Quantico – Closure

By: Alex Steele

So Drew (Lenny Platt) is the terrorist, right? He’s the one instructing Alex (Priyanka Chopra) where to drive and what to do, so he has to be behind it right? Wrong. There is someone else involved and this week’s episode Closure uncovers just who is the big mastermind behind the entire plot. And somehow, I didn’t see it coming. The reveal, was outstanding and the reasons behind it all, I’m sure will be jaw-dropping when we enter into the finale next week. But before then, let’s recap just what went down this week.

The top of the episode opens on Alex as she is driving through the streets of New York with Drew barking orders to her via mobile and the nuclear bomb riding shotgun. Warning Alex that if she deviates from any of the orders, the bomb will detonate. Alex is well and truly stuck. With all attempts to connect with Drew falling flat, Alex has made a swift move in dialing Shelby (Johanna Braddy) in so she can hear the entire conversation. Meanwhile, Ryan (Jake McLaughlin), Nimah (Yasmine Al Massri) and Miranda (Aujanue Ellis) have uncovered what exactly Alex had on the flash drive – schematics to a nuclear bomb. Miranda starts to get a containment plan in action while Nimah is instructed to lock Ryan up. He is after all a person of interest.

In Quantico days this week, the NATs are officially within their last week. They are in the home stretch! Liam (Josh Hopkins) expresses how proud he is of Alex and how proud her Dad would have been. Ryan and Alex continue their renewed flirtation, especially with his new assignment to DC. The other NATs are receiving their field office assignments showing that Iris (Li Jun Li) is held up due to security clearance, while the twins are being fast-tracked to their undercover assignment with a window for infiltration now available. Shelby though has received another letter from her parents and is quick to accuse Caleb (Graham Rogers) of being the one who sent it. But it wasn’t. At loggerheads with the younger Haas, but in cahoots with the older Haas has to come to a head sooner or later right? Either way, this is evidently the time in which Shelby began seeing/falling for Clayton (Mark Pellegrino).

Back to the future, a frantic Shelby is demanding to see Senator Haas (Marcia Cross) as she still listens in on the conversation between Alex and Drew. It obviously works, as we next see Senator Haas arrive at the FBI telling Miranda and demanding that everyone be released. And she gets what she wants. Cut back to Quantico and the NATs have been assigned particular terrorist cases to investigate. And while doing so, Shelby receives a call from her mother (Kelly Rutherford). Admitting that it was, in fact, her who sent the letter Shelby doesn’t falter at this information before suggesting an immunity deal may be on the cards. Not only that, Shelby has turned up some information during her Quantico assignment that may be of interest to Alex (information about her father) leading the two ladies to swap. What we discover though is that the swap is also a way for Shelby to further investigate (steal) immunity documents in order to entrap her parents. Luckily, good ol’ Spy-ris (Graham Rogers delivery of these one liners is absolutely stellar) is onto Shelby and clues both Caleb and Alex into her plan.

With the entire NAT team now assembled at FBI, they are all ready to help Alex escape this situation. Yet, they must now deal with the leaked footage of Alex and the car bomb all over the news. Meanwhile, Claire suspends her campaign as she focuses all her attention on making sure this situation is handled successfully. Caleb, in all his withdrawal greatness, suggest that instead of pinging the cell number of Drew that they ping the sounds between his words. This idea is enough for Miranda to give him and Raina permission, a fact Ryan can’t seem to get on board with. Too bad for Ryan because Caleb and Raina successfully locate where the voice is coming from – an apartment rented under the name “Alycia Landon,” a/k/a/ Drew’s deceased fiancée. Cut to said apartment and we see a laptop and telephone, of which the voice is being transmitted through. And in an even bigger reveal we see Drew and Simon, both unaware and obviously drug-addled, tied up and trapped inside with a highly explosive bomb strapped to the door.

With Iris, Alex and Caleb clued into Shelby’s plan to set-up her parents, they break up to try and stop her. Alex breaks the news to both Liam and Ryan, while Caleb arrives at the hotel room where her mother is staying for one last attempt at saving Shelby heartache. Trying to convince Caleb that it wasn’t as easy as they thought I would be – conning Shelby again – Shelby’s mother continues to say how regretful she feels. Caleb doesn’t buy it, warning her that within minutes SWAT will be breaking down her wall. Meanwhile, Alex, Liam and Ryan try their hardest to stop Shelby from making this mistake, but she doesn’t listen and continues on with her mission. Thankfully, she’s too late. Her mother has fled and, once again, her world comes crashing down.

Talk about a penultimate episode! I am fairly certain not many of us were breathing during those last few minutes of this week’s episode. Between Simon breaking Drew’s thumb to escape, closely followed by the rigged bomb being detonated by HRT, our hearts are in our throat. Did Drew survive? Simon thankfully makes it to the crime scene just in time to see Alex surrounded by police officers…everywhere. Breaking the barrier and standing outside the car, Simon attempts to convince Alex that the bomb is a fake. We can’t blame Alex for not trusting him, for not believing him. Can anyone remember the last time we ever knew the full truth? Regardless, Tate Ellington and Priyanka Chopra are unbelievably flooring in this scene; the emotion and utter devastation that the entire situation has caused is evident as the both grasp at any remaining faith they may have. Eventually, Alex clicks the door open. Black screen. Quantico and future days are cut together quickly at the end, but add to the emotionally charged theme of the episode. Alex and Shelby go their separate ways after a heated and extremely cutting confrontation at Quantico. Caleb gets Iris’ security clearance signed off, Ryan and Alex agree to a two week vacation together and the twins are given more time to prepare for their undercover mission.

As the crisis seems to have been averted, everyone has assembled at FBI headquarters where the theatrical nature of this plot is discussed. They were all played. Senator Haas is making a statement to the press, praising the efforts of Special Agent Alex Parrish. FINALLY, we hear the Quantico fandom sigh. Yet, they spoke too soon. The bomb has gone missing. And so has Miranda. Cut to a dark house and Miranda is walking through with her gun pulled. She comes across surveillance of all important areas: Alex’s apartment and the FBI. Then, a click of a gun sounds from behind her. Stating that she knew who was responsible as soon as the earlier footage of Alex leaked, the audience is still left wondering. That is until Miranda goes to shoot, but isn’t quick enough. Taking two to the body, Miranda lays on the ground bleeding as she mutters “Why?” and with a slow moving camera shot, all is revealed. It is LIAM! LIAM! Yes, one more time, that’s right… LIAM! And the reason he’s doing it? To make things right.

Other key points:

• Raina and Simon reconnect as Raina grapples with whether undercover really is for her
• We learn that Liam and Alex’s Dad played a part in the terrorist attack in Omaha but the bureau covered it up.
• Ryan turns down Liam’s offer of a job in DC. He’s done covering up for Liam, he needs to make his own way.