides Finch for his decision to lock up the machine, warning him not to hinder their greatest ally, lest they all become "the most principled corpses in Potter's Field." Another key conversation ensues, with the result that Finch programs the Machine to eventually choose a voice. He says he always expected the machine to eventually chose a name. (Tantalizing. As long as it's not Hal, after Harold.) He then locks the machine.
Having blown his cover by sentimentally visiting Sognare's Cafe on the 10th anniversary of his first date with Grace, Finch's number comes up. Atypically, it's Reese the Machine contacts while he's walking the streets, Fusco at his side. Immediately, Reese and Root rush to the university to save Professor Whistler from an impertinent student (funny scene) and two Samaritan goons with business cards for Temporary Solutions. (Card-carrying killers?)
Team Machine meets up at the safe-house. The place isn't safe anymore, so Elias offers to take Harold to his refuge in the projects, while Reese and Fusco take the fight to the source, at Temporary Solutions. Finch predictably demurs, but Reese says, "Your number came up. You hired me to protect the numbers."
Meanwhile, another key conversation: Root: "What if I said I hard-coded a little something extra into the system before you closed it for good? I gave her the capacity to defend herself." Harold: "There are rules, Ms. Groves. Rules I did not arrive at casually." Root: "Don't worry. I added a safeguard. She'll only act if you ask her to. It's entirely your decision."
The action goes wild. Assassins kill Elias, kidnapping Harold. More bullets, as Root and Shaw free him. Root shoots goons while flirting with Shaw and philosophizing about simulations and Shroedinger's shapes ("and darlin', you've got a great shape"). "If we're just information, just noise in the system, we might as well be a symphony." (Expressive eye contact)
There's an epic scene with Root firing a BIG GUN from the sunroof while steering with her 4-inch heels. During that car chase, another conversation:
Finch: "I'm so tired of this. Everyone we've lost. Elias!" Root: "They all made choices. They all died for something they believe in. And anyway, the way I see it, they're not gone, Harry... We're all simulations now. As long as the Machine lives, we never die." Finch, ever the pessimist: "We're fighting a war that's already over. All this mayhem. It's an extinction burst." (Cue the sniper.)
Jeff Blackwell, erstwhile house painter, obeying imperatives from Samaritan (in an adult male voice ) somehow aims an expert sniper shot at Harold. However, Root sacrificially swerves to take the bullet. Thus, Blackwell's bullet kills her. Machine warned us, in episode 2.
Root's death was too quick. She deserved more (but she got her say in those discussions). Elias died quickly too, with a bullet to the head. Neither got the attention I wanted. I did like Shaw's unemotional response, similar to how she responded in childhood, when her father died (Razgovor).
Finch is arrested by the FBI. Thus begins another conversation and it's a wonder, for Finch has FINALLY had it. He's furious, speaking to Samaritan while sitting across from Agent Old-Guy:
"I just have to decide. Decide whether to let my friends die, to let hope die, to let the world be ground under your heel all because I played by my rules. I'm going to kill you, but I need to decide how far I'm willing to go. How many of my own rules I'm willing to break, to get it done."
While moving Harold to a holding cell, a convenient pay phone rings: "Can you hear me?" Finch: "Root?" Machine: "No Harold. I chose a voice." (The feels! And panning to Root in morgue!) Long pause. Finch, grieving, furious, tight-lipped. Then: "This place. Can you get me out of it?" Machine: "You created me. I can do anything you want me to." (Lights flicker to "The Day the World Went Away" by Nine Inch Nails)
Next thing, our exceedingly dangerous Mr. Egret (Wingman) is free, along with 600 fellow prisoners. "It's the quiet ones we need to fear" and "his pot finally boiled over" as Elias warned (Reassortment"). I wonder, is Harold aware of the drone missile Root presumably borrowed from Lithuania (QSO)? And does he finally intend to do something with the cocoon-like experiment he's been running in the Faraday Cage (Shot Seeker)?
I look forward to hearing Root speaking for the Machine. I expect her personality will come through. But it kills me, her death.
Spoilers Ahoy!!
Harold Finch engages in several important conversations in this episode, beginning with a scene at a sidewalk cafe. He's alone, looking for all the world like the eccentric billionaire he is, carrying on a one-sided conversation with his brain child, occasionally looking up at the cafe's camera. Finch, pulling a Root and actually speaking from the heart with his Machine? This alone made me sit up and listen:
"I know some very bad things are coming. I know I'm probably going to die. I accepted that a long time ago. But I was wondering if...the people I've roped into helping me, my friends, whether they get out alive? .... I suppose I may have made that impossible. Even if you could tell me, it's probably too late." Interrupted by a waitress who apparently remembers him, Finch hurriedly leaves, glancing up at the camera again: "Goodbye. And thank you."
