With Sean dead at the end of Cry Havoc, episode twelve and the contagious cure ready to go, things should finally be running smoothly for the crew of the Nathan James right? Well in this case, just because the head of the snake has been removed, doesn't mean the snake is in fact dead. Michener and Tom are worried about Kevin McDowell, Sean's third in command and the man who found and recruited Michener.
Michener is in full presidential mode and he tries to talk Kevin into turning himself in with the offer of a pardon or at the very least to stop trying to infect people. Michener goes as far as to threaten to send a missile to end Kevin. Kevin is, however, smarter than the average bear and quickly picks up on Michener's equivocation, taunting him about how broken he was after the death of his family. To muddy the waters, Kevin then claims that Europe needs his attention and disconnects the call. To follow through on this ruse, Kevin sends the phone they use for communication away.
As they sail down the Mississippi, Michener begins to make plans for the future and this involves deciding that, because of its strategic position, that St. Louis will be the head of his government. They make plans to make three stops and spread the contagious cure. The most important thing is to get the message out because each person they infect with the cure will only be able to pass it on for 5-6 days.
As they prepare to land, Jeter's in laws reach out to ask if they should come and meet him at the ship. After assessing their situation, Jeter instructs them to stay where they are, promising to travel back and find them. The problem with this is that he said it over an open line. By the time the ship makes land, scarcely over a 100 people show up, and Rachel believes that they need over 10,000 if there's any chance to spread the cure.
Kevin proves to be just as homicidal as Sean. Kevin and his men have managed to capture a truck load of infected and have managed to secure navy uniforms from a surplus shop. The plan is to drop off the infected at the second Navy landing spot thus infecting more people and while convincing the people that the Navy is responsible. As things go, it's not a bad plan really. Unfortunately for Kevin, one of the immunes he left behind happens to run into none other than Tex and he is more than happy to tell Tex Kevin's plans. Tex naturally contacts the ship which passes it's information to the group they have on land.
Tex finally makes it to the location where he believes his daughter and ex wife are only to learn that his daughter has gone to the third landing spot to meet the ship and his ex wife is dead thanks to looters.
At the landing spot, Tex finds his daughter in the crowd and he also spots Kevin and his men, who are in the process of bringing the infected into the area. The people at first greet Kevin's men like heroes until one announces that this is a trap to infect more people. They fire their weapons in the air to further panic people (of course). Tex communicates with the ship and they ready the aerosol cure for delivery to stop further spread of the contagion. While waiting for the helicopters, the crew of the Nathan James takes out Kevin's men and actually manages to capture Kevin. The helicopter does a flyover and the men on the ground encourage the civilians to breathe in the cure.
At the last landing spot there are tons of people happily awaiting the Nathan James. The crew disembarks and spreads the cure. Jetter meets his in laws and they make up. Michener somehow scares up a judge and takes the oath of office.
Later, its time for a inauguration ball though Michener is a bit disturbed by it. Tom points out that they have to celebrate the good and that Lincoln had one during the civil war. Michener makes Tom top Navy dog and orders him to bring his family to the new capitol. Michener points out that South America is in worse shape than they are and that warlords have begun to divide up major cities. In short, the war is far from over.
The crew takes a moment to remember those that they have lost. Danny finally gets around to proposing to Foster and naturally she accepts. Tom heads back to his room where he is met by none other than a smiling Rachel, who the first time in a long time doesn't have a guard assigned to her. Michener pardoned her and I think she deserves an award. Rachel talks about Michener's plans for her which involve heading out to a high infection area and overseeing the passing on of the cure. Tom tells her to find him when she gets back.
Rachel in the hallway alone is approached by one of Kevin's men claiming that he wants to get the cure specifically from Rachel because she created it. Rachel clearly doesn't trust him because she doesn't allow him to get too close but he pulls out a gun and shoots her at close range.
Michener is in full on presidential mode and I still don't buy it. It was only last episode that Tom ordered him off the Nathan James. Yeah by the rules of succession, he's technically the president; however, the idea that he could broadcast a message and simply announce this identity and have people not only accept it but be comforted by it is bullshit. There are Americans who don't even recognise their senators or congressman but yet they are comforted by a guy from HUD who they've never seen before?
Whether or not Rachel returns I suppose depends on whether or not Rohna Mitra signs on for a third season. I would really like her character to return because she has been the most prominent female character on The Last Ship since it started. The one thing The Last Ship needs is strong female characters that actually play an important role in the plot. I don't care whether or not Rachel gets together with Tom or Tex, I care that she is there smart, brave and a part of the decision making.
Now that season two is over we are all set for America saves the world. The mention of South America indicates that while the Nathan James may be in dock for now, it certainly won't stay there. It will actually be nice to see the story shift outside of the United States even if it will be filled with more nonsense of American heroism and its mission to be the world's saviours. I wish this show could be done without all of the indoctrination. One thing is for certain, The Last Ship is about to get an influx of characters because Tom and Michener aren't capable of running the government alone.
Kevin may have been neutralised but based on the attack on Rachel, the immunes are far from being pacified. What threat they may pose I suppose depends to some degree depends on whether or not Rachel survives and how much of the cure they have left.
