Season 4 of FBI has been more dangerous than ever for the team at 26 Fed, with the death of Rina halfway through and more than one explosive twist. Now, the agents are facing the potential release of sarin gas on American soil, and that will both showcase the connection between Maggie and OA as partners as well as revisