Revenge: Season 4, Episode 4 “Meteor” (19 Oct. 2014)

Season 4, Episode 4

Directed by: J. Miller Tobin

Created by: Mike Kelley

Written by: Karin Gist

Cast: Madeleine Stowe, Emily VanCamp, Gabriel Mann, Nick Wechsler, Joshua Bowman, James Tupper, Karin Vanasse, Christa B. Allen, Brian Hallisay, Elena Satine, Nestor Serrano, LaMonica Garrett, Lola Glaudini

Since the first season of “Revenge” we  have all been waiting for Emily Thorne to get her revenge on the Grayson family for destroying her father`s life, and her own childhood. But what we did not know at the time is that her father David Clark is alive and well.  Season 4 of Revenge has brought significant changes to the initial plot, which makes us wonder, what’s next?

Since we, and the rest of the world, know that David Clarke (James Tupper) is alive,  albeit a little bit shaken, but sound, makes us think- “Why has Emily/Amanda (Emily VanCamp) needed to go through all of this madness, and made sacrifices for someone who was alive the whole time?”  Does it mean that Emily`s revenge was for nothing? Since Conrad Grayson  died in a previous season, Emily still had someone that she wanted to make pay for her suffering and endless pain-  the Queen of Hampton, Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe).

However, Victoria has her own agenda, even though it sounds  ridiculous ,Victoria  is now trying to take revenge on Emily/Amanda for the death of Pascal LeMarchal, played by Olivier Martinez. And there is only one person who was responsible for the tragic event on the roof – Conrad Grayson.

This is probably why the creators of “Revenge” have changed everything for this season. Now Victoria is the one who orchestrates every single movement; trying to make Emily/Amanda pay for her own ruined life. But let`s get back to the episode that has turned everything upside down in Hampton- “Meteor”.

So, let`s get right to the point- David still does not know that his dearest daughter, Amanda Clarke, is alive, and has had to change her identity in order to clear her father`s name and rehabilitate his destroyed reputation. And for that, he should thank Victoria, who decided not to reveal the truth about Amanda Clarke. Moreover, Victoria wanted Amanda/Emily to be killed by her father’s own hand. And surprisingly, she was close to being hurt by her own father, if it were not for two facts: Nolan and David.

David Clarke was about to do something unthinkable, if he would not stop for a second while holding the knife in his hand  and with curiosity looked at the  sleeping Amanda/Emily,   as if he had recognized, in her, his little girl…. Maybe he would have finished his task or not, we will never know for certain, if Nolan  hadn’t interfered  trying to shoot David with a gun in order to save the sleeping Emily`s life.

The interesting part of “Meteor” comes later when David Clarke is arrested by the police…  on purpose…  While this is happening, Emily is called to the police department to identify the man who attacked her the previous night;  this is when Emily meets her father. If you have not seen this episode yet, then I must confess that this moment is priceless and worth waiting for…  partly because of the reunion between Emily and her father. But that scene would have been a lot less emotional if Emily Vancamp  had not disappeared into the character of “Emily Thorne” as she slowly  studies the face of the arrested man beginning to recognize the father she thought was dead. Emily Vancamp was at her best when she literally cried and showed us the confused Emily the way we would have expected; no more, no less.

Now that Emily knows her father is alive the biggest surprise is yet to come… At the press conference, Emily and Nolan see Victoria and Charlotte standing with David; he calls them a ‘family.’ Of course, it did not take much time for Emily to realize that Victoria has  reached her father first, and now she has to face new challenges in order to meet her father – to tell him the truth. It would be really helpful if Charlotte would be open and tell her father that Amanda is alive- but Charlotte is Charlotte… we expect no surprises from her, only new damage. This is all she can bring her own sister.

What’s next? Analysis

Since the cards are on the table and Victoria is on her way to gaining  victory over Amanda, we keep asking ourselves- “What else  can we expect from Victoria, or David Clarke, who supposedly, should have recognized his own daughter:… But let`s be honest here… He would have, if the writers had written the line differently …

Does it mean that David Clarke is so silly and naïve that he would continuously allow Victoria to manipulate him and his every move?  If you remember the way “Revenge” started, then your answer,  would be the same as mine: “there is no way that David Clarke is that brainless and trusting a person, and he unquestionably is playing Victoria to think that she has got him. But he is the one who actually controls her, and he has his own agenda and plan to take his revenge for being betrayed;  for being left heartbroken and framed for a crime he never committed.

It seems the writers of ‘Revenge’ try to keep Amanda and David away from each other to raise our expectations for the moment when the Clarke Family will reunite, which might come by end of this season.  But, until then, Emily has to build a new plan to bring her closer to her father, and finally end the Grayson family, especially Victoria, who is becoming a little bit annoying. However, we should not forget that the main slogan of season four is ‘what goes around, comes around’, which means Emily has to try really hard to defeat Victoria, who, with no money left, is still as powerful as she always was.

In finalizing my review, I have to admit, that sometimes I truly want to stop watching “Revenge” as the storyline is getting more and more ridiculous and keeps losing its main point. But when it comes to “Revenge” I always fail to keep my own promise, as I find “Revenge” is like an addictive drug, from which we as “Revengers” do not know how to overcome.