Holy Cow! Shield fans, there is no coming back from this one. As judge, jury and execution, Vic Mackey delivers a sentence of death to Guardo for his supposed murder of Curtis Lemansky. This episode is a homecoming for Vic, back to an evil world.moreless
10
"Perfect"
To begin, Vic is holding Guardo's girlfriend Nadia captive in a safe house. Unknown to her, all Vic wants is retribution on Guardo for "murdering" Lem. Shane, on a personal day, is visited at home by Corrine Mackey. In delivering some hand-me-down toys, Corrine admits a feeling of guilt to Shane. Corrine believes that, had she not spoke up about the money, Lem would still be alive. This had to hurt Shane. He consoles her saying that it is not her fault, which we all know to be true
As the day progresses, Vic makes phone contact with Guardo. By making threats on his girlfriends life, Vic is successful in establishing a meet with Guardo in a public park. With the instructions to come alone, Shane and Ronnie are called into action to assist Vic in his ransom. However Ronnie, having used his last personal days on wisdom teeth, is assigned to Dutch and Billings for a string of pharmacy robberies.
In fearing that Guardo would violate his condition to come alone, Mackey and Vendrell scout the park. There stakeout bears fruit when two cars filled with Salvadorans circle the park. Not interested in the money, Vic follows Guardo to his hideout, where he'll be isolated from his gang members surrounding the drop point. Shane returns Nadia to the safe house, where she confides with Shane about her fear for Guardo. She's pregnant with Guardo's child, yet Shane lies to her about his whereabouts and the potential harm to be delivered upon him.
While Mackey and Vendrell part ways, Ronnie, Dutch and Billings continue their investigation into the pharmacy robberies. Here, the writers do an excellent, but perhaps overdone, job at developing Ronnie Gardocki. Gardocki clearly illustrates what it means to be on the strike team and receives much verbal praise from colleagues at the Barn. Billings is so impressed he makes light of joining the Strike Team. Before this investigation, Dutch had been given Claudette's approval to monitor Gardocki's phone conversations since he was now officially back on the Lemansky murder. To Dutch's discontent, Ronnie is aware of Dutch's rouse and down-right annoyed. It's humorous to see that Dutch may be such a wonderful detective, but Ronnie's no idiot. Carducci's a soldier.
Vic attempts to contact Ronnie for assistance in his confrontation of Guardo, but is deeply entrenched in the investigation with Dutch and Billings. Vic approaches Guardo's hideout where he corners Guardo and removes him to a secluded building near the outskirts of town. Vic cuffs Guardo and hangs him by his cuffs to a pipe in the ceiling. Vic gets a name from Guardo, which after a brief follow-up, turns out to be bogus.
Meanwhile, the pharmacy investigation turns into a drug bust, tying Ronnie down to more duties for the day. Upon making the bust, Ronnie receives more praise and attention as well as a noticeable glance from Rookie Officer Tina. Is the Dutch Man jealous? The paper work is left to Dutch and Billings, and Dutch continues to pursue the mystery Salvadoran Hernan. Ronnie slips away to join up with Vic and Shane.
Ronnie and Shane stand watch, Shane in dismay as Vic beats Guardo with a chain to get the truth. After getting no admittance from the Salvadoran gang leader, Shane interjects, asking Vic stop the beating, for their collective sakes. The following moments, though short, will be embedded in my mind for the rest of Shield history. Shane reminds Vic that they're in the clear and that neither one should have to put their life on the line again so soon. Vic, seemingly in consideration of Shane's request, stares mindlessly at the bloody, near-lifeless Guardo, still hanging from the ceiling. This psychotic stare is followed by a brief arm movement from Vic, and a bullet to Guardo's head.
The aftermath, though frightening, is spectacular. Vic, after examining the body (with a psychotic demeanor) assures Shane and Ronnie that Guardo acted alone in his murder. Shane, asking what comes next, is met by Vic and Ronnie, urging that his body should never be found, and that Guardo "still at large" will keep the investigation going, leaving him as the primary suspect in Lem's death.* Shane, still in awe, says "We just killed somebody," as if he were realizing that it could have been him hanging from those pipes. The team then digs a hole, douse the remains with gasoline, and set him afire. In my opinion this was the darkest scene in Strike Team history.
Back to the barn, Dutch has a sit down with Officer Hanlon, discussing some helpful techniques. There discussion transforms into an invite to the Wagenbach estate, where she can be romanced by his collection of all-time favorite investigations. As he pulls into his driveway, Tina asks if this is a date, due to his offer ordering Chinese and wine. Dutch must have been screaming on the inside when Tina noticed another woman on his porch. Was it the ex-wife? No. The cuddler rapists wife? No. It's Agent Zinmann of the ICE. She has information on Hernan, but urges him to look elsewhere due to Hernan's value to the federal government. She gives Dutch information on Guardo's whereabouts, as well as the importance to his being in the states. This is forward momentum for the Lemansky murder.
The scene closes with the Strike Team cleaning out Lem's locker, getting caught in a story attached to a photo found. Vic offers the photo to Shane, suggesting he needs it most, after all, it was his best friend who was murdered. As the locker clean-out wraps up, Claudette pokes into the old Strike Team room, handing Vic documentation of his forced retirement, as well as the name of his new replacement. Read on for my Dutch Man theory of the day (my thoughts as to what may happen).
*Note the dialogue after Guardo's execution.
Shane: "So what now?"
Vic: "We make sure this body never gets found."
Ronnie: As long as Guardo's at large, he'll always remain the prime suspect in Lem's death."
Shane: "We just killed somebody."
In watching Vic and Ronnie during this dialogue, they tend to direct their sights on Shane. Consider the possibility that I have. This possibility is that, at this point, Ronnie and Vic both figured it out. Maybe their suspicions started with a missing grenade, and were perhaps confirmed with the accidental hints dropped earlier this season. But in referring to Guardo as the prime suspect here, are they throwing a hint back at Shane saying that they know? Is this all set-up to cover Shane for his efforts to cover them? Keep watching Shield fans, it will all unfold soon.moreless
