The Americans, Season 4 Finale, Persona Non Grata

The final installment of the season was a rollercoaster of events and emotions.  It appears that some major characters will be exiting the narrative.  There are several candidates whom may qualify as “persona non grata.”  The ending leaves many possibilities for next season, but major change seems inevitable.

Dennis and Stan wait in a parked car staked out near William’s residence.  Inside his dim apartment, William dons a mask and gloves to prepare the Lassa virus sample for transport.  Phillip drives a Volvo sedan wearing his dark wig, glasses and mustache.  William is cautious while handling the small vial, encased in metal and placed in a small, lined, tin box.  Once the vial is secure, the scientist exhales loudly; then he dresses to leave, placing the vial casually in his jacket pocket.  Whatever doubts he had regarding this mission, he seems to believe this will be his last action before his triumphant return to the motherland.  Outside, Stan notices the light in the apartment has been switched off and watches closely for William to emerge.  Phillip continues to drive to his meeting with William.  Stan notes the make and model of William’s car.  He tells the FBI teams, “Get ready to move!”  Stan and Dennis slowly follow William’s Impala.

Elizabeth brings in laundry to her daughter’s room.  She observes Paige studying and asks her to make room for her on the bed to lie down.  Paige hesitates before speaking, “If we’re in danger, maybe I should learn how to defend myself.”  Elizabeth smiles, “I can teach you a few things.” (An observation, the laundry room is where they used to hide all their spying activities.  Now, Elizabeth brings the laundry to Paige.  Is it a symbol of the secret?)

William parks and exits his car.  Stan sees William and parks their car a safe distance away.  Phillip notes several cars following him and continues to drive.  William crosses the street and a woman appears to be following him on foot. (It is the same woman seen last week.)  Phillip sees the woman and is probably concerned they are being followed.  Stan wants to move in on William before he enters the large dark park.  William sees Stan park his car and runs into the park.  The FBI is now in pursuit on foot.  Phillip walks to a park bench and waits.  William briefly tries to hide under a bridge, but soon hears the authorities have caught up with him.  He removes the sample and pierces his hand with the glass vial.  The cops spot him and yell at him not to move.  William instructs them not to move any closer and orders them to get him to a hospital with a bio-containment facility.  Phillip, unaware of his colleague’s situation, walks back to his vehicle believing William has missed his meeting with him due to a change of heart.

At home, Phillip tells Elizabeth that William failed to show.  Elizabeth observes Stan didn’t come home that night.  Phillip has an alternate meeting with William the next day in the afternoon.  Elizabeth tells her husband she talked to Paige about her hometown. “Do you ever think how it may be totally different now?”  Phillip admits he doesn’t think about Russia much.

In a Russian prison, a young man named Mikhail Semnov is led to a meeting with an official. (Phillip’s son from the relationship with his childhood sweetheart.)  The official notes contemptuously, that the young man has many important friends. Mikhail has been accused of “engaging in anti-Soviet activities” since he returned home from the Afghan war.  His main crime is speaking out in public against the war. The official offers him two choices; stop speaking out or be declared “mentally ill” and serve eight years in a mental facility.  If he stops, he will be released because of his “important friends.”

Stan and Dennis watch William from a room above his sealed hospital surroundings. Stan introduces himself and asks if there is anything they can do to help.  William laughs cynically, “There is nothing anyone can do, in a few days my insides will ooze out through my orifices.  I’m dead, it’s an unusual feeling.”  Dennis asks, “Would you like a Coke?”  William laughs at the absurdity of the offer, especially a Coca-Cola, the most American of all soft drinks.

Arkady meets with Oleg.  The younger man informs him he wants to go home; his mother needs him.  Arkady is saddened by the loss of his brilliant colleague  He warns Oleg he’ll be bored in Moscow.  Oleg is resigned to a boring career, “It’s okay.” The men shake hands.  Arkady praises him, “You’re a good son.”

Paige is in the kitchen when Elizabeth returns home with the dry cleaning. (Is this a symbol of “work” brought home, like the bioweapon?)  Paige informs her Alice had her baby, a girl.  Elizabeth thinks they should go as a family to visit them, but Paige worries it’s too soon.  She asks her mother if she wanted visitors when she was an infant.  Elizabeth replies they didn’t have many friends.  Paige decides to visit Alice solo, and the family can visit when she returns home.  Paige asks if her father is working.  Elizabeth says he’s at a class, called Est where you “think about yourself.”  Paige offers to make dinner.  She again assumes the role of caregiver for her exhausted mother by cooking and making the decision about the visit.  (Elizabeth was also a mother to her mom growing up; they are continuing the “Old World” dynamic.)

