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2.1 Hard Landing

Michael: "I thought I'd lost you."
Nikita: "You never had me."

In "Mercy," Michael got Nikita out of Section. Here, he brought her right back in again. At this point, the last thing I expected was that Michael and Nikita would consummate their relationship. So of course, that was what happened.

I loved nearly every scene in this episode. Michael being "out of sync" in the opener. The longing looks over the burning car in Lyon. The passionate, almost violent love scene on the boat, with him knocking the gun out of her hand and pushing her down. (As they said in the DVD commentary, how French. :) Michael and Nikita, both nude, talking about her feelings of despair. The scene that followed, in daylight, on the deck of the boat. The office chair gun battle. Michael's pissing contest with Ackerman. And the oddly gentle scene where Michael battered Nikita, in order to provide her with cover.

Yes, hiding from Section and slinging hash wasn't "living," but let's face it: Nikita came back to Section to be with Michael, period. She wasn't functioning well in the Real World without him. Michael wasn't functioning well in Section without her. He couldn't leave, so she had to return. The big question is, why did he blow her off in the final scene? Why won't he see her after hours? Would it seem too suspicious if they were suddenly a couple? Is he trying to protect her?

I noticed that Michael and Nikita were separated by glass twice in this episode. Right before the love scene on the boat, Michael looked at Nikita through a porthole. In the final scene in the white room, Nikita watched Michael walk away from her through a glass door. This is pretty basic symbolism: The two of them can look at each other, but not touch.

Bits and pieces:

-- The credits were different, but not different enough. I've never liked the credits.

-- In the teaser, Michael was "distracted" and accidentally broke another operative's leg. He said tersely, "I'm sorry," and walked off. Classic Michael.

-- Michael speaks Thai? Of course he does. He's an international man of intrigue, after all.

-- Nikita waiting tables, huh? Let's see. Former homeless street kid turned secret agent: yes, she would indeed have limited real world skills. Couldn't she teach martial arts, or self-defense for women, though?

-- Michael's poker face was put to the test when he returned from his secret tryst with Nikita, and Operations said, Guess what? Nikita is alive. Probably the last thing Michael expected Operations to say.

-- In the white room, Nikita touched the bruises Michael gave her as if they were kisses.

-- In this season's hair report, Nikita's was just as long but not as light. It was almost white before.

-- Operations: "He got over Simone. He can get over Nikita." Well, that might be true if he had really gotten over Simone, but that's debatable. He's been emotionally shut down for three years, hasn't he?

-- Michael: "I never realized that I needed you so much." Again, not an "I love you," but close.

-- Classic Madeline scene. "You will cooperate with us because you know how things are done here. When we're done with you, you'll be cancelled. Any questions?"

-- Nikita: "Do you know, for three years, all I did was dream about getting out of Section. When I did, it wasn't what I'd expected. This isn't freedom. This isn't freedom." One of Nikita's strongest scenes.

-- Cancelled scene: Alternate version of a mission scene with the actors in camo. They decided it looked silly, and changed it. Good call.

One of my favorite episodes. Four out of four stars,

Billie





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