As usual, ABC’s Quantico‘s fifth episode leaves the audience unsure about who is on what side. But unlike most other episodes, this one takes place almost entirely in the past at The Farm. Alex (Priyanka Chopra) and Ryan (Jake McLaughlin) face the real possibility that they could get kicked out if they don’t think fast, and Shelby (Johanna Braddy) misses working in the field so much that she might just place herself in this mission. And in the present Alex faces a life or death situation.
In the present, Alex is able to procure the satellite phone the terrorists were using to communicate with Miranda (Aunjanue Ellis). She looks through it and sees that they know she’s there and they are looking for her. At headquarters, Miranda tells Shelby she needs a hacker that is as good as Boyer, she needs Will (Jay Armstrong Johnson). Shelby is suspicious of Miranda after Boyer’s warning, so instead of immediately turning him over to Miranda she has him hack into Miranda’s computer. He tells her that Miranda’s innocent, he wants to be taken to her now so he can help. When Shelby leaves the room he calls Miranda, tells her he covered for her with Shelby, and that he wants in.
Time to Fake a Death | Back with Alex, she gets cornered by a group of terrorists and is about to be killed when a female “terrorist” shoots the others and tells Alex to get out. The female then takes Alex’s bracelet and places it on the wrist of a dead man, making it look like Alex is dead.
“How the hell did you get out?” | As Alex is escaping, she runs into Lydia and asks how she got out of the room with the hostages. But did Lydia sneak out, or is she out because she is working with the terrorists.
In the past, Harry is posing as Julian, and has become romantically involved with Will Olsen. He tells Will he needs to borrow his phone to check traffic, when he really blocks Shelby’s number. (Does this mean Will is still working with the FBI?) Harry also recorded his conversation with Will ,and he will use the audio to his advantage later.
The Art of Illusion | Alex and Ryan search Leigh’s (Helene Yorke) room for any evidence that might prove she planted the bug in Alex’s room; unfortunately, they don’t find anything. Upon exiting, they are caught by Harry. As he begins to question the pair, they are all drugged by men in masks. The trio awakens in a compromising position in front of their fellow recruits. This week’s lesson: The Art of Illusion. Essentially, the recruits must learn how to erase any evidence of them from a scene and be able to make it look like they were elsewhere.
Harry suspects Alex and Ryan are still FBI, so he uses the recording he took of Will earlier and splices it together to leave a voicemail for Shelby asking her to meet him at the same place Ryan and Alex will be. Harry wants to try to catch them all together to prove they’re FBI.
Since Will is unable to get ahold of Shelby, he reaches out to Nimah (Yasmine Al Massri). He confesses to her that his phone isn’t working well and he thinks it might be a prank the new British guy he is dating is pulling. This raises a red flag for Nimah, who is just across the room from Harry. She describes him to Will, who confirms that it is Julian.
When Harry, Alex, and Ryan enter the hotel room to do their job, they discover a dead body instead. Owen (Blair Underwood) set them up, he planted several items into the room with their DNA on them, and even placed the room under Alex’s name. They have 12 minutes to clean up any trace of having been there. If they get caught and have to use their “get out of jail free” card, they’re out of the program. Harry promises to help Alex and Ryan, but only if they agree to answer all his questions then this is over.
But it looks like Harry put his trust in the wrong people. Alex and Ryan made Harry look responsible for the murder, getting him arrested and effectively getting him kicked out. I guess they did not want to answer any of his questions.
Alex joins the AIC? | Owen is very impressed with Alex’s work and asks her if she would like to learn from him personally. Of course Alex says yes, that’s the reason why she’s there!
Ryan and Alex begin to celebrate when they obtain Leigh’s fingerprints, but the celebration is short lived when Harry walks through the door. Owen told them they’re out only if they used the card, according to Harry, he didn’t use it. Now, Harry wants his answers.
Holy MI6! | As it turns out, Harry is actually MI6 (or so he claims to be) and he is working with The CIA. Alex tells him that they are both CIA and FBI, but that they can’t say anymore without permission from their supervisors.
Other important Info | Leon (Aaron Diaz) and Shelby run into each other several times, and even go on a date with each other. Nimah feels Shelby is only doing this because she misses being in the field.
Owen blackmails an old colleague into giving him the names of the people who might have leaked his name to a reported, ending his active career.
That was definitely an information packed episode! Who was the female terrorist that helped Alex? Could that be Miranda’s inside man? And we still don’t know what side Miranda is on! Back at The Farm, things are getting exciting for Alex. She may have just been tapped into the AIC by Owen! Who else do you think could be AIC? Let us know in the comments below!
Don’t forget to catch Quantico every Sunday at 10pm on ABC!