Episode Summary from Falling Skies Wiki:
[i]The episode begins with Matt running batteries to various defensive positions around new Charleston. as a mysterious sniper takes notice of the activity.
We also find out that Hal has begun to walk without the use of crutches. however he still struggles to maintain a steady locomotion.
we also see that Weavers daughter has begin work on a memorial that will be used to remember the fallen. Tom is excited about the prospect and dubs it the liberty tree. which is assembled from scrap.
Meanwhile back with Pope, Matt, Grace and two other members from the roughnecks squad Matt dishes out some snacks to the crew. Grace tells everybody she’s going to go use the bathroom which Pope tells her to make sure she puts on her bullet proof vest. While Grace uses the bathroom. Matt tries to sneak a peak at her. to which pope laughs and says she’s old enough to be his grandma.
When suddenly the sniper fires at grace hitting her in the chest. causing her to fall back and have her head impaled by rebar. causing her to lose feeling and her sight.
A fire fight breaks out on all positions. when Tom and Weaver enter the scene. Weaver kills a enemy combatant from a window only to find that they are in fact humans who are wearing tactical armor and using military grade equipment.
Tom insist that they talk the attackers into a truce just as weaver equips himself with a RPG. just as Tom attempts to talk down the attackers the sniper fires at weaver who instantly and without hesitation fires an RPG into their hold out which Weaver spotted as a second story window.
In the rubble the sniper attempts to crawl away but passes out. its revealed then that the sniper is a woman in her early 30’s
Back with Pope, Matt and Grace. Grace’s condition continues to deteriorate. Pope is about to cut away the rebar with a hacksaw while Matt steadies Graces head. However Pope realizes the injury is more serious than he thought and realizes that Grace has been mortally injured since the rebar curved through her brain and out beside her ear.
Back in new Charleston Anne Glass is attempting to give her baby a blood test. when she goes to prick her baby’s foot the baby says “don’t” and pulls its foot away. Dr glass after hearing and seeing this becomes increasingly stressed and paranoid causing her breathing to become labored. As she walks over to her microscope to look at the Blood. She hears her baby say “Mama” Anne is horrified and reluctantly turns around. Only to find her baby not only standing up but smiling at her. Anne in shock and horror slips and knocks the microscope on the ground and takes cover behind the counter in a fetal position. only to be ‘rescued’ by Lourdes who attempts to comfort her only to become upset when Lourdes asks details about the situation.
Lourdes later meets with tom to discuss Anne’s mental state to which she tells him that she may be suffering a psychotic breakdown from all the stress that’s been put on her.
Meanwhile with Maggie and Hal. Hal is packing his backs ready to leave Maggie who refuses to let him go. Hal insist that he has to go and reveals that he has been seeing Karen. and that she controls him by the probe she placed in his brain. He doesn’t want to endanger anybody and feels he is a risk to his family and friends. Maggie refuses to let Hal leave stating that every relationship she’s been in has ended with somebody walking away. and that she refuses to just walk away from Hal and wants to figure things out together.
Later Tom and Anne talk about her mental state. Tom reveals that he’s talked to Lourdes about the situation and reveals to Tom that his baby may not be human.
In the hospital. Grace lays on the hospital bed accompanied by Matt. Lourdes gives the prognosis of Grace’s injury where she states grace is essentially dead and the only thing keeping her alive is the rebar. Pope understands fully the situation and leaves in anger.
Back with Tom and Maggie. Maggie is growing increasingly frustrated with Tom who doesn’t believe her and that she’s not crazy. Tom attempting to understand the situation with a sort of half outside attitude tells her that maybe she really is suffering and wants her to know that he’s there for her and that he loves her.
Underground. Tom and Weaver interrogate the Sniper. Weaver suggest water boarding. The sniper chuckles at Weaver when he tells her to respect the president of the New United States. And when asked what’s funny. The sniper reveals to Tom that she was sent by the still functional US government and she is on orders directly from the still living president to infiltrate and attack Tom’s group.
Lourdes visits Anne. Anne apologizes to Lourdes for her attitude lately. and Lourdes attempts to comfort Anne who seems to be confused about her own mental state and is wondering if she really is crazy. And that her baby is perfectly normal. However through conversation Anne figures out that Lourdes was really sent by Tom to watch after his baby. Anne upset about this tells Lourdes to leave to which Lourdes after apologizing says she’s under orders to stay until Tom gets back.
Weaver meets with his daughter in the courtyard as she oversees the monument’s construction. to which she tells her dad that nobody will see it. Because the Ashveni will kill them all. Weaver sensing his daughters emotions gives her words to live by which put her at ease.
Back at the hospital. Tom visits Grace who is sleeping and realizes that Matt is still with her as well. Tom says his last words to Grace and kisses her on the Forehead. And tells Matt that sometimes the best thing other people can do for one another is be there when they die. Pope tells Tom his words are nice but they’re empty. Growing frustrated with Tom about keeping secrets he lashes out at tom about him having his men be on the front lines protecting an idea they know nothing about. And that its Tom’s fault that Grace is dying. Tom without anything to say. tells Pope. “you’re right” and walks away.
Pope goes in to check on Grace alone. Grace tells pope that she wants to leave the hospital. Pope smiles and asks her where she wants to go. Grace tells him Disneyland. He laughs and jokes about why he can’t go to Disneyland. Grace in her last breath calls out Popes name and then dies. her hand sliding down to reveal her clutching a charm she carried on her at all times. Pope is visually distraught about this and looks to be in tears but holds it back. He gives the charm to Matt hanging it around his neck and walks away.
Back with Maggie and Hal. she insist that he doesn’t say anything to anybody about him being the possible mole for fear of what others will do to Hal. and that he needs to be absolutely sure of himself before he tells somebody. Hal insist that he’s sure and both of them walk out of the room.
Outside by the memorial Tom gives a speech. at first trying to give to speech by reading off a script but then ditching the script to speak more candidly. He tells him that everything accomplished reminds him how much they lost. that nothing has really changed and that friends and loved ones are still dying for freedom against their alien oppressors. And that tonight will be a night of remembrance as each person who has lost somebody will write and hang on the memorial the names of the fallen.
As a choir sings. people in an orderly fashion begin to write names of their friends and loved ones and hang them up on the Liberty tree. Hal noticing a moment of opportunity to talk to his dad about him being the possible mole. is stopped by a sudden explosion that rings out just as Ashveni fighters pass over head on a strafe/bombing run.
The scene is total chaos with troops scrambling, explosions and random gunfire. The episode ends as the camera zooms in slowly on Anne’s baby who watches the chaos of the fighter jets passing overhead and smiles.[/i]
Please use this thread to discuss the series’ twenty-third overall and third season third episode Collateral Damage. Rule: Please keep spoilers limited to those revealed during the series up to this episode only.