Grimm Episode 220
“Kiss of the Muse”
Written By: Sean Calder
Directed By: Tawnia McKiernan
Original Airdate: 7 May 2013
In This Episode...
A shooting at a bookstore leaves an author dead, and a Wesen possessively trying to nab a girl. The girl is Chloe; the Wesen is ex-boyfriend Anton; the dead is current boyfriend Evan. Chloe claims that Anton has been stalking her ever since they broke up. She is a little too grateful to Nick for pulling him off her; she kisses his hand, even though Anton got away. Anton is an artist, and a visit to his loft reveals he is obsessed with Chloe. Dozens and dozens of paintings of Chloe crowd his loft, and Nick is captivated by the art. The only painting that is not of Chloe is one of Evan, dead.
Nick has double-booked himself that night. Monroe is making them veggie steaks, but Juliette also invites Nick over for dinner. He is surprised, and agrees. But after work, Nick goes to “check on” Chloe. The attraction between the two is palpable, something which Chloe is used to. She delights in telling Nick that, while she can’t explain it, men are always drawn to her, and it is nothing she has control over. She kisses him teasingly, but Nick wants more. She reveals herself to be Wesen, and realizes that Nick is Grimm, and she is scared. He moves in for a deeper kiss, assuring her it is okay, but is interrupted by a phone call from Monroe. Juliette had called him to calm her nerves about dining with Nick that night, which is how Monroe knew that Nick would not be joining him for dinner. Nick had forgotten about dinner, and rushes over to her house. Juliette is nervous, afraid that Nick is no longer in love with her, but the words tumble forward - and land on deaf ears. Nick is preoccupied with thoughts of Chloe, visions of Chloe, Chloe’s voice in his head. He can’t even look at Juliette; instead he makes up an excuse and leaves.
Back home, Monroe asks Nick about their evening. Nick not only doesn’t want to talk about it, he is testy and fights with Monroe, encouraging him to get his own life so he can butt out of his. Monroe is surprised, and Nick leaves. Monroe, Juliette, and Hank are all flummoxed by Nick’s new, horrible demeanor.
Hank catches up with Nick at a bar. He barely notices his partner; he is too involved in sketching Chloe in Wesen form. A drunk guy down the bar takes an interest in his drawing, which aggravates Nick. Drunk Guy won’t stay away, so Nick sucker punches him. Hank breaks up the fight and calms down Drunk Guy. Nick disappears. Hank takes the sketch to Monroe and Rosalee, who take it to the trailer for identification. This is Rosalee’s first time in the trailer, and she is enamored with it. They identify the Wesen, a musai - yes, like a muse. Rosalee cannot find a cure, but suggests that maybe true love can break the obsessive spell.
Nick shows up at work in the morning, wearing the same clothes and describing the previous night as a “blur.” A call about graffiti comes in, and Wu encourages Renard to come out with Hank and Nick. In a parking lot, using gallons and gallons of stolen house paint, Anton had painted a massive picture of Chloe, the kind that you can only take in from above. Nick bolts. Wu takes off after him while Hank fills in Renard. Rosalee’s only suggestion is to keep Nick and Chloe apart - he will get much worse if he is with her.
Nick, of course, goes to Chloe’s house. An officer has been sitting guard outside her house until they could find Anton. Hank alerts the officer, who goes in after Nick. Nick is inside, making out heavily with Chloe. She pulls away to alert him that Anton is there. Nick finds him and beats the hell out of him. The fight excites Chloe, but when Nick “wins” and goes to claim his “prize,” Chloe informs him that she won’t be his until Nick kills Anton. So Nick sets about beating Anton to death. The cops all flood the house and pull the men apart. Anton is arrested; Renard has to physically restrain Nick. Everyone goes back to the station.
Anton is in lockup downstairs, while Renard and Hank interrogate Chloe. She again plays dumb and says she has no idea how to stop it. An officer tells Nick that Anton has been booked and he heads downstairs to finish the job. Renard and Hank come out of the interrogation to see Nick is gone. Avengers assemble! Hank, Renard, Wu, Rosalee, Juliette, and Monroe (not necessarily in that order) flood into the jail, where Nick has his gun raised at Anton. Renard has no choice but to draw his own gun and beg Nick to drop his - he can’t protect him from this. Juliette rushes forward and begs Nick to look at her. It takes some convincing, but he finally looks into her eyes - and the old Nick returns. He drops his gun and slumps against Juliette, having virtually no memory of the last few days.
Dig It or Bury It?
I was surprised that I enjoyed this episode. After all, it was essentially the Juliette/Renard storyline, but with a sappier ending (only true love has a shot at breaking the spell). I guess I have become a Grimm fangirl.
Obsession has become a major theme in Grimm. Hank was obsessed with Adalind; Juliette and Renard; now Nick and Chloe. Interesting....
Big Bad...
...Musai. Essentially a muse, the musai are blue and sparkly with pointy, elfin ears. They emit a sort of narcotic from their lips that causes madness and murder out of pure obsession. According to some of the Wesen lore, a musai got between friends and painters Gauguin and Van Gogh, and drove Van Gogh to cutting off his ear.
Anton’s story is never delved into, but he is some kind of sea otter Wesen.
Prophecies?
Zombies. Need I say more?