Review: Everybody Comes to Nick’s: Grimm 1.18: Cat and Mouse

By J. Keith Haney

[spoilers ahead]

“‘Perhaps some accident has befallen him,’ said the King and, the next day, he sent out two more huntsmen who went in search for him.”

With this series, the above is not a bet I would make in the expectations of winning my money.

For the second time in a row, we open up on Aunt Marie’s trailer…only, this time, Nick is doing something he has yet to do in this series: make his own Grimm journal entry. Specifically, he is detailing his encounter with the Klausstrike that ruined his romantic weekend, struggling for the right adjectives to describe what a lowdown, dirty scumbag Cat Boy actually was. In a surprising revelation, he apparently sketched the Klausstrike’s true face, as well. In another life, Nick could have been a starving artist.

Meanwhile in Washington, DC, a guy wearing a dark watch cap and equally dark clothes, whilst carrying a rucksack backpack, is nervously looking over his shoulder on the National Mall. As he ducks behind a monument, we see that he is a Wessen (specifically, a Fushbau). He is being followed by some guy I would describe as dumpy-looking, Mr. Joe Average. He could blend in with a crowd of non-entities in about two seconds. As he is tracking his prey by scent, the audience gets the feeling that he’s a Wessen, too. Yep…there’s the morph. We’re unsure of type, yet, but it does look dog-like.

Then, a little later in St. Louis, our Fuschbau target is finalising travel reservations when he sees someone by the door through the crack underneath it. He doesn’t wait…goes straight out the window with the backpack over his shoulder. The same pursuer who was stalking him on the National Mall knocks down the door with a silenced pistol in hand (It looks like the classic James Bond hand cannon – the Walter PPK). Oops, guess our prey didn’t leave. His pursuer gets whacked in the head by a 2X4 as he is walking out. Even more humiliating (and lethal) for this would-be hitman is that he gets shot with his own silenced pistol by the target. We see that our now-dead pursuer’s right hand has some sort of glyph on it, made up of geometrical squares. Now that he knows he won’t be followed by this guy, the target leaves by the window.

The next morning, the pursuer’s backup finally gets there (even your worst police departments have better response times). The new guy calls in the phone number that was left on the pad, gets “Raz Bus Line” when he does. Below the phone number is written, “414,” the number of the bus our target is getting off of in Portland. He feels something as he walks away from the bus. The backup has spotted him and is running right towards him. The target gets temporary cover from a bus that rolls by him, but he’s back in sight for the silenced pistol that the backup is pulling out. Good thing for the target that silencers really screw up the aim of any pistol past about thirty feet or this would be over very quickly. That said, our new shooter manages to wing the target enough to make him drop his backpack (though the target himself does get away). The backup looks the pack over and picks it up.

Renard, the cop formally known as “Prince”, is coming home to his apartment after a hard day of running his department, covering up Wessen affairs, and staying alive. Someone has a silenced pistol on him as he turns on the lights and drops his keys into a plate. Renard’s visitor says in German, “If you understand what I am saying, please let me know.” Renard affirms that he does. It is the backup hitman, who says how you can’t be too careful. Renard affirms that by putting aside his jacket (which had been slung over his arm) to reveal the Glock 9mm in his hand: “So true.” The backup shows the mark on his hand and says that he was just “following protocol.” Renard doesn’t care if he is working for the Verrat (erroneously called by yours truly “the Pharod” in previous reviews; forgive the error, dear readers), which apparently is what that glyph of squares symbolises. The next time the backup pops up uninvited in Renard’s home, he will be shot by Renard himself (“In self-defense, of course.”).

Pause button…One thing that should be obvious to anyone who has been tracking the gradual unveiling of Renard’s character over this series is his willingness to personally handle his own problems. Whatever the man’s actual agenda, let us take a moment to hand him his props. Renard is no desk jockey. He leads from the front and has personally killed several times when he has deemed it necessary. Forget the current incarnation of European royalty and nobility. Back in the day of the Holy Roman Empire (precursor for the modern Germany, which only became a country at the turn of the 20th Century), someone like Renard would have fit right in. Okay, unpause.

