Miles leaves Charlie and Nora with Kipling. The Militia bursts in and Nevile says that Kipling is one of the few friends that Miles has in town. Charlie says, "if you're so smart, then where is Miles?" When Charlie starts to resist, Neville injects her with something and they drag her into a room and lock her in. Charlie asks where her friends are. It turns out that Charlie has been imprisoned with Rachel. Charlie is shocked to see her mother and cannot speak at first. Rachel tells Charlie that she is beautiful and when she tries to embrace Charlie, Charlie steps back.
Neville tell Aaron that he recognizes him as the wizard of google and says that he bets that he was high and mighty when the lights were on. Neville says that he was one of the poor bastards once and now he needs Miles to save his fat pockmarked ass. Nora realises that they are being used as bait and that this is nothing more than a trap.
Rachel tells Charlie that she was trying to kill Monroe and escape with Danny. Rachel says that this whole thing is her fault and that she never should have left them but Charlie tells her that she needs to stop. Rachel realises that her daughter has grown up.
Miles returns and realises that the group has been taken. Rachel asks Charlie if she was with Ben when he died and if he said anything. Charlie admits that Ben said she reminded her of Rachel and to go and get uncle Miles. Rachel is shocked to learn that Miles is there and asks if he hurt her. Sgt. Will Strausser enters the room and says, "seeing you ladies together has me more than a little aroused." Stausser then takes them out of the room.
Neville is pouring a drink when Miles shows up holding a sword to Julia's neck. Miles offers Julia in exchange for his friends. Neville asks Julia if she is alright and Miles tells him to unload his clip. Unlike when Miles had his son, Neville quickly complies. Neville starts walking towards Miles and says, "you went to my home and laid my hands on my wife." Miles again demands the return of his friends but Julia says that she is not some hysterical bitch. Neville asks why he should help him because he believes that Miles is just going to slit their throats anyway. Julia tells him not to but Neville says that he has no choice and that they should wait there.
Strausser takes Rachel and Charlie to see Danny, who has clearly been beaten. Charlie tells Danny that she had to come because Danny is her brother. Neville returns with Nora and Aaron and Miles demands that they be uncuffed. Miles demands that Neville get Charlie and Danny and when Neville says that they are not there, Miles puts the tip of his sword to Julia's throat. Neville says that Monroe asked for both the kids personally. Miles orders Neville into a closet and forces Julia in with him. Neville says, "I'm going to kill you one day for this."
Monroe introduces himself to Charlie and Rachel asks what he did to Danny. Monroe answers that he is done playing games with him. Monroe shows Charlie the pendant and explains that with an amplifier it makes planes fly and tents roll. Charlie asks Rachel what Monroe is talking about and adds, whatever he is asking you to do, you can't do it. Strausser point a gun at Charlie and Danny and tells Rachel that she has to choose between her kids. "Which one do you love more?" Strausser asks. Charlie tells Rachel not to do this and says that some things are more important than family. Charlie stands up and says pick me and desperation, Rachel says that she will fix the amplifier. Monroe orders Charlie and Danny to be taken back and says that if Rachel even steps a little out of line that both her kids are to be killed.
Aaron, Nora and Miles have made their way to the location that Neville said Charlie and Danny were being held. Miles says that he has no way to get in, but Aaron thinks he knows a way. Rachel is working on the device and Strausser is taunting her and saying that he wants her to sabotage the machine because then Bass will turn the kids over to him. Jeremy Baker approaches Monroe and asks what he is going to do if he confronts Miles. Jeremy is concerned because they have always had standing orders to bring Miles in alive. Jeremy suggests that he be allowed to kill Miles but Monroe asserts that he can.
Two years before the blackout, Mile finds a drunk Monroe. Monroe says that he always thought that he would be dead by now after two tours in Iraq. It seems that Monroe's entire family has died thanks to a drunk driver. Monroe says that it should have been him and so Miles takes the bottle away and tells him that it's enough. Monroe says that he has nothing left but Miles reminds him that he has him and asks what the hell would I be without you. Miles points out that they have been brothers their whole lives and asks Monroe for the gun before he does something stupid.
Charlie is continuing to work on an escape, as Danny listens at the door. Charlie hits the guard over the back of the head when he walks in and picks up his gun. This stuns Danny, who asks if she knows how to use the weapon, Charlie nonchalantly says, "I guess I'm going to have to learn."
Aaron leads Miles and Nora to an intake plant. Nora instructs Aaron to wait outside with a bomb. When Aaron asks how he will know if something goes wrong, Nora assures him that he will know. Rachel continues to work on the device and powers it up. Charlie and Danny are spotted and shot at. When Monroe hears the shots he sends a guard to go and see what is going on. Unfortunately, Charlie's weapon quickly runs out of bullets. They make a run for it and Miles stabs one of the guards in the back. Danny is shocked to see Miles. When Miles tells Charlie that they have to go, Charlie says that they can't because Rachel is there. Miles is shocked that Rachel is alive but instructs Charlie to get Danny out of there.
