Queen Sugar Season 4 Episode 12 Review: Here
Christine Orlando
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Charley Bordelon was riding a high on Queen Sugar Season 4 Episode 12.
Her mill was in ruins and the police were looking at her and her family as arson suspects, the corrupt local government was trying to make it impossible to win the election, and she hadn't heard from her boyfriend since he walked out the door.
But none of that mattered.
Because Micah was going to Harvard.
There's little doubt that Charley has had this dream since her son was born. She's worked and fought to give him every opportunity in this life.
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The congratulations card she gave him said, "go confidently in the direction of your dreams."
Unfortunately, for Charley, Harvard isn't one of Micah's dreams.
What's so heart wrenching is that it's easy to see both points of view.
Micah's decided his future is in New Orleans, with a degree in art and policical science.
Micah: I didn’t decide this because of Keke. If anything, I decided this because of you. Watching you these past few months bridging communities and fighting for what’s right. That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want my work to be about.
Charley: Great! Great. Go to Harvard. Get a degree and start a business that puts jobs into the hands of our people which is what they need, not more pretty pictures.
Did he make that decision because Harvard simply isn't the right fit for him, or is it intimidating going so far away on your own to one of the top, most difficult schools in the world?
It's difficult to say what's driving Micah at this moment. He claims Keke wasn't a part of this decision and yet it was clear that being so far away from her was worrying him.
Maybe this is the right path for Micah, but Charley sees the bigger picture.
I have been in the fight of my life in what shouldn’t even be a contest all because this country is set up to benefit the people like the Boudreauxs and now you’re being offered a tool to help level the field for all of us and you decide to just throw it away. How dare you, Micah.
Charley
Charley's not wrong. Being a student at Harvard University isn't just about getting an incredible education, it's about making connections with powerful people that you can use for the rest of your life.
Only a privileged few get that opportunity, and Micah threw it away behind his mother's back.
Not that Micah shouldn't make his own decision, and it's clear that Charley would fight him tooth and nail on this one, but it's unclear why Micah couldn't pursue his dreams at Harvard.
Yes, it would have taken him away from his community, but there's nothing wrong with getting a different point of view and there's nothing stopping him from coming back to Louisiana after he graduates.
As much as standing up for himself and choosing his own path is important for Micah, admirable even, it's almost impossible not to feel Charley's pain, anger, and disappointment.
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Elsewhere, Charley's got Francis Boudreaux to deal with.
The old woman has the police force investigating Charley and her family for setting fire to the mill, something Francis most likely had a hand in herself.
Unfortunately, it made Charley's comment calling her, "Cousin Francis" less satisfying.
Sorry to offend your Daughters of the Confederacy sensibilities but I just shook the family tree. I’m not responsible for who falls out of it.
Charley
What's even more worrisome is Parker Campbell and the Beckington Group.
Any person or corporation who goes to that much trouble to hide themselves must be willing to do almost anything to keep their secrets.
Charley may end up with more to lose here than just an election and even if she wins, I hope the price isn't higher than she expects.
Nova continued to try and make amends which felt a little odd at first since she was at Charley's with the rest of the family during Queen Sugar Season 4 Episode 11 to celebrate Micah's prom.
It was good to hear Violet finally get to blast Nova for her book.
Can you accept you told the wrong story? I counted. You wrote way more pages on my trials than on my triumph, and I triumphed, damn it. I showed you, by moving on, by living my best life, by letting love into my life again when I could have shut my heart down forever. I showed you.
Violet
It was even better to hear Violet tell off Jimmy Dale.
When she gave him that box it was evident that he didn't care about what he put Violet through and he never has which made watching Violet's words knock that smug smile right off his face was incredibly gratifying in this Queen Sugar quote...
Nice house, Jimmy. I see, you the one who had to clean up to come see me cause you know you ain’t nothing, never been nothing. This your life. Your prime over, and all you’ve got is nasty words. I won. I got the good life. I got the money. I got the house. I got the business, I got the respect, love, and you got nothing. You’re just an old, worn down dog. You ain’t shit. Never have been.
Violet
Violet even took away his newest punching bag when she convinced his girlfriend to go with her to the Women's Shelter and offered her a job at Vi's Prized Pies.
But it's hard to imagine that Jimmy Dale will simply slink back into the darkness of his falling-down house and go away for good.
I fear he'll be back in St. Jo's looking for retaliation against Violet and Hollywood. I only hope they're ready for him when he comes.
Darla sought out Violet to say thank you and gave her the one-month sobriety chip she'd just earned. It was a powerful moment between these two women, both survivors who haven't always seen eye to eye.
Darla also proved what a good person and good mother she is when she tried to convince Ralph Angel to let Nova see Blue, even though she has every reason to despise Nova for putting her past in that book.
Despite how I feel about her, I know that she loves Blue, and I need that little boy to be surrounded by as much love as possible. He’s going to need it one day.
Darla
And although Ralph Angel's not ready to forgive his sister, Blue convinced his father to lay down some of his anger.
Hopefully, Ralph Angel and Nova will truly have it out sometime soon.
Nova was incredibly naive to think that no one would tell Blue about the secret of his parentage, or that simply changing Darla's name to Star would hide her identity.
Nova earned great success with a book that has caused her family members misery and she needs to own that and stop trying to justify herself.
It ain’t about looking back, it never is. It’s about the here and now. Breaking bad cycles. Looking forward. No more secrets.
Violet
What do you think TV Fanatics? Was Micah right to ditch Harvard? Is Charley justified in being furious with her son?
Does Charley have any chance of winning this election considering the dirty dealing and overwhelming odds?
How evil are the people backing Old World Energy and are lives in danger?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and then check back in for my review of Queen Sugar Season 4 Episode 13, the season finale!
Until then, you can watch Queen Sugar online here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
