Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 1, Episode 12 of ABC's "Revenge," entitled, "Infamy."
For the second week in a row, ABC's "Revenge" has toyed with gunplay. But this week, Emily Thorne was the one wielding the gun. Mason Treadwill, the bow tie-loving author who wrote the tell-all crime novel about Emily's father is back in the Hamptons, and he's Emily's next target.
But before we delve into this week's revenge plot, can we please address tonight's big shocker? Okay, so I may have seen this one coming, but that doesn't make it any less gasp-worthy. Emily discovers her father's dirty little secret: Charlotte Grayson is David's daughter -- and her half-sister ... and her boyfriend's half-sister.
While I can't say that it was a complete shock, I applaud "Revenge" for not stringing us all along for an entire season before blowing the lid off of the Hampton's worst kept secret. Perhaps the real question now is how Emily will deal with this information, and how will it affect her plot to destroy the Graysons.
What Victoria Grayson wants, Victoria Grayson gets. So when Mason comes to town, she sees it as the perfect way to find out what "Amanda Clarke" is up to. When the famous writer hesitates, Victoria reminds him just how much he owes her.
"She's returned to town and I want you to find out why," Victoria tells Mason. His response? "Trust me: One doesn't easily forget a deal he's made with the devil." Oh, snap.
Emily also shows up to his reading with Nolan. Feigning a smile, Emily tells Mr. Bow Tie that she's a big fan, before introducing him to Nolan. Mason immediately asks Nolan if he's shopping for a biographer.
And just like that, Emily's wheels are in motion.
Thankfully, "Infamy" marked the return of Emily's ominous red marker, and I couldn't contain my excitement as she marked her target with a X, giving her signature icy death stare. It's so on.
We then find out that the sole copy of Mason's memories are typewritten and kept safely on his desk in his Hamptons house, which he tells Emily and Nolan during their impromptu tour.
Back at the Stowaway, Jack is all work and no play, which frustrates "Amanda" because all she wants to do is have fun and runaway to Atlantic City. So what does she do? She rebels, unleashing her inner Coyote Ugly, kissing girls, standing atop the bar and throwing back shots.
Enter Emily, who doesn't look too happy that the girl parading around town as her is sluttin' it up at the bar. Fake Amanda may be a bit of a loose cannon, but at least she's one hell of an actress!
After sneaking off outside, "Amanda" persuades Emily to do a few shots. But now, it's Emily's turn to do the talking. She needs "Amanda" to help take down Mason.
In another discovery, Daniel finds out that Conrad won't give him stock in the company until either he's 30 or married, which doesn't please Victoria -- especially when Daniel tells her that he plans to ask Emily to marry him. Oh Daniel, if only you knew your own fate.
Meanwhile, Nolan and Emily hit up the local shooting range, and not surprisingly, Nolan is adorably inept with a gun. Emily on the other hand becomes more badass in every episode. Not only is she well-versed in kung fu, but she's also pretty handy with a gun.
After a little shooting. "Amanda" visits Mason to be re-interviewed, per Victoria's request. She's wearing a microphone and Emily is feeding her lines.
Will the real Amanda Clarke please stand up?
The interview gets a bit heated, especially when Fake Amanda gets all up in Mason's face, threatening him to reveal the truth.
It turns out that before Mason was a best-selling author, he was a journalist named Leo, reporting on the crash of Flight 197, sans bow tie and striped suit. In Emily's flashback, Leo wanted to help save David, believing in his innocence until the Graysons bribed him to keep his mouth shut and print what they told him to. Ultimately, it was "Mason's" tell-all book that put David behind bars.
Back in the present timeline, Emily arrives at Victoria's house for a reading of Mason's memoirs, with Nolan at her side.
Upstairs, Victoria is so over bandage dresses (aren't we all?) and gets Ashley to tell her BFF Emily that Daniel will only have access to his trust when he's either 30 or married. So, in other words, Emily better prepare herself for that proposal.
Despite Amanda's threat, Mason stands by Victoria, telling everyone that even after looking over his original interviews, he believes that David was, in fact, guilty.
Emily, on the other hand, is about to change all of that. Nolan takes Mason out for dinner, and little does the author know that by accepting Nolan's dinner invite, he just dug his own grave.
After sneaking into Mason's home, Emily grabs his pre-recorded interview tapes with her father (the ones that reveal David's dirty little secret) and then burns the entire house down, using the same lighter "Amanda" had used during her interview. Upon returning to his burning house, Mason crumbles to the ground in distress. His memoir is gone.
And what does Emily do after getting her revenge on Mason? Hook up with Daniel, of course.
Other thoughts on tonight's episode: Why is Jack seeking relationship advice from Declan? That seems like a terrible idea. Also, there wasn't nearly enough Victoria this week as there should be. I missed her catty one-liners almost as much as I missed Emily's big red marker.
Obsessed with "Revenge"? You're not the only one. Click through these Twitter reactions to "Infamy." You might even see one of your tweets!: