“Courage? No, you and your team are the courageous ones.”
I only have one word for this episode of The Brave: emotional. “Enhanced Protection” is my favorite episode to date, though let’s be real, I feel that way every week with every new episode. But there was something so pure and profound about this one. This week highlighted the importance of family; whether that family is blood or one you found along the way.
Get ready for the emotion because this military gal is packing the feels this week!
Family, we all have one; the one we’re born into and the one we choose. “Enhanced Protection” proved this in every way. From Campbell and the final letter from her son, to Preach and his daughters, and McGuire (McG) opening up about his un-involved father, family is something that touches everyone in some kind of way.
I can’t imagine receiving the type of letter Campbell did. The final words from the child you raised and then lost far too soon. She displayed true strength and resilience when she had to put her emotions on the backburner because of the impending mission. This woman has lost her world and she is still the same amazing and brave human she has always been and hearing her son confirm those words in his letter, I had chills! A single mother raising a child is one of the hardest things. My mom was a single mother for the first 5 years of my life and I have such admiration for her. Anne Heche portrays Campbell with such a grace that I’m truly at a loss for words.
On the other end is McGuire. While treating his patient, he learned that he was trying to get to his father, a man he considered to be his best friend. Keeping his patient calm with conversation, McG opened up about how he never knew his father. Getting this glimpse of McG’s personal life was so touching. Though we’re all given a family at birth, sometimes that family isn’t always the one that means the most to us.
That’s a huge sentiment in the service. My first assignment was overseas as a young 18 year old, away from home for the first time in my life. My fellow servicemen and women became a second family to me. They had my back and supported me when times were hard. Yes, my family back home was just a phone call away (this was before Skype or Facetime mind you ha-ha) having that support system right there with me got me through some of the hardest times in my career. Your military family is just as important as your blood family. They fight alongside you every day. They know the struggles and frustrations that you go through because they’re going through them with you.
While McG may not have known his father, he gained another family with the military. He’s got a team who would literally take a bullet for him. Who will support him; people who are that guiding voice in even the toughest of times. At the end of the day, there will always be someone there for him. This is one of my favorite things about serving. I’ve been to five bases and I’ve met friends who have become so important to me. Friends I know I’ll have for life because they are officially FAMILY.
Jaz – Watching Jaz with that little girl throughout this episode was beautiful! You could tell there was an instant connection from the moment they met on the street. The little girl saw Jaz once and knew she was someone to look up to. She was a strong female who wasn’t scared and held her own. As I’ve said in previous articles, women sometimes have a tougher time in the military and Jaz is such an inspiration for servicewomen everywhere. The lone female on this special operations team, she takes point at times and leads the team and they trust her and believe in her. She is a role model in my opinion and watching her grow each week is magnificent.
McGuire – aka MacGyver! Tying off an arterial bleed with floss and cauterizing it with a curling iron?! GENIUS!! If I ever have to deploy again, I want a medic like McG with me cause holy crap! The ingenuity and discipline in the face of a crisis that he has portrayed thus far makes me so proud to share the title medic. This is the kind of person you want saving your life. He has a way with his patients; keeping them calm and not showing a single ounce of his own fear. Mr. Mills, sir, you are a true gem!
Preach – Like McG, Preach is the face of calm, even when he voluntarily serves himself up as a hostage in a deadly situation. Without blinking an eye, Preach jumped into harm’s way and was quick on his feet with a back story. He didn’t falter or fold. He held his head up and made the sacrifice to help his team. Seriously, there are soldiers like Preach and medics like McG in our armed forces TODAY doing this exact thing. Men and women not giving a single thought or care to their own lives but completely focused on the lives they’re trying to save. Standing ovation!!
McGuire: “Hey, don’t worry man, I’m ambidextrous…Actually, no I’m not but you know, it’s all right. I’ll get her done.”
Jaz: “Maybe I’m tough because I’m a girl.”
Ambassador Webb: “They’re 13 year old twins. I think they’ll be mad no matter what we do.”
“Any selflessness I show, I show because of you. Any tenacity I have, I have because of you. Any bravery; I am brave because of you.”
Pretty sure I teared up and/or cried through at least 30 minutes of this episode. I know some will read this and think, “Why would you tear up during an intense hostage situation?” but it was the emotions and the high stakes that got to me. The selflessness and bravery shown by not just the amazing special operations team, but by some of the hostages themselves was so humbling to watch.
We’ve all seen movies where a gunman takes a group of people hostage and it is an ever changing, highly dangerous situation. Dalton and his team were met with this same dilemma and they handled it like the stellar unit they are. Small things like when they first approached the mall, their silent, flawless movements as they checked each other’s six, wow! It was mesmerizing! They didn’t have to say a word; they knew they could move on to their next position because each knew someone had their back. The trust and faith they have in each other is everything!
What makes The Brave so great is that the stars themselves have gone through similar training our armed forces have. They have gotten a taste of what every Airmen, Marine, or Soldier has gone through. Add in the amazing Mikal Vega as the tech advisor and it’s a recipe for flawlessness! Each movement is analyzed and perfected and that’s what makes it so believable. From the way the cast holds their guns to their lingo, it’s as authentic as you can get.
Each week I’m amazed by the pure emotions and sentiments this show brings me and the world. It continues to inspire me and push me to be a better Airmen and person. I’ve encourage everyone I work with to watch this show because I know how much it’s touched me and I know it’ll reach even the most cynic. This show is changing the world with every episode and while that may sound cheesy to some, it’s the absolute truth.
So until next week, live your life the way this show does, bravely!
The Brave airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.