“It’s your choice.”
A statement that is so simple yet contains so much meaning, especially in yesterday’s episode of The Brave. “Your choice” resonated with me throughout this episode because every choice a member of the team made, the outcome of that choice would be huge and even life or death. To date, this was one of the most heart pounding and truest episodes of this sensational season. Even as I type this, I have so many emotions racing through me. Let’s take a look at what made 1×04, “Break Out” so magnificent!
We saw an entirely new side of both Director Campbell and Noah. With Campbell downrange in Afghanistan, Noah took over as director and running missions and calls. To me, these were huge shoes to fill and there was never a doubt in my mind that Noah would succeed. What started off as a normal day with what was supposed to be an easy mission, turned deadly in a matter of minutes and Noah was immediately met with some tough decisions. CHOICES.
This can be a common occurrence in a normal day in the service. Everyone has a job. Everyone is trained to do that job, to come to work or deploy doing that specific craft that they’ve spent months or even years perfecting. You’re comfortable in that job. You know the ins and outs and you know what to do when something goes wrong. You are the subject matter expert. But what happens when you’re thrown into a position you’re not familiar with and you’re expected to lead and succeed, especially in a time of war? This can be stressful in any situation but when lives are on the line, it can be almost unbearable.
Noah went from a normal day at the office to being thrown into a situation no can ever be truly prepared for. The raw emotion portrayed by Tate Ellington was breathtaking! You could feel the weight that was on his shoulders. You could feel the worry and the stress like you were right there. But even with the weight of Campbell and Dalton and his team on him, he remained calm and he made the hard choices. He made them and didn’t regret them and that’s something you have to do in moments like that. You can’t second guess, you can’t change your mind. You go with your gut and you execute and Noah did just that. It was humbling watching him in that moment.
For Campbell, we saw that she’s not just a voice behind an earpiece. She is a badass who gives zero f*cks about herself and only cares about doing what’s right and what is best for the American people and her team. Like damn, I get chills just typing that! This is a woman who lost her only son in the exact country they were in this episode. She didn’t show any pain which would be totally acceptable and understandable in a situation like this. But no, she came in with one goal in mind and was determined to get it any way she could but without breaking the limits of whom she was inside. She was even willing to sacrifice herself, not once but twice. She was fighting for the greater good and figured one life was worth it if millions were saved. How can you not support a leader like that?
Campbell is someone who is willing to do everything in her power to protect her country and her people. It’s what the military stands for. It’s what the men and women at this very moment are fighting for. If that doesn’t make you feel proud, I don’t know what will.
BADASSES OF THE WEEK
I’ve already touched on the sensational strength and resiliency of Campbell and Noah this week, but let’s take a quick look at some of the other badass moments of “Break Out”.
Preach – My man! Didn’t I say he was someeone to keep an eye on? The man may be quiet but my goodness is he smart and strong and just a pure force of nature. His quick thinking and ingenuity were instrumental in getting his team to safety. And he did it without blinking an eye! Preach is so quick and precise. I can’t wait for the day when we get a Preach centric episode cause man, am I ready!
McGuire – Like Noah, McG was calm, cool and collected under pressure. Whether it’s escorting a prisoner during prison riot or starting an IV in a Humvee as it races through the desert, this man can do it all. McG showed that being a medic isn’t just about taking care of patents but it’s also about being that force and backbone when called upon and he truly delivers every time!
Jaz – Once again, we saw Jaz’s stellar sniper skills and her ability to remain unruffled by everything around her. She was that eye in the sky for Dalton and his team and was there the moment they needed her. My husband, who is also in the service, joined me in watching this episode and his first words when he saw that Jaz was a sniper were “A female sniper? That’s badass!!!” Jaz is killing it and showing that women can do anything just as well as everyone else and to that I say: F yeah! Girl. Damn. Power!
Noah: “They live or die because of five minutes, and there’s nothing I can do but watch.”
Campbell: “I don’t kill just to kill…that’s how I know I’m on the right side.”
Preach: “Status is whole, healthy and delivered like a sinner on Sunday.”
Jaz: “Wrong way buddy. Say hi to my friends.”
Dalton: “He was a good man. He was a good solider. How anybody even raises one of those things, that’s beyond me. How a single mother with the weight of the world on her shoulders raises both, that’s nothing short of a miracle.”
ONE OF A KIND
If I had to describe The Brave in three words, it’d be: honorable, unpredictable, and patriotic. Three things you want, nay, NEED in a military show/movie. The thing that gets me the most is the unpredictability of this show. I NEVER know what’s going to happen and just when I think I have it figured it out, they surprise me again. That’s what makes a show so great. I don’t want to know what’s coming; I want to be on the edge of my seat every episode. I want to be shocked and baffled in the best way!
Words will never be enough to convey what this show has done and continues to do and I couldn’t be prouder to support such a strong and meaningful show. The Brave shifts the focus from the violence of war to the faces of the men and women who are fighting it and gives them a voice. It shows their heart and their struggles and it’s an honor to witness.
Until next week, stay true, stay strong, and above all, stay brave!