At Est, Phillip is speaking about his career as a “travel agent.”  He states when he was young, he thought it would be the perfect job, but admits he chose it not knowing if he would like it.  He admits he doesn’t enjoy his work anymore; it gives him a “sick feeling.”  Its interesting how Phillip is honest about his feelings in Est, just not honest about the context.  The instructor encourages him to quit.  Phillip feels commitments he’s made and people he loves and trusts trap him. (Which does sound strange for a travel agent.)  The instructor challenges him, “It’s okay to let yourself down? You ain’t that important!”  The wild thing about history is the small pieces don’t seem all that important in retrospect, but small pieces make a collective whole.  Who would have imagined all the work of these fictional characters would serve a country destined to fall apart a decade later?

Elizabeth and Phillip meet with Gabriel at his home.  They are concerned about William.  It seems apparent the authorities have him and Gabriel is worried William will talk.  They turn to Phillip who probably knew him best. Phillip concedes he “bitched and moaned a lot,” but isn’t sure if he would betray them.  William has been to Gabriel’s home and they must consider everything he knows about their operation may be discovered.  The trio leave Gabriel’s house.

Mikhail has been released and makes his way through a dirty, dilapidated building. His grandfather leads him through the crowded flat to a room where they can speak privately.  From under a mattress, the older man retrieves a parcel wrapped in brown paper.  The package was left by Mikhail’s mother and contains money in several currencies and three passports of different nationalities.  Mikhail has questions about his mother’s whereabouts, but his grandfather doesn’t know her location.  The young man asks about his father (Phillip).  The older man tells him his wife saw them kissing through the window; he was a young man, like Mikhail.  Mikhail offers his grandpa some money from the pile, but he refuses.  The older man asks how he plans to find his father.  Mikhail knows he’s a travel agent in America, but that is all.  He tells his grandfather he needs to know his father.  Mikhail gathers up his belongings and leaves the flat. (Possibly forever.)

Arkady has been called for questioning by Stan’s boss Wolfe and the director of the FBI.  The men question Arkady about William, an operative known to be working in their “Directorate S” program on bioweapons.  Arkady denies any knowledge of him. (He maybe telling the truth, Tatiana was in charge of the operation.) Arkady notes bioweapons are against the treaties, but Wolfe states the United States is only involved with working on antidotes.  The director notes he will bring this issue to President Reagan and he will discuss it with Andropov.  Wolfe outlines the crimes he suspects the KGB of committing: bugging Gaad’s office, having an agent marry a secretary to obtain secrets and killing Agent Gaad.  Wolfe states, “It’s the lowest thing I’ve ever seen!”  They inform Arkady he has forty-eight hours to leave the United States.

William is dying in his isolation room.  Dennis and Stan continue to observe him from the windowed room.  Dennis asks, “Are you in pain?”  William notes the virus reaches the fever state quickly.  Dennis asks if he can call someone for him.  William is bitter, “I’m an unwelcome guest, and there’s no one.”  Stan observes his agents probably know he’s in custody, but don’t know if he’s given them information. Dennis asks, “Do you like what you do?”  William states at first the job made him feel invisible, like having a superpower.  He initially felt like “the star of my own movie.” Later, he describes how the invisibility became a curse of loneliness.  “The absence of closeness makes you dry inside.”  Stan asks if he still is committed.  William states it’s all he has left.

Gabriel meets with Elizabeth and Phillip at a public location where American flags wave.  Gabriel notes they’ve been in danger so long it’s hard to know when it’s too late. He advises them to take their family and return home.  He notes Phillip’s heart has not been in the work for some time.  He tells Elizabeth, “You had a good twenty years, the job was never meant to last forever.”  He theorizes they are in immediate danger of being arrested, and urges them to go home, pack and leave for a safe house.

Leonard Cohen’s beautiful rumination on death, “Who by Fire?” plays in the background during the following montage.  Paige holds Alice’s baby, smiling.  Phillip and Elizabeth return to their car after their meeting with Gabriel, sitting in stunned silence.  Paige coos at the baby.  Elizabeth looks close to tears.  Arkady drinks alone at the embassy as the song continues, “Who in solitude? Who by his own hand?”  A large statue of Lenin points down to Arkady.

