The Equalizer: Season 3/ Episode 13 “Patriot Game” – Recap/ Review | Colton Fisk returns and arrives with as much chaos as last time

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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The infamous Colton Fisk pops his head out of whatever hole he hid in, naturally leading to death and destruction.

Aired (CBS)	March 26th, 2023
Director(s)	Geoffrey Wing Shotz
Writer(s)	Joseph C. Wilson, Rob Hanning
Newly Noted Characters
Shawn	Chakeefe Gordon
Previously Noted Characters
Robyn	Queen Latifah
Vi	Lorraine Toussaint
Delilah	Laya DeLeon Hayes
Colton Fisk	Donal Logue
Mel	Liza Lapira
Harry	Adam Goldberg
Detective Dante	Tory Kittles
Ben	Danny Johnson
Manny	Malik Yoba

Recap

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links which, if a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.

Reconcile While You Can – Ben, Dante, Manny, Shawn

With Ben getting out of jail not months or weeks away, but within a day or two, Detective Dante and Manny talk about it since they both have complicated relationships with their fathers. However, one difference between them is that Manny didn’t break the generational curse when raising his son Shawn, compared to Detective Dante and his kids.

This is shown when, in retaliation for roughing up that drug dealer in the last episode, Manny is nearly gunned down in a drive-by, and when Shawn comes to the hospital, it is strictly to confirm Manny is still alive and that’s it. Det. Dante is a bit shocked by this, but Manny admits his faults. He put more time into the gym and the people who frequented it more than his kid and their mom. Luckily, there is still time to heal that old wound, but Manny wishes he could also heal the wounds between him and his father.

Taking note of Manny’s words, Det. Dante decides to pick up his father, who is surprised to see him, but after some hesitation, glad to take a ride to the halfway house.

I’m Easier To Truth When You Stay One Step Ahead – Mel, Harry, Colton, Robyn

After a professional assassin wipes out nearly an entire company and, within two hours, and stages it to make it look like nothing happened, Robyn finds herself getting involved when the lone survivor calls on her. Naturally, with the staging job done so quick and professionally, she and Mel think it was the CIA, but when Harry learns Colton Fisk is in town and Robyn sets a meet, he feigns innocence.

However, with each new bit of information, his ability to claim innocence is faulted. Project NOMAD, made to cause destabilization in global hotspots, was co-founded by Colton Fisk. Allegedly, also shut down by him, yet their MO is all over this current case, leading to the head of the CIA being questioned. A bad situation worsens, however, as Mel and Robyn find themselves convincing a general that he is being targeted to start a war between Nicaragua and Honduras. Within minutes of trying to convince the man, a huge shootout happens.

Luckily, Mel is able to save the General’s life, and a very late Colton, who was supposed to help convince the general, comes in with a flame thrower to even the odds. But, all this does is remind Robyn why she exited the CIA since the politics, the collateral damage, all that is involved with trying to do what appears to be the right thing, is not only a weight on your conscience but a consistent s*** show.

But, getting the last laugh, when it is discovered the CIA director was involved in all this, Robyn’s team leaks the information, and the director resigns. Albeit, it paves the way for someone Colton is close to for a promotion, but Robyn isn’t thinking about Colton and his next move all that much.

Things To Note

What Could Happen Next

1. With Delilah and Vi having a life, dating, and expanding as people, maybe Robyn may take that cue and put things in motion with Dante?
2. As a new CIA director comes on board, Robyn having to deal with the politics of a new regime.

Review

Highlights

What’s To Come For Ben And Det. Dante

One of the things “The Equalizer” has been rather consistent about is the display of parental and child relationships and exploring the levels of complication involved. We’ve seen it through Delilah and Robyn and even Aunt Vi and Delilah to a certain degree. Granted, that’s her aunt, not her mother, but you cannot deny with Robyn often traveling or working, Aunt Vi is a maternal figure in Delilah’s life.

But, that is the relationship between women and what Det. Dante is providing is the relationship between men. Sometimes men are touted to be simpler, with the idea being after a fist fight, everything can be cool. However, that isn’t always the case. As shown in “The Equalizer” and even the recently released “A Good Person,” relationships between men, Black men specifically, can create cold war environments similar to what we see between women.

However, with Detective Dante accepting his dad’s olive branch and letting his father into his kids’ life and making room for him in his own, we see the rare depiction of Black men reconciling. For, even with all the media we watch, it doesn’t seem like a norm.

Colton Fisk Bringing The Heat (No Pun Intended)

While Fisk would have made a more interesting adversary than frenemy, there is no doubt when his name is brought up, it seems we’re going to get an above-average episode. From spies with CIA-level skills, a near assassination of a military official, avoiding the start of a war – we got a lot for an hour. Add in Fisk not only works the violent angle but brings CIA politics into play, and we can only hope his next appearance will be less of him working with Robyn and him more so coercing Robyn to work for him.

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