Recap / Grimm S 2 E 13 Face Off

Killers often return to the scene of the crime.

The will to conquer is the first condition of victory.

Renard is closer than ever to finding the key, unaware that Nick is aware of his deception. Juliette and Renard's lives are in danger as their obsession continues to worsen, and Nick finds himself investigating his own murders. All is not lost, however, as Rosalee returns to Portland with answers.

Meanwhile, Adalind is playing a game all of her own, and Renard is a key piece.

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This episode provides examples of:

• Big Damn Kiss: Between Monroe and Rosalee, about four seconds after her arrival back in Portland. And he was worried that bringing her flowers would seem presumptuous!
• Call-Back:
  • Renard chooses to meet Nick at the lodge from the Pilot.
  • At the end, Nick takes the same potion Renard did in "The Kiss", and is shown suffering the same symptoms (although his are far milder than Renard's, presumably because Nick requires less purifying).
• Death Glare: It's frankly amazing that Renard needs Juliette to tell him that Nick knows he's the other man given the looks Nick's giving him. It's actually pretty surprising Renard isn't combusting on the spot.
• "Eureka!" Moment:
  • Realising the key is not in the trailer, Renard remembers seeing Nick slip something into his desk drawer at the precinct and finds it there.
  • An offscreen variation: Monroe puts together everything he's seen regarding the Nick-Renard-Juliette mess and realises Renard woke Juliette from her coma, resulting in an out-of-control and dangerous obsession.
• Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Multiple times as Nick, Monroe and Rosalee search for a solution to Renard and Juliette's obsession. Adalind's mother made the potion for Renard? Great, let's ask her! Oh, wait, Nick's mother killed her. Never mind. Here's a solution requiring the cat that scratched Juliette! Oh, no, that died too. All that's left is for Nick to take the same potion Renard did (the really agonising one) and then get himself, Renard and Juliette all working together.
  Monroe: I can't wait to write the invitations to that party.
• Fight Scene: Of course occurs when Renard and Nick meet at the lodge. If Nick wasn't already pissed off enough over the Juliette situation, he's now realised that Renard stole the key from his desk. Quite a few blows are exchanged before Renard ends the fight by giving the key back (having already taken an impression of the map engraved on it).
• Hired to Hunt Yourself: Once again, Nick is investigating a multiple homicide he committed (the Verrat from last episode).
  Monroe: What is it?
  Nick: Quadruple homicide.
  Monroe: See? Your life's not so bad!
  Nick: In the parking lot near the Deluxe Hotel.
  Monroe: Oh. That quadruple homicide. [Beat] Well, at least you know who did it.
• Irony: Realising Hundjager are in town looking for the key, Nick took the precaution of moving it from the trailer to the precinct. As Renard has now found the trailer, that seems like a smart move. However, its hiding place in the trailer was a secret drawer Renard showed no signs of finding in his search, while at the precinct Nick just shoved the key in his own desk drawer and called it good. Really, it was safer where it was.
• Locked Out of the Loop: In the scene in the Spice Shop at the end, Juliette is the only character present who has no idea why they're at an apothecary, why Nick is taking a random potion to solve her and Renard's obsession or why everyone is so, well, grim about it.
• Sanity Slippage: Renard and Juliette's mutual obsession deepens, resulting in literal shots fired. Rosalee tells Nick that, without a solution, one of them will literally kill the other.
  Rosalee: If this spell is allowed to progress much further, one of them is going to kill the other.
  Nick: Does anything not end in death?
  Monroe: Ummm...
  Rosalee: No, not really.
  Monroe: Not that I know of.
• This Is Gonna Suck:
  • Juliette, when Nick and Renard both turn up on her doorstep. In fact, they've decided to work together to solve the obsession problem (although it still does suck).
    Juliette: Now what?
  • Variation where Monroe, Rosalee and Renard all hold this attitude on Nick's behalf as he takes the purification potion.
    Nick: [Drinks potion and waits a few seconds] That's it?
    Renard: No.
    [Nick doubles over in pain]
    Renard: ... That's it.
• Wham Shot: The episode ends on Adalind, who recently had sex with Renard, holding a pregnancy test, which is positive.