Oleg approaches Arkady’s office but Tatiana advises him not to enter.  “It’s a shock, he’s a good man.”  Oleg smiles and reminds her Arkady is not dead.  Tatiana reveals she has been asked to fill Arkady’s position “temporarily.”  Oleg notes she would have done well in Africa.  He holds out his hand, telling her he’s returning home to Moscow.  He admits he didn’t want to tell her like this.  She looks at him sadly acknowledging the end of their relationship. “You’re a good son.”  Oleg notes Arkady said the exact same words.  Oleg walks away down the empty hallway.

William breathes jaggedly.  Stan and Dennis look tired.  Blood starts to ooze from William’s mouth and nose.  William speaks, “They always wanted more, more information, more samples. Wanted me married.”  Dennis stares down at the dying man.  William says he tried to make his marriage work, but they always fought.  “I wished I could have been like them: couple kids, American dream.  They’d never suspect them: she’s pretty, he’s lucky!”  The viewers cringe as he describes Elizabeth and Phillip, but the FBI agents are no closer to knowing their identities.  William could be describing anyone.

Elizabeth and Phillip finally return home in the snow.  Henry has been watching the Super bowl by himself.  The 1984 game was the most lopsided game ever.  L.A. Raiders crushed Washington 38-9.  It is also when the famous “1984” Apple commercial aired. He tells his father, “We lost, and it sucks!” (Phillip is likely thinking the very same thing about a very different topic!) Phillip apologizes for missing the game, using “work” as an excuse.

Next door, Paige and Matthew have watched the game, but are far more interested in each other.  Matthew notes he and his father used to watch sports together, but their relationship suffered when he learned his father was cheating on his mom. (With Nina.) Paige notes “People are stupid”, but thinks it’s good to view parents as human.  Matthew says he’d like to return to the innocence of being a little kid sometimes.  Paige notes she used to think her father was having an affair, he worked all the time with lame excuses.  She even told her mom her suspicions, but her mom insisted she trusted him.  Paige observes, “They’re just people, shit happens.” On that existential note, the teens begin to kiss.  Matthew even reaches for “second base.”

Phillip and Elizabeth sit in their bedroom motionless.  Phillip asks if they should start packing, “Get the hell out of here!”  Elizabeth replies, “Maybe, I don’t know.” Phillip acknowledges it’s hard to picture their children there, especially Henry.  Elizabeth notes Stan has arrived home.  Phillip notes Stan missed the Super bowl and he is a big sports fan.  Elizabeth is heartened that there aren’t five FBI cars next door.  So, their cover hasn’t been blown, yet.  Elizabeth orders Phillip to go bring Paige home.  She peers out the window intently watching the house next door.

Phillip arrives and Stan grins, whispering, “Matthew and Paige weren’t watching the game!”  He teases Phillip about paying for the wedding since he’ll be the “father of the bride.”  Phillip asks the teens about the game and they provide vague answers. Stan arranges a game of racquetball for next Tuesday.  Will Phillip be gone by then?

Outside the house, Phillip seethes at Paige.  “I don’t want you to see him!”  She begins to protest, but Phillip states cryptically, “You have no idea, NO IDEA!”  Elizabeth watches her daughter and husband come home.

The season ends with confusion and turmoil.  It’s not clear if and when the Jennings will run.  Mikhail may add another layer interest to the story, defecting at a time when his father may be returning home.  Paige and Matthew are the FBI/KGB Montague’s and Capulet’s.  Poor girl, she just wants a normal boyfriend. Will the show follow Oleg and Arkady back to the motherland?  Is Arkady in trouble for failing to keep Tatiana’s program hidden.  Did William say anything else before he died?  Stan came home in a good mood, but if he knew about Phillip he wouldn’t be making racquetball appointments!  It was a good finale with realistic cliffhangers. (Unlike Walking Dead or Game of Thrones.)  We know who’s alive, but don’t know what’s next.

The Americans, Season 4, Episode 12, Roy Rogers in Franconia

The penultimate episode has arrived!  This season has added a new layer of urgency and complexity now that others know the truth about the Jennings.  However, they still have managed to elude the authorities despite this new level of exposure.  The bioweapons mission nears completion, but will it be the undoing of William and the other agents?  Paige received the shock of her life last week when she witnessed her mother’s lethal capabilities.  It may be impossible to conceal the ugly truth about the true nature of their work.  Ironically, Paige seems to have a natural ability to gather and analyze information.  But, will her conscience prevent her from becoming her mother?  The reason The Americans is one of the most compelling shows on television is it maintains emotional realism despite the often fantastical situations.

Phillip and Henry enjoy some time together on the computer playing “Defender.” Elizabeth and Paige arrive home and Elizabeth states bluntly, “We almost got mugged.”  Elizabeth assures the men they were able to get away unharmed.  Phillip leaves Henry to go upstairs and “settle Paige.”  Paige is clearly in shock, “He was dead, was he dead?”  Elizabeth turns to Phillip, explaining, “I had to, he had a knife.”  Paige wonders why they didn’t call the police and if they should call the police now.  Elizabeth clarifies the problem with alerting the authorities; it would bring too much attention to the family.  Phillip understands, “You did what you had to do.” Paige reports she feels sick.  Elizabeth looks at Phillip and whispers, “He was going to…”  Phillip knows Elizabeth would never let her daughter be sexually assaulted as she was during her training.

Henry is concerned about his mother and sister and asks Phillip what happened. Phillip delivers a highly sanitized version of the events, stating it was “very scary” for his sister.  Phillip returns to check on Elizabeth and Paige; he states he has to leave for “work.”  Elizabeth and Paige sit on her bed.  Elizabeth gently strokes her daughter’s hair.  Paige asks, “How did you know how to do that?”  Elizabeth notes it was part of their training, learning self-defense.  Paige can’t believe how quickly the event happened, before she could really understand what was happening her mother had already killed a man.  Paige is troubled by how calm her mom appeared using deadly force to defend her.  Elizabeth responds, “I wasn’t going to let him hurt you.”  Paige asks if she’s had to “Do that before?”  Elizabeth replies, “To defend myself, yeah.”  Elizabeth confesses she doesn’t know how many times she’s “defended herself.”  (That’s probably the truth.)  Paige wants to know if her mother was scared.  The teenager can’t seem to reconcile her loving mother with the cold-blooded assassin she witnessed.  Despite her cool demeanor, Elizabeth admits to her daughter she was scared during the attack.

Dennis has made a trip to the mail robot repair facility to investigate the death of the owner’s mother, which coincided with the machine’s repair.  The son of the woman wasn’t surprised by his mother’s death; she was eighty-seven years old with heart failure.  Dennis asks if an autopsy was performed and the son says no, as the death was “expected.”  He asks, “Am I missing something?”  Dennis doesn’t offer an explanation for his questions but doesn’t press the man further.  Dennis offers his condolences before leaving the facility.

Phillip dons his dark wig, mustache and large glasses for a night meeting with William in a public park.  Without preamble, Phillip gives him the access code to Level Four.  William describes, “Lassa fever, it dissolves your insides, which you then squirt out your anus.”  He tells Phillip the Level Four strain is even worse.  William says he can’t do this.  Phillip looks shocked for a moment, “You’re afraid.” The scientist notes this maybe one of the deadliest pathogens on the planet.  He doesn’t want to be responsible for the destruction if it got out.  Phillip asks, “What shall I tell Gabriel?”  William requests he tell him the truth and walks away into the darkness.

Oleg runs into Tatiana at work in front of the large mural of “Dada “Lenin. (Uncle Lenin as he was affectionately known.)  She shares news she has been offered a position as Ambassador of the Soviet Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.  Oleg congratulates her.  Tatiana elaborates she may chose her own deputy and would like to offer him the position.  She knows it’s “not America.”  Oleg promises to give the idea some thought.  He is intrigued by what she could have done that “impressed them” enough for this promotion.  Tatiana says breezily, “As long as I don’t kill half of the Eastern seaboard by next week.”  They part ways.  It appears as much as Oleg may care for Tatiana, he fears what she is capable of doing for her country.  Her unquestioning loyalty troubles Oleg.

Phillip arrives home from his meeting with William.  Elizabeth informs him Paige will skip school the following day, and has finally fallen asleep.  Phillip asks his wife how she is doing after the attack.   Elizabeth confesses to replaying the incident over in her mind.  Phillip assures her she did the right thing by protecting Paige.  She tells him that right before the attack, Paige had been discussing her conversation with Matthew.  Paige had learned about Stan’s meeting with Martha’s father.  “She was reporting this to me.”  Elizabeth can’t help but be proud of her daughter’s potential as an intelligence agent.  Has her mother’s violence scared her from this path?

Dennis and a technician take apart the mail robot looking for “bugs.”  They discover a device about the size of a mini tape recorder.  Wordlessly, Dennis instructs the tech to replace the device.  This will be allow them to learn more by interrogating the person who arrives to switch out the device.

Stan, Dennis and the new boss Wolfe meet in the vault to discuss the latest developments.  Wolfe is concerned even if they can catch the person retrieving the device from the mail robot; it’s likely to be a diplomat and it maybe impossible to prosecute.  Stan says, “Welcome to the division!”  Dennis jokes maybe they can just shoot him.

Elizabeth goes to check on her daughter in the morning, offering her some hot cocoa. Paige reports not sleeping well.  She confronts her mother, “It’s dangerous what you and dad do, but you told me it wasn’t!”  Elizabeth tries to soothe her, “We didn’t want you to worry.”  Paige is fed up with her mom’s “non-answers” stating she never hears the whole truth.  Elizabeth opens up about her childhood.  She describes the village where she grew up, which was devastated by the war. (She says she was two when it ended, making her forty years old in 1983.)  She speaks about the strength of the people who survived, fighting, freezing and starving.  She wanted to fight back too, not caring if it was dangerous.  She wonders what her town looks like today and wishes she could take Paige to see it.  Despite their unique difficulties, it seems like Paige is able to force her mother to open up and be honest in a way no one else can.  Their relationship has grown tremendously since Paige has discovered the truth.

Oleg studies plans for the upper part of a rocket, the Challenger, trying to discover if it has a hidden purpose.  Tatiana stops in.  He asks her how the computer expert worked out for her team.  She reports she was “perfect.”  Oleg tells her he always thought the “African guys” were weird but is still considering her offer.  Tatiana assures him she is not pressuring him for a decision, she knows their relationship is relatively new.  Oleg states he has to consider everything here and back home. Tatiana says she understands.

Two agents watch security footage near the mail robot.  An African-American woman stops, looks around before opening the robot to retrieve the device.  The men are able to apprehend the suspect.

Stan and his boss discuss what they have learned about the suspect.  She met a man at a Roy Rogers in Franconia. (Fast-food restaurant in Pennsylvania) The man appeared to be a “mob-type” and offered her five hundred dollars to change the tape every few weeks.  Wolfe states the director is thinking of sending this information up the “chain” to the State Department and beyond. (Possibly the CIA?)

Gabriel and Phillip meet at payphone near a bar.  Gabriel makes a phone call and assures a woman that their daughter is alive and well.  Before the woman can ask any further questions, Gabriel hangs up the phone.  Phillip is satisfied that at least Martha’s parents know she is alive.

The phone rings in an apartment in the Soviet Union.  A distraught woman answers and tells Oleg how much he sounds like his deceased brother Evegny.  Oleg tells his mother he sometimes thinks he sees his brother on the streets in America.  They share the sorrow of their loss.  Oleg tells his mother he misses her, with tears in his eyes.  He tells her to “think good thoughts” before finishing the call.  It’s a rare and beautiful scene, which illustrates the toll of war.

Paige watches a soap opera with her mother.  Elizabeth clearly doesn’t understand the show.  Paige tells her, “It’s not logical, it’s emotional.”  Paige knows her mom has a hard time connecting emotionally, especially with popular American culture. Henry and Matthew arrive.  Matthew offers to hook up Henry’s computer to the television in order to play games.  Henry is thrilled and Paige offers to help.

Dennis and Stan are discussing the “dead drop” on the recording device.  Stan finds a phone message of interest and leaves Dennis abruptly, stating he’ll be back in a few hours.

Henry and Matthew work to hook up the computer to the television.  When Henry briefly leaves the room, Paige notes how close Stan and her brother have become. Matthew replies, “Yeah, he’s good with younger kids.”  Paige notes, “Not with teenagers?”  She asks him if he worries about his dad’s job being dangerous. Matthew remembers when his father worked undercover in St. Louis that if frightened him. (Stan was undercover in a white supremacy group for several years.) He notes, “Chasing spies is dangerous.”  He relates his father has told him being in the FBI has taught him patience. (Patience to catch the spies next door?) Paige is clearly curious how Matthew handles his dad’s unusual career and relating it to her own situation.

Stan meets with Oleg in an isolated industrial area at night.  Oleg enters Stan’s car and begins discussing his education. “I went to Bauman Tech University.  We have some of the best scientists, but no money.”  Oleg reports his concern about “getting our hands on something we can’t handle.”  Oleg trusts Stan to bring this information to the right people.  Oleg asks, “What do you know about biological weapons?”  Oleg states they know the U.S. government is working with them but they contract out some of the work to private corporations.  He knows they have an agent inside one of the private companies.  Oleg fails to elaborate further and exits the car.  He may have just sabotaged William and Tatiana’s mission with the Lassa virus but he had to clear his conscience.

Stan immediately takes the information back to Wolfe.  Stan just has a few pieces of the puzzle and he needs resources to work out the whole picture.  Stan states he’s not told anyone else this information.  Wolfe calls out to Aderholt and brings him into their confidence. “Stan’s got something big, scale back on the tape drop. Let’s not piss off the Rezidentura. ”  This tactic recalls one used by the British once they had cracked the Nazi’s Enigma code.  Worried they would tip off the enemy if they averted every attack; they selectively allowed some attacks to continue.  It’s a willingness to lose battles but win the war.  The mail robot bug is small compared to bioweapons threat.  The FBI is trying to avert suspicion from their Soviet counterparts.

William walks down the street alone, Phillip follows in a small car and picks him up and brings him to Gabriel’s house.  Gabriel has prepared tea.  “Phillip tells me you’re having second thoughts.”  William recounts how idealist he was when he joined, noting it’s been hard to maintain his belief in the cause especially when it comes weaponizing dangerous pathogens.  Gabriel believes William needs to “see the people he’s defending” with his work.  The old man promises William he’ll be able to go home a hero, find a wife and have a family if he does this one last thing for the Centre.  Gabriel assures him that William’s work will make the world a better place.

Dennis and Stan have assembled a task force in the vault.  One of the companies on the list is Foster Medical, where both Don and William work.  Dennis and Stan begin to look at long list of employees with high-level clearance.  They study the dot matrix printed sheets and other documents closely.

Phillip seems surprised that Gabriel was able to change William’s mind about the mission.  Gabriel remarks he simply, “Reminded him of who he was and what he wants.”  Phillip is skeptical and states he agreed with William’s plan to abort the mission.  Gabriel notes he’s glad Phillip has Elizabeth, “She’s steadfast, and you need that.”  The old man complains of fatigue and sits down.  He recalls how he thought it would be easier to do this work alone, having no one to “weaken” you.  He’s discovered it “goes to shit anyway and you’re still alone.”  Gabriel has given his life to the cause, lived like a monk and will likely die alone.

Matthew has given Paige a ride home from school and they are at his house. Matthew notes his father hasn’t been home for several days and wonders why he wanted him back if he’s never around.  Paige tells him she’s glad he’s back in the neighborhood.  She says things have been weird at home but won’t elaborate beyond, “My parents treat me like I’m twelve!”  The young man leans in and gives Paige her very first kiss!  Flustered, Paige makes excuses and abruptly exits. Poor Matthew is likely amused but bewildered.

She arrives home to her parents unpacking groceries. (“Banana Sugar Flakes” was there such a thing?) They ask her about school and she mentions Stan hasn’t been home in a few days.  Perhaps sensing something is different is happening between her and Matthew, Phillip asks if they are more than friends.  Paige denies this, even though her lips are still fresh with his spit!  Paige asks why Phillip can be friends with Stan but she needs to be “careful” with Matthew.  Phillip states he would never ask her to get close to him on purpose. (Like Elizabeth has to get “close” her marks. He doesn’t want to think of his daughter using her body for information, yet.)  Paige becomes understandably angry and mentions how she had to be close to Pastor Tim and Alice at their behest.  She shouts at her father, “You always say we’ll get through this, but you never say how!”

Dennis and Stan have found a person of interest.  A man named William, an employee of Foster Medical is using a deceased person’s identity.  (The same way they found out about Clark.)  The men rush to add extra resources in addition to the two-surveillance team already following William.  It looks like he won’t have time to “go home a hero.”

The phone rings and its for Philip.  After he hangs up Paige demands to know what the call was about.  Elizabeth says they don’t have to tell her everything.  Paige losses her temper, “I just saw you kill a man in front of me, you might as well tell me everything!”  Phillip sighs, “I’m meeting someone about a thing that could help our country.”  Elizabeth elaborates, “Part of a weapon we could use to defend ourselves if we were ever attacked.”  With perfect teenage angst, Paige replies, “Great!”

Next week is the season finale.  It seems likely someone will be caught.  Phillip is going to meet William and the FBI has figured out he is a suspect.  The previews show William cutting and possibly infecting himself prior to being arrested.  Will Phillip slip away again?  Gabriel lectures Elizabeth and Phillip, “This job wasn’t meant to be forever.”  Will they be forced to leave as a family?  In my opinion, this season has been the strongest of the series.  Congratulations to the real-life couple Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell on their new baby!  Next week looks like it will be a fantastic end of the season.