This case was a tough one for OA.

He spent a lot of the time the crew was searching a killer drug supplier debating whether or not he may very well be an excellent agent and a religious Muslim on FBI Season 5 Episode 22.

OA has needed to get comfy with the thought of compromising his religion whereas on the job, particularly when he was working undercover.

What led to his disaster of conscience? OA realized he was a mannequin for a youthful however extra trustworthy Muslim agent who believed being religious was extra essential than being an efficient agent.

Even worse, OA did not even acknowledge Val, who was working undercover at an Albanian drug lord’s bar.

The rationale was Val was impressed to enter legislation enforcement after a chat at his faculty by OA about being a Muslim agent.

This made OA really feel liable for Val. And he felt a little bit responsible about being a versatile Muslim, munching away on a snack throughout Ramadan.

OA will get the calls for of his work, particularly when undercover. Certainly being within the navy most likely made him extra lifelike about what elements of being a Muslim he may nonetheless embrace and which of them he could not whereas working.

Is that this OA making excuses for himself? No. It is extra like situational ethics. It is simple to be religious when undercover in a jihadist sect. It is not really easy while you’re portraying a gunrunner.

Val already had one strike towards him, being a younger agent who does not perceive what he does not know.

However being undercover at a bar and refusing to drink is problematic. That inhibits him from gaining the belief of these round him who’re there to drink or pour drinks.

Later, he refused to plant a digital camera in an imam’s house. So OA needed to plant it, and he would have been caught if Val hadn’t stalled Hyka.

In between, Val screwed up an effort to promote Tony, one in every of Shabini’s thugs, on a gun deal when he stated contradictory issues concerning the potential purchaser. Scola was in peril from Tony earlier than Brittany shot him as a result of Val could not deliver himself to shoot.

OA talked with Val to ensure he had his head on straight. He emphasised how he would wish to do issues that went towards Islam to turn out to be an efficient agent. Val nonetheless naively believed he may put his religion first.

Val’s fervor did trigger OA to query how he performed his enterprise. When he needed to intercept the imam, OA requested about among the contradictions with which he had been wrestling. He obtained no pleasure from the strict imam on that entrance, no “say three Hail Marys and do not sin once more.”

Val did come by means of OA, taking pictures Shabini to maintain him from killing OA.

However afterward, Val paid him the backhanded praise of claiming he wished he may compromise his religion in addition to OA did.

Val is not prone to stay in legislation enforcement for lengthy. Possibly he ought to think about a place in personal safety, the place the stakes aren’t as excessive, and he may follow his religion in response to his conscience.

Assembly Val served to drive OA again to his mosque as he prayed on changing into a greater Muslim.

Fortuitously, OA’s inner debate did not sluggish the squad from attempting to find the supplier supplying the high-powered fentanyl spinoff that killed seven teenagers (together with the one which offered the capsules).

Maggie and OA bungled into the center of one other investigation, which was working to determine a RICO case. Because the public was extra involved with youngsters overdosing on medication, Isobel put the opposite operation on maintain because the crew hustled to get the medication off the road.

She did get Val out of the deal since he was already in place with Shabini, the seemingly drug supplier.

She and OA found later what a blended blessing that was. They made headway extra typically regardless of Val than due to him.

Val deserves credit score for returning to Shabini’s place after the Tony debacle. After dropping the digital camera, he did handle to get it planted, permitting the squad to observe Shabini’s actions.

Later, the digital camera OA was compelled to position after Val’s refusal (he admitted he scored low at being sneaky) did get them to the assembly warehouse in time to cease the drug deal from occurring. Additionally, Scola shutting down the drug lab saved that neighborhood from going up in flames. In order that’s a plus.

Val’s taking pictures Shabini made that RICO case pretty moot. However the entire case was extra difficult than it needed to be for Val’s involvement.

It was helpful to delve into OA’s precarious stability between being an agent and a Muslim.

By means of Val, this episode additionally confirmed a distinct strategy to that very same conundrum and advised the right reply lay someplace between these two.

The draw back was that the remainder of the crew pale into the background, permitting for the interaction between OA and Val.

To the detriment of the investigation and the storyline, Maggie wanted to have a “come to Allah” speak with OA to get him again on observe, which by no means occurred.

To observe OA’s journey, watch FBI on-line.

Does the job require OA to make compromises?

How unrealistic was Val for desirous to be a religious Muslim and an agent?

Did their spiritual debate intervene with the investigation?

Remark under.

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Dale McGarrigle is a workers author for TV Fanatic. Observe him on Twitter.