Quantico - S1E18 - Soon

Previously on Quantico, “Care”

The Prodigal Son Returns

I knew when we got to see present day Caleb this show would pick up. It amazes me that some people are so invested in the Shelby/Caleb relationship when the only thing that’s certain is that we don’t know the real Caleb in the past or present. The only thing I can definitively say about this character is that he’s an amazing liar and he always thinks he knows best.

In the present day, Alex is doggedly trying to track down Shelby and finds out about Caleb’s Mark Raymond alias. Ryan and Nimah are spying on her but they dismiss the Mark Raymond thing as a way for Caleb to be on social media and remain anonymous because of his mom’s campaign. Alex enlists Raina’s help to find out what Ryan knows so she impersonates Nimah and is almost immediately caught. You know for two great agents and twins, they are also really bad at impersonating each other.

Ryan tips off Senator Haas to Alex’s investigation so Senator Haas reveals where Caleb has been. Apparently, he’s strung out on drugs because his dad got him out of the building right before it blew up and he feels guilty. The audience knows this is all a lie because we saw him set up the bomb and walk away, but Alex and Caleb’s mom fully bought it, and when Caleb “breaks out” of his mom’s house to help Alex, she takes him on to her team. This should be interesting.

Under Pressure

The NATs are getting their security clearance which means we’re diving back into their secrets again. They have to split up and answer a questionnaire about family, money, and morals. Shelby, Drew, Iris and Raina all get flagged; Shelby about her family, Drew about his lawsuit with the NFL, Iris for her foreign business relationships, and Raina for her religious ties. This leads to a lot of paranoia and animosity. Iris convinces Shelby that Caleb must have told about her parents; Alex, who can’t keep anything professional, is convinced that Ryan is picking on Drew because of her; and Nimah is forced to defend Raina’s Islamic faith. Iris isn’t cleared so she puts Will and Caleb’s side mission with the Not!Scientologists at risk, which she says is to protect Will but I think it’s also because she’s salty. Caleb has to beat up Will to prove his loyalty to the cult.

Who’s Sleeping With Whom?

In an interesting twist of events, Miranda is stripped of her position and reassigned to a field office. She thinks Liam is the one who voted against her so she plies him with alcohol and sex so she can get him on tape admitting to sleeping with Alex. Despite the admission, Caleb’s father still doesn’t think Liam needs to be demoted and Miranda ends up giving Alex a speech about women’s empowerment and how the men in the FBI will always protect each other.

She’s not wrong either considering how many chances Liam, Ryan, and Caleb have all gotten despite obvious issues of integrity.