This show has a way of just dropping these big reveals so casually and so close together, you don't even have time to react sometimes.

Max is a clone? Well, that's no biggie; let's toss that in easy-breezy like it's not a life-changing declaration. So Michael is the son of a man so feared he splintered his home planet in two? Newsworthy but ultimately just a blip on the radar, it seems.

Roswell, New Mexico Season 3 Episode 7 continues the season-long trend of dropping insane twists and turns that come so quickly you can do nothing more but strap in and hope you don't miss anything.

With each passing episode, it's become clearer that Jones was always just biding his time. He is devilishly smart, cunning, and manipulative, and, to put it bluntly, he played everybody.

He's SO good, almost too good, and it was pretty apparent from the jump that Liz's plan was doomed to fail.

Not that it was a stupid plan, but it relied on many variables. And unfortunately, the Scooby gang committed the number one cardinal sin; they underestimated their opponent.

Jones is one step ahead, and he has been since that glass shattered, and his bearded self came forth to proclaim himself the Savior. First, he makes you feel comfortable, and then he strikes.

All day long, he played the part. He went along where he was told, but Jones was onto Liz and Isobel at the diner, and from there, it was just a matter of getting what he wanted from Liz before she was no longer useful to him.

I've said it before, and I'll repeat it, Nathan Dean is eating this role up. He plays Jones to perfection, and when he flips that switch from cagey yet demonstrative alien to stone-cold killer, it's chilling.

Jones: I guess that just leaves me with one question.
Liz: And what's that?
Jones: Should we drink to just how clever you are? Or what a shame it is your death will give me the strength to break into Maria's mind?

• Permalink: Should we drink to just how clever you are? Or what a shame it is your death will give me the...

Jones is after something, but we still seem to be lightyears away from figuring out what exactly it is. He needs a memory, a DeLuca memory, to be exact, but then what happens next?

Will he then unlock something that makes him so powerful he can become the Dictator on Earth, as well?

Oh, yeah, Jones is the Dictator, guys, which means that Michael is his son.

See how I just threw that into the start of the review like it was nothing, same as the show did at episode's end!

Like hello, this is a major reveal! And yet, it was basically an afterthought because there was just so much to process during those closing minutes. So often, a show will throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks, and it will fail because it comes across as desperate, and audiences check out when things become too convoluted.

But Roswell…makes it work? They have this innate ability to paint themselves into corner after corner but make it fun and intriguing. Especially during Roswell, New Mexico Season 3, which continues to outsell its past.

During that Jones confrontation, many truths were put forth, but it's hard to imagine there will be any time to deal with any of that because there are still fires to be put out.

I've criticized the slow pace of the season before, and I'll continue that mini-rant here because as great as things have been, it does feel like we're missing out on some of the emotional beats because there isn't any time.

Every hour has been life or death oriented, and we have to assume the next one will be as well, with the pod now gone and Jones still on the loose. And we may not get to see the emotional fallout for Michael in learning about Jones or the continued toll all this body-snatching carnage is doing to Isobel.

We get little beats here and there, but it also feels a bit like we're being cheated at times because the action has ramped up considerably. We do get scenes like Isobel reminding Liz about her and Max's epic love story, but we could always use more.

The best part about this show will always be the relationships.

And speaking of relationships, we're gifted with more Michael and Rosa, which is turning out to be a lovely pairing. When you get the two most sarcastic characters and all their bottled-up animosity together, good things can happen.

Who knew!

Michael ends up being a pretty good teacher when given a chance, and it was nice to see him and Rosa play off each other as she tries to find a way to hone her new alien abilities. Isobel was the help she needed in Roswell, New Mexico Season 3 Episode 6, and Michael was the help she needed here.

Getting Rosa away from that Wyatt mess was the best thing that could have happened for Rosa because this Rosa, figuring out her place and what she wants for herself, will forever be more compelling than having her placate her family's amnesiac racist tormentor.

It wasn't clear what the show was trying to do with her earlier this season, but now she has more of a purpose, and I'm enjoying watching her figure things out on her terms.

People want to look out for her, and that's understandable after everything she's been through, but Rosa also needs to have control of her life. And what a badass moment having her come in and save her people when they're the ones who got in over their heads.

And Rosa making a new friend in a preacher with a friendly smile and superior rap knowledge? Well, that's just for a bonus.

