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Grimm – “The Law of Sacrifice” Retrospective. Royal Drama

Season 3, Episode 18

Air Date: Friday, April 11, 2014, 9/8c on NBC

Rating: ★★★★★

 

“The Queen was terrified and offered the little man all the riches of the kingdom, if only he would leave the newborn child alone.” – Grimm

 

Grimm knocks it out of the park with “The Law of Sacrifice.” This episode is exciting from the moment it starts to its surprising end. Battle lines are drawn and the royals come to Portland to claim the baby. The reach of the Verrat and the royal powers goes deep within the U.S. government, throwing a wrench into things for those protecting the child.

 

Baby Love

And baby makes three…

Adalind (Claire Coffee) is in full mommy mode. “If he tries to take our baby, kill him.” As much as Sean (Sasha Roiz) likes Nick (David Giuntoli), I doubt he would hesitate to put a bullet in him. The question is, could a simple bullet kill a Grimm?  As an aside, Sean and Adalind are back together as a couple. We also learn a bit about why they broke up. This baby has changed Adalind but it’s also affecting Sean. After learning he is the father, according to Adalind, he is willing to put his life on the line to protect his daughter. One would think Sean would question Adalind about the paternity of the child; she hasn’t always been truthful in the past.

 

Keeping It Grim

Nick and his mother Kelly (guest star Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) are in a tight spot and need to find a safe place to stash Adalind and the baby. What could be safer than Monroe (Silas Wier Mitchell) and Rosalee’s (Bree Turner) place? I love the conversation Nick has with Monroe and Rosalee via speaker phone. The ominous tone of the call, mixed with the almost comedic reactions from Monroe and Rosalee, made me smile. The information overload is outrageous. Adalind, the woman who put Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch) in a coma, and her baby, who also possesses powers, need a place to stay because the royal family and the Verrat are after them. No pressure, right?

Does Kelly want a second chance at being a mother?

Hank (Russell Hornsby) has had his own dealings with Adalind in the past but Nick enlists his help anyway. Remember when Hank ate those weird love cookies intended for Nick and went all psycho for Adalind? When Hank learns Adalind has a child, naturally he wonders if he’s the father. It’s quite funny how Hank reacts to the fact he’s not the daddy, to say nothing of his subsequent reaction when learning who the baby’s father is. I love the mixture of comedy coupled with the surmounting danger that awaits our Scooby Gang in “The Law of Sacrifice.” The saying, ‘keeping it light,’ doesn’t apply; it’s more like keeping it grim. All puns intended.

 

Bait and Switch

Prince Viktor (Alexis Denisof) is no fool. The message he receives via FBI Agent Stewart (guest star C. Thomas Howell) is meant to detract but Viktor isn’t falling for it. He, along with Marcus Rispoli (Phillip Anthony-Rodriguez), the new Verrat leader, know that in order to get answers, they must go to the source. We haven’t seen much of Sgt. Wu (Reggie Lee) since his stint in the mental ward but when he tells the Captain he has a visitor, and reads the Prince’s extremely lengthy title, saying, “I may have inadvertently dropped a ‘Berg’ or ‘Dorf’ or two,” it kills me. Only Lee could deliver a line like that. I digress. Viktor visiting his cousin Sean at the precinct is akin to a slap in the face among Sean’s peers. Viktor challenges Sean by threatening to kill not only Adalind, but Sean’s mother who has been in hiding as well.

Prince Viktor doesn’t mince words…he wants that baby no matter what it takes.

Everything is not as it seems. The Grimm writers do a brilliant job of keeping me on my toes in “The Law of Sacrifice.” Just when I think I know what’s going to happen, I’m led down another path, only to be fooled again. And brava to Coffee for her performance when she realizes what Sean has done with the baby. Her scream in the middle of the street is both gut wrenching and chilling. The anguish any mother feels over losing a child is conveyed so outstandingly by Coffee, I feel like she’s actually lost her baby.

 

Memorable Lines:

“Well, thank you very much for bringing her and the Chosen One over here.” Monroe to Nick about Adalind and the baby.

***

“Nick is far more valuable to me than that key.” Sean to Kelly

 

Interesting Tidbits

Why is Nick looking for a pre-owned, one owner, 4×4 truck with 50,000 miles or less? Why so specific?

When are we going to learn more about those seven keys that create a map?

Kelly and the baby seem to have a special bond. Did you notice how the baby stops crying when Kelly shows up, in spite of Adalind cuddling and trying to soothe the baby?

The conversation Kelly has with Adalind in the interrogation room is telling. “Sometimes we have to sacrifice what we love most.” Let’s not forget, Kelly had to give up Nick in order to protect him. She knows what needs to be done to protect the child but unfortunately, Adalind pieces it together too late.

What do you think of the name Adalind chooses for her child?

The baby exhibits a strange display of her powers in the back of Viktor’s limo. It’s quite alarming yet it’s almost as if she knows the game plan and is toying with Viktor and Marcus.

How will it work – a Grimm raising a Hexenbiest child?

What type of Wesen is Viktor? I was sure he would slip at the airport when the faux resistance attacks them.

 

Overall

“The Law of Sacrifice” takes us on an epic journey filled with excitement, heartbreak, laughter, and action. It provides a great segue into a fourth season while advancing the story lines of this season. Where is Kelly headed? Will Adalind retaliate against Sean and Nick for what they did? What will Viktor do now that he thinks the resistance has the child? Will the writers delve into the contract that Adalind signed with her burning handprint?

Let me know what you thought of “The Law of Sacrifice.” Leave me a comment below or tweet me at @judybopp. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Grimm will return in two weeks on Friday, April 25.

For more on the show, go to the official site.

Like Grimm on Facebook.

Follow Grimm on Twitter @NBCGrimm, as well as these cast members: @russellhornsby, @mistergiuntoli, @BitsieTulloch, @sasharoiz, and @MrReggieLee.

Photos ©2014 NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.
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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.