Nikita -- Amanda's Downfall
Carla would have been so happy if she had lived to see this day. Unfortunately, she tried to whack Birkhoff and he whacked her right back. Speaking of which, the boy was back, this week. Thank God! I miss him when he isn't around.
Dina, the agent who was introduced when Percy was trying to convince Division operatives they were being targeted by Golgo, returns. By the way, I wonder what Golgo means? It must be an acronym for something. Otherwise why pick suck a stupid name to represent your agency. General Hospital had the WSB aka The World Security Bureau. Although I never did figure out what CONTROL and KAOS stood for on Get Smart, but perhaps the names were self-evident. CONTROL kept control while KAOS created chaos.
Anyway, Dina kidnapped a scientist on Amanda's orders. It's all part of her and her lover, Ari's Plan B, to take control of Zetrov since Alex didn't play ball and hand it over to them. Dina gets the man to hand over his Helium 3 device and promises to let him go. After she demands he hand over his wallet she shoots him in the back. Don't worry, what Dina did unto others will very shortly be done unto her.
When Michael and Birkhoff hear about the suspected robbery they put two and two together and come up with four. A surveillance photo reveals Dina was the man's killer and they know Amanda is behind this. Michael and Nikita figure out where the exchange is going to go down and head there to thwart them.
Amanda leaves Division, not knowing it will be for the last time, and puts Sonya in control. Really? Timid Sonya is the best she can do for an interim leader? She goes to meet Dina, pulls out one of those killer looking wires villains in action-adventure flicks use to strangle someone, and does just that. Bye-bye, Dina. Then Amanda and Nikita comes face-to-face and Miss Amanda gets the drop on Nikita. It seems that wire thingie is a multi-purpose tool as Amanda uses it to wrap around Nikita's wrists immobilizing her. Amanda shoots Nikita non-fatally, and is about to finish her off, when she just can't bring herself to do it. Cue flashbacks.
When Nikita was first brought to Division Amanda took her under her wing and molded and mentored Nikita into the person she became as a Division operative. It seems that Amanda genuinely came to care for Nikita and felt betrayed when Nikita deserted her and Division. As a result, Amanda can't go through with plugging Nikita, but does get away with the Helium 3 device.
Meanwhile in Moscow, Alex is trying to find someone she trusts to take over Zetrov. She picks an old friend she trusts, Illya. He informs her that Ari is making a play for the head of the company and it's at that point she and the gang back home put the pieces together and realize why Amanda wanted the Helium 3 device; to help Ari in his bid to take over the company. Michael and Nikita book themselves on the next flight to Moscow to stop them dead in their tracks.
While everyone is concentrating on Amanda and Ari and finding a way to thwart them, they forget all about Percy. One should never forget about Percy. Hearing Amanda has left the building, Percy decides it's the perfect time for him to take back Division. Percy has subverted one of Amanda's people, Mason, to be his mole. Mason pretends he caught Percy and brings him to Division HQ. Amanda's little loyal soldier, Sonya, calls Amanda and Amanda orders Percy cancelled.
Don't you just love the way they order someone murdered. Cancel them. When an agent comes into where Percy is being kept carrying a bottle of bleach, although I'm sure it isn't a bottle of bleach, Percy realized he's about to be cleaned. He starts to do some fast talking and tries to put doubts in the operatives about Amanda's leadership, pointing out all the operatives that have been killed on her watch and that she doesn't have their best interests at heart. As it turns out Percy is speaking the truth.
At the Zetrov board meeting, Amanda is basically saying pretty much the same thing. That she'll use her operatives to help them and she doesn't care how many of them get slaughtered. Birkhoff, who is listening to this, can't believe what he's hearing. He also happens to capture the moment on tape, that will play a crucial part in Percy's power play shortly.
Even loyal little Sonya has been wondering about Amanda and Percy gets her to check up on Amanda and discovers that Dina is dead. His final coup de grace is to tell Sonya to contact Birkhoff and he plays the tape he made of Amanda. Bye-bye, Amanda. Hello, Percy. Although if Birkhoff knew he was helping Percy regain control of Division, I doubt he would have done it.
Back in Moscow, Nikita infiltrates the research lab the Helium 3 is being kept in. Unfortunately, she triggers a Haz-Mat alarm and Amanda traps her in a glass cubicle and cuts off the oxygen. Nikita refuses to surrender as Michael rushes to rescue her. However, Nikita manages to save herself, by faking passing out from lack of oxygen and overpowers Amanda.
Nikita finds herself in the same position Amanda was in and she doesn't kill her, either. Nikita says what Amanda finds to be a weakness for not killing her, she finds a strength.
Ari cleans out the coffers, grabs Amanda and makes a run for it. Amanda is sitting in a no-tell motel regretting she didn't kill Nikita, as Ari shows her he has a black box. They may be down, but they're far from out. Meanwhile, back home, Nikita is pleased she found the strength not to seek vengeance on Amanda for what she turned her into.
It took Percy nearly the entire season, but he's finally back in power. And from the promo for the next episode, that doesn't air until April 20th, Percy isn't wasting any time to payback all the people on his little hit list, starting with Nikita and Michael. Watch out, Amanda, after the, you're next.
This was possibly the best episode of the entire season. The writing and acting was superb. Let's just hope the CW renews it for another season. It would be a crying shame if a show as good as this was cancelled.
