Nick is in for a big surprise.
He had killed man, the noblest game of all, and he had killed in the face of the law of club and fang.
Nick and Hank's investigation leads them to a Wesen rite of passage. Monroe confronts his dark past as he tries to show the camp's charges a better way.
Nick is forced to make some quick decisions as the gang find out about Adalind's new baby. But Juliette also finds out, and battle lines are drawn.
This episode provides examples of:
- Appeal to Nature: Maggie is disgusted by her father and his campers for "playing in the woods" chasing rabbits instead of humans as she does to feel superior. She's drawn to Monroe because he's "legit" having hunted humans, but when he tells her he's reformed she calls him weak just like the others.Maggie: You're the real thing, an Erlangen Wieder Weidmann. You've tasted Kehrseite blood before. And tonight, you're gonna taste more. Come on! [...] Look, the stronger take the weaker. That's the old way. The real way.
- Berserk Button: As Kenneth hoped, Juliette is not happy that Adalind is pregnant with Nick's child.
- Children Are Innocent: Nick's stated reason for defending Adalind from a vengeful Juliette. Juliette still sees it as him choosing Adalind over her.Juliette: NO child of hers is innocent!
- Cliffhanger: Juliette burns the trailer.Juliette: I'm just trying to stay warm, Nick. I don't have you to hold me anymore.
- Disposable Vagrant: The Victim of the Week is a homeless teen trying to hitchhike to Salem.
- Feeling the Baby Kick: While Nick is still in Heroic BSoD mode after learning about the baby, Adalind feels the baby kick. She reaches for Nick's hand, but he reflexively pulls away. She tries again, this time placing his hand on her belly so he can feel the kicking. This seems to snap Nick out of it and make him actively start protecting Adalind.
- Friendship Denial: Rosalee visits Juliette in jail to console her after everything that's happened, but Juliette acts bored and condescending as she insists that she's happy to have changed and everything worked out for the best. Rosalee keeps trying to reach out until Juliette simply checks out of the conversation and walks away.Juliette: That's really nice, Rosalee, but can the love stuff. I mean, life is so much more interesting now. I mean, would you give up being a Fuchsbau if you could?
Rosalee: I-I would if it was the only way I could be with Monroe.
Juliette: And would he do the same for you?
Rosalee: I think he would.
Juliette: Well, Nick wouldn't give it up for me. He had the chance.
Rosalee: You can't blame Nick for that. We needed him back because of the threats against us. And you agreed.
Juliette: No, no, no. I'm not complaining. Like, everything just worked out for the best. You got your husband back, Nick is a Grimm again, and I am on top of the world.
Rosalee: No. No. You're-you're angry and you're bitter and I don't blame you. I mean, nobody-nobody does. We're your friends, though. Juliette, I'm your friend, and I know you, and I know you're still in love with Nick!
Juliette: Thanks for stopping by. [Puts phone down and leaves] - Foreshadowing:
- Maggie calls Monroe "legit" because he's hunted humans prior to reforming, indicating that she's the killer.
- Adalind goes to Nick with something to offer in exchange for protecting her and the baby; a Hexenbiest suppression potion for Juliette. The next episode is focused on making this potion.
- Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: Maggie Bowden thinks the campers are "playing" Wesen by hunting rabbits instead of people.
- Inevitable Mutual Betrayal: Kenneth tells Juliette that Adalind is pregnant with Nick's child, hoping to get her on his side. So Adalind goes straight to Nick and Renard to tell them everything and ask for protection.Kenneth: It's surprising how quickly betrayal becomes a viable option, given the right circumstances.
- Internal Reveal: The Grimm Gang, Renard and Juliette learn that Adalind is pregnant again, by Nick.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Adalind responds to everyone's judgement by pointing out that she didn't know Juliette would become a Hexenbiest, she took Nick's powers to get her baby back, the baby they stole, and she would far rather have just disappeared to raise her baby in peace. Which is all true.
- Law of Inverse Paternity: Name one cast member who could cause more trouble by being the father of Adalind's child than Nick.
- Not Me This Time: When Nick sees that Adalind is pregnant, he immediately thinks it's Renard's. Renard immediately says it's not his and his face just screams this.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Adalind, when Kenneth tells her he knows Nick is the father of her child.
- Everyone else's reaction to learning that Adalind is carrying Nick's child, and that Juliette knows.
- Nick and Adalind's reactions to Juliette arriving in the precinct just as Nick is trying to sneak Adalind out.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Hank and Wu are rather startled to see Nick hustling a pregnant Adalind out of the precinct in a clearly-protective way.
- Parental Neglect: Maggie Bowden started hunting alone because she felt ignored by her father in favour of her brother. When she started hunting humans, she decided they and the campers were wusses that she'd grown past by being a "true Wesen." Hearing her tell this to her father, it's clear that Nick is imagining how his child will turn out if he's not there.
- Red Herring: Todd Bowen is overtly hostile towards Nick, even as his father tells his to calm down and answer his questions. This suggests that Todd is the murderer, but it's actually the cheerful and helpful Maggie.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Juliette goes on a rampage after Nick's perceived betrayal in protecting Adalind. The trailer is the first victim.
- Running Gag: People hearing that Adalind is pregnant replying with, "Again!?!?"
- For bonus points, Nick says it to Renard, who retorts that he's not the father.
- Slut-Shaming:
- Juliette is not shy in expressing her opinion of Adalind.
Kenneth: Adalind is pregnant again.
Juliette: Is that supposed to surprise me?- When Renard tries to pull this on Adalind in person, she reminds him that he slept with both her and her mother.
- Shout-Out: The opening quote is from The Call of the Wild by Jack London.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Renard's reaction to learning about the baby. His expression screams "I don't wanna be in the middle of this!"
- Title Drop: The murder takes place in the woods near the Iron Hans Ranch.
- Wham Episode: Adalind has joined the Grimm gang, and Juliette has joined the villains.
- With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: The gist of Monroe's speech to the campers: that as Wesen they have a lot of power, and a responsibility to use that power wisely. He explains that this is a choice that must be made every day, and that he's made the wrong choices in the past. Somehow, Maggie hears "I would be totally up for more human-killing."
- You Wake Up In A Fountain: Renard wakes up in a fountain somewhere in town. Later, he learns there was an assault near that fountain around the time he was there.