The backup replies that if Renard didn’t speak German, he’d be the one who was dead. He then introduces himself as Edgar Vultz. Turns out that Vultz is hunting the leader of a resistance movement, called the “Loufer”. He brushes off Renard’s question as to what this leader has done in Portland, citing that time is of the essence. The Resistance has apparently established enough of a base of operations to harbour fugitives here in America. Renard is unimpressed: “The Verrat’s problems are with the Resistance. They are not my problems.” Vult cites the fact that the High Command will not be pleased with any refusal to help him out. Then he tosses off a Latin phrase – “Sic vis pacem, para bellum” – and bids Renard “Auf Wiedersen” as he leaves. I don’t like this little prick and it is obvious that neither does Renard. He then correctly translates the Latin after his “guest” leaves: “If you seek peace, prepare for war.”

The next morning, Juliette is fussing around the kitchen, getting Hank to eat breakfast (which apparently is not a habit with him). He recounts his breakup with Adalind, talking about how he got together with her for HALF a cup of coffee (Hmm…was this before or after the little blackmail play that she pulled? I’m a little confused). Now that the magic cookies are out of his system, Hank is just glad that this affair to forget is over. Juliette proves herself an able judge of character by saying, “Between you and me, she was definitely not good enough for you.”

Ah, here we go…Hank’s next comments here refer to the half-a-coffee being part of the dinner that wasn’t. He recounts his little wake-up next to Rosalie and Monroe (without mentioning their names, probably a good thing now that Juliette does know about Monroe). He swears that if he didn’t know better, he’d been roofied. Oh, Hank, you have no idea how right you are.

Nick does some good-natured kidding as he comes downstairs to go to work. Hank tells them about today’s assignment: a shooting at the bus depot – no bodies, just blood. Juliette makes a disgusted noise at the mention of blood as Nick tells her goodbye.

Meanwhile, Rosalie gets an unexpected visitor while she attempts to open up her shop for the day…the target. He puts an arm around her and a hand over her mouth as soon as she gets in the door. Proving that she is no wallflower, she stomps his toe and knocks him across the counter with a well-aimed elbow. She is on her way back out the door when the target finally calls out her name in a British accent. She finally gives him a name: ‘Ian’. She sees that he’s got a bullet in his shoulder. She wants to take him to a hospital, but Ian vetoes that on the grounds that it’s as good as checking him into the morgue. He asks about Freddie and Rosalie tells him about the fatal mugging that took her brother’s life. It turns out that Freddie was supposed to have some identity papers for Ian, the only reason why he’s here. Rosalie wants to know more, but Ian keeps that from her in the interests of protecting her. He tries to leave, but, as Rosalie quickly points out, he’s going nowhere with that wound. She gets him to the back, gets him something for his pain, and starts the process of getting him some extra help.

Meanwhile, Nick and Hank are where some of Ian’s blood is already spilled at the bus depot. There are three bullets altogether, with the blood coming from bullet #3, according to Wu. No body found yet, though they’ve cordoned off a five block radius. They have a witness, maybe some camera footage, and a 9mm casing. The bus driver is the witness. He gives a description and name for Ian, “Lester Cullin” (according to the passport the driver saw), who paid for the bus ticket in cash, and “had one of those old rucksacks” and a British accent.

Monroe is at the front door of Rosalie’s shop, no doubt the help that she called in. As soon as she opens the door, he asks, “What’s wrong? I smell blood…Please tell me this isn’t another Zalbatrunk.” Rosalie matter-of-factly replies, “No, it’s a bullet.” She needs his help with surgery. When Monroe wants answers, Rosalie explains it this way: “Ian is an old friend. He’s on the run. Someone tried to kill him.” Then she clues him into the Loufer (which, despite Monroe calling it “old country stuff”, is now very much here in the relatively new country of America) and the fact of Ian’s true identity as a leader. Monroe does his typical geek-out as he says “No way…the journalist?” Rosalie says sardonically, “Yeah, well, he does that, too.” Monroe also confirms that this is likely Verrat business, which he is not happy about. Rosalie tells him that this operation should be simple; the bullet is not that far in. She’ll be using her father’s old surgical kit because she used to watch him do it. Monroe gamely asks what he needs to do and she says, “Wash your hands…sterilise these.”

Nick and Hank are looking over the surveillance footage at the terminal. They get an eyeball on Ian. ‘Lester Cullin’ is proving to be more and more likely an alias, according to Nick’s search. It also turns out the 9mm bullet is a very special one, used exclusively for Lugar semi-automatic pistols. Wu quips, “What is this, 1944?” Hank puts in, “Actually, it was introduced in 1902.” Nick comes to the conclusion: “Well, I think that eliminates a gang shooting…more like a hit-gone-wrong.” Nobody with bullet wounds in the last twelve hours at the hospitals in Portland (Too bad Vultz didn’t try this in a place like L.A., where you’d have to really narrow it down). Hank suggests checking with the St. Louis PD for further leads, as that was the bus’ point of origin.

Meanwhile, in a seedy bar where a couple of loud drunks are wailing on each other, Vultz is trying to enjoy a beer. He doesn’t look like he’s having much luck. The bartender tells the drunks to knock it off. They keep doing their thing, so the bartender pulls a knife, tells them again, and morphs into a snake face. The drunks take off in a hurry. By way of an apology, he offers Vultz a drink on the house. Vultz asks about false identity papers and the barkeep points him towards a particular shop that specialises in those. Then the barkeep tells him to leave behind the passport sample that Vultz left at the bar…which turns out to be Ian’s from the pack. Vult speaks German to him. The barkeep IDs him as a “Huntjager” and asks what he wants. Just before he pulls the trigger, Vultz says, “A dead man.”

Monroe is wondering aloud if Ian is even telling Rosalie the truth as they operate on him. Rosalie cites Ian’s friendship with Freddie and Monroe reminds her that Freddie was involved with “some seriously shady people.” Rosalie shoots that one down with: “Freddie made some mistakes, just like we all do.”

Oh, and Ian is her ex. As to the breakup, she only says, as she pulls out the bullet, “He left. I was unhappy about it. But that was…all in the past.” Monroe points out that calling Nick makes a lot of sense, under the circumstances, even with the Grimm factor going. Ian and Rosalie share a moment as he regains consciousness and the look on Monroe’s face tells us that he is starting to wonder if he is about to lose out to the ex.

Nick and Hank are at the bar, Nick IDing the shell casing as the same one used at the bus station. The scene was staged to look like a robbery, but Vultz left the passport behind. Wu gets word from one of his officers that they’ve got a possible witness. Nick takes it. It’s Vultz himself, who is coming up with a cockamamie story to point Nick to his target. Nick catches him on a morph, but thankfully, it doesn’t look like Vultz tipped off to the fact that Nick saw him. After a moment of uncertainty on that point, Nick then takes the name and number of his witness, ‘Max Kurtz’.

Back at the shop, Rosalie is getting Ian to drink something she brewed up. Ian is worried that he’s just put both her and Monroe in danger. Monroe does his best to head that off by talking up Nick’s badass potential. Rosalie looks less-than-pleased, though that may be more about how Monroe is trying to avoid using the G word. She finally tells Ian that Nick’s a Grimm. They both then talk up the good that Nick has done. Ian is less-than-impressed by this, asking how much they had to pay Nick for the favour. That’s when Monroe drops the other shoe: “He’s a cop.” Monroe then tells him how both he and Nick have saved each other’s asses, and Nick is the real thing. Then Ian drops his own other shoe: He’s being pursued by a “Huntjager”. After getting an affirmative about whether Rosalie trusts Nick, Ian gives them the go-ahead to contact him.

Nick and Hank are giving Renard the rundown of the case, all zero of it. Their only real lead is the passport, which they’ve managed to connect to Ian (who’s last name is ‘Harmon’). Renard tells them to find Ian and to check with Scotland Yard for more leads. As he is leaving the Captain’s office, Nick gets the call from Monroe to get to the spice shop ASAP.

Renard is looking over the latest crime scene photos when he gets a call, ID unknown, on the cell phone. It’s Vultz, calling to gloat a little about how he’s enjoying Portland, reminding him of Firenze (That’s Florence for you non-Italian speakers). The killing was a way to get Renard involved in finding Ian and – oh, hell – he did catch that Nick caught the morph on him at the scene. He wants to know why Renard didn’t say anything. After all, a Grimm could be useful. Renard explains that Nick doesn’t know about him. Vultz tells Renard, “Then you are playing a very dangerous game, my dear Captain.” He hangs up just as he reaches his lead on phony passports, Reginald’s Cameras.

Vultz complements Reginald on his antique German camera collection and makes a big show of the good quality pics of his family on the wall. This guy is your classic psychopath. Then he pulls out his gun, a nice antique Luger 1926 P08 that he is very attached to.

