There was one scene in Covert Affairs “What is and What Should Never Be” that really resonated with me as heart-wrenching. Do you think you can guess what it is, and why it was so powerfully tragic?

COVERT AFFAIRS Season 1 Episode 8
“What is and What Should Never Be”
Photo by: Steve Wilkie/USA Network

We finally got to see a reunion between Annie and her ex beau, Ben. But we didn’t get any tearful hugs or barrage of apologies. Instead, Ben had only resurfaced (after two years!) to ask Annie to do something for him.  Not one to let things just pass her by, Annie asked him directly with a cold stare, “So just to be clear. You’re not asking for forgiveness. You’re asking me for a favor.” She already knew the answer. But man, that was cold of Ben. And he followed it up with another bombshell.

We’ve known that Annie was hired and brought in to help catch Ben. But she never knew that. She’s talented, and figured she was seriously brought on board for her work. But Ben blew those ideas away when he told her, “Forget protocol. The agency is using you to get to me. You can’t believe anything they say about me or anything I’ve done. Do not trust Joan and Arthur.”

Talk about a slap to the self-esteem!

What I like is that now Annie has some real trust issues for us to play around with.

While the character of Ben Mercer seems like one that will only last for (at the most) one season, he was crucial in Annie’s life. His impact will always be with her. People who leave with no explanation are always going to haunt you in the most uncomfortable ways.

And as a running up moment for most heart-wrenching: When Arthur makes it clear to Joan that she’s not in control of if Annie is bait or not. Joan hates her husband for using this girl as a pawn, and that her husband is pulling rank.

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P.S. I don’t know the song that was at the end of this episode. The lyrics went something like this: Being worried, and unkind if i could stop my panic abandon my troubles let go of my doubts. Wishing for good days. Wishing for happy ones.

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