Still reeling from Tuesday’s spectacular, yet heartbreaking, episode of Person of Interest? Yeah, I am too. We all knew going into “The Devil You Know” that there was a very good chance somebody wasn’t going to make it out alive. And, while the ending and having to say good-bye to fan-favorite Scarface (David Valcin) were total buzzkills, I came to realize that there were so many other things about the episode that I was equally thankful for. Here’s my top 5:

5. Shaw Got to Live Another Day

That opening was one damn scary scene. Hell, Martine (Cara Buono) is scary enough, let alone her put together with a half dozen semi-automatic weapons and a drive to kill like you’ve never seen. Even still, Shaw held her own until Root (Amy Acker) finally showed up and saved the day. In fact, Root ended up saving her twice in one day — once at the big shootout at the makeup counter and the second time when Shaw knocked a few screws loose and thought it was a good idea to try and help Reese (Jim Caviezel).

I personally don’t see Shaw (nor Root) as being out of the woods yet and believe this may only be the beginning. Martine has officially been “upgraded,” equipped now with her very own team of assassins and considering that Shaw has only Reese, Root, and Fusco fighting on her side, this could be a big problem. However, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, with the point being Shaw is alive in the here and now — and for that we should be thankful.

4. Martine and Greer Being Not So Smart

So, Martine and Greer (John Nolan) finally figure out that for some reason Samaritan can’t really see Shaw (nor anybody else on Finch’s team) and so, doesn’t recognize her as a threat. You would think that immediately Greer would recognize the issue as a software problem, with the solution involving getting the best hacker they can find to correct it. Of course, this wouldn’t be as big of an issue if Greer hadn’t whacked his ONLY software engineer at the end of last season.

So what is the solution Greer comes up with instead? He brings on board at least a dozen new assassins, who will serve as muscle and additional eyes for Martine. His logic is if Samaritan can’t see Shaw, then they need more eyes out there to find her themselves. Um, yeah, that sounds like a great plan. Greer, you just placed a bet against a machine. Something tells me it’s not going to swing in your favor.

Of course, for the Machine and our heroes, this is great news, and I loved it. Greer has always made good decisions that have been on-point, but this was not one of them — and I suspect it will be instrumental in Martine, Greer, and Samaritan’s eventual downfall.

3. The Elias/Marconi/Moran “Brotherhood”

 

Remember when we were introduced to Elias (Enrico Colantoni) and Scarface back in season 1? Wow, that seems like ages ago. Back then, Elias and his enterprise were nothing more than common criminals and definitely enemies of Finch (Michael Emerson) and our group of heroes.

However, towards the end of season 3 and going into season 4, Elias and his crew began looking less like villains and more like allies, helping Finch and his group on more than one occasion and proving themselves trustworthy. Even still, Elias’ group still didn’t seem too different from Dominic (Winston Duke) and the Brotherhood — at least until Tuesday’s episode.

With the Brotherhood, each soldier means virtually nothing to Dominic. Dominic is all about Dominic and the quickest and most efficient way to make him more powerful and make him more money. Dominic’s crew is there to do a job, and if they find themselves in trouble or get killed, so what — it’s a part of the job, right? Even when Link (Jamie Hector) mentions all of the soldiers they lost in the pursuit of Elias, Dominic doesn’t flinch and very coldly says, “We’ll get more soldiers.” At that moment, Link realizes that Dominic is referring to him too too. That is, Dominic wouldn’t give a damn if he were killed, and he certainly wouldn’t put his own life on the line to save his.

In contrast, Elias, Marconi, and Moran have a long history and a bond that cannot be broken. They all met decades ago in a group home, and they have been together since then, watching each other’s backs. I like this because it demonstrates true friendship and loyalty, something that Dominic and his Brotherhood know next to nothing about.

Now, that’s a Brotherhood — Elias to Moran

I couldn’t agree with you more, Elias.

2. Scarface Goes Out a Hero

I will be honest here — I was royally pissed off at the end of Tuesday’s episode. And, perhaps it was because it was so damn unexpected. I had already resolved myself that either Elias, Shaw or possibly Root was going to bite it before the end of the hour, and to tell you the truth, Scarface never crossed my mind. So, when it all went down, I was shocked, saddened and also mad as hell. Of course, this also meant that Nolan and Plageman were doing their job — and a damn good one too — but that didn’t make it any less painful.

However, after a few shots of Jack Daniels and a good night’s sleep, I came to realize that while Marconi’s death sucked, I don’t think the character could have been given a better send-off. He died a hero, sacrificing himself for his colleague, partner, and friend, and if he had the chance, I’m certain he would do it again.

Losing a character in a television series is never easy, especially if the character is a favorite like Scarface was to me and so many other viewers out there. But if it absolutely has to be done, then this is the way you want it to end. A hero’s journey meeting a hero’s end.

       Morior Envictus — Marconi’s last words

This means “I die unvanquished.” So very true, Marconi, because your sacrifice created your legacy. Your final act will always be remembered by the viewers — and most certainly by Elias.

1. Hell Hath No Fury Like Carl Elias

Marconi’s death was in a sense so bittersweet, because while I hated to see him go I couldn’t help but be relieved that Elias survived. Elias has slowly become one of my favorite characters on the show over the past season and a half, and I was all but certain going into the episode that this was going to be his swan song. So obviously I was beyond happy that he walked away from the thing unscathed. However, that turned out not to be the best part.

The true ramifications of all of this didn’t really click until the final moments of the episode. We all should remember what Elias did to his father and everyone in his organization out of revenge for killing his mother and disowning him. You can do anything you want, but you sure as hell better not mess with the people Elias cares about. Well, Moran and Marconi are just like family to Elias — possibly even closer — and so you can bet he’s going to approach the situation in exactly the same way. I couldn’t help but smile in the end because I absolutely cannot wait to see the hell Elias rains down on the Brotherhood, Geno, and everyone else who had just a slightest hand in Marconi’s death.

And what else does this mean? It means that we’re probably going to get something that I have personally been wishing for, and that’s a larger, expanded role for Elias. I can see this Brotherhood storyline evolving and not really being wrapped up until the end of the season, and I can guarantee you that whatever that may entail, Elias will be in the center of it all.

Invictus Maneo — Elias

This phrases means “I remain unvanquished.” Marconi may be gone, but he’s not forgetten, and Elias is going to make damn sure Dominic, Link, Geno, and anyone else who gets in his way — including Finch and Reese — remembers that.

And I cannot wait.

Person of Interest  airs on Tuesdays at 10/9c on CBS.