Okay, pause…This guy is too damned sentimental about his sidearm and it shows. A real pro would ditch his weapons after the job is done and he sure as hell wouldn’t use something this unique. Oh, but it’s been in the family for a few generations, so that makes all the difference. I wonder how many Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, and Poles it killed in World War II? Sentimental AND cocky…His employer needs better staff. Unpause.

Vultz does the expected implied threat against Reginald’s family (who turn out to be Renigen) before asking if he’s seen Ian.

Monroe is mini-pacing outside the spice shop, waiting for Nick. When he finally shows, Monroe does some quick explaining. But the second he sees Ian, Nick pulls out his piece and tells him that he’s wanted for murder. Ian wryly notes, “Well, I guess he just wanted to do the right thing.”

Monroe and Rosalie tell Nick to back off, noting that the time frame for when the bartender was shot (four hours ago) doesn’t square with the fact that he’s been in the shop since this morning and that he is unarmed. Then, after Monroe does a formal intro, Ian clues Nick into who is trying to kill him and the fact that he works for the Verrat. Nick was under the impression that they only operate out of Europe. Ian tells him that the influence of this bunch is spreading through the usual channels: politics, big business, organised crime, even law enforcement. In Monroe’s words, “This bunch makes the Spanish Inquisition look like the SPCA,” and the Loufer is the only opposition left.

Ian states starkly, “This world is on the brink of war.” He proceeds to point to everything from the Arab Spring to European instability as proof. The Verrat and the Seven Houses are doing their best to take power. At Nick’s question of what the Seven Houses are, Ian tells him that it’s a reference to seven royal families, a struggle that has been going on for centuries. Ah-ha. That little factoid also explains Renard’s place in all this. When people choose stability over freedom, that’s when this bunch swoops in. Rosalie’s whole family were part of the Loufer, but she never wanted to be involved because of the distance factor. Not-so-distant now, is it, sister? Apparently, Grimms changed the balance of power when they started working for the royal families, according to Ian. Puzzle piece #2: the reason why Renard has been so adamant about getting Nick under his thumb without damaging him too much in the process.

Nick himself has no interest in any of this. He just wants to get a murderer off the streets. Monroe and Rosalie want to get Ian new papers because he lost his when he lost his pack. Nick, being the good, honest cop that he is, just sighs and says, “This keeps getting better and better.” Freddie was the last stop for Wessen wanting to get out of the country until the Jacene-heads blew him away. Thankfully, Vultz knew nothing about Freddie because, as Ian points out, if he did, “I would be dead by now and so would [Rosalie and Monroe].” Nick decides that his top priority is to get Vultz and do himself the favour of not hearing any more details on the very illegal activity that this trio is going to indulge in to get those papers (though they do mention Reginald’s shop…Uh-oh). Nick promises to call when he has something.

Rosalie heads for Reginald’s shop and claims to be sent by her brother, Freddie. She quickly cuts to the chase about why she is there. Reginald is scared as hell to help, given the violent visit he had from Vultz. He finally and reluctantly says yes, claiming that he’ll need some time.

That night at Aunt Marie’s trailer, we see the practical use of that old projector we saw in “Three Coins in the Fuschbau” explained, as Nick uncovers old film reels (with the label of “Huntjager” on them) that fit it. They are a movie record left by an ancestor of Nick’s, documenting the Huntjagers’ involvement in the Spanish Civil War (which, if you know your history, was the trial run for the Second World War, allowing the Nazis to test tactics and equipment under battlefield conditions), killing Wessen who had married outside their sub-species under the guise of their being thieves, some real Gestapo shit. Huntjagers apparently have a rep for being so vicious that they claw their way out of their mothers’ bodies (bringing to mind the title of an old Ramsey Campbell book, The Doll that Ate His Mother). It is a credit to Nick’s 1936 ancestor that said ancestor is disgusted by this senseless slaughter.

Then Nick’s cell goes off, making him jump. It’s Vultz, formally introducing himself in the foolish belief that Nick is on his side. Nick, after nervously peeking outside to make sure that he is alone, asks where Vultz is. Vultz asks Nick if he knows the term “Friedenreden”. Of course, Nick doesn’t, but he says yes. Vultz want to meet Nick at Union Station, 10 o’clock. When asked how Nick will know him, Vultz replies, “Oh, I don’t think that will be a problem, Detective.”

Monroe is pacing while Ian gets himself a drink, prompting Ian to ask, “Are you always this animated?”

Monroe tries passing it off as a disruption to his usual schedule, but Ian asks him, “You care about Rosie?”

Monroe replies “I do…I care about all my friends, even the ones you don’t like.” The implied threat about any harm coming to Nick is hard to miss.

Ian simply replies, “I don’t dislike him, it’s just…Grimm.”

Monroe counters, “Well, we’re all equals…Isn’t that what you’re fighting for?”

Monroe’s cell goes off. It’s Nick, asking about “Friedenreden”. Ian asks that the phone be put on speaker. He then tells Nick that it’s a white flag meeting. Both sides go in unarmed and both leave of their own accord. Monroe is arguing that this is suicide, but Ian assures him that Huntjager do believe in honour and the sanctity of rules enough to play it straight. However, the minute the truce is over and Nick walks away, anything goes, so Ian advises Nick to watch his back. After Monroe hangs up, Ian concludes that the shop is no longer safe.

Nick shows up at the station and Vultz formally introduces himself. After talking about how he admires punctuality, Nick tells him to take his hands out of his coat pockets. Vultz tells him to do the same. Once this is out of the way, Nick informs Vultz that “as soon as this little truce is over, I’m arresting your ass for murder.” Vultz chuckles, pointing out that this is a violation of the rules if Nick follows through. Nick says, “I don’t give a damn about your rules.” Neither, up to a certain point, does Vultz. It turns out that the hitman did bring his gun to the meeting and intends to shoot all those innocent bystanders around him if Nick tries an arrest.

After that, Vultz gets straight to it: He wants to find Ian. Nick correctly points out it’s so that he can murder him. Vultz talks up the mutual history of Huntjagers and Grimms, saying how they’ve always been allies of convenience. In other words, this guy doesn’t know the first thing about America, in general (or Nick, in particular), and it shows. Vultz promises that, if Ian is not delivered to him in 24 hours, “you will be finding dead bodies all over the city.” Then Vultz’s cell goes off and he excuses himself for a moment. It’s Reginald, ratting out Rosalie. Vultz tells him to stall until he gets there. After signing off, Vultz tells Nick, “Oh, and if you attempt to follow me, I will shoot the first person I see…Good night.”

Nick takes it straight to the Captain, telling him all the details minus the messy Wessen stuff. Hank is able to confirm the basics of the story and Nick asserts that he believes Vultz is serious. Hank also says that they have nothing in the system on Vultz and Wu comes back with the bad news that the phone is a burn phone. But they were able to get a hit on one number: Reginald’s Cameras.

Reginald finally gives Rosalie the new passport and she sighs in relief. If only she knew how premature that was. She owes him nothing and he says, “I’m sorry.” He tries passing it off as sympathy for her dead brother, but we know different. Vultz walks out of the shadows just as Rosalie is walking away from the shop. The smooth bastard claims that he won’t hurt Reginald’s family, since he kept his end of the bargain.

Rosalie is walking back with Vultz on her tail. As both of them round the corner, the cops show up at Reginald’s. As expected, Vultz has already snipped that particular loose end on his way out the door. After all, Reginald wasn’t promised his life. The burn phone is on his chest. Renard notes, “He’s playing us.” Only since he first hit town, Cap.

At the shop, Rosalie is getting money out of a hidden safe when Vultz walks in. He smooth-talks his way into staying for a moment longer. Rosalie finds a note from the recently-late Reginald in the envelope with the new passport: “I’m sorry. I had no choice. He is an agent of the Verrat.” She gets her cell phone out as she turns around with her fully morphed face on display. Vultz has his own true face and gun out. He tells her to go ahead and call Ian.

Five bucks says that her next call is to someone else…yep, Monroe. She tells him to get Ian to safety. Vultz is not surprised and asks that she hands him the phone. He doesn’t recognise Monroe’s voice, but promises that Rosalie will be a corpse unless he delivers Ian in 15 minutes. Time to call Nick.

Nick is securing the scene when he gets the call. Monroe gives him the rundown and Nick instantly declares it a triple homicide in the making. Monroe wants ideas. Nick tells him to wait until he gets there. Monroe warns, “If push comes to shove, I’m shoving.”

Vultz takes a moment with Rosalie to talk about his necessity in the order of things, claiming that he stays outside the cycle of revolution and oppression. He ends it with: “You don’t understand a word I’ve been saying.” Smart American woman that she is, Rosalie shoots back with: “I’m sorry…I wasn’t listening.”

