The team found itself in quite a mess tonight after learning that Ralph, Paige's genius son that Walter had been working with, stumbled upon a hidden level in an video game on the darknet. Normally something along those lines would be of no consequence except for the fact that the hidden level was actually the layout of a CIA safe house put there by a hacker who sold the information to the highest bidder. In this case, it was a drug cartel that went and killed the agents and the informant they were protecting at the safe house.
Because only two people were able to find the hidden level/safe house in the game the justice department is certain that both had something to do with the CIA hack. Of course those two people are drug cartel members, which ultimately carry out the hit on the safe house and Paige's unassuming 9-year-old son.
Upon hearing that Ralph had gotten himself into trouble on the darknet Walter takes it upon himself to solve the riddle of who is actually behind the CIA hack to clear young Ralph's name. Ralph feels responsible because he was the person who introduced Ralph to the darknet.
Certain that Ralph couldn't have had anything to do with the leak and feeling responsible Walter sets out on a crusade to find the culprits. While all of this is going on in the main plot of this particular episode there are certainly some interesting things going on in the subtext as well. There are challenges and accusation flung between Walter and Drew, Ralph's biological father. Drew feels that maybe the way things are between Ralph and the team may not be the best for his son as he believes it to be robbing him of a true childhood. Walter not only takes exception to this he directly challenges Drew's right to make such assertions due to his extended absence from Ralph.
Eventually the team tracks the creator of the game to a convention only to find out he had no idea about the secret levels in the game. He had however been collaborating with someone in development. It turns out that his collaborator was sneaking the levels into the game where he would sell directions to the levels to those seeking the information.
After an intense chase scene where we see Cabe get knocked on his back by a lead pipe and Walter forced to leap into a dark abyss trusting only in Ralph's guidance while playing the game back in the garage we finally see Walter able to apprehend the suspect who indeed was the collaborator on the game.
This all goes on while the original designer of the game, who had agreed to try to get a confession from his partner, is rushed to the hospital by Happy and Toby because he was stabbed when confronting his development partner. Fortunately Toby is able to save the designer, Nate's, life.
In the closing scene we see Drew again challenging Paige about the situation with Ralph and the team. He feels it isn't a good way for Ralph to grow up while Paige insists that the team is good for him. We see a hint at a possible story line in the future where Drew says he wants to move Paige and Ralph to Portland to be a family again for the sake of their son.
This is the first episode where we have scene Paige be so critical of Walter's choices, rightfully so though as they did land her son in an interrogation room with a harsh US Justice Department agent. Not only is Paige upset with Walter but also Topy points out that while Walter and Ralph may be friends and Walter is a great influence on Ralph, Walter must still be the adult. This episode sees Walter mature a bit as well as a small fissure possibly begins to open between Paige and him.
It will be interesting to see if the writers use this as an opportunity to drive a wedge between Walter and Paige and ultimately leave us with a season one cliffhanger with Paige debating a move to Portland. Only time will tell and that time is next Monday as usual.
