Sadly, Full Metal’s death was inevitable.
The CBS military drama illustrated the ultimate sacrifice those who serve too often make on SEAL Team Season 4 Episode 16.
Finally, after previous deaths on SEAL Team claimed relatives and guest characters, a longtime member of Bravo Team was killed in battle.
The final battle in Nigeria was short-lived but intense and served to reveal the state of mind of several characters.
Ray temporarily froze in action during SEAL Team Season 4 Episode 15 but bounced back to command effectively with Jason absent.
With Bravo forces stretched thin, Ray divided up those left to counterpunch against a superior force of Russian contractors.
Having done what they could for Full Metal, Clay and Jason got their female chopper pilot to agree to take them back to the fight. Soto, unwillingly to participate from the rear, geared up and went with them.
I’m coming around on Soto. At first, he seemed too rigid and was unwilling to acknowledge that Jason knew what he was doing when it came to employing Bravo.
But after going into battle with Bravo, he’s come around on Jason and even complimented his way of operating. Jason also appeared to be liking Soto better now.
Jason and Blackburn had a good relationship, and it seems like Jason and Soto are slowly getting there as well.
After all of that transpired following that battle, who knows if that development will mean anything on SEAL Team Season 5?
Following what had been a rocky tour of duty for Sonny in Africa, Jason still had the faith to let him select a strategy in the heat of a firefight.
As Jason explained on the flight home, he knew Sonny would make the right call, but he had to get Sonny to believe that as well.
It was a real gut punch for Bravo, after barely escaping thanks to firepower from their evac chopper, to find out from Davis that Metal hadn’t survived his injuries. It was tough on Clay, who felt that Metal had sacrificed himself to save Clay and Jason.
Metal’s letter to his teammates was touching, and being buried at sea was so Metal since his brothers were the only family he had.
Jason’s breaking down in tears by himself was in character as Bravo One could never let his teammates see him in such a vulnerable state.
Jason’s keeping a list of his fallen brothers on his phone was so unhealthy as he was the picture of survivor’s guilt.
The only positive development that occurred when Bravo was leaving was that five other women came forward and filed complaints against the sexually harassing Lt. Commander Whitshaw, giving Davis some peace of mind.
The plane ride home was when all the hard work began, with team members questioning their futures.
Jason, who before Alana’s death was a longtime absentee father, set Sonny straight about the value of being in his daughter’s life.
He also worked to get Clay to understand that it’s fine to have the ambition to want to lead Bravo someday but that he shouldn’t shun an outside life to do so. Jason, who now occasionally has just a dog for a roommate, knows what he’s talking about.
For a time, it appeared that Clay would break up with Stella to spare her being in a relationship with an operator. But surprisingly, he proposed instead.
Unfortunately, two happenings that should have been major events, Sonny meeting his daughter and Clay and Stella getting married, were reduced to moments in a montage.
That’s because the focus then was on Jason and Ray starting to get the help they needed, together, no less. It was like some odd kind of couples counseling.
It had the desired effect, as Ray finally said aloud that he wasn’t getting any better and he had PTS and needed help. Jason determined that he needed to remember his fallen brothers’ lives, not their deaths.
Hints about changes on Bravo Team abounded at Clay and Stella’s reception.
Sonny told Davis about his plan to find a posting in Texas, closer to his daughter, and invited her to come along.
Ray decided that it was beneficial for him to be vulnerable, and he broke down, giving Naima a graphic overview of what he went through while a captive. It turned out that all she wanted was for him to open up.
What’s still up in the air is whether Ray will be ready to operate again by next season.
Then there was Jason. His inviting Emma to take part in his post-mission ritual, as well as going on a cross-country trip with his children, was a healthy sign.
But the moment when he lost his train of thought at the bar was troubling. It could be simply that he was overwhelmed by everything that had happened. It could also be a concussion from the RPG.
The other unknown is how SEAL Team moving to Paramount+ will affect the drama.
Being off the network could allow for a rawer version of the series, which is a promising possibility.
To revisit Bravo’s difficult year, watch SEAL Team online.
Will you miss Full Metal?
Who else do you expect to leave?
Would you appreciate some new characters in the main cast or a change of direction in the series?
Comment below.
Dale McGarrigle is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.