Another week of Revolution marks an up step in the show’s short run, though it remains a little shaky with a plot that is put together quite clunkily, a story that continues to stand apart from the other episodes more so than working towards tying them together with a stronger through-line, and a title that means absolutely nothing.
Run Charlie, Run
The episode starts off with Charlie being chased in a situation that defies all logic when broken down. For starters, why was this militia soldier standing alone in the woods? Had he been with others they would have seen Charlie steal his bag and chased after her as well, but he was running a solo pursuit. Therefore, if he was alone, why was there a chase into an ambush when they could have just jumped him at the starting line? The simple answer is that it is a tease to get us excited for the episode’s kidnapping scene that was hinted at in the previews after last week’s episode.
Unfortunately this abduction doesn’t actually come till much later, way past when it should have come into play had they wanted any form of suspense within that storyline. Plus, had it been woven throughout there could have been stronger parallels drawn between this man as he tells his story about his dead child with his most recent stab victim, Maggie, as she slowly bleeds out, all the while thinking of her lost children as well. Instead his sob story falls on deaf ears as he is just another random passerby with problems, creating yet another disappointing moment in the show.
R.I.P. Maggie
Even if his moment in the spotlight was a complete misstep, he did bring about the first moment in Revolution in which I was actually brought to feeling something strongly towards one of the characters, so I guess I can’t be too upset at him. I just wish he had killed someone else in order to make this happen. [Cough] Danny! [Cough]
I did want to title this section “Why Is Danny Still Alive?” considering his parts of the episodes continue to be mostly filler, definitely the weakest portion of each episode, but someone thought it was necessary to keep him around. Instead the most sympathetic character is stabbed in the leg by the kidnapper, or “You Murdered My Dog And Now Must Die” Revenge Seeker. Out of all the characters, Maggie was always the most intriguing to me because of the survival skills she has shown in episodes past (killing that guy with the breath mask in the plane was so awesome!), mostly because I thought this hinted at some hidden past we didn’t know about yet. It may not have been the story I wanted, but we did finally get some flashbacks showing what Maggie went through since the blackout. Long story short, she did everything she could to make her way back to her kids, and when she couldn’t she turned towards suicide. Ben saved her in this moment, but as she died she thanked Charlie for being what kept her going.
As much as I love complaining about Charlie, and as much as I hate that Maggie died (especially in the robotic fashion she came to terms with it: “He severed an artery. I’m bleeding out.” Dead eyes), her final hours did one thing that the show has had trouble doing so far: it made Charlie a sympathetic character. Usually we just see her yelling at Miles, or crying at Miles, or poking Miles with a stick about his past, and goodness knows it is hard to forget her “YOU’RE NOT MY REAL MOM!” outburst in episode one (which kind of looks like what she’s thinking in the depicted hug above when they found each other again), but in these moments when she realizes she is losing Maggie her compassion and genuine care towards the stepmom brings about a character we can connect with (way more so than last week when she got upset over complete strangers dying). Sure her “everybody leaves me” plea towards Maggie to stay in the end was a little much (as the writer’s ploy to keep Miles from leaving), but I’m just going to forget it happened. A Child Left Behind
Maybe this line was a little much to ruin the moment, but the other flashbacks with Charlie’s biological mom show that she does have legitimate reasons for these abandonment issues considering Rachel just up and left them. For supplies, no less. At least that is what she told her sobbing children, but obviously we know better as we then see her arriving next to a Monroe stamped cart and a shadowy figure that just so happens to be Miles. Why the heck did Miles ask for her to come? More importantly, how did he sneak the message to her? It’s not like he could send a text her way. Granted, that’s assuming that her husband didn’t know what she was really doing, because I seriously doubt he is that horrible of a man, or just plain stupid for that matter, to let her go off for a few months to gather supplies. So if he knew the truth, why would he let her go do this? And why couldn’t they all just go with her? Why was there need for handcuffs? The list of questions goes on and on.
Now in the present day timeline, the questions get passed to Miles because he has to know that Rachel is still with Monroe, so when is that tidbit of information going to come back and slap him across the face? If he thinks Charlie is angry with him now for lying about his past, just wait till she hears about this. Whatever the case, we still have no idea what information she was brought in for in the first place, or what she is keeping from Monroe today (and what the heck is SAP clearance?).
He’s Back! Again!
With all of these characters leaving Charlie, the one person who always seems to be coming back for her is Nate. Or Not Nate, considering that’s not his real name. Sure he says he is following Miles, but right after Charlie says that Miles is leaving Nate says he is glad that he is being tied up by them because he can keep a closer eye on him from here. Did he not just hear what they said? Miles is leaving! Stupid boy with a mind clouded by love…
Ok I kid about that, but like last week’s episode Not Nate could have been left out of this episode as well. However, with him here to witness Maggie’s death and Charlie’s reaction he is given yet another reason to be reeled in and eventually not betray her in the end.
Final Thoughts
Even though the group was stopped for a depressing death of one of their members, a poorly created stormy sky emitted a tornado that did stop any progression on Danny’s captors’ parts as well. Which means next week they might finally rescue him! But probably not since we aren’t that lucky and Monroe still needs Danny to use again his mom. I sure know I won’t be holding my breath.
So what did you think of this week’s episode of Revolution? When is Aaron going to let everyone else know about the pendant? Why wasn’t Charlie’s mom scared of being tortured in the slightest? Then again, she didn’t even have a slight mark on her face the next day, so this guy clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing. Why did Miles and Nora climb through the window considering diners usually have doors into their kitchens? Does Aaron realize just how weak he made himself look by not running after Charlie when she was kidnapped? As if screaming her name was going to scare the guy away or something… Did everyone around her think Maggie was bats--- crazy when she was smiling at her iPhone while she died? Let me know your thoughts on everything Revolution in the comments below!