Rachel and Strausser get into a fight and when Stausser ends up on top of her, she reminds him that Monroe wants her alive. Rachel reaches out and grabs Stausser's knife and stabs him in the heart. Miles enters the room and Rachel slaps him across the face. Jeremy enters with armed men and tells Miles he is like a bad penny, causing Rachel and Miles to flee. They don't get far before they are intercepted by Monroe. Miles instructs Rachel to go and get her kids and promises to be right behind her.
We get a flash back to Miles and Monroe as children and learn that the symbol for the Militia represents both of their names. Miles starts shooting, as Monroe dives for cover. Finally, only Miles and Monroe are left and they are both pointing guns at each other. Miles asks Monroe how long he kept Rachel alive. Monroe asks if he cares so much about Rachel why he left. Miles says that Rachel is his family but Monroe tells him that he is more family than anyone else and that they are brothers. Miles asks Monroe if he is going to kill him, and Monroe lowers his weapon saying that he is not going to kill him and asks him to come back. This shocks Miles but Monroe says that he forgives him and that if he comes back he will let his family live and give him whatever he wants. Monroe drops his weapon on the ground and spreads his arms. Monroe says that you tried to kill me once before and you couldn't pull the trigger and you won't pull it now. Miles tells Monroe that he is sorry and lowers his weapon and Miles says I'm sorry I didn't kill you the first time. You are not the same person, you're too far gone and I see it now. We are not family, not anymore. I have a family, you are nothing to me. Monroe grabs Miles' gun and the two start to fight. Monroe pulls out his knife and Miles grabs his. Outside, Aaron gets the bomb set up. Rachel catches up with Danny, Nora and Charlie.
Inside Miles and Monroe continue their fight, as Aaron struggles to light the bomb. Monroe's men catch up and he orders them to kill Miles, but Miles jumps out and open window. Aaron finally gets the bomb to go off and Charlie, Rachel, and Nora get out of the whole he created. Rachel keeps looking back and Miles joins them and tells Charlie to run. They end up in a field, when they hear a sound. When they turn, they see a helicopter taking off. Miles looks down on them coldly and the helicopters gun starts to cycle.
So, that was the mid season finale of Revolution. The group appears to be under threat but we all know that at the very least, Miles and Charlie are going to survive this; however, everyone else is up for grabs. I am particularly worried for Nora because she is the sole woman of colour on this show.
We finally got the big moment between Miles and Monroe. I think that David Lyons did an excellent job in this scene. Watching it I felt Monroe's desperation, loneliness and love. As much as I loved the tension of this scene, I know damn well that somewhere on the internet, if these two haven't already been "shipped", you can bet they are now. I can positively picture them jumping up and down, rubbing their hand in glee. Dear slashers, please just leave this alone, you have already done enough with Sterek and Merthur.
Once again, we had another example of how important hyper masculinity is to Revolution. You had Neville taunting Aaron because he viewed Aaron loss of economic power and inability to display the physical prowess of Miles as a sign of being feminized. There was also the kidnapping of Julia which of course Neville took as a direct assault on his masculinity because supposedly a man has to protect his woman. Julia remained strong throughout this scene but to do so, she had to claim not to be a hysterical bitch, as though it's somehow feminine to be scared to be held hostage. Only a fool isn't scared when their life and safety is directly put at risk.
As much as this episode was about the long awaited confrontation between Miles and Monroe, it also stood as a sort of coming of age for Charlie. Charlie didn't get caught up in emotion, was willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good and acted promptly when given the chance to escape with a weapon. Through Danny's reaction to Charlie's decisions and actions, we are meant to understand that Charlie is not the same person who set out to find Miles in the wake of Ben's death. The problem is that no matter how much this character has changed, I still cannot stand her.
Finally, we had Rachel. We got to see a mother's love. What irked me about this is that you have Rachel this episode willing to do anything to save her children and yet a few episodes ago, we had Nora more than willing to cast aside her only living relative to follow Charlie. The juxtaposition of these two events in my mind speaks loudly. There is also the issue Neville barely reacting when his bi-racial son was held captive, but being desperate when his White wife was threatened. It screams of people of colour only valuing the White characters and not the fellow characters of colour, even when there is a blood relationship.
For me Revolution absolutely falls apart with its treatment of race and masculinity. When it comes to gender however, they have invested the female characters with strength; however, Nora is treated at times as disposable and Charlie is listened to and thought of as precious even when she is ridiculously spunky. Julia is the brains of the Neville family and Rachel is just plain calculating.
What are your thoughts regarding the first half of this series?
