History Recap / PersonOfInterestS03E12

** Control's bemused expression at Root's monologue is likely real. Camryn Manheim, being 52 when this episode was produced, actually wouldn't be able to hear the Morse code. Amy Acker, being 37, would.

** Also, Arthur's explanation of how he built Samaritan. Essentially, he made it delete itself over and over again. Just like Finch and the Machine.

* IronicEcho: Control asks Root why is it letting the stapedectomy happen, calling back to Root asking Harold why the Machine let her kidnap him.

* ForScience: Claypool refuses to accept that they should just arbitrarily destroy what he's created, just because it may or may not be harmful. He only relents when Finch admits that ArtificialIntelligence already exists.

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Hersh shoots out the camera in the hotel room, so that the Machine can't warn Root about him.

!!Tropes present in this episode include

* BilingualBonus[=/=]GeniusBonus: the word "aletheia" in Greek can be translated as "disclosure" or "truth." It's the antonym of "lethe," which was the title of [[Recap/PersonOfInterestS03E11 the previous episode.]]

* CosmicPlaything: Finch has the most ridiculous run of bad luck in this episode, to the point where not a single thing goes right. He was held at gunpoint twice, Root escapes (and this time doesn't come back), Reese leaves, the Machine doesn't even belong to him anymore, he had to escape through a sewer, and Decima switched the drives.

** Control's bemused expression at Root's monologue is likely real. Camryn Manheim, being 52, actually wouldn't be unable to hear the Morse code. Amy Acker, being 37, would.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes / TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive: An ExploitedTrope by the Machine, to get Control to back off.

--> '''Root''': "You think you're in charge? It's adorable just how wrong you are."

-->'''Control''': ''(incredulous)'' [[JustAMachine You view the Machine as your superior?]]
-->'''Root''': No, much more. My power, my reason for existing, my friend. The Machine looks out for me.

--> "Everything slides towards chaos. Your creation— it brings us poor souls a cupful of order."

-->'''Arthur''': ''[as Harold hotwires a car]'' Stealing a car, almost dying. It reminds me of the old days at MIT, Harold.
-->''[Hersh and a {{Mook}} approach the car, firing]''
-->'''Shaw''': We got to move!
-->'''Harold''': Engines are go. You're right, Arthur, just like college.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: Claypool fakes memory loss when Control is interrogating him about the location of the discs.

* OhCrap
-->'''Root''': "You're so scared of me that you hid a knife in your pocket. I couldn't reach it till you got close enough to cut me. You still have a scalpel. I'd call that a fair fight."

* SlippedTheRopes / FiveFingerDiscount: Root picked the knife from Control's pocket while she was being tortured.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge / KillAndReplace: The real bank manager was murdered and stuffed into a supply cupboard.

--> '''Arthur''': Your child is a dancing star...\\
'''Finch''': [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild It's not my child]], [[JustAMachine it's a machine!]]\\
'''Arthur''': A false dichotomy, it's all electricity. Does it make you laugh? Does it make you weep?\\
'''Finch''': Yes...\\
'''Arthur''': What's more human?

--> ''"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots..."''

* WhamEpisode: Control, Vigilance and Team Machine finally collide in their GambitPileup. And it turns out Decima got the better of them all.
* WhamLine: "I don't belong to anyone anymore. You, however, are mine. I protect you. The only thing you love lives at [[https://maps.google.com/maps?q=254+Wendell+Street,+Cambridge,+Massachusetts&layer=c&z=17&iwloc=A&sll=42.382263,-71.112996&cbp=13,187.4,0,0,0&cbll=42.382278,-71.112993&hl=en&ved=0CAsQ2wU&sa=X&ei=iF7NUtKPOOSMwgGM9YCIDQ 254 Wendell Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts.]] I guard it same as I guard you. Do not question my judgment. Do not pursue me or my agents. Trust in me. I am always watching."

-->'''Finch:''' This plan feels rather reckless.
-->'''Shaw:''' There's a time for a scalpel and a time for a hammer. [[MCHammer It's hammer time.]]

-->'''Control:''' What do you want?
-->'''The Machine (via Root):''' To save you.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Root killing Control's guards.

* LovelyAngels: Root and Shaw kicking ass together. {{Fanservice}}!

->''" I don't belong to anyone anymore."''
-->'''--The Machine (via Root)'''

--> '''Arthur''': Your child is a dancing star...
--> '''Finch''': [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild It's not my child]], [[JustAMachine it's a machine!]]
--> '''Arthur''': A false dichotomy, it's all electricity. Does it make you laugh? Does it make you weep?
--> '''Finch''': Yes...
--> '''Arthur''': What's more human?

--> '''Control''': ''(incredulous)'' [[JustAMachine You view the Machine as your superior?]]
--> '''Root''': No, much more. My power, my reason for existing, my friend. The Machine looks out for me.

-->'''The Machine (via Root):''' To save you.

-->'''Shaw:''' There's a time for a scalpel and a time for a hammer. It's hammer time.

* NotSoStoic: Root breaks down pleading for the Machine to help when Control threatens to deafen her in one ear. According to the morse code at this point, all the Machine can say is ''SORRY''.

--> '''Control''': We have your friends surrounded. So, if you try anything, I will have them killed. And ''then'', I will take the ear you have left, and then your eyes, and then your tongue. Do you understand?

* TheStoic: Shaw and Finch remain remarkably calm at the beginning while Control is doing her EvilGloating.

* TruthSerum: Root is given an alternating combination of stimulant and sedative.
* SlippedTheRopes / FiveFingerDiscount: Root picked the knife from Control's pocket while she was being tortured.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge / KillAndReplace: The real bank manager was murdered and stuffed into a supply cupboard.
* SWATTeam: Hersh leads a Northern Lights team that's dressed as an FBI SWATTeam into the bank. Reese and Fusco "borrow" two uniforms to slip in.

* TortureChamberEpisode
** TortureTechnician: Control.

* EarAche

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: Finch urges Shaw to think of what Reese would do, urging a more subtle approach. Later when Shaw's about to blow a hole in the floor as the only way to get them out of the bank vault.

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Averted; it looks like the bank manager has been forgotten, but she turns out to be a member of Decimas.

* CardboardPrison: Root had no problem breaking out of Finch's Faraday cage.