REVENGE: “Destiny”

Emily Thorne is back. Photo Credit: Karen Neal/ABC.

Read on for Emily’s recap & review of the season 2 premiere of Revenge, originally aired Sunday, September 30th on ABC:

“Destiny has two ways of crushing us … by refusing our wishes … and by fulfilling them.”  – Henri Frederic Amiel

Thank the lord, Revenge has finally returned. Honestly, my life was empty this summer. I needed Emily and Victoria’s passive aggressive bitch fights to get me through the week.

This season once again starts off with a scene from Labor Day weekend, but this year with an apparent shipwreck of the Amanda. A diver investigates the wreck, which was caused by an explosion, and finds an unidentified male body. It looks like we’ll be catching up to another murder mystery over the course of the season. Fingers crossed it’s Declan.

After the opening scene, the show takes us three months earlier–it has been eight weeks since the season one finale left off and it’s summer again in the Hamptons. We learn that Emily has spent time back with her Mr. Miyagi-esque ninja mentor, refreshing her training in badassery. [Editor's Note: It's actually supposed to be the same Mr. Miyagi-esque revenge mentor from last season, Takeda. But you may have noticed that he looks verrrrrryyyyyy different. The role was recast.] Nolan also spent the off-season upping his badass cred, taking boxing lessons. He and Emily end up going back to the Hamptons to wheedle more information out of the Graysons. Emily wants to find out what happened to her mother and the Graysons are her only link. 

Speaking our favorite dysfunctional family, the Graysons have been having an eventful time off as well. Charlotte survived her drug overdose and is currently in rehab. Emily visits her and pretends to be a good friend because she needs Charlotte to get close to the Graysons again. Meanwhile, Daniel has been dating Ashley. He also spends time mournfully brooding over the death of his mother by taking over her signature spot on her balcony. Conrad unsuccessfully tries to get Daniel to use his trust fund to save the company.

Other companies are in trouble too, as Jack and Declan might lose the bar again, and I don’t care, again. More interestingly, Amanda is still around and very pregnant. Jack, like Daniel, spends time drinking alone and brooding over his sad life. Poor boys. Emily gives Jack the idea that Amanda might be lying about him being the father of the baby. Genius that he is, such a thought never crossed his mind.

During the course of the episode, Emily and Nolan uncover some information about her mother. They find out that David Clarke lied about her death. In truth, she was in a mental institution. When the two super sleuths raid the new-abandoned institution, they discover that Emily’s mother had a visit from Victoria just before the infamous plane crash that David was framed for.

The signature Fancy Event of the episode is an art auction/memorial for Victoria. During the auction, Charlotte’s doctors forcibly haul her back to rehab. It turns out that Conrad had paid off Charlotte’s doctor to falsify her drug tests because he wants her to stay in rehab. This way, he can take control of her inheritance. Charlotte is furious when she is taken away. She makes a scene and also gets a chance to confide in Emily; she tells Emily that Victoria is actually alive. The show acts like this is supposed to be a big surprise, which bothers me bit. I mean, we all knew this was going to happen. No one seriously though she was gone for good, right?

Anyway, Emily goes to find Victoria and the two engage in a wonderful, although most likely short-lived, alliance against Conrad. Victoria tells Emily the government has been hiding her to protect her against Conrad. Emily, as per usual, bugs Victoria’s hideout and finds out that Victoria was lying. She is actually in cahoots with the White-Haired Man and is now sending him out to kill her. Well, that’s nice.

It was an action-packed episode and it made me very happy. Emily is back to her manipulative roots, mercilessly using Charlotte for information. It’s also fun how expertly she needles Ashley and Daniel. He is so clearly still in love with her, which is obvious to everyone involved. Ashley doesn’t stand a chance.

But enough of love triangles. I think Emily and Nolan’s relationship is my favorite in the whole show. The two of them have great rapport and their best-friendship is the best ship on Revenge. I can’t wait to see them back to their tricks during this season, hopefully backstabbing each other less than last year. I’m really looking forward to Nolan using his newfound fighting skills as well. Emily better keep him on his toes.

All in all, it was a solid premiere. Everyone’s hair looked fabulous, even Charlotte’s, so I feel like that can only mean good things for the rest of the season. I’m ready for the ride.

Emily is studying journalism in Washington, DC. She spends much of her time watching TV and becoming emotionally invested in fictional characters. You can follow her on Twitter @EmilyGuilfoil.