Even though "Reckoning" continued the Season 7 tradition of showcasing desolate backroads and unimpressive, abandoned locations, it still packed a wallop. Burn Notice ran into some trouble, series-wise, after its first season led us into a seemingly never-ending series of Russian nesting doll-style villains in an attempt to drag out the original premise as long as possible. In fact, if you asked me about all of it now, I'd be hard pressed to tell you all the ins and outs of how and why Michael was burned. Also, during all of this, Michael's quest to get his old job back wound up becoming a strain on the show. Because nothing was worth the danger he was putting himself, and everyone else around him, in. In fact, for a while his quest to use his friends in order to return to a life of cold isolation became very frustrating to watch.
Then, post-Season 4, things kicked it up a notch. It was no longer about Michael reclaiming his old position, it was about him slowly coming to terms with the fact that the CIA was a dirty, rotten place that he didn't want to return to. This all bubbled up to the surface over the past two seasons, and, as it turns out, Michael finally figured out that he didn't really belong anywhere. No organization was going to live up to his lofty ideals. The world was too broken. So there was was, at the end of this episode, in a cabin with Fi and Charlie. Removed from the grid.The biggest moment in "Reckoning" had to be, of course, the death of Madeline. And not just her death, but her ultimate sacrifice. The one thing she could do to help out. To make sure everyone lived. And to atone for her shortcomings as a mother. "This is for my boys," she said, taking her last drags off a cigarette before blowing up an entire room. And as quick a death as it was, it was still very violent. More violent than, say, just a gunshot wound. Just blown to bits. Pretty gruesome actually.
Fans were promised a big, meaningful death in the finale, and as much as the cliffhanger last week tried to trick us into thinking it would be Fi, we knew it wouldn't be. Me especially since, while searching for episode images for "Sea Change," I actually came across a picture of Sonya with a bullet wound in her shirt. Still, I think most folks thought it was going to be Madeline or Jesse. Sam would have made the biggest impact, I think, but Madeline's demise was still very well done. Especially considering how the show, back when it started out, was a lot more tongue in cheek than it is now. It was all about this ultra-cool spy who had to -- ha ha! -- deal with his chain-smoking, nagging mother.
But Madeline's death hit all the right notes. I even found my eyes welling up a bit. Not too shabby for a character who I've had many problems with over the years. And speaking of flawed characters, some of you may remember how staunchly anti-Jesse I was when he was first introduced. Now, after a few years, I'm glad he's still alive. He and Sam make a fun duo and I was happy to see them take off on their own mission at the end. I'm not advocating a spinoff, but a Sam and Jesse show would probably do alright for itself.
Circling back a bit, I also liked how Madeline and James, essentially, died in the same way; explosive self-sacrifice.
Charlie was never a huge part of the show, but his minor presence still drove the point home that kid actors, with limited range, make everything awkward. A child can be used to raise the stakes, but then you're constantly having to deal with where they are and what they're doing. Often, they don't say a word and just play quietly by themselves as if they're trauma survivors. Or they're asleep. Like at the end here. And when Madeline told Michael that all Charlie wanted for his birthday was for his "Uncle Michael" to be there, I had to instantly ask myself "Have they ever even met?"
So, coming off of last week, Fi basically ruined Michael's plan (which seemed like a fine plan, truth be told) to turn in James, complete his mission, and spare everyone a life sentence in prison. Strong got super-pissed and, despite never seeming like a guy who'd lock up an elderly woman in a windowless cell, spit poison at Michael over the phone. Leaving Michael and the rest with only one option: Come at James head on and take his organization down. The old way. Without Michael being undercover. Conveniently, there was a giant secret database containing all of James' secrets schemes, plots, and operatives to grab, but not before shooting off a lot of bullets and using a bunch of duct tape. Yes, Sam's mini-mart impulse buy wound up saving the day on several occasions here.
In the end, with James dead and his organization being taken apart, Strong only wound up having to pardon two people. Madeline was dead and the CIA believed Michael and Fi were dead. Strong was never an easy character to get a handle on, but his move at the end, giving Michael a star on the CIA wall of fallen heroes, was a nice way to quickly redeem his bureaucratic bipolar disorder. See, he's a swell guy as long as you're not disobeying his orders or ruining his career.
"Reckoning" sent Michael, Sam, Fi and Jesse out in style. And it cleverly turned Madeline, who's been guilty in the past of dragging the show down a bit, into an integral guardian angel. Her death not only allowed everyone else to continue on, but it also had a perversely freeing effect on Michael. His family, while inadvertently turning him into the bitter black-ops operative he is, often had a crippling effect on him emotionally. They caused him to abandon them, yet also caused him to never be able to move forward in his life.
Farewell, Burn Notice. May Michael continue to dish out spy tips in his head from his couch in front of that roaring fireplace.
P.S. For those who read the Wrestling Wrap Up column I write for IGN, just know that someone else is a fan of Burn Notice and is watching the finale right now too.
Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler, IGN at mattfowler, and Facebook at Facebook.com/Showrenity.