So it's obvious that Harold is feeling unusually tender from the start.
Back at his underground sanctuary, Root chides Finch for his decision to lock up the machine, warning him not to hinder their greatest ally, lest they all become "the most principled corpses in Potter's Field." Another key conversation ensues, with the result that Finch programs the Machine to eventually choose a voice. He says he always expected the machine to eventually chose a name. (Tantalizing. As long as it's not Hal, after Harold.) He then locks the machine.
Having blown his cover by sentimentally visiting Sognare's Cafe on the 10th anniversary of his first date with Grace, Finch's number comes up. Atypically, it's Reese the Machine contacts while he's walking the streets, Fusco at his side. Immediately, Reese and Root rush to the university to save Professor Whistler from an impertinent student (funny scene) and two Samaritan goons with business cards for Temporary Solutions. (Card-carrying killers?)
Team Machine meets up at the safe-house. The place isn't safe anymore, so Elias offers to take Harold to his refuge in the projects, while Reese and Fusco take the fight to the source, at Temporary Solutions. Finch predictably demurs, but Reese says, "Your number came up. You hired me to protect the numbers."
Meanwhile, another key conversation: Root: "What if I said I hard-coded a little something extra into the system before you closed it for good? I gave her the capacity to defend herself." Harold: "There are rules, Ms. Groves. Rules I did not arrive at casually." Root: "Don't worry. I added a safeguard. She'll only act if you ask her to. It's entirely your decision."
The action goes wild. Assassins kill Elias, kidnapping Harold. More bullets, as Root and Shaw free him. Root shoots goons while flirting with Shaw and philosophizing about simulations and Shroedinger's shapes ("and darlin', you've got a great shape"). "If we're just information, just noise in the system, we might as well be a symphony." (Expressive eye contact)
There's an epic scene with Root firing a BIG GUN from the sunroof while steering with her 4-inch heels. During that car chase, another conversation:
Finch: "I'm so tired of this. Everyone we've lost. Elias!" Root: "They all made choices. They all died for something they believe in. And anyway, the way I see it, they're not gone, Harry... We're all simulations now. As long as the Machine lives, we never die." Finch, ever the pessimist: "We're fighting a war that's already over. All this mayhem. It's an extinction burst." (Cue the sniper.)
Jeff Blackwell, erstwhile house painter, obeying imperatives from Samaritan (in an adult male voice ) somehow aims an expert sniper shot at Harold. However, Root sacrificially swerves to take the bullet. Thus, Blackwell's bullet kills her. Machine warned us, in episode 2.
Root's death was too quick. She deserved more (but she got her say in those discussions). Elias died quickly too, with a bullet to the head. Neither got the attention I wanted. I did like Shaw's unemotional response, similar to how she responded in childhood, when her father died (Razgovor).
Finch is arrested by the FBI. Thus begins another conversation and it's a wonder, for Finch has FINALLY had it. He's furious, speaking to Samaritan while sitting across from Agent Old-Guy:
"I just have to decide. Decide whether to let my friends die, to let hope die, to let the world be ground under your heel all because I played by my rules. I'm going to kill you, but I need to decide how far I'm willing to go. How many of my own rules I'm willing to break, to get it done."
While moving Harold to a holding cell, a convenient pay phone rings: "Can you hear me?" Finch: "Root?" Machine: "No Harold. I chose a voice." (The feels! And panning to Root in morgue!) Long pause. Finch, grieving, furious, tight-lipped. Then: "This place. Can you get me out of it?" Machine: "You created me. I can do anything you want me to." (Lights flicker to "The Day the World Went Away" by Nine Inch Nails)
Next thing, our exceedingly dangerous Mr. Egret (Wingman) is free, along with 600 fellow prisoners. "It's the quiet ones we need to fear" and "his pot finally boiled over" as Elias warned (Reassortment"). I wonder, is Harold aware of the drone missile Root presumably borrowed from Lithuania (QSO)? And does he finally intend to do something with the cocoon-like experiment he's been running in the Faraday Cage (Shot Seeker)?
I look forward to hearing Root speaking for the Machine. I expect her personality will come through. But it kills me, her death.