Madani's quest to ID Pilgrim hits a wall. Russo and his crew put their plan into action. Frank encounters someone from the past.
Tropes
- Badass Bystander: Lillian, the the owner of the check-cashing business, who is not intimidated by Billy and his crew even one bit and point-blank refuses to cooperate. One of her employees then steps in however shortly before Billy loses his patience (it's their inside man).
- Bite of Affection: During Billy and Dumont's intimate scene, she bites his shoulder and encourages Billy to squeeze her scars to inflict pain on her in return.
- Blatant Lies: When clerk Lillian claims the "door is on a timer," Billy snaps "there is not one person in this entire place who believes" that.
- Break Her Heart to Save Her: Billy leaves Dr. Dumont after the night they spent together in order to keep her safe.
- Caper Crew: A villainous version. Russo drills his team of disaffected veterans on his plan.
- Dramatic Unmask: A great one as Frank yells out Russo's name while standing in the middle of the street. He then peels off his mask and opens his coat to reveal his blood-stained skull shirt which sets Billy off.
- Flashback: This episode starts with one a year back, where Madani is recording a false statement on the behest of Marion, to sweep the entire affair with Russo and Rawlins under the rug.
- From Camouflage to Criminal: Jake is using methamphetamine, and he and his friends are ready to follow Billy's plan.
- Good Cop/Bad Cop: Curtis is the good cop to Frank's bad cop during Jake's interrogation.
- Hesitation Equals Dishonesty: Dumont hesitates when Billy asks her if her injuries came from an accident.
- Hypocritical Humor: Billy accuses Lilian of being irrational while pointing a gun at one of his own men and brandishing a hand grenade.
- Intimate Psychotherapy: Russo reports having no nightmares and less anxiety after spending the night with Dr. Dumont. It appears to have worked for Dumont as well, as she is seen opening the curtains with none of her usual fear, though she returns to normal once Billy leaves her.
- Ironic Echo: "Are you good with that?" being asked to Madani, first to cover up what happened a year ago, then when Frank asks her for the go-ahead to kill Billy Russo.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Frank pulls this on Jake, nailing his hand to a table and twisting it in order to find out where Billy is. He only opens up after a talk with Curtis, however.
- Missed Him by That Much: Frank and Curtis arrive at the warehouse just as Billy and his men are driving out the door. This means they have to confront them at the robbery scene, which Curtis isn't happy about.
- Murder Is the Best Solution: Both Frank and Curtis agree that killing Billy is the only way to end things, while Dinah needs to be convinced.
- Pants-Positive Safety: As he did in the previous episode, Curtis stashes a gun down his pants. It's strange that a military man like him would do this and even more strange that he does this in front of Frank (no stranger to gun safety) and Madani (a Homeland Security agent who knows how to handle a weapon) and they say nothing.
- Properly Paranoid: Billy insists that everyone learn each others roles (which comes in handy when Jake fails to turn up) and has a man on the roof with a sniper rifle who gives Frank a lot of trouble.
- Scar Survey: After sex, Krista tells Billy to go ahead and ask about the scars on her body.
- Shout-Out: The title to The Killing Joke, though it's also a Call-Back to what Frank Castle said to Daredevil in "New York's Finest".
- Shower of Angst: By Madani which includes a flashback to her Shower of Love with Billy.
- Spanner in the Works:
- Although Billy insists that everyone sleep in the warehouse overnight for security, Jake sneaks out to score meth, enabling Frank to capture him.
- Even Billy is thrown for a loop when Lilian refuses to be intimidated and open the door.
- The Stakeout: By Curtis and Frank on Jake's house. Frank is too impatient to be good at it, which Curtis puts down to his Blood Knight nature.
- Surveillance Station Slacker: The security guard is reading the newspaper and so doesn't see the masked men with guns walking up to the door.
- Trunk Shot: Of Frank and Curtis after they capture Jake.
- Unperson: Pilgrim apparently, as Madani is unable to find anything about him, in every available database.
- Villainous Breakdown: Russo completely freezes on the middle of the street when he sees his old friend Frank with the dreaded skull on the chest that has been haunting his dreams for a year. He remains there even when bullets start flying and has to be dragged into a vehicle.
- Villain with Good Publicity: It is revealed that the public was never told about Rawlin's crimes; officially he died a hero.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Something happened to Krista Dumont in her childhood that lead to an immense fear of windows, or perhaps heights.
- Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: Madani doesn't look happy when the female lab technician starts fangirling over her.
