Moments of Goodness: Nikita “Shadow Walker” 

So, the CW promo monkeys gave away the “what” of this episode of Nikita, but the “how” was infinitely more entertaining and chock full of awesome. We had bitching and bonding and and bullets galore. Splitting up the pairs was character magic for us at home, and there were a few moments worth highlighting.

Nikita and Birkhoff

We’ve covered previously how much we love these two characters, and how in love we were with Maggie Q back in “Fair Trade” when she had to barter a black box for Birkhoff while Michael was off feeling his daddy oats in London and Alex wasn’t yet back in the fold. In “Shadow Walker,” the crew decides to go after Percy’s money and that involves a $20 million entry fee to meet with the broker who’s been laundering the cash.

$20 million happens to be the magic number of Birkhoff’s nest egg so he freaks right the hell out when they suggest using his money to buy in. “No to the power of no” is how emphatically he registers his lack of enthusiasm. So of course this is going to go all to hell. He insists on riding shotgun, and when the deals goes sideways, he freezes with a gun and Nikita gets shot.

The aftermath of that isn’t an “I’m so sorry I froze” apology to Nikita but a venomous rant at her for losing all his money. They go off on each other and when they hit Defcon 1, Birkhoff grabs his laptop and storms out. Pretty soon his temper and ego get him arrested and it’s Nikita who has to save his ass (again–and this time in a crappy Feeb suit, which Birkhoff does apologize for) but this time, when she’s down and he draws a gun, he kills the Division operative before he can kill Nikita.

Then he and Nikita have it out in a heart to heart where she admits she didn’t realize how badly killing Carla had shaken him and he admits that he felt he couldn’t talk to her about it.  Then he buys in on blowing up his (found) money.

When they get home, she reinforces to him that he’s so, so, so much more than a geek. He’s her lifeline every time she’s out in the field, and he’s her family when she comes home at the end of a mission (she doesn’t say that part out loud but it’s there). So they’re (grateful to be) stuck with each other.

When Nikita watches Birkhoff join Michael and Alex in the kitchen for takeout, and Alex hands Birkhoff an Udinov check to start over, the peace she feels and the love she has for all of them, damaged and rescued and now her motley family, is all over over her face.

Michael and Alex

While Nikita and Birkhoff are getting heavy, Michael and Alex are the comic relief. They’re too cute in the car following the money with Alex suggesting they check bumper heights (per The Italian Job) to gauge which one’s riding low and therefore will have the cash, except she doesn’t know how to do that. (Birkhoff of course does later.)

And they have their own sweet heart to heart when Michael starts asking Alex about her getting closer to Sean and she says there isn’t anything there. She busts him on spying for Nikita and he laughs that they are spies, after all. When she hesitates, he asks what the “but” is and adds that it won’t go “in the report” (and I officially love Michael more than ever when he says this).

She admits that she looks at what he and Nikita have and thinks she’ll never have that, and wonders if it’s even worth it. He’s quiet for a minute before he reassures her that yes, it is.

It was nice to have a lighter episode after last week and before what will surely be a return to noir for the last three episodes of the season. It also proves this is one of the best ensemble casts working and there should absolutely be a third season.

The countdown to the finale starts Friday on the CW at 8 pm/7c.