Quantico – S2E18 – KUMONK

Previously on Quantico, “ODYOKE”

KUMONK refers to the CIA’s Office of Political Analysis.  

Fact or Fiction

Did this show get new writers? Ever since they wrapped up the G20 storyline, they’ve been firing on all cylinders AND it’s been ridiculously topical. Last week it was a Muslim ban, this week The Collaborators are working to set off a protest in an American city, and the team thinks that city is Cleveland because of a divisive gun violence case. The writers couldn’t have foreseen a major gun incident occurring in Cleveland the same week as this episode, but they’ve been eerily close to real life lately.

And Alex is in her element. She’s training Owen on physical tactics so that he doesn’t freeze in the field again and because Clayton has fallen apart as leader, Alex is leading the team to Cleveland. Alex, Shelby and Nimah/Raina head into the field with Owen providing support but they immediately run into Miranda who’s coordinating the FBI team in Cleveland and she is not here for Alex’s shenanigans. Funny, because Alex’s shenanigans saved Miranda’s life and her dumb plan at the G20. She does immediately recognize Raina posing as Nimah though so good for her. 

Brothers & Sisters

Raina is posing as Nimah to the usual hilarious ends. Ryan goes to talk to “Nimah” about Sasha and her response is “You already know what you have to do” because Raina has no idea what is going on. And she’s slowing down the investigation because Raina isn’t an FBI agent despite her Quantico training. It’s a good thing Miranda spots her immediately.

Because Booth is dealing with Sasha and her secret investigation of him and the Collaborators, he stays behind and helps Owen fight Sebastian who infiltrated their base because he’s also tracking the Collaborators. It’s good for them to have another ally but how many secret investigations are there?

The Collaborators broke Clay, y’all. They really and truly broke him and because he can’t see a way through, he wants to disband the team and help his mom transition through the end of her presidency, which he thinks is inevitable. Since Shelby called Caleb last week, he shows up playing the prodigal douche because it turns out that although Clay can accept losing to the Collaborators, he will not accept losing to his brother. Clay out politics Roarke and gives his mom a win while quelling the unrest in Cleveland. But Caleb is also hanging out at the Farm and he wants Shelby to keep her ladybits off his brother. 

Who’s Sexin’ Whom?

Ryan was sleeping with the reporter, though she put a target on her back so…. so long girl, we hardly knew ye. Alex and Owen are moving closer together. And Caleb immediately recognizes the sexual tension between Shelby and Clay, which is just creepy. Caleb is going to have a second-cousin-twice removed for Shelby to hook up with next season. And Caleb and Shelby are definitely never having sex again because he said she looks old.

The back half of this season has been stellar. Now that the show has broken its structure and doesn’t have to vacillate between the present and the past, it’s moving along at a great pace and the writing is spot-on with what’s happening politically. The idea Roarke and the other Collaborators have, to basically run this country because they know best, is typical villain stuff but the way the show is attacking the subject with these interconnected incidences is tight storytelling. And having Alex finally take a teaching role instead of a student shows the character in control for once. If this series doesn’t end with Alex teaching at Quantico, then they’ve failed.