Directed by Chris Grismer
Written by Keith Eisner, Pierluigi Cothran, Patrick Cunnane, & Tracey Rice
Seth and Lyor are in the American protectorate of Taurisi for negotiations with the territory's governor when a tsunami strikes and they have to survive in the aftermath. Kirkman deals with bipartisan opposition as he tries to secure aid for the territory to keep it from breaking from the USA. Meanwhile, Hannah Wells follows Damian's last request to seek out his daughter, Amy, and to keep her safe from Valeria's organization.
This is the final episode of the series to air on ABC before its cancellation, uncancellation, and move to Netflix.
Tropes in this episode:
- Character Death: Wells kills Valeria for having Damian Rennett murdered.
- Cliffhanger/Sequel Hook:
- Just what does the Attorney-General have to say to President Kirkman?
- How is Kirkman going to manage campaigning for reelection as an independent against both the Republicans (including the still-popular Cornelius Moss) and the Democrats?
- Why was Emily meeting with Valeria?
- Cliffhanger Copout: Emily is ultimately fine after recuperating from being shot in the previous episode.
- Cutting the Knot: Once the governor of Taurisi is persuaded to declare the area a war zone, Kirkman uses an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to go around Congress to secure and send food, supplies and other aid.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Seth and Lyor realize they have become these after being caught up in the tsunami and its aftermath.
- Five Rounds Rapid: How Hannah eventually dispatches Valeria.
- Giant Wall of Watery Doom/Kill It with Water: A tsunami hits the American protectorate of Taurisi.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Ethan West turns out to be this again, convincing Kirkman to persevere in the face of mounting opposition.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": Everyone in Taurisi, when they notice the tsunami coming ashore.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Emily has a bit of a Heel Realization that she has been getting too accustomed to her job and the power that comes with it, and hands Kirkman her resignation.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Seth helped save a family by carrying their children to the roof of a building when the tsunami struck.
- Parental Substitute: Hannah volunteers to become this for Amy in the wake of Damian's death.
- Photographic Memory: Damian's daughter Amy has a talent for this, allowing her to remember the first five pages of a list of undercover agents that Damian tried to safeguard.
- Put on a Bus: Tom Kirkman's son Leo is off to study at Stanford University.
- Ripped from the Headlines: The debate over aid for Taurisi mirrors similar real-life debates in the USA over aid for (and the status of) its territory of Puerto Rico.
- Scenery Gorn: At least at ground-level, Taurisi is trashed by a tsunami at the start of the episode.
- Series Fauxnale: Of a sort. The series was cancelled by ABC after the second season, but then it was later picked up by Netflix, so it will not be Left Hanging.
- Super-Persistent Predator: Moss is still up to his usual antagonism, although to an extent, he now has the justification of campaigning for the presidency.
- Too Dumb to Live: In a political sense. Emily tries to influence the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, which is a position-ending faux pas for a presidential Chief of Staff, and she knows it.
- What the Hell, Hero?: The Chief Justice takes Kirkman to task over Emily trying to influence his decision.
