The penultimate episode of Switched at Birth revisited the parts of the past that needed to be revisited. For some it was about finding peace, for others it was about solidifying the choices they had already made. In many ways it was about both, so that the next step forwards was a sure one. I will say that if you are a Bay and Emmett shipper frustrated with Season 5’s arc, this episode wasn’t designed for you. It put the spotlight squarely on Travis, his past colliding with his present, and why he and Bay might be the better match.
Toby installs a security system at the Cracked Mug for Regina. Break-ins in the neighborhood have made her a little edgy, so she figures better safe than sorry. On the day that Toby is working on the system who decides to break in but none other than Eric. Security systems don’t protect from people who have keys. Eric came back for two things: money he left behind which he plans to use to get out of the country, and Regina. As much as Regina loved Eric, she can’t leave her life for him.
Normally I wouldn’t encourage Daphne to get involved in a problem which would put her future at risk (again), but this is sort of a problem she is partly responsible for. She didn’t know Chris was on steroids while his arm healed from his unlawful arrest during the campus protests before she told her parents that someone on the baseball team might be using drugs. She can’t put her future at risk just to help Chris, but she can use her medical knowledge to flush the drugs out of his system in time for his drug test. What Daphne doesn’t know is that drug tests are a thousand times more stringent than they were in the past. These days, doctors test for methods athletes try to use to manipulate the test. Daphne doesn’t replace his sample or anything like that, but she does stall the test for Chris. Daphne might not be a stickler to the rules, but you can never accuse her of not caring.
John and Kathryn deal with a situation Travis created when he punched a guy at Bay’s party. The brat’s father is a hotshot lawyer who wants Travis kicked off the baseball team in exchange for his continued monetary support to the athletic department. Kathryn has no choice but to comply since they are in the middle of a budget crisis. Surprisingly, Travis doesn’t put up much of a fight. He’s got bigger worries.
As much as it pains me to say this, I have to get on board with Team Travis. I was a longtime Bay and Emmett shipper, but we all know that relationships evolve as we do. The person who was good for Bay at one point in her life might not be who is best for her now. Case in point: when Bay went through her sexual assault, Emmett was not the one who could be there for her. Aside from Daphne, Travis was Bay’s dearest friend at the lowest point in her life. A big part of this was that he was the one person who could relate to the shame, the guilt, and the sorrow she felt. As a child Travis was sexually assaulted, and Bay was the only person he ever told.
What Travis didn’t tell Bay was that he was molested by his uncle, who he comes face to face with at a family dinner with his biological mom. Travis really tries to keep it together, especially since his Mom is so sweet, but he can’t. His mom might not have been there in the past, but you can tell she is really trying. She is so hurt and confused that she begs Bay to get Travis to talk to her. Travis has been so angry for so long, and its often manifested in bursts of violence. The only way past it is to tell his mom the truth, and after some painful shock, she believes him.
That was such an important weight for Travis to get off his shoulders. When it rains, it pours, and that saying applies to good news too. John feels so badly about kicking Travis off the UMKC team that he makes some calls to get Travis into a pro league-in Japan.
Should Travis leave for this opportunity, even if it means leaving Bay and his life behind?
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