HOW HAVE ALL YOU PEOPLE GOTTEN TO SEE THIS EPISODE ALREADY?
I STILL HAVE 10 FREAKING HOURS OF WAITING!!! I am hanging onto ALL of your posts like a dehydrated person in the desert that gets two drops of rain. (And by the by, I am way past "Like" as to all your posts even if we still had the button. Please assume a "Love" with Chocolate attached to all previous posts of this thread.
HAVE to comment on the earlier posts as to what I THINK I will be seeing on my screen (when I finally get this eppy).
Episode 217 helps CEMENT for VinCat what they mean to each other AND what they need to do to survive TOGETHER.
BLESS whoever posted the GIF of Vincent looking back at the city. WHAT I THINK THAT MEANS is that it hits him that "I can't breathe, I can't be without this woman." He will realize that it is NO life for him without Cat. Period. No coming back at some point. He has to come back NOW (which will end up being just in time to rescue her, hopefully). Vincent will realize that he would rather risk living in old ruins of the city and being captured again like in Season 1 then being apart from Cat. His own self-survival means nothing without her.
We are meant to see that VINCAT are finally coming back into sync with each other and being able to think and operate together as opposed to the old stand-by of pushing the other one away and trying to handle the problem on his or her own. AND that neither wants to be alone without the other anymore and will sink or swim together or not at all. Cat wouldn't go with him to keep from slowing him down --meaning, obviously, that she IS willing to give up her life and go on the run with him as preference to a Normal Life without him. VINCENT WILL realize what this means and come back.
WITH THE ABOVE IN MIND, we ALL need to re-review the first part of Season 2. I think that it IS significant that Vincent goes to the sex with Catherine in the boathouse from Season 2, Episode 2 as a meaningful moment with Cat. We all got so upset with what we thought we were seeing on our screens that we kind of missed the obvious in regards to VinCat moments from Season 2. What the beginning of Season 2 showed us is how OUT OF SYNC Vincent and Catherine were to start out with. I call the first 5 episodes of Season 2 as the "Wrong/Ill-fated TIMING" episodes. Here is what I mean:
201: Despite the programming being at its zenith here, Vincent still stays with Cat until she falls asleep before he goes after Sal, even risking Sal going under ground before he can catch him. Vincent's emotions briefly override the programming, even if for a minute. And the Heartbeat thing. Not even the programming can erase how he recognizes Cat's heartbeat in a crowd of a 100+ people. He knows and breathes this woman. He doesn't know how or why, but he feels THE PULL from the first moment he sees Catherine. JUST LIKE IN SEASON 1, Vincent actually falls in love with Catherine the first moment he sees her. Love at first sight. HOWEVER, it goes against his reason (since he doesn't even think he knows her AND she has no proof that he actually does know her) AND the programming has been designed to Amp up Vincent's Rage Factor so he is All Kill Mode. BUT THE LITTLE MOMENTS in this episode show how quickly the Programming can slip (such as when Sal is in his grasp but Cat will die in the burning building unless he save her) when Cat is involved. PROBLEM is that Vincent can't understand or Trust his instincts due to programming. SO DISCONNECT follows with Cat.
202: People, PLEASE re-watch that boathouse scene. Catherine tells Vincent that maybe he is trying to connect with her, and Vincent promptly DENIES it, arguing that Kidnapping is not a sign of connecting. He yells at Cat, yet sees that she is struggling with motion sickness. Programming slips. Cat gets to him. Vincent CLEARLY is battling his instincts to trust Cat. She points out that she can't outrun him, can't fight him. Vincent admits that her heartbeat is "distracting" him while he works. He gives her water and acupuncture to make her feel better, then ends up basically giving her the picnic she wanted in the first place. Vincent has been TOLD that it makes him a better soldier NOT TO REMEMBER, BUT he then asks Cat all kinds of questions about THEM, laughs and jokes with her. PROGRAMMING slipping. Vincent cannot stop himself from admitting to Cat about THE PULL to her and that he would have shown up to her roof eventually anyway ((despite programming people)). VINCENT LITERALLY CANNOT STOP HIMSELF from falling into bed with Cat. He is also eager to repeat the experience with her again, BUT the ALARM goes off, summoning Vincent to his mission. The way Jay Ryan plays Vincent getting out of bed with Cat is clearly with great reluctance. Vincent was clearly enjoying reconnecting with Cat. AND Vincent only ties Cat back up again to protect her. Again, Programming slipping and going in and out. Vincent's programming CENTERS on his need to Protect Others, so it is easy to see why Programming wins.
Yes, Vincent says what he says to Cat at the danceclub. However, that is Vincent literally trying to lie to himself about the true significance of the PULL to Catherine. Vincent wants to believe it is just sex, SINCE VINCENT STILL CAN'T TRUST if Cat is More Cop than girlfriend. Vincent still is not entirely sure, when programming kicks in, that Cat is not trying to manipulate him for a Case. AND REMEMBER, that WAS Cat's problem at the beginning of Season 1: pushing people away and making a CASE out of everything.
HOWEVER, Vincent immediately leaves a note for Cat to meet on the roof. His excuse is her phone, but he could have mailed it or left it in her apartment or on her fire escape. Vincent did NOT need to return it personally. Vincent wants to connect, BUT CAT, who really can't deal with the separation/new unsure of them Vincent, CAN'T STOP herself from questioning Vincent. Vincent AGAIN doubts her intentions as a girlfriend versus a cop, and his frustration leads to the HORROR moment on the roof where he physically pushes Catherine away. I REALLY don't think this was an example of domestic violence, strictly speaking. I really do think that Vincent's Programming kicked in to PROTECT THE MISSION at all cost, coupled with Vincent's literal frustration over feeling that he is 2 different people at once resulted in a Physical Reaction/Protect the Mission strike. We Definitely SEE the FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE/DISCONNECT that exists between Vincent and Catherine at this point. Painfully. As painfully as both the characters clearly feel in the moment: the shock and the how the heck did it come to this moment that both feel.
203: Vincent feels TERRIBLE about what happened to Catherine. He goes to JT. Catherine is mad at what has happened. ((Again, clearly see WHY she is angry and hurt. Where she most needs to communicate with Vincent, she can't. It has FINALLY hit her that her Vincent will not be recalled by a few simple words or kisses. And Cat just has nothing left to give by this episode's end due to all the personal devastation surrounding the rest of her life at this time. She just can't deal with herself and is questioning herself and her relationships with dad, sister, etc.)).
The sex from 202 and his overall relationship with Catherine CLEARLY mean more to Vincent as he is trying to find a way to make it right and get back to Cat. Vincent is so SADLY, almost weep-worthy grateful when he thinks Cat is willing to still build a relationship with him. He shows up at the time arranged [remember, when Cat was still so mad at him that she had planned to stand him up and deliberately hurt him to get back at him] with a big bouquet of flowers ONLY to realize that Cat had LIED to him earlier. She HADN'T gone to the boathouse to talk to him BUT to SNOOP on him, break into his laptop, and get information. Vincent sees that Cat has lied and runs back to the boathouse to confirm his suspicions, RIGHT WHEN CAT WAS ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING with him honestly about having just found out about her Father. Again, the DISCONNECT between VINCAT. BOTH of them are TRYING and WANTING to connect, but Life/Mission Intervenes. EACH ONE breaks down independently, resents the other in the moment, and reacts by Hurting the Other. Cat may not have struck Vincent physically, BUT Cat struck Vincent EMOTIONALLY in just as jarring a way as he did to her in 202. Cat feels bad about her actions, but then VINCENT call her and DELIBERATELY lies back to hurt her as he has been hurt. We then get the bickering AND HOT dance scene with Vincat while they wait for the Beast Perp to arrive. THEN VINCENT FLASHES on moments where he has saved Catherine in the elevator shaft.
What is sad AND painful is that the Flashes Vincent gets makes him run to Cat on the fire escape to tell her that he DID remember them. He NOW believes her ((and is ready to trust and try to let her in is the implication)), BUT Cat shuts Vincent out. Because, by episode's end, Cat has lost herself and no longer knows who she is. She can trust nothing from her past as still yet another huge secret with monumental consequences and meaning has once again been thrust upon her. And she doesn't trust Vincent because of what happened earlier. Even though he is genuine and desperate to connect with her now, she can't handle it. AND AGAIN, WE GET VINCAT DISCONNECT. THE MOMENT IS LOST because neither can figure a way to truly RESTORE THE TRUST with all that is being imposed upon each independently. Cat wants a break and physically and emotionally shuts Vincent out with the Closing of her Fire Escape Window.
