"More and more she grew to
love human beings and wished
that she could leave the sea
and live among them."
Two couples are hanging out by a river, singing and having fun. Three of them are White and one is a man of colour. Anna and Dan head into the lake, while Sarah leaves to get more beer. Sarah finds her sister Elly snooping and accuses her of spying. It seems that Elly is in love with Jake. Sarah tells Elly that Jake doesn't even know that she exists and that she needs to stop trying to become something that she is not. Sarah heads back to Jake and the two of them make love in the river. Elly uses the opportunity to sneak back to the beach and steal Jake's phone and go through the pictures. Suddenly, Dan is attacked from below and and starts to scream. He is being dragged under and calling for help, causing Anna to call that they should get out of the water. Jake swims over to try and help his friend but is pulled under as well.
Dan is doing the dead man float, when Elly swims over and pulls him out. Her eyes have gone a funny colour and she is webbed. Elly performs CPR and Jake looks up to see Elly looking strange. Elly takes off and Dan stands up screaming for Dan
Rosalie has moved the last of her things into Monroe's house and questions if this is a good idea. Monroe reassures her and Rosalie points out that she has so many things and now Monroe's house seems so much smaller. Monroe is confidant that he can get rid of some thing. Monroe grabs an item from the mantle to prove his point but then goes on a spiel about it's importance to his family. Rosalie informs Monroe that she thinks everything should stay, including her. The two kiss.
Nick comes down the stairs and Juliet hands him a travel mug full of coffee. They talk about how this is all so great. Nick kisses Juliet goodbye and starts to leave, but Juliet asks about the doctor's report. Nick tells her that the doctor was supposed to send him an email yesterday and suggests that Juliet check his email to find out if he is still alive. What doctor sends emails to his patient rather than having them book a follow up appointment? This is a thin excuse to get Juliet to look at Nick's email.
The police have Dan's body and Nick and Hank are informed about the missing person's report that Jake filed yesterday. Apparently, the death has been listed as a possible assault (possible assault? Why not homicide?) and upon looking at the body, Nick says that Dan looks pretty beat up. Nick and Hank note the scratches on Dan's body. They decide to head over to Jake's.
At Jake's, Nick and Hank inform Jake that Dan has been found dead. Jake sits down in shock (This btw is some of the worst acting I have ever see on Grimm) and says that Dan was pulled under water. Hank tells Jake to tell them anything he can remember. Jake then mentions that he and Dan where at the beach, with Sarah and Anna, but he didn't get their last names. Hank asks if Jake got their numbers but is informed that he didn't get the chance. Nick questions if things got sexual and Jake nods his head yes. Jake explains that he and Sarah had sex and that afterwards, they were swimming and Dan started screaming. Jake adds that something pulled Dan under and though he tried to help him, he was pulled under as well. Hank questions how Jake managed to get out and he replies that some girl helped him but he is not sure who she is. Jake admits he doesn't know what he saw. Hank notes the scratches on Jake's leg.
Jake, Nick and Hank head back to the beach where Dan died and Jake explains where their belongings were. Hank questions where the girls Jake was with are and Jake explains that he thought they might have been grabbed as well but their clothes were gone when he came to. Hank continues to question Jake, when Nick hears some rustling of the trees behind them. Nick takes off running after he sees a girl and chases her right into the lake. It's Elly, who jumps into the river and takes off like a bullet. Hank catches up with Nick and asks what happened and Nick explains that the girl jumped into the river and took off. Jake joins them as says that he think Elly is the girl he saw when he woke up.
Nick and Hank head back to the station and inform Renard about their case. Nick tells Renard that the girl he chased turned into something more than a girl when she hit the water. Renard suggests that they round up the unusual suspects. Hank and Nick leave and Renard checks his phone to see that he has been sent a photo. Renard heads into his office where he sees a picture of Adalind. Renard makes another mysterious phone call and learns that Frau Pech was approached to make a deal for a royal baby, since she is the family lawyer. Renard questions whether Eric knew about this and is informed that he didn't. They wonder who the father of the child is and if Adalind is the one who is trying to sell the child of royal blood.
Back at Monroe's, Nick tells Monroe what is going on. Rosalie brings up a girl she used to know in Seattle, who was a Nyad and how well the girl could swim. Monroe says that he has heard of them, though he has never seen one. Rosalie explains that they never stray far from the water and suggests that Nick head out to the Grimm trailer. Nick and Frank stand, saying that it looks like they have a lot to do. Monroe offers to help and Rosalie assures Monroe that it will be fine.
