Blindspot Review: Defection (Season 3 Episode 21)

While enjoyable to watch, Blindspot Season 3 Episode 21 “Defection” may have left us more confused than ever as to some of the major plot points. Packed with action, “Defection” gives us plenty of amazing character moments, but fails to provide a look at the bigger picture: What is Crawford planning?

“Defection” links the land purchased in Blindspot Season 3 Episode 17 “Mum’s the Word” to an assassination attempt on two countries that the land borders. The land will be used for an oil pipeline, and somehow this doesn’t seem to jive with what we know about Crawfords plans for the land.

From what little we knew about Crawford’s plan prior to “Defection,” it sounded like his plan was supposed to lead to peace and making things better. I am not entirely sure how an oil pipeline accomplishes that.

Then, take into consideration that the land Crawford ended up with isn’t even the land he originally wanted.  If Crawford has been playing a long game, how can his plan move forward with just any piece of land, because there was never anything significant about either piece of real estate?

There’s still one episode left, and I’m confident things will come together, but it still feels like Blindspot has a long way to go to provide a satisfying ending to the Hank Crawford saga.

However, for the lack of answers it provides in the “what the heck was that land for” department, “Defection” does give us another layer to the Roman and Jane conflict with Michele Hurd reprising her role as Ellen Briggs, aka Shepherd, from Blindspot Season 2.

Through both a flashback and present-day scenes we get some insight into Roman’s state of mind. Hurd gives a great performance, especially opposite Jamie Alexander, as she expounds on the bond that Remy and Roman share. It adds a rich layer to his character, and his relationship to his sister, that really should have come sooner.

I’ve been really curious about Remy and Roman ever since Jane first met Roman in Blindspot Season 2 Episode 1 “In Night So Ransomed Rogue,” but we don’t get those interactions much.

There was an easy way to explain why a deep dive into the past hasn’t happened, and that’s the nature of ZIP. The drug that erased both Roman and Jane’s minds would give them a limited number of experiences to draw from.

However, once Roman and Jane’s backstory was revealed, I think we really needed to see something from their childhood. We got little bits here and there, but there was a disconnect to some of them, and we always had to consider the source. These flashbacks feel genuine and very visceral.

But, at the same time, seeing this memory, calls into question how ZIP works which is just giving me more questions for next week’s finale.  (Remember, ZIP is supposed to induce permanent amnesia, so where are these memories coming from?)

Which brings me to the headaches! I am still not sure what the diagnosis is, or what’s causing it. It sounded like the condition is directly related to using ZIP, which is still in Roman’s system, and I assume still in Jane’s.

On the Blindspot Season 1 Episode 1 “Pilot,” Jane’s system is described as being flooded with ZIP, I am curious as to how that drug is affecting her brain five years or so down the line. Roman doesn’t sound too hopeful when he is on the phone at the start of the episode, so I am a little worried about what portent that might hold for Jane in Blindspot Season 4.

Stray Thoughts:

• Blake continues to frustrate me. I feel like she knows more than what she’s telling us, but then she acts like she has no idea Roman could have possibly been involved with shooting up the hotel when she’s been told her dad works with terrorists.
• Is anyone else just waiting for Blake to announce that she’s pregnant? Because I feel like it’s coming. I just feel like that’s the twist their relationship needs right now.
• Is anyone else wondering where Avery is during this episode? They bring in her godmother for working with Crawford and ordering the hit on Avery’s dad, and then Avery loses interest? Wasn’t she as invested in getting Crawford as anyone else?
• Kurt and Jane jump out a hotel window into a construction dumpster, and all I could think about was the scene from Titanic! At least Jane didn’t leave Kurt to die in cold water while she stayed dry on a door big enough for two people.
• Zapata stole a phone, gave it to the CIA, and then got fired for it. I can’t say I am surprised, but I also feel like this is a fake firing. Keaton’s putting her in place for something else, isn’t he?
• And Zapata and Reade are together now! Okay, let’s see how this plays out.
• If the season finale doesn’t include Roman and Jane sitting at a mancala table having it out while they play some jacked up high-stakes version: I’m just going to say it’s a missed opportunity.

What did you think of this episode of Blindspot? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Blindspot airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC.

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