204: Neither Cat nor Vincent can handle being apart. Catherine starts a BARROOM BRAWL and PUNCHES OUT a Judge. She is CLEARLY looking for a fight and NOT dealing well with the separation, despite her earlier DENIAL to Tess that she has cried, meditated, and taken a kick-boxing class and can now say "Vincent Who?" Yeah right. And poor Vincent. Talk about looking for a fight--he ends up in the hospital when he takes on the Fire Beast. He is taking out his sexual frustration and loneliness on his workout equipment while talking to his Handler. When Cat's Father asks Vincent if it is about Catherine, Vincent admits that IT IS about Catherine. He flashed on her and wants to get the beasts killed. Vincent says he doesn't care if he has enough information, he is ready. VINCENT ALSO SAYS HOW HE CAN'T HANDLE FEELING LIKE HE IS TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE and THAT HE CAN'T GET CAT OUT OF HIS HEAD--all this to the man that turns out later to be Cat's father. Vincent nearly dies trying to Kill a Beast with no information DESPITE Cat's own father begging Vincent to wait on intel on the new beast because Vincent just wants the Beast-List completed so that he can get back to Catherine. And Vincent is ACTUALLY ABLE TO ADMIT THIS to Catherine in the hospital when they finally finally talk. Cat asks Vincent if he wants to remember her, and he says, "MORE THAN ANYTHING." Catherine explains to Vincent that she does not know who she is anymore with the father issues, etc. and Vincent says that he understands that she doesn't need a guy in her life that can't be honest with her about his missions. He tells her that HE DOESN'T LIKE IT, but he understands it.
205: Vincent remembers the Ball and kissing Cat and a couple other flashes. He goes to Cat, all excited about his memories. And he then CLEARLY tries to back her towards the bed and says he WANTS to trigger more memories (ie, booty call time). Vincent's look of TOTAL FRUSTRATION when Cat denies him because she needs "Me Time" to connect with her Reunion buddies who are on their way over to her place is so both comical and tragic. Vincent wanting to connect and be one with Cat only to be rebuffed. If I were Vincent, I, too, would question how much of a priority I was to be so easily swept aside. And when Vincent hears that Cat has been attacked, he does not wait. He IMMEDIATELY goes to Cat's looking to tear a new one to anyone that has threatened her. HOWEVER, throughout this episode, WE SEE THAT THE END IS NEAR for VinCat, even though both people ARE in Love and ARE committed to the relationship. Catherine RESENTS what Beasts and all consequences associated with beast-things has taken on her. Catherine just wanted to attend and enjoy her reunion, which gets destroyed by a Beast-fight. She basically rants to Vincent about what it has cost her, and Vincent, ALL SURPRISED, says "I didn't know you felt that way." Vincent vows to make it up to Catherine when all the missions ends and ultimately leaves Cat there. Cat THEN ends up connecting with GABE about trying to find her father, etc.
The Love is clearly there for VinCat, even from the very start of Season 2. HOWEVER, in every case of a potential VinCat moment, life intervenes and NEITHER Cat nor Vincent can deal with the Disconnects, the Distrust, and yes, the RESENTMENT against the other for not being their when the other one needed them in the moment. Tori's Beastliness just brings more to the surface the lingering undercurrents that were THERE from the beginning of Season 2 that Vincent and Catherine could not bring themselves to deal with because of all of the PERSONAL things that kept hitting each one individually.
THE ABOVE SAID, 217 SHOULD be all about showing us how Vincent and Catherine REALLY BEGIN to FINALLY realize that the LOVE is worth the pain and struggle AND SACRIFICE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL has to undergo in order to be a COUPLE. And that BEING A COUPLE means dealing with issues together, not apart. AND being a couple means finding peace, love and hope out of every possible moment together, despite the world closing in.
Vincent WILL NOT leave, I am convinced. He turns back, as that gif shows, literally out of breath because he realizes that IT IS THE WRONG DECISION to leave Cat, even if she tells him to. He KNOWS that they are better together and that she SHOULD be with him through this, whether it slows him down or puts him at risk. THEY HAVE NO LIFE without one another.