At the trailer, Monroe finds a story from a Grimm in 1865, who worked for the East India company. Apparently, the Grimm reports that their third mate disappeared over night, after raving about a beautiful woman swimming alongside their ship. The Grimm took the position of nightswatch and saw the creature known as the Nyad. The Grimm got the Nyad on ship and she took on a human shape. The woman begged to return to the sea, as her skin began to dry out. The Grimm questioned her but the Nyad refused to answer and ended up dying of dehydration. Hank gets a call from Woo and Woo says that GPS has located Jake's phone at the Anderson marina. Nick suggests that they pick up Jake in case he can identify whoever took the phone.
At the marina, Hank tells Jake to stay by the car and see if he can identify anybody. Nick and Hank follow Woo, who is tracing the phone, which leads to a houseboat. When Elly sees them coming, she hides and Woo identifies a boat. A man exits and Nick explains that they are following up an investigation about a drowning. Able introduces himself and Hank explains that they followed a signal here for a cell phone. Woo calls the cell phone and when it rings, Hank and Nick head on the boat and find the phone. Nick discovers a photo of three young women and says that the girl on the left looks like the one he chased into the river. They head topside and Hank asks Able how the cellphone got in his house. Able again denies knowing anything about the cellphone. Nick shows Able the photo he grabbed and asks about Elly. Able declares that Elly didn't do anything but Nick says that Elly may have been in the area at the time of the drowning. Able says that Elly is deaf and that they cannot talk to her.
Jake watches through binoculars as Sarah and Anna return home. Jake runs over to the boat and tries to talk to Sarah and Anna but both women pretend not to know him, as Elly slips into the water. Sarah and Anna try to dismiss Jake, even after he explains to them about Dan being dead. Jake then tells Nick and Hank that Sarah and Anna are the girls he was telling them about. Able orders Sarah and Anna into the house but Hank says that they are to stay there. Hank asks for Id's and where they were yesterday. Two men approach and the situation becomes hostile. Hank asks about the cellphone and when Sarah and Anna don't deny any knowledge, Hank decides that Sarah and Anna need to return to the precinct. Able asks Nick not to do this and says he doesn't understand. Able changes, allowing Nick to see that he is not human.
The two men approach and tell Able that they did this because he has forgotten where he comes from. Able says that he knows what it takes to survive and that their world died 200 years ago. Able suggests that they have jeopardized all of them with this fundamental crap. The men inform Able that it was Elly who pulled Jake out of the water and that she has to be cut. Able says that nobody does that any more but they tell him that in their world they do and they don't have these kinds of troubles. They suggest to Able that this is all his fault for not raising his women right. Able says that he is not going to let them touch Elly but for his troubles, he gets a punch in the face.
At the precinct, Nick shows Sarah the picture and points to Elly as the girl who pulled Jake out of the water. Hank asks what happened but Sarah is quiet. Nick reveals that he knows that they are Nyads and Sarah replies that she doesn't know what he is talking about. Nick asks if she wants to spend the next 24 hours drying out in a holding cell. Sarah says that she has nothing to say and so Nick and Hank leave to talk to Anna. Nick tells Anna that Jake saw Dan pulled under the water. Hank explains that Anna either saw what happened, or was a part of what happened. When Anna is quiet, Nick suggests that she talk to them because he knows that Nyads can only be out of the water for so long. Nick explains that she will die in there, if she doesn't start talking. Anna starts to cry but does not speak.
Hank and Nick explain to Renard the situation and say that they don't want the girls to die in lockup but at the very least, these girls know what happened. Nick believes that they are protecting someone and adds that he doubts they will survive the night. Renard questions how they will explain two dead women in their holding cell and Nick suggest that they will be blamed for something they had no control over. Hank agrees and adds that Anna and Sarah are playing a very serious game. Nick asks if the girls should be let go and Renard explains that just because they are vessen, it doesn't entitle them to special treatment. They are interrupted by Woo who says that Able is there.
Able confesses to the murder and Hank asks why he killed Dan. Able says that he had his reasons. Nick says that he knows Able wants to save his girls but they want who is really responsible. After a series of questions Nick and Hank poke all kinds of holes in Able's story. Able tries to suggest that Jake and Dan were trying to rape his girls. Able questions why it matters, when he is offering his life for his daughters.
Nick and Hank meet back up with Renard and Nick suggest that while Anna and Sarah might be willing to throw their own lives away, they might not be so willing when it's their father's life in jeopardy. Renard agrees that they should use Able's confession as leverage.
Jake has returned to his apartment and finds one of the windows open. Jake closes it and when he turns around, Elly is standing there. Jakes asks Elly what she is doing there but of course she cannot answer. Jake realises that Elly can read his lips and says that he thought that he had imagined her. Jake explains that the police need to talk to her but Elly shakes her head no and instead encourages Jake to follow her. Jake and Elly head out to the pool and Elly strips down and dives in. Elly swims around the pool at a rapid rate which shocks Jake. When she pops her head above water, Elly reveals her true form and Jake realises that what he saw was real. Jake is then hit from behind and a man drags Elly out of the water screaming.
