Spoilers ahead for the April 18 episode of FBI: International, called "Blood Feud."
The agents of FBI: International's Fly Team are in life-or-death situations on a weekly basis when they chase criminals across Europe (or participate in a never-before-seen crossover event), but the threat came to them in Budapest in "Blood Feud." Forrester had a bullseye on his back from the beginning when a Russian hitman targeted him, with a plan for revenge. Forrester's potential assassin was in Budapest almost before the Fly Team even knew there was a threat. Throw in a familiar face, a not particularly helpful CIA operative, and one of the Fly Team agents falling for a civilian, and the case got very personal by the end, leading to Forrester doing something that may have crossed a line.
Perhaps it should have been a sign that the Fly Team was in for a rough ride when "Blood Feud" started with them happily out for a meal together, joined by Raines' lovely girlfriend Maya. By the end of the hour, the man who wanted to kill Forrester had kidnapped Maya and demanded that he come alone to get her, and would he really be Scott Forrester if he didn't willingly put himself in danger if it would have meant saving somebody else?
He had to trick Raines to shake him off from following to get to Maya, and the fight between him and his potential killer was ugly. Maya actually had an assist before Forrester finally got the upper hand, and I expected Forrester to either cuff his would-be killer or injure him enough that he was no longer a threat. Instead, he picked up the gun while his opponent was wrenching a knife out of his shoulder, walked up, and shot him in the head from just a couple of feet away without batting an eye.
And I don't know if I've ever been so surprised so suddenly by FBI: International than I was by Forrester more or less executing a man without even trying for an arrest! I'm not saying that Forrester hadn't been pushed to the brink by the time he arrived in the train yard to save Maya, and I have no trouble believing that his opponent would have done the exact same to him if the tables had been turned. The show also didn't point out that it was something that Forrester normally wouldn't do, so him taking the shot may not actually matter after the events of "Blood Feud."
Still, it was a very interesting character moment for Forrester, who clearly had his priorities very, very, very straight, and sparing the life of the man who wanted to kill him when Maya's life was in danger wasn't something that he even considered. It's worth noting that it wasn't clear at the time whether or not Maya was seriously injured, and this was one of the only times in the episode that Forrester didn't have a member of his team trying to keep an eye on him, didn't have anybody other than Maya to worry about, and didn't have to hold himself back. And he sure didn't hold himself back!
This happened in a season that has had a lot to frustrate Forrester, complete with being given the runaround early on and his career jeopardized. Even though it was partly in service of giving Luke Kleintank some time off after the birth of his child, the character was very nearly stripped of his role as Fly Team leader and sent back to the U.S. in disgrace. He had to deal with FBI's Jubal pushing limits during the global crossover event, and has just had a lot of uphill battles in Season 2. Was he bound to cross a line at some point, even though he got to keep his job following the conflict with Dandridge?
We can only speculate, and it's entirely possible that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill that will never be revisited on FBI: International, but Forrester taking that shot definitely caught my attention. Find out what's next for Forrester with new episodes of FBI: International on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, between FBI (which just set up Maggie for a rough case) at 8. p.m. and FBI: Most Wanted at 10 p.m. ET. If you're already planning ahead for summer hiatus, find some viewing options on our 2023 TV premiere schedule!
