If SEAL Team doesn’t get renewed for a seventh season, SEAL Team Season 6 Episode 10 will serve as the perfect series finale.
“Watch your six” is one of the most prominent themes of the series, and it was heavily present on “Fair Winds and Following Seas.”
Clay’s death undoubtedly changed the fabric of the series for good, and while it’s hard to agree with such a creative choice, it has sent the show into uncharted territory.
It must have been hard for the team not to attend Clay’s funeral, but Stella was right that she didn’t know when they would be back from their dangerous mission. You can’t put your grief on pause forever.
Jason confessing the truth about his TBI in such a public setting was huge, but it highlighted his desire to face up to it.
If SEAL Team has taught us anything, serving their country has changed the life of all of the characters.
One of the best parts of SEAL Team is that it aims to shed light on the issues plaguing the people who save the world.
This is, uh… It’s quite an honor. SEALs push themselves to places that others won’t go. And when we get there, we stand and we fight. Well, there’s one fight that I’ve been running away from. Clay Spenser may have gotten home from Mali, but he’s not here today because of that ambush, an ambush that he never should have been a part of. He should have been home with his family. Instead, he was with Bravo Team, watching our backs. ‘Cause he knew that I was compromised. So, while Clay was watching his team’s back, I was watching my own back, worried that Command would discover what this war has done to my head. TBI. I hid my traumatic brain injury… and Clay Spenser paid the ultimate price for it. So much for, uh, disregard for my personal safety. Clay Spenser tried to change the military’s outdated views on TBI, but he was told to stand down. So today, I’m picking up that fight for him, because this war machine has to stop ignoring this problem and start protecting the protectors. I don’t know if coming clean is gonna change anything, but… hell, if it saves the next guy, then maybe I’ll be a different kind of hero. Like my brother… Clay Spenser.
Jason
The things they have to do and see change their outlook on life, and the effects can be detrimental.
Jason hiding his TBI made him a liability because any time the team was in danger, it could have come back to bite him.
Had Jason come forward sooner, he would have been taken away from his role, never to return.
The way he revealed it was to start a conversation to offer people in the military support they should be getting from the get-go.
Hearing Jason lose his job was a gut punch, but his brothers and fellow soldiers arriving in the room to explain their ailments due to the wars was an emotional display of solidarity.
Jason intended to get support and help other people suffering, and now, it looks like they’ve forced Command’s hand to make some changes.
Command can’t cherry-pick which of those men to fire because it would cause a media sensation.
It left us with the hope that things would and could change, but you never know what’s around the corner with SEAL Team.
Command: The issue, Master Chief, isn’t just operating with a serious injury. The way you revealed your truth so publicly, you embarrassed Command and the Navy.
Jason: My intention was to save lives, sir.
Command: Off the record, what you did was the ultimate act of sheep-dogging. But you created one hell of a mess and left us no choice but to stand you down.
Command: Warrant Officer Perry, your character reference for Master Chief Hayes has been reviewed and considered.
Ray: I need to amend my statement, sir.
Command: This is neither the time nor the place. You’re dismissed. I have PTS, sir. Capture and torture will do that to you. I’ve been handling the symptoms on my own as I have continued to operate,
Command: Sir. If you’re hoping to make a point about what does or doesn’t render an operator unfit for duty, Warrant Officer, you’ve miscalculated. And now, this Command will be losing two seasoned operators.
Sonny: I breached a lot of doors, and fired a lot of SAWs. The only time I notice the ringing in my ears is… is when it stops. Headaches, more often than not. Trent: Vision gets blurry.
Soldier #1: Trouble balancing.
Soldier #2: Breacher’s syndrome.
Soldier: #3:Angry. All the time.
Soldier #4: Memory lapses. TBI.
Soldier #5: Tinnitus.
It’s hard to imagine us not getting more episodes because the show remains as popular as ever, despite its move to Paramount+.
But I have to imagine a potential seventh season would be drastically different.
The revelation that the Colonel did not follow the set-in-stone security protocols, leading to Clay’s attack, was a shocker.
I can’t even imagine how Davis and Sonny felt knowing that the chain of events that led to Clay’s death could have been avoided. That will stick with them for a long time.
Sonny reacting with his fist wasn’t a surprise because he struggled to comprehend why the Colonel was still in power and in line for a promotion.
It highlights that things are more corrupt than we believed.
At least he knows Davis was on Bravo Team’s side all along. Sonny was looking for somewhere to vent; unfortunately, Davis was on the receiving end.
Davis supporting him was needed. It brought them to a resolution, which was required. Sonny needed that validation at the moment to realize what he did was right for him.
It’s hard to watch people get away with heinous things, and Sonny punching the man was the only way for him to feel like he did Clay justice.
Davis has been on a different journey this season but watching her return to her old workstation to help her allies was satisfying.
Stella thanking Jason for giving Clay time to be a father was an emotional scene, but we didn’t get much follow-up after Jason revealed his TBI.
Command: You remember Colonel Decker?
Davis: Battle space commander in Mali? That ass hat you stopped me from giving a piece of my mind to?
Command: He was assaulted last night.
Davis: Assaulted? By whom?
Command: Investigation’s underway. Claimed his assailant knew he was a colonel. If this is someone in the military, heads will roll.
She looked shocked, but I’m unsure whether her view of him changed after learning the truth.
Hopefully, Stella remains a part of the series because I imagine she will maintain close contact with Sonny.
Sonny wants to be a part of her son’s life because he was so close to Clay.
Naima and Ray changing the name of the veterans center to honor Clay was another tear-jerking moment.
The series could have brushed Clay’s death under the rug after an episode, but these people will never forget him.
He impacted everyone throughout his time on the team, and everyone will remember him for years to come.
I wondered when we’d catch up with Ash, and while he’s been a pain in the ass for the most part, at least he could admit he was a terrible father.
Bravo Team was Clay’s family throughout the series, and anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
Omar showing up to help his brothers through the aftermath of Clay’s death was perfect. Omar didn’t make the best first impression earlier this season, but he’s started to gel with his team members in a way I didn’t think possible.
“Fair Winds and Following Seas” was an emotional but perfect hour of this Paramount+ drama.
Jason: So, you, uh… come to raise a glass to a guy you barely knew.
Omar: Well, I came to support my brothers who are going through some heavy shit. You all get as ugly as you need. I’m here for you.
Sonny: Appreciate you, brother.
Jason: Careful. You’re making it hard for me not to like you.
Omar: Don’t worry, we got plenty of deployments ahead of us for me to piss you off.
What did you think about the finale? Do you think it would serve as a satisfying conclusion if the show doesn’t get a renewal?
What’s your take on all the tributes to Clay? Do you think Jason made the right call by revealing his TBI?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.