SEAL Team Season 7 Episode 6 Review: The Hundred-Year Marathon
If Bravo Team isn’t what it used to be, then neither is SEAL Team.
I watched SEAL Team Season 7 Episode 7 with some trepidation. Much of the season was so ineffective that I was surprised by how well this hour turned out.
By the end, I could empathize with Jason, and the team felt more cohesive. But understanding Jason doesn’t make his story any more palatable, and even a cohesive team has its troubles.
Jason Hayes, Family Man Thank goodness Mikey isn’t actually a burgeoning drug addict. But he learned absolutely nothing from his dad, which may say more about Jason’s deployment schedule than his parenting skills.
Mikey crumbled under the stress of his injury almost immediately. Can you imagine if he followed in his dad’s footsteps into combat? God help us.
Despite how he looked after the incident, Jason said and did everything right. Even when you’re in pain, you can’t and shouldn’t take more painkillers. Jason understood that better than most.
Mikey fought back and nearly died when his friend tried to “help.” His friends passed around painkillers, and Mikey accidentally ingested a street drug containing the deadly drug Tranc.
There was a happy ending, but that didn’t make Jason feel any better about what had happened. He blamed himself for not listening to Mikey when he realized he was in pain. It wasn’t the right thing to take away from his experience.
Instead of his homecoming reinforcing his need to be a family man, it may have predestined Jason’s fate to die on the battlefield. His mind told him he couldn’t have a balanced life. No other SEAL could do it, so why would he?
Sonny and Drew, Omar’s first commander, talking over the intercom is nothing compared to how Sonny conducts the mission through those intercoms.
Why is Omar Bravo 2? Leaders don’t question themselves as much as Omar questions himself. In my opinion, he doesn’t have what it takes to be a leader. He gets confused too easily.
Omar lets his team push him to act in ways he might not otherwise, against direct orders from above. A natural leader will not be swayed by those under him. Blaming others and saying he was forced into decisions he didn’t want to make says it all.
He owns up to his decisions when asked, but he still doubts himself and I don’t think he truly believes what he says.
Omar isn’t ready to lead. Period.
His team, especially Sonny, who has a lot of influence in their small group, doesn’t fully trust or believe him.
Who suddenly, I like Drew Drinking with the boys, joining in the games and fun. Just an emotional explosion in the greenhouse can open up a new frontier for him.
He and Sonny get along like best friends, which requires Omar to be a little more patient than when he’s in the middle of an operation.
But when the rubber hits the road, Drew has Omar’s back. He gives great advice and is suddenly approachable, in addition to the wisdom he’s shown in previous missions.
We’ve wondered why Drew was added to the series this late, and now it makes sense that he’ll be Bravo 1 when Jason waves the white flag or dies.
He’s more knowledgeable about leadership than Omar and has won the hearts of his teammates. He went from being a lone wolf to the leader of the pack.
The advice he imparted to Omar says more about himself than what he thinks of Omar’s abilities.
The best leaders don’t care where good ideas come from. Their only concern is succeeding on the mission and coming home in full force. I can, I can, um, say that’s your priority too.
The first two sentences in the quote above are from Drew’s heart, expressing his perspective on leading a team. His attempt to rehabilitate Omar by throwing him a bone about his priorities falls short.
His past still doesn’t make sense, especially after he shares why he wasn’t with Echo on the fateful mission.
If anything, that’s why every other SEAL Team knows he was part of Echo. But thinking about it all the time won’t make any difference.
I see a future where Drew is Bravo 1.