Monroe and Ian get into an argument over who goes in as soon as Monroe’s VW bug pulls up to the shop. Ian cautions Monroe to not let his emotions get the better of him, pointing out that this is why Vultz has Rosalie to begin with. Thankfully, the cavalry in the form of Nick arrives. Nick has his own plan: “I’m going in; you’re staying out.” Ian is about as thrilled by this plan as he was by Monroe’s. Monroe shares the same lack of enthusiasm, but Nick is playing for time.

Nick goes in and claims to have Ian. Vultz tells Rosalie to get on the floor at the news. Oh, I’m going to enjoy this little double cross. Then Monroe comes in and introduces himself as the guy whom Vultz called…definitely not part of Nick’s plan, judging by his expression. While all this is going on, Rosalie gets out a jar marked “Ghost Pepper Powder” from under the counter. Nick improvises, staging an argument by claiming that Monroe is a Fuschbau. Vultz declares them all liars and asks Rosalie whom she called. She says that she didn’t call a Fuschbau. Monroe ‘fesses up and shows his real skin. It is a great pleasure to watch Vultz lose a little bit of colour when he realises that he is dealing with a Bludbad. Even Huntjagers are apparently intimidated by those guys.

Rosalie throws the powder in Vultz’s face. Monroe jumps him, pins him, and comes within an inch of killing him. In the process, Vultz’s precious Lugar gets knocked aside and Ian picks it up. Monroe and Rosalie ask each other at precisely the same time, “Are you okay?” Ian and Nick have Vultz covered with their guns. Nick declares it over and Vultz says, “No, it’s not.” Nick tries to talk Ian out of shooting Vultz, but Ian knows that others will come after him, even after Vultz is dead. He shoots through the Verrat-marked hand and kills this slimeball with his own Lugar. Ian then says, “At least, now, your friends will be safe.” Handing over the Lugar to Nick, he adds, “Sometimes, it’s hard to know what the right thing is.” Nick counters, “Yeah, and sometimes it’s not.”

Nick leads Ian out of the shop in cuffs. Rosalie tries talking him out of taking Ian in, but Nick points out that they have other things to worry about. Rosalie hugs Ian goodbye, saying that she’s so sorry. Ian gives a meaningful look over her shoulder at Monroe as he says, “Don’t be.” After Nick puts Ian in the car, Monroe tries arguing Rosalie’s argument, but Nick says that they need to hide Vultz’s body. Monroe finally gets what is about to happen.

Nick drives Ian to the bus station, uncuffs him, and gives him his needed supplies in the name of saving his friends. He knows that if Ian goes to trial, he’s as good as dead. He tells Ian one last thing: “Don’t come back.” Inside the envelope are the forged American passport and the money Rosalie got for him. Ian looks confused but grateful.

Later, Vultz’s body is out in the woods, next to his gun, being photographed by the cops. Renard wonders how Nick knows that it’s Vultz and Nick shows him a passport from the dead man’s pocket. Hank IDs the gun as the murder weapon for the bartender and Reginald. Renard wonders about Ian being the shooter. Nick just says, “If someone was trying to kill me, I’d be trying to kill them.” Hank puts in, “If we ever catch up with this guy, maybe if we’ll find out.” Renard counters that “I wouldn’t be so sure…Someone else may catch up with him, first.” Nick has a flash of how Ian talked about the world being on the brink of war.

While I am certain that an authentic Grimm’s fairy tale was involved here, anybody else out there get the feeling that we just watched a restructured remake of Casablanca? I mean, an idealistic fugitive Resistance leader, a relentless German pursuer, a corrupt police captain who happens to be French, lovers reunited under very bad circumstances…How much more evidence do you want? Still, this was a good episode overall, finally providing some much-needed answers on Renard that we have been lacking thus far. Of course, none of this tells us what Renard is really up to, but we’ll get to that, I’m sure.

Now that Nick knows what he knows, how long will it take him to figure out that his captain is who he is? I wonder less about Nick’s reaction to any plans Renard may have for him. Nick has an independent streak that is as wide as the Mississippi River and I don’t see him working for self-proclaimed masters of the universe voluntarily. Of course, what Ian said about Grimms leads to an interesting question about dear, departed Aunt Marie. Whom, if anyone, was she working for? If she was working for someone, did she steal the Key to get back at them?

Four episodes left to go, folks, and not a lot of time for answers. Next week should be VERY interesting.

You can watch Grimm on its official site, or buy it in HD from Amazon.com.