Monroe opens the last of Rosalie's boxes and finds what looks like weird rabbit chia pet. Monroe calls it interesting and Rosalie says that it belonged to her grandmother and that she has not seen it since she was a kid. Monroe says it deserves a place of honour and puts it on the mantle. Rosalie tells him not to try so hard and that they have to be honest, the rabbit chia pet is butt ugly. Monroe agrees but says that there are probably things of his that Rosalie doesn't like. Rosalie asks Monroe what he is afraid of and he says that there have been other women but no one he ever considered moving in with. Rosalie questions if Monroe is getting cold feet and he reassures her. Rosalie tells him that she loves him and that both hate the chia rabbit. They kiss as Roaslie drops the chia rabbit in a box.
Hank and Nick inform the girls that their father has confessed to everything. Sarah argues that they are arresting their father and agrees to talk to them. Anna reveals herself and Nick says that they don't they have much time left. Hank opens the door to Sarah's cell and Anna tells her that Nick is a Grimm and that they cannot trust him. Sarah says that she has no choice.
Sarah explains that Domenic and Jessie must have been waiting for them in the river. Domenic pulled Dan under and Jessie pulled Jake because it was time to start their families. Sarah explains that this is how it happened in the old days but that they don't do that anymore. Apparently, Domenic and Jessie are from Alaska and come from a family which believes in the old traditions. Sarah explains that this is about revenge because they can only conceive in the water but the catch is that because all Nyad men are infertile, the women have to mate with other men. The men are not happy about having to raise the children of other men and some, like Domenic and Jessie, are not okay with this.
They are interrupted with a call from Jake who reports that Elly was there but was taken by Jessie and Domenic. When Sarah hears this, she realises that Domenic and Jessie plan to cut Elly so that she is banished from the water.
At the marina, Elly is held under water to force her to change. Elly fights back but is told that if she likes human so much she can be just like them. Elly holds her breath to stop from changing but when she can hold it no more, she shifts into her Nyad form. They drag Elly above water to cut her webbing but she quickly shifts back to human. They decide to hold her under again but Nick and Hank arrive. Elly's head is struck against the anchor she is tied to and she slips under the water. Jessie and Domenic attack Nick and Hank and they quickly put them out of commission. Nick dives in the water after Elly and goes wonky for a moment. Hank yells because Nick has been under so long. Nick pulls Elly up and together with Hanks help, they revive Elly. Nick's face has gone pale. Hank asks how he wants to deal with Jessie and Domenic and Nick replies, lock them up. When Hank points out that the two men won't last long, Nick says that they should have thought about that before. Hank tells Nick that he looks like he is dead and that he stayed under a long time.
Able, Sarah and Anna come running, excited to see Elly. They embrace Elly and Sarah says that she is so sorry.
Juliet reads Nick's email and learns that he has a metabolic rate half of that of a normal person. The doctor doesn't believe that anything is wrong and that Nick seems healthy with tremendous physical endurance. Juliet then reads an email from M which states:
Juliet wonders who M is."Haven't been able to spend themoney. Royal assassination causing much turmoil. no longer save...Must leave o, love you,M"
Renard is watching the news on Eric's funeral. The reporter suggests that Eric was killed in a terrorist attack and questions who is going to be given the reigns of the royal family.
Jessie and Domenic are in a line up and Jake picks them out. Jake says that he thinks that Elly might be some sort of mutant or a mermaid. Jake admits that what he is saying is odd but Elly wasn't normal. Nick replies that nobody is and that they are in Portland.
From the minute I saw Jake, Dan, Sarah and Anna I knew that Dan was going to die. It was like watching an episode of Star Trek, just like the red shirt is the one who always dies, in the case of Grimm, it's the guy of colour. I am sick and tired of seeing the sacrificial person of colour and given that Hank is Nick's sidekick and Woo exists to show up with sarcastic comments, Grimm's record on inclusion of people of colour is not good.
So this week, we had basically another episode of vessen of the week, which in many cases what Grimm has been reduced to. We had a small tie in with Adalind but the central plot is essentially not moving anywhere. I will admit to be curious about Renard's mystery phone calls but it is time that the story begins to move somewhere. I fear that it might turn into season one, where there was nothing holding the story together because all we got was vessen of the week.
So, we got Nyad's this week ( big squee). It did a good job in reminding the audience that mermaids are not necessarily like The Little Mermaid. They can be dangerous and we should be scared. I didn't however like the slut shaming aspect of the show. The fact that men should be resentful because "their women" have to have intercourse with humans to reproduce didn't sit well with him. Though Sarah made it clear that drowning Dan was wrong, she didn't really challenge the social mores of the culture. How about women sleep with who the hell they want to sleep without repercussions?
