Revenge 2.20 "Engagement" Review

                                               
Emily: "engagement can be a commitment to love or a declaration of war.  One must enter every battle without hesitation willing to fully engage the enemy until death do you part."

The episode goes full speed ahead as Emily (Emily VanCamp) and Daniel (Josh Bowman) break the news of their engagement to Conrad (Henry Czerny) and Victoria (Madeleine Stowe) she's appalled but Conrad congratulates her.  Emily also says they'll be heading to Paris and getting married there, then staying on permanently.  Much to Victoria's chagrin, as she just hates how Emily has wormed her way in for a second time and the dislike for each other isn't hidden anymore.  She tells her she doesn't need her traipsing in the mansion just cos she's engaged to him and she was here to invite Charlotte to their engagement party.  Jack (Nick Wechsler) walks in and Victoria senses the coldness between them.  Victoria tells Jack that Emily broke off the engagement first time round cos of him which comes as news to him.  Jack is here on his continuing mission to bring down Conrad and gives Victoria the photo of Conrad with Allison Stoddard (Jessica Tuck).  Victoria knows Jack wants to bring Conrad down as much as he does.

She speaks with Allison who tells her that her husband is ill and she wants him to lose that's why she's feeding Conrad info about his campaign.  Adding when Conrad wins Victoria should make sure he only stands for one term as it's a tough job.  Victoria hands over the info to Conrad who uses it in his campaign which surprises Jack.  Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) admits she saw the two kissing together and had to tell Daniel since she wanted him.  Jack doesn't seem too perturbed at that.  

Daniel wants his trustfund from Conrad and thinks Aiden (Barry Sloane) should be removed as treasurer of the foundation.  Aiden asks why Daniel doesn't want him around and he lets on about Takeda (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa)  telling him Aiden is a liability, as well his father being the baggage handler who planted the bomb.  Aiden wants to get out now and needs Nolan's (Gabriel Mann) help in breaking into the Grayson's hidden assets account and stealing them.  He wants to take Emily away now since revenge has no purpose after all.  Whilst he's trying to break the code, Takeda confronts Aiden and they fight to the death.  That being Takeda's.  Guess he got his comeuppance for killing Tyler last season.  But it just seemed too easy, Aiden shouldn't have been any match for him, plus they had pretty crappy swords!

Nolan visits the Falcon (Susan Park) in prison wanting the Grayson's passcode to their account.  She says the code is where she first started out or something cryptic along those lines, frankly I gave up a little on her, she was so smarmy and smirking every second, surprised Nolan could't tell she was up to something.  She will help if he gets her out.  Then says either way she'll get out cos the Initiative also have a vested interest in getting her out too.  Apparently Victoria paid Patrick $5 million, yeah whose money was it exactly,  when he came looking for her years before.  She also warns Nolan he's being played him but he doesn't listen.

Charlotte (Christa B Allen) (waste of space) should be her nickname is still being influenced by Regina (Seychelle Gabriel) who takes her out again and gets her high.  Declan (Connor Paolo) finds out and is there when she's arrested outside another club.  Declan and Regina try to raise bail money for her, as if Charlotte is going to wait around for them and wouldn't call anyone else.  In this case it's Daniel, charming since she was rude to him not five seconds before.  

Daniel is given the trust fund cheque he asked for and Victoria and Emily look as if they're going to have a catfight.  Victoria makes a speech, nothing new. This engagement party was not the dramatic one as in season 1, maybe cos Ashley didn't organize it, ha.  It wasn't Fire and Ice themed but there was plenty of animositypresent in this ep between the two female leads!  Trading insults and Victoria even tells Emily she knows she doesn't love Daniel. 

Funny Emily warns Jack against trusting Victoria cos she can't be trusted and that's exactly what he does after going to Victoria with that piece of info about Conrad.  Seems like she's determined to be the only one to bring him down.  Aiden hastily goes to Nolan and wants to take the money now when Emily shows up telling him he can't do it, after Nolan realizes the password is her Streetfighter II score.  Well Emily you were the one who gave Nolan the clue where to look!  Aiden presses the button and all hell breaks loose.  Charlotte tells Daniel she's pregnant.  As the lights go out all over Manhattan.  Well that shows 'em!  or Em, ha.  That's what the Initiative wanted all along.  Which is more pear shaped than ever since Takeda had a plan about taking down the Initiative, wouldn't reveal it to Emily and Aiden had to kill him.  Then didn't tell her of his dirty deed, so much for being honest!

Nolan: "maybe he wants her recipe for Devil's Food cake." When Emily wonders why Jack is talking to Victoria.  Then we had Aiden rushing around being headstrong, what happened to his training and Nolan's jacket, ha, it wasn't Hallowe'en!

We're not getting a two-part finale here, no we're getting two parts!  Thanx.