BLINDSPOT “Balance of Might” Review

BLINDSPOT — Pictured: Anthony Lemke as Victor — (Photo by: Barbara Nitke/NBC)

BLINDSPOT “BALANCE OF MIGHT”

BY PAULINE PERENACK

Hotel Bombings

Last week on Blindspot there was turmoil with our favorite couple as Jane learned the truth about her daughter from Weller – or did she? While Weller admitted to accidentally killing Avery, viewers learned later in the episode that Avery had survived the shooting, and was being held captive by a man with whom Jane has had dealings in the past.

Additionally, the mysterious Crawford became even more mysterious when it was made apparent that the CIA is interested in him as well, and it seems as though Agent Keaton and Zapata have some sort of long game with the man. Roman might have to quicken his pace with whatever he’s doing with Crawford so he doesn’t get caught up in the CIA’s investigation.

So, let’s recap tonight’s episode to see where all these storylines are going.

Secrets Becoming Known

Tonight’s episode, “Balance of Might” begins six months ago in a refugee camp. A man named Saya tells a trio of refugees that he’s managed to get them out of the camp, and has jobs waiting for them in America. As they’re celebrating their good fortune, Roman arrives and warns them about Saya, explaining that Saya wants to hurt everyone in the camp. He tells them they’ll see he is telling the truth once they start their jobs in America, and at that time, call the journalist on the business card he passes them.

Turns out the journalist is Reade’s girlfriend Meg, who is currently writing a story on $18 coffee, and doesn’t have time for the phone calls she keeps receiving from some Sudanese refugee. Once she explains the situation to Reade, he thinks about one of Jane’s tattoos, and asks to meet the refugees.

Back at headquarters, Weller and Jane are uncomfortable around each other, especially since Jane keeps ignoring Weller’s phone calls, but they listen as Patterson briefs the team in Reade’s absence. The question on everyone’s mind during the briefing is, why is Roman steering the refugees to Meg? Through research, they’re able to narrow down their search of Camp Iko, and focus on John Saya.

Reade is also concerned about Roman’s involvement when he learns from one of the refugees it was Roman who gave Meg’s card. He doesn’t have much time to dwell on the matter however, when three hitman enter the building, trying to get at the refugees. Reade leads them and Meg to safety, and takes out a shooter, while the team, who has managed to find Reade’s location, takes out another.

With the refugees safely in an interrogation room, Reade and Weller attempt to ask them questions, but they ask for an attorney. Turns out, Meg coached them to do so – she wants to protect her source – but Jane convinces her that while it’s noble to help them out, they could be killed if they don’t talk.

Meg relents, and tells them it’s ok to talk to the team, and the refugees tell of a friend who was accused of setting off a bomb in Germany, and they were terrified they were next. With a stack of receipts they kept, the team is able to determine they were purchasing materials similar to those used in the bombing in Germany. Even more troubling, Patterson uncovers another group of refugees who were sent to America, and Weller is concerned they’re being used as a backup team.

Weller asks Patterson to find information on Jane’s daughter, which she respectfully declines to do, but her attention is shifted as her computer locates the other refugees. Additionally, by using information from the Germany bombing, she is able to find an apartment already stocked with planted evidence pointing towards the refugees as the bombers, and determines the Sloan Hotel is the target of the New York bombing.

The team rushes to the location, and split up – with Weller and Jane going inside the hotel looking for the bomb, and Reade and Zapata trying to find a van that holds a second bomb, and the refugees. Both are successful in their search, with Weller and Jane having the more intense interaction as they race through the hotel to put the bomb in a freezer, to minimize damage.

With Saya arrested, the team debriefs, but are still unsure as to why Roman wanted Meg to be contacted. Patterson believes the only connection is to a bunch of donations Crawford has done, including one to Camp Iko. However, without any solid leads, the team disbands for the evening.

Meanwhile, Jane has been experiencing flashbacks to her time away from the team, and specifically, the times with Clem. Remember the guy she called to look into finding her daughter? Yeah, that guy. Well, turns out he’s in New York, and wanting to see her, and judging by the flashbacks, there was a spark between them from the first time they met, when both were betrayed by Dwyer. That spark quickly turned into a fire, and the two spend a night together, before she leaves, citing her love for Weller.

Roman’s storyline this week takes place in London as he returns from Marrakesh with Victor. Blake asks him to join her to a luncheon, but he refuses, explaining the camera lights trigger his PTSD. Blake isn’t impressed, because she knows he’s lying – they did meet at another event with cameras after all – and calls him out on it. Roman being Roman is able to twist the story, and tells Blake he loves her, causing her to change her tune and forgive him. With Blake off to the luncheon, Roman meets Victor at the bar, who receives a call that there was a setback in New York. They talk, and Victor is clearly suspicious of Roman, and tells the bartender to run the prints on the shot glass Roman left behind.

The episode then wraps up with the usual check-ins of each team member, minus Zapata this time. Reade and Meg find out her article on the refugees will be printed on the front page, Jane ends up at Clem’s hotel room, and Patterson calls Weller in to talk about Avery. Apparently she didn’t listen to her own advice to let it go, and found some footage of Avery in the hotel in Berlin where she met up with Weller. Turns out, the day before, she met another man, and as Weller and Patterson switch camera views, they see it’s Roman.

Victor vs. Roman

I frankly could have done without the first 50 minutes of this episode. I’m sure later on, Meg will turn out to be an important character – Roman did pull her in for a reason – but I have no interest in this Jane/Clem storyline. Zapata was also once again given only a scene or two, and I really want to start learning more of her backstory of what she was up to while the team was doing their own thing. What exactly are she and Keaton up to?

Tonight’s only intrigue comes from Roman’s storyline. While it’s getting a little boring since we seem to get so little each episode, there are little clues everywhere that all tie back to Crawford, who is clearly the key to whatever Roman’s plan is. We saw tonight that Roman was at Camp Iko, which is a tattoo he specifically put on Jane, and one which Crawford sent a heavy donation to. This Crawford connection becomes even clearer when Vic receives the phone call about a setback in New York. He knew about the bombing that Saya was planning, and since he’s Crawford’s VP of Operations, Crawford must be behind these bombings. Is that why the CIA is after him? But why is Roman trying to take him down? And now that Victor is on to him, will his plans be derailed?

Finally, we now know that Roman met up with Avery before she met up with Weller, making it seem as though Avery is not Jane’s daughter. Either way, Roman is definitely fully manipulating this situation. Guess we’ll have to wait until next week to find out more. Until then!