“You know what, in our line of work, I think experience…it comes at a pretty steep cost…I lost sight of what made me better than them. I don’t know if we have to have a dark side to do what we do, Jaz, but I know that I met mine. And no matter what I do, that guy never goes away.”
Guns, a bomb, an unhinged madwoman and a high stakes hostage situation: the makings of this week’s newest mission. Coming off of the adrenaline rush of last week’s mid-season premiere, The Brave “Grounded” didn’t skip a beat or slow down. If anything, it stepped its game up and left us all breathless. With Noah leading the charge from DC and Hannah joining Dalton’s team in the field, “Grounded” continued to tell this team’s amazing story and highlighted their tenacity, resiliency and experience.
EXPERIENCE
Throughout our lives, we all face situations and events that mold and shape who we are and what we value. These experiences leave us forever changed, some for the better and some for the worse. They are life lessons that we can choose to learn from or choose to repeat. Monday night’s episode was all about the experiences of each of these characters. From Preach’s experience as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) expert and Noah taking the reins in Campbell’s absence to Jaz’s recent abduction, each team member learned and adapted their next move based on what they had endured. What they had learned.
As the team arrived in Colombia, they were met with something hits home for a lot of people: a flight high jacking. After the devastating events of 9/11, it is something that is so frightening and real and Dalton and his team, sans Jaz, were instantly thrown into an already heated situation and were ready to act. This isn’t the first time the team has had to deal with a hostage event. As we saw in 1×05, it is an ever evolving and changing situation and one has to adapt, overcome and continue to keep not only the hostages safe, but themselves and their team. This team’s experience helped them do just that.
A shining moment in the episode for me was Hannah. We saw how fearless and badass she was earlier on in the season but to see her in the field again, to see her getting her hands dirty, so to speak, and doing it so flawlessly was a pure joy! She hit the ground running and even had time to shoot the shit with the team. It was wonderful to see how well she fit in with the guys and how seamless it was. As Dalton said, Hannah had helped them so much in the past and to have there working with them, he had all the faith and trust in her abilities. And as we all saw, she didn’t disappoint. Not only was calm and composed when dealing with an angry criminal, she also went with her instinct and found the mole that was leaking information.
Our experiences aren’t just about what we learn from them and what we do with them, it also knowing when to step back, when to let another take charge. Like Campbell did with Noah, Preach did with Dalton. Having over ten years of experience in EOD, Preach felt he was the right man for the job when it was discovered that there was a bomb on the plane. And while this may have been true, Dalton was just as experienced and also knew that he was the one that had to take on this challenge. He knew that he needed Preach’s amazing skills in another way. He also showed his service before self once again by telling Preach that if anything were to happen to him, that would be on Dalton and that wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.
While there have been and there will continue to be times when it is unavoidable that Dalton will have to put one of his team’s lives in danger, this wasn’t one of those times. Dalton knows when to make the tough calls and Preach knows when it’s time to argue and when it’s time to follow suit. The dynamic between these two men leaves me speechless every week.
Hannah – As I said above, Hannah came in guns a blazing and didn’t back down. She went with her instincts and she held her own even when she was met when adversity. She proved that she’s more than just a voice in an ear piece.
Preach – While he was ready to run into the fire, it’s the fact that he DIDN’T that makes him one of this week’s badasses. Being brave and courageous isn’t just about what we do, it’s sometimes about what we don’t do. It’s sometimes about taking a step back and understanding that we might not be the best person for a job. Being humble and strong enough to say “okay” and letting someone else take charge. Peach continues to be an eloquent and poised soldier and I’m so ready for a Preach-centric episode so we can see him shine even more!
Dalton – What else is there left to say? He disarmed a bomb and took out the four adversaries. Enough said. He’s Dalton. He’s the definition of a badass and an extraordinary leader.
QUOTING THE BRAVE
Hannah: “You know, I got to say, Amir, I thought you’d be taller.”
McG: “Yeah, so did his mom.”
Amir: “Height isn’t everything.”
Hannah: “No, but it’s something.”
Campbell: “Well, you never know when somebody’s gonna be a hero. I’ve seen the toughest agents crack like dry straw and I’ve seen ordinary people be so strong, it brings tears to your eyes.”
Jaz: “I’m terrified that I could lose them. You know, being grabbed, being tortured, I–I can handle that. My dad hated me from the second I was born a girl. But, um when my guys came and rescued me…”
Martin: “That was the first time anyone came to help you; first time in your whole life.”
Hannah: “Then I suggest he shut up, sit down and get some rest so I can go back to helping these people.”
Martin: “You might lose them, Jaz. You know that now, I mean in your gut. And I get that is the worst feeling in the world. It’s like…it’s like falling but hitting no bottom…you get used to it. A little each day. And maybe you find a way to think about the other side. Anytime you find yourself scared you might lose them, focus on how lucky it is to have them. That’s what I do.”
As a huge advocate for mental health and reaching out, one of the best parts of this episode for me was Jaz talking with Capt Martin about the events that happened during her abduction. Initially closed off, Jaz wasn’t ready to talk because she didn’t feel as if she needed to. She felt she was ready to hit the field again and help her team and of course her team wanted her there with them but they knew, especially Dalton, that she needed to heal and take time for her. That’s a huge pill to swallow for a soldier, to sit and do nothing. You feel useless and that you’re failing your team somehow but you’re not. You have to take care of number one if you want to be a help to anyone.
Capt Martin was patient and he let Jaz come to him. He shared his story and his struggles. He created a safe and open environment where Jaz felt that she could truly express herself without judgement. It was a beautiful moment to watch when she finally broke down and shared her fears. And to no surprise, she wasn’t scared for her own life, it was for her team, yet again proving why these five stellar humans work so well together. Their number one concern has always been each other. Do what you want to me, but don’t screw with my family, a motto than so many in the military live by.
The Brave highlights all the right things, from family to patience to taking care of you. It doesn’t just focus on one facet of life, it’s the entire package! As I’ve said in the past, you feel like you know these characters. There is something in at least one of them that people can relate to and that’s what makes this such great TV. As we head into 1×12, we have no doubt that it’ll keep its momentum and continue to show why every aspect of this show works and touches so many.
Loving The Brave as much as we are and wanting a second season? Continue to make sure your voice is heard and let NBC know via social media and any means necessary to #RenewTheBrave!
The Brave airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC.