Grimm season 4 episode 19 review: Iron Hans

This review contains spoilers.

4.19 Iron Hans

So, the cat’s out of the bag.

In fact the cat leaped from the bag, wailing and scratching in spectacular fashion.

Left vulnerable by Prince Kenneth’s plans to expose her pregnancy to Juliette, Adalind goes to the only person she knows can protect her, Nick. Needless to say, Nick’s reaction to the discovery he’s going to be a daddy is one of shock and disbelief, and he is naturally resistant to her attempts to help her. But Adalind’s not a master manipulator for nothing, and soon Nick is promising to protect her (and her unborn baby boy) from Juliette, who it’s fair to say, reacts very badly to news of the pregnancy.

There’s a public bust-up at the police station between the Grimm, his ex-girlfriend and his baby momma, shortly after Renard remarks: “I don’t know how this could get any more complicated.” Um, well Sean, we can think of recent Hexenbiest-half Zauerbiest entanglement that has yet to be revealed… But that remains under wraps for now.

Incidentally, Renard continues to suffer strange side effects after his brush with death. After last week’s mugging of a stranger – of which he has no memory – he again suspects he has randomly attacked someone after suddenly finding himself outdoors in his pyjamas. Little does he realise the most disturbing thing about this storyline is the fact that big Sean Renard wears silk paisley PJs around the house. (Or perhaps he’s just trying to deter Juliette from making another move?)

Interestingly, Adalind makes a comment earlier in the episode regarding Juliette’s public meltdown that led to her arrest: “Things are going to get worse before… they get really bad.” It’s almost as if Juliette is much like a teenager, full of raging hormones that make it difficult to take control of her feelings and emotions during her transition to adulthood. And we should prepare for much more rage.

The news about Adalind’s new baby tips her over the edge, and the transition to the dark side is complete. Furious, she burns down Aunt Marie’s trailer, destroying centuries of Grimm history, literature and weapons.

Too far, Juliette. Too far.

On the plus side, Adalind seems willing to dig up her dead mother to try to create a cure for Juliette. She wants to sell Nick and the gang on the idea that she might be able to help them get the old Juliette back, but in actual fact, she doesn’t want to constantly look over her should for a scorned Hexenbiest with an axe to grind.

But even if they could temper Juliette’s condition, would anyone really be happy to see a return to nice but dull Juliette? That’s even if her relationship with Nick could survive, with her mortal enemy bearing his child.

Speaking of crazy redheads, Detectives Griffin and Burkhardt enlist Monroe and his nose to track a Wesen killer that hunts its victims like a wild animal. It was good to see Jeff Fahey on out TV screens, starring as a Lowen ranch owner who runs a camp for young boys making their own transition to Wesenhood. It’s another way of tackling the now familiar theme of Wesen life conflicting with the modern world around it.

Of course, Monroe is perfectly placed to address the issue, as Portland’s only yoga-practicing, vegan Blutbad.

What this episode really does in slot all the pieces into place for the final four episodes of the season.

Juliette is set to ally herself now with Kenneth, who has decided she’s far more useful to him than Adalind. He plans to lure Kelly Burkhardt out of hiding by placing Nick in danger.

It’s unclear yet who Renard will side with, but it’s a good guess that he’s still smarting at his treatment by Kenneth – not just the beating, but the order to be a good boy and help find Kelly. You get the impression that Renard likes to give the orders, not take them.

So new allegiances are formed, and old bridges burned (among other things.)  This feels like the tipping point for this season so far, so let’s hope it delivers in these last few episodes.

Read Christine’s review of the previous episode, Mishipeshu, here.

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