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Nikita: Self Destruct

Birkoff: "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

Well, I think I know why this season hasn't been as... accessible. Our team has been slowly drifting apart, with Alex and Nikita on the outs (and Amanda doing her best to force them apart), and the team all doing their own thing within Division has felt like our core group hasn't really been our core group. Turns out, the problem was Division.

The end of the organization did feel more like a gasping breath than an epic explosion. Much like Ryan waking up and realizing everything he had worked for was suddenly gone, there was this sense of un-realness to the whole bombed out Division bunker. Ops looked like a warzone, with shot up monitors and bloodstains on the floor. I can see why most of the group wanted to bury it and run. The thing is, this is the kind of the situation I wanted to see at the beginning of season three, our group coming together to fight the good fight, that this family really is the whole point of the series. I'm glad things finally got back to that place. Even if those relationships are a bit strained, and one member of the family has gone off the reservation.

Owen, or Sam if you prefer, is gone in more ways than one, and even though he wasn't in the episode at all, his presence could be felt in several places. The same could be said for Alex, but at least she was someone Nikita could actively try and save (since that is Nikita's raison d'etre). At first I was worried they were going the self-destructive route with Alex. It made me angry that the writers were taking her back to that place of weakness when they've already done that again and again all season.

So I was very relieved when it turned out she was still following the seeds that Amanda planted to rescue a bunch of trafficked girls, which is the first positive result of Amanda's tampering. It was also a really nice touch that we got back to some Nikita/Alex action. Them joining forces to rescue those women felt like a return to form. I'd forgotten how much I loved the dynamic between those two; it was a lot of fun to see them together again. I was a little surprised Nikita was able to break through Alex's conditioning so quickly, but maybe Amanda's program had run its course and Alex was simply stuck in a loop.

Speaking of Amanda, I'm on the list of people that are just tired of her. Yet, I really liked her in the flashbacks with Nikita. Were those flashbacks just Nikita reminiscing about losing Daniel, or were they a part of what Amanda did to her? Going back to another scenario where she couldn't save someone is exactly the kind of thing that Amanda would plant in Nikita. Especially since Amanda is all about exploiting defining characteristics, and Nikita's need to save others is her big one; it is also her only real 'weakness'. Except in a very real way Nikita just proved Amanda wrong. She did manage to save Alex (and all those women) and bring her back home.

Bits:

I think this is just the beginning of Alex's healing process, and I'm going to guess Sean's ghost is going to linger over her shoulder for quite a while.

I loved everyone telling Ryan, "You missed a lot while you were asleep." It was a nice way of bringing the character up to speed, while addressing the sheer volume of stuff that has happened since he was shot.

I'm glad Ryan didn't immediately trust Alex, and I thought that final scene was exactly what I wanted to see, the group deciding that Amanda needs to be stopped.

I'm glad Sonya is still around. She's a good addition to the group.

Michael literally charging to the rescue was a bit too clichéd for me, but still it was a very cool moment. Although, what self respecting spy wouldn't be watching their backs, bad Nikita and Alex... needing Michael to save you.

I'm really hoping the big casualty of this season is the Black Box. It's been a plot device for FAR too long.

Since this is my first review of Nikita, I'm not entirely sure how to rate it. But just from a season perspective, I loved the fact that we got our group back.

3 out of 4 Blood stains on the concrete floor reminding us of what we've lost.

Samantha M. Quinn spends most of her time in front of a computer typing away at one thing or another; when she has free time, she enjoys pretty much anything science fiction or fantasy-related.

2 comments:

  1. Congrats or Welcome J.D. to the Nikita reviews :)

    I have to say I am really sick of Alex' "I have to save everyone" guilt trip. I can't hear it anymore and I hate it that her character has stopped to develope or progress for quite some time now. At least that part gave us some much needed field action. I missed that part of the show.

    I interpreted the Alex resucue mission not as a result of the Amanda special treatment. I thought that Alex felt so guilty about her fail at devivion that she needed another try on rescuing others even if it killed her. That´s why Nikita flashed back when she was in that situation after Daniel's death (no intervention from Amanda here).

    I don't think Amanda did anything else to Nikita. Maybe she wanted to but Sam/Owen interrupted her. It would be really boring if Amanda did something to Nikita off-screen, we already had that with Alex and Owen.

    I am so glad that Ryan is back and I am really excited that the group will relocate and work as small undercover group again - that was Nikita's best period and I am looking forward to seeing that again.

    Nice first review, J.D.

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  2. Good review! I'm a bit over a lot in the series, but I did enjoy the Nikita/Alexis interaction this time around. I am convinced we are going to lose a major character at the end of the season. For a while, I have thought it was going to be Alexis; but this time around, Ryan stood out.

    Guess we will wait and see...

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