Homeland, Season 6, Episode 8 Ramblings
In response to a redditor who is blaming it all on Quinn:
"I am finding this season is leaving a bad taste in my mouth- mainly to do with Quinn's storyline. For all the complaints about Homeland going PC this storyline could benefit from some political correctness. After getting brain damage through no fault of his own, they're using that to turn him into a quasi-villain. I'm not saying people with disabilities need to be portrayed as angels, but the way they're having Quinn f up EVERYTHING due to his brain damage is so irritating. His mental difficulties have lead to Franny being traumatized & taken away, then he punches Astrid in the stomach and treats her like dirt, then takes the bullets out of her gun directly contributing to her murder. Not to mention taking a tire iron to an innocent guy in a motel. Why the heck is this the trajectory for his character? "People with mental deficits ruin everything. Steer clear."
He's still my favorite character, but that's due to viewing through a detached lens. I haven't been 100% invested this season and find myself analyzing the story decisions from a distance."
It's funny how everyone is interpreting the Quinn storyline this season, which is a big part of why I've found it pretty amazing. To me, Quinn has always been a bit of a quasi-villain, and this season is holding a mirror up to that.
The assassin after Quinn (I'll call him "Belli" after the ep 5 title) IS the Quinn of previous seasons. The reason why Quinn went ballistic in ep 5 is that he knows it was all a setup. It's what he did in the past in Islamabad when he hid the bomb (which would have killed dozens of innocents). Fast forward to this episode, and Belli being in the grocery store. He was there, no question. But was his being there a way to test Quinn and see how much he knows? If Quinn recognized him, then Quinn could connect the dots, and that makes him a liability to Dar.
The reason that I think fans are confusing the lake house this season with the one in previous seasons is that Belli is doing just what Quinn did back when he was ordered to kill Brody. The camera work is quite similar in both episodes, so it seems familiar. However, back then the only reason Quinn didn't go through with the hit was that he had a personal attachment, Belli does not.
I do agree that Quinn has made some major mistakes and that his PTSD and paranoia have gotten the best of him. He let Belli play him a fool at the Brownstone. He thought Carrie had betrayed him. However, I don't believe for a second he traumatized Franny. I'm not taking the word of that woman under Dar's thumb over Franny's asking about Quinn in ep 6, which I believe we were shown so that we would know the caseworker was lying to Carrie.
The main person who paid the price for all of this is Astrid, but how trusting would you be after waking up from a drug-induced sleep, out in the middle of nowhere, and being told by an old flame that she was working with Dar to keep you hidden? And then after that horrible visit from Dar, I'd be questioning everything too. Yes, Astrid's intentions ended up being pure, and Quinn did realize it. Unfortunately, Belli was there.
My one big issue with Quinn's paranoia is his excessive violence toward people he knows this season. Some are claiming violence against women; I'm claiming it's more Quinn vs. Everyone because he thinks all are out to get him. Hopefully, he'll realize who he can trust soon, and I hope this is the end of his violent streak toward those he cares about.
My take on the trajectory of the season is that Quinn is facing his personal demons, and Belli is the face of that. I'm rooting for Quinn to work through it, and by doing so, he stomps out Belli in the process. And he sure as hell better not die doing it because what would be the point?