How to Get Away With Murder Review: It’s War (Season 3 Episode 13)

In which we learn our favorite ship was dashed upon the rocks like so many sailors lured by sirens.

On How to Get Away With Murder Season 3 Episode 13, “It’s War,” Annalise is finally out of jail and free to stomp about exacting revenge on the people that wronged her.

The penultimate episode of any show’s season is always good for dropping one or two wham moments and, oof, “It’s War” is no exception. Now, there are no good bangers like a season finale cliffhanger, but they’re heartbreaking reveals, nonetheless. Not only do we discover that President Hargrove spying on Annalise (bummer), but Connor is really the last person to have seen Wes alive.

That’s gotta mess with your head. Not that Connor was all that unmessed to begin with.

For the past few weeks, as you may or mayn’t have noticed, Connor’s been the resolute grouch. In three seasons, I’ve gone from Connor’s number one cheerleader to inactively wishing that it was him that was #underthesheet.

So with the sudden news that Connor might or might not be a hero after a long period of mourning, it seems as though the Connor train is finally picking up some steam. Maybe.

This certainly answers any questions about why, from the moment the rest of the Keating 5 found out Wes was dead, Connor showed almost no remorse and immediately jumped to blaming Annalise. He presumably stumbled upon an in-need-of-CPR Wes and somehow connected it directly to our morose and manipulative matriarch.

I noted in my review for Season 3 Episode 11 that Connor’s incessant insistence that he and Wes weren’t friends seemed like a “doth protest too much” situation. Now we see that it’s likely Connor is driving his hatred, guilt, and remorse inward; If you actually were his friend, Connor, you would have saved him. If you actually were his friend, Connor, Wes might still be alive.

If you actually were his friend, Connor, you’d find out who killed him.

What we still don’t know—and what we had damn well better find out next week—is why Connor and Wes were in that basement together, how Wes ended up needing CPR, why Connor presumably left his body there after failing to revive him, and most importantly, why he’s blaming Annalise for the whole situation.

Meanwhile, Annalise gets her teeth back and her first action is to launch a nuclear missile against the District Attorney.

Before she does this, however, she makes sure she has the support of her Joint Chiefs of Staff, particularly Michaela who finally gets the recognition she deserves for holding everyone together and… gracefully… declines the praise.

As with any war, there must be casualties, and unfortunately, that casualty turned out to be Annalise’s relationship with the double-agent Soraya. What we were all hoping were moony eyes and love vibes turned out to be nothing more than a self-serving (yet somehow understandable) interest in getting her children back.

Not even Annalise could be mad at her for that.

Speaking of children, Annalise finally drops the bombshell about Sam, Jr., leaving everyone speechless. The latter half of Season 3 has seen these guys growing closer together in the wake of Wes’ death. Annalise revealing one of her most personal truths—something that, until a few months ago, her own mother did not know—unites them as a family even more.

There’s a particularly beautiful moment between Laurel and Annalise where they commiserate, one potential mother to another. I had been thinking earlier that Laurel refuses to give Annalise a break, but with this scene, I understand now that Laurel actually is trying to hold Annalise accountable for the emotional weight she carries but refuses to acknowledge.

If Annalise is the foundation of this group and Michaela is the walls keeping the winds at bay, Laurel is its emotional center.

Will Connor’s reveal bring this house crumbling down? What other bombshells will the finale have in store? Stay tuned next week, kiddos.

Gasp!

Wayward Case Files

• Nate gets a phone call about Wes’ case while standing in front of Wes. But, like… does he have other cases? How does he pay his bills?
• Oliver is trying his best to remain afloat in this corruption sea, but Connor is anchoring him down.
• Annalise, this wig! I told you not to cut off your tracks and now look at you!
• Laurel: “I hired a private investigator.” Asher: “Like Veronica Mars??” This boy is a damn fool.
• Annalise’s crouched, fearful body language when she approached Oliver was masterful. That’s called acting, children!
• Michaela has me worried about her and Asher. I want them to go make jam in Vermont, but we know that’ll never be.
• Laurel doesn’t seem the type to consider abortion as an option. Hell, she refused to let Frank go for months, even while dating Wes.
• Last week, Annalise made a joke about taking any drink she’s offered. This week, she abstained on her own and chose to call her “sponsor” instead. Let’s hope that resolve doesn’t crumble.
• As Annalise put together the pieces of Hargrove’s betrayal, I wondered if it was her coming to terms with her love. It’s an interesting sequence, regardless. She feels betrayed.
• I do not take Frank seriously as a lawyer without that beard. If that makes me prejudiced, I accept the title.
• Rene Atwood never reached her potential as a nemesis. She aspired to malevolence but continually missed the mark and landed at nuisance.
• The writers knew we would hold out hope that Wes was still alive with this missing body nonsense. “He was cremated.” That’s fishy AF and you know it! He’s still alive, dammit!

What did you think of this episode of How to Get Away With Murder? Does Connor’s big secret restore a bit of your sympathy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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How to Get Away With Murder airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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