“Wise man once said, ‘without struggle, there’s no progress.’
If you don’t have a little bit of adversity, you never learn to cultivate resiliency.”
I’m honestly at a loss of words to express how much The Brave’s latest episode, “It’s All Personal”, touched me. The performances by the entire cast, especially Hadi Tabbal were extraordinary! Heart pounding, emotional, and enlightening are just some of the ways I can describe this episode. Like the quote above from the sensational Preach, without struggle and adversity, one never truly develops the level resiliency you need to get through the tough times. How you bounce back and the faith you have is everything.
Webster’s defines faith as a “firm belief in something for which there is no proof.” We all believe in something. We all follow a moral code that we have set for ourselves as a way to keep us progressing in the direction we believe is right. Amir is no different and last night’s episode proved that. Called back into his previous cover as “Hamid Khedani,” Amir was composed and direct with his mission. He wasn’t scared or concerned for his safety. He was focused only on stopping the bomb threat and saving the life of an innocent 14 year old boy. Denying an earpiece that would help his team know when he was in distress, Amir had faith that what he was doing and how he planned on proceeding was right and would work.
Dalton’s faith in his team and his leadership traits continue to leave me speechless and incredibly proud. Does he have doubts? Of course, we all do. Deep down, we all feel that we know the best way to do something, to attack a problem. But that’s what makes us all different and unique. Everyone perceives difficulties in a different way. Dalton is the kind of person that can put aside that little voice in the back of his head and put his full confidence in the hands of others. He goes with his gut when he needs to but a lot of the time, his gut tells him that his team will lead him in the right direction. He has faith; simple and pure.
Jaz’s uncertainty and worry was completely understandable. With a team of five, every person matters and any move made can turn into your last. The trust between Jaz and Amir is still growing and I think last night’s episode nurtured that relationship and you could see a clear change in how she saw Amir.
A term every military member has heard, and probably gets tired of hearing. But resiliency is something that every member needs. As I touched on in my review for episode 1×03, “The Greater Good,” knowing your limits is essential to how a person bounces back from adversity and hard times. It also is how you deal with change and evolving situations. Dalton’s team has resiliency in spades! They are constantly adapting and overcoming any and all challenges and surroundings. The men and women deployed right now all over the world are just like this team. It takes a toll but they don’t complain because they know what they’re fighting for is worth it.
Take McGuire and Preach for example and the scene where they were left behind (in the pouring rain) to continue ops on the warehouse. They didn’t complain or bat an eye. They kept sharp and continued their mission even when communications failed them and they couldn’t get in touch with the team. It’d be completely understandable for a person to freak out in a situation like that but not these two. They were the poster children for bravery, strength, and resiliency.
Much like his brothers in arms, Amir’s flexibility in an intense and ever changing situation was a thing of wonder. Once again, he walked into, as Campbell put it, “a lion’s mouth disguised as a steak” without blinking an eye or faltering. He wasn’t scared of what would happen to him because he knew that no matter what he was faced with, he’d be able to handle it. It was inspiring to watch. The strength and tenacity Amir portrayed during this episode was truly inspirational.
BADASSES OF THE WEEK
Dalton – As I mentioned above, Dalton continues to strive as the leader we all want and deserve. He fights tooth and nail for his team and supports them. He isn’t afraid to question the norm and take risks. He doesn’t lead from the top looking down; he leads while standing shoulder to shoulder with his men and women. He isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and puts his money where his mouth is. Taking out the second bomber in the blink of an eye, he is always there when his team needs him. Words will never be enough for the man that is Captain Adam Dalton.
Jaz – Taking responsibly for when you’re wrong is tough. It’s something that not many people can do because their pride or stubbornness stops them. But with Jaz, she’s not afraid to own her shit and move on much like she did with Amir last night. What I love most about her is her passion. She stands behind her convictions and fights for what she believes in. Seeing such a strong and talented woman each week makes me so proud to serve. Jaz is showing every little girl out there that it’s ok to be strong and speak your mind and to not let anyone keep you down.
Amir – I think this one goes without saying. The episode was Amir’s shining moment and Hadi Tabbal killed it! There’s honestly nothing left to say other than: Mr. Tabbal, you sir, are phenomenal!
Dalton: “Be invisible. If you get spotted, he dies.
Preach: “Hey, Top? Your pep talks need work.”
Amir: “I have devoted my life to bringing down men like you and I’m not going to sleep until all of you are in the hell you deserve.”
Dalton: “Hey, Jaz, do you ever think that maybe when I put a team together, I take the time to learn every detail about the person before I send them into harm’s way?”
McGuire: “Seriously man, you got any more of that shakakan?”
Amir: “Shakshuka.”
CONTINUITY
Something that I keep meaning to touch on each week is the intro scene. If you notice, each week the map behind title changes to whichever city or country the team’s next mission is in. This small detail is such a unique thing to me. It highlights everywhere this team touches. It doesn’t matter how near or far, when they’re called, they respond. They are literally answering our nation’s call and it doesn’t get much better than that!
As I’ve said before, this show feels like a documentary. These characters seem real and genuine. I felt like I was actually watching Amir put his life in danger. I felt the tension between him and Jaz. I felt the pain in her story about her last partner. I felt the pride in Dalton’s words about selecting his team members. I felt the stress that Noah and Hannah were under to find the location of the bombing. The crucial expression in all of that: feeling. It touches you. It makes you react. You don’t just sit there and watch, you feel everything. I know I keep repeating myself but when a show is this good, you just can’t help but reiterate its utter perfection.
Tune in next week when our favorite team goes off the grid and shows what truly makes them worthy of the title: The Brave.
The Brave airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.