'Revenge' Episode 14 Recap: Sacrifice

Sunday night's episode was a powerful, emotional and plot-shifting hour of "Revenge". At least two lives were lost, and one is in limbo by the end of "Sacrifice". Picking up exactly where last week's episode left off, we find Jack and Amanda enjoying their honeymoon at sea on Jack's boat. They are content and in love, sleeping on the bow of the boat deck. Unfortunately, as we know from the previous episode, danger lurks below deck for the newlyweds in the form of Nate Ryan.

Back on shore, Helen Crowley lies dead in the Grayson's home, a casualty they must work to conceal with utmost perfection knowing that the Initiative is watching. Helen's chauffeur begins calling her cellphone when she doesn't return from the Grayson home for an extended period of time, so Victoria disguises herself and gets in the car, driving off as if she herself were Helen. She also instructs Daniel of exactly what to say inside his office at Grayson Global, knowing that the Initiative is watching him meticulously via hidden cameras. It seems nothing gets past Victoria!

Ashley arrives at Emily's beach house to warn her about their "mutual friend" Amanda. She fears Amanda may have gotten in over her head with the Graysons and informs Emily that Amanda blackmailed Conrad into backing out of the Stowaway deal with Nate by showing him damning evidence on a laptop. Hearing that, Emily realizes that Amanda stole her laptop with all the video evidence against the Graysons on it. Moreover, she knows Amanda is likely in trouble and heads over to the Stowaway to find Nolan and try to uncover more information.

Out on the ocean, Nate has made his presence known on "The Amanda" with a drawn gun. Having stowed away underneath the boat deck, he is now isolated on the boat with Amanda and Jack and is out for blood. He asks for the laptop with the information on it and Amanda digs in her backpack to pull out a gun instead- but it's unloaded. Nate has already gotten to it first. Jack and Amanda tangle with Nate for several scenes trying to convince him to drive back to shore. Amanda also tries to "come clean" with him about her hatred for the Graysons and convince him not to trust them. All efforts buy them time, but ultimately Nate is still violent and insane.

Emily and Nolan took out a speedboat as soon as they realized Jack and Amanda were in danger. They speed out into the ocean tracking the sailboat by GPS and get glimpses into the cabin via Declan's computer. Watching Emily and Nolan on a sailboat to the rescue is pretty awesome!

In a press conference, I mean, um, Labor Day party, at Grayson Manor, the family takes the opportunity to stand with Conrad as he announces his candidacy for governor. During the soiree, Conrad and Victoria are approached by a creepy man who identifies himself as a member of the press. This confuses Victoria, as the press was not invited to attend. In a private room they learn that the man is a henchman from the Initiative looking for Helen, who is missing in action. Victoria and Conrad tell him that Helen's disappearance is likely due to Amanda Clarke's resentment about the loss of her father. To strengthen their story, Victoria planted Helen's missing cellphone in Amanda and Jack's apartment, which the henchman quickly finds.

As threatening as the Initiative has been (and controlling of her family) Victoria seems to have found a new sense of strength in regards to the group. Perhaps murdering Helen had something to do with it. Toward the end of the episode we even see Conrad give her a sly smile, clearly impressed by her strength against the Initiative's henchmen.

Aiden is with Padma in NYC coming clean with her about his sister and situation with the Initiative. Aiden is trying to learn more about her father's disappearance and support her so that the Initiative does not trick her as they did with him. In a pivotal scene, Padma is on the phone with the creepy new henchman from the Initiative. As he demands the program Carrion from her, Padma implores him to assure her whether her father is still alive. "The answer is in the package you just signed for, feel free to check the finger print" he says. The camera shifts to a small package on the table. Aiden takes it from Padma to open it- concerned what might be inside- and his face falls. It is a severed finger.

Out in the ocean, things are getting more dangerous as Nate continues to battle with Amanda and Jack. Emily and Nolan continue racing toward their boat, but not quickly enough. Jack and Amanda get into an argument, which seems partially staged and partially heartfelt when Jack hears Amanda say she only came to the Hamptons and married Jack to get back at the Graysons. Jack "turns" on Amanda revealing to Nate that the laptop with Conrad Grayson's precious information is actually onboard. As Nate digs around and opens the laptop (which is actually Declan's), Jack and Amanda scramble to barricade him in the bottom of the boat, blow up a rescue boat and make a run for it. As they attempt to climb over the side of the boat onto the raft, Nate shoots blindly from the cabin, and a bullet hits Jack right in the chest. He slumps over (still coherent at this point) as Amanda puts him on the raft and insists on sending him to safety on his own. She sacrifices herself and stays on the sailboat with crazy Nate.