While everyone else is still probably trying to wrap their head around the reveal of Alt-Olivia’s pregnancy on FRINGE and the scorching hot confrontation between Kalinda and Blake on THE GOOD WIFE, for fans who tuned in to see this week’s V, they got a lot more than they bargained for. The entire episode was an octane-fueled, adrenaline rush. It was also so explosive that it ripped wide-open the war against the Visitors.
On a sad note, in the end three significant lives were lost in this week’s hostage standoff. Anna had strategically manipulated everything in an attempt to kill the Fifth Column’s leader, Eli Cohn, as well as Erica Evans and her ex-husband Joe; and once the dust settled, adding to the death toll were Ryan Nichols, Eli Cohn and Joe Evans – with only Erica surviving the lethal confrontation. It was a blood-bath for the human resistance losing a Fifth Column leader, their inside man amongst the Visitors, and Erica’s ex-husband with whom she had reconciled to keep their son Tyler out of Anna’s evil clutches.
For a series that has been loathe to kill-off principal characters, it has taken a turn towards making everyone expendable. Now no one is safe.
The episode began with Ryan leading Anna directly to the Fifth Column’s headquarters, painting a bright bulls-eye for easy extermination of Anna’s thorniest foe. But outraged to learn of Ryan’s betrayal, Erica showed up to find out what had motivated Ryan to betray their cause. Two steps ahead as usual, Anna tipped off the FBI and within minutes the place was surrounded, prompting Erica to offer to be the Fifth Column’s hostage in order to buy time for a peaceful resolution to the standoff. Alas, it was all according to Anna’s plan. She had maneuvered to ensure that Joe Evans found his way into the standoff hot zone, and placed Kyle Hobbes in a position to detonate the suicide bombs at just the right moment; and just as Erica and Joe were herding the other hostages safely outside, the suicide bombs detonated, destroying the entire Fifth Column headquarters. Then in a rain of bullets, Joe was caught in the cross-fire between the Fifth Column survivors and FBI snipers. Thus, with Eli and Ryan presumed dead in the explosion, and Erica holding Joe’s lifeless body on the street below, the human resistance against the Visitors took a serious blow.
Yet there was one factor that Anna never counted on: before sacrificing himself, Eli had entrusted the entire Fifth Column network to Erica. Thus, when Erica smuggled out Eli’s most trusted second-in-command amongst the hostages, she had everything she needed to take command of the Fifth Column. Therefore, after watching Anna ruthlessly steal her son, kill her ex-husband and perpetuate a blatant attack against the human resistance, Erica was provoked to the boiling point. The Fifth Column headquarters was not the only thing that exploded in this week’s episode – Erica exploded in rage. No longer was she going to sneak quietly in the shadows weighing how to push back against the Visitors while working to minimize the loss of human life. The gloves had come off and it was time to strike back.
With only four more episodes remaining this season, it appears that V is definitely of the mind-set of taking no prisoners and aims to go out in a blaze of glory. In addition, by taking the figurative handcuffs off Hobbes and defrocking the helpful Father Jack Landry freeing him to participate more actively — as well as instilling Erica with burning vengeance — the war will no longer be furtive and tentative. It will be a fight to the death for our planet.
Simply put: it is about frakking time! Last year, V ran 12 episodes taking it to the point that Erica set off a bomb aboard Anna’s ship killing Anna’s soldiers provoking Anna to unleash “red rain” upon Earth to expedite her plan to use humans as breeding hosts. With only 10 episodes greenlit for its second season, V needs to ramp up its storyline to the point where the war is openly acknowledged. The stealthy approach used to investigate the Visitors and to figure out what their ultimate plans are has only given the Visitors more time to maneuver, thus ensuring their plans succeed.
This week’s episode helped propel the series closer to full battle engagement – and it was awesome! It has always been odd watching a handful of people sit around and react to each new revelation about the Visitors. Knowing that they had an enemy in their midst, efforts to organize a strong and effective resistance should have been undertaken long ago. With Erica’s new role as leader of the Fifth Column, our heroes must engage quickly before more human lives are put at risk.
Therefore, V needs to make these last four episodes count – let’s take down some alien ships – or better yet, let’s take control of their ships and level out the playing field. If this week’s episode was any indication, things are about to get bloodier and scarier. Who will be next to fall beneath Anna’s wrath and get caught in the cross-fire? Will it be the hesitant Father Landry, unsure if he should take a human life? Or will it be the turn-coat Hobbes who is allowing the Visitors to coerce him into doing their evil bidding? And if there is a battle to save the human race, it is time to unleash it.
Beware to Anna: Erica now has an army at her disposal and she is about to demonstrate why humans are the most feared beings in the universe – we show no mercy to those who make us angry. Red rain of a different kind is about to fall upon the Visitors — the war has begun. 
Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to TheTVAddict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower).