(S02E12) "That's the thing about spies. You never know who they are." -- Michael

Michael Westen with money troubles? Boy, now you really know how bad the economy is when a burned super spy has to dig up a job to keep himself in Armani suits. Actually, I thought it was a refreshing change of pace that Michael actively pursued an assignment rather than just wait for somebody to come along -- to Sam or Madeline or Fiona -- who needs help that seemingly only Michael can provide.

What was weird is that for much of the episode, the case was much less important than the subtext between Fiona and Michael. This is an interesting development and so different from other classic TV pairings. Watching Fiona and Michael you don't wonder if they'll ever do it, because they've done it. No, you wonder what the heck does it mean and how do they deal with the emotions stirred up by Fiona's near death and Michael's reaction to possibly losing her?

All that said, the meat and potatoes of the show -- the spy stuff -- only really became interesting when the secretary, Melanie (Marla Sokoloff), turned out to be the daughter of a painter who was killed by the crooked gallery owner. At that point, Michael's mission seemed less mercenary and became more like his usual Good Samaritan cases. In fact, in the end, the only payment Michael received was from Melanie, which makes me wonder if he accomplished anything he intended to when he took the job for Chandler at the gallery?

Still the best part of Michael's job was his playing the spy hunter when he was actually hunting himself once he took Melanie under his wing. I laughed out loud when he told the gallery owner that the spy they're looking for could be anybody, "He could be anybody. Some spy gets blacklisted and goes freelance, he could be standing right in front of you and you wouldn't even know it."

In the side plot, Michael was still on the hunt for the bomber who tried to kill him, his assignment for Karla. She was absent from the show, as was Madeline. Seymour (Silas Weir Mitchell) was back, though, and this time the arms dealer became a temporary (we think) part of Michael's troupe. Anyway, Michael got one step closer to learning who ordered the hit on him by getting the banking info of the bomber for hire. He shipped Derek the bomber to Suriname. (Like Derek, I didn't know where it is either; it's South America).

When all was said and done, what lingered was the Michael and Fiona question. Seymour gave them matching knives as a symbol of their bond. They were engraved with the word destiny. Are they destiny? Can you fight destiny? Do they even want to try? Is a morning after Spanish omelet made with only egg whites Michael Westen's ultimate expression of love?