For his part, Michael Guerin is so damn smart. Can we acknowledge that for a second? Like he's a certified genius, and even if I have not a single clue what he's talking about at times, I'm interested because he speaks with such authority and conviction.

Knowing now that he's part Nora and part Jones, his genius comes from his mother's side.

This installment really tapped into the full potential of Jones's power and how far-reaching it can be. We haven't seen Max, Isobel, or Michael come anywhere close to being able to harness the kind of abilities Jones has. And he does things with such ease.

If Michael spent time with the sword, would he be as powerful as his father? Again, there is so much to unpack here, and I hope we get the chance because this storyline is so tantalizing.

While everything was going to hell, again, Alex was off with Ramos learning more about the history of Deep Sky.

And while that sentence sounds rather dull, the actual story was not.

It was a lot of information dumping, but the good kind. The kind that starts to make things click and brings old storylines back around to make sense finally. And get things full circle.

The Lockhart machine being built at Caulfield was something that makes you go 'aha!' once you hear it, but it wasn't necessarily something a lot of people saw coming, I don't think. Sure, it's alien-based, but the fact it was built within those walls adds an extra layer of intrigue.

Alex: My father was a paranoid xenophobe.
Ramos: He was.
Alex: So, what did you pick me to prove him wrong?
Ramos: I picked you because I know you fell in love with an alien. Alex, I have no interest in who you love. Only that I assume there's a desire to view life differently because of it. I understand your journey. Undoing your father's devastating work is important to you. I thought I could help you accomplish that. And I thought together we might be able to make all this suffering worth it.

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And that's to say nothing of the fact that the day it was first activated was the day Jones is so desperate to revisit in Maria's memories.

All the stories are starting to merge, and that's for the best because the Deep Sky plot has been okay, but it's time to bring Alex back into the main adventure. I'm not even sure he knows anything about Jones at this point, and that's a damn shame.

Alex's search for answers leads him to Kyle and a better understanding of Ramos, who's still a bit of a grey area. He's Kyle's uncle and a man who seems compelled to find information and solutions more than anything else, but if you've watched this show from the start, you know you can never take anyone's word at face value.

Their actions will eventually show you who they are, so we need to see more from Ramos. And Alex does, too.

He joined Deep Sky, not realizing that they had him all figured out from the angle with his father and his relationship with Michael. Now Alex has to decide what his next move is going to be.

Can he walk away now? Hard to imagine he will with so much out there he still doesn't know, and Deep Sky providing the resources to help him gain more knowledge. But Alex needs to be careful who he puts his trust in.

As Tyler Blackburn told us in our exclusive interview, we should trust Alex. So, by that logic, I'm willing to put my faith in the soldier, who's always going to do what he feels is best for the people he loves.

And really, what else can you do in life?

Loose Ends

• Jonathan Gilbert, er, Travis, the bootmaker, having gone crazy because of the Lockhart machine, was a curious twist. And Alex had every right to be pissed off that Ramos threw him on a project that made a man go insane. Excellent job, boss.

• Thank god Kyle Valenti is okay, but that cold, makeshift hospital room in the barn is not it. I guess he has to stay there, but does Ramos have doctors coming in to check on him periodically? I'm going to need some more confirmation Kyle is getting proper medical attention!

• Ramos calling Alex out on his love for Michael. It's pretty remarkable how everyone can see the love between Michael and Alex, and yet those two are always so oblivious. The ultimate clownship! Oh, and, can we get these two some screentime, please?

• Liz calling Jones out for his lack of scientific acumen was a great moment. Liz Ortecho knows her worth and what she brings to the table, and she knows that Jones could only wish he had half of her smarts when it came to his own alien mechanisms.

• The shot of Jones and Liz dancing at the Pony was beautiful. Heather Hemmens directed the hell out of this episode.

• Gregory Manes is a smitten kitten. And it's adorable. When the crew eventually frees Maria from Jones's evil clutches, I hope she will give Gregory a chance.

• Peace out, Deputy Pete.

We're halfway through the season, and we've probably got more questions than ever, but man, this has been fun so far. The crew has a host of challenges ahead, but it feels like now that everything is starting to align, we should be in for a wild back half!

Where do you think Max is?

What memory do you think Jones is looking for? And what is his ultimate goal?

Where do you think things are going for the second half of the season?

Please share all your thoughts and theories down below, as I love to read them, and remember you can always watch Roswell, New Mexico online to get your alien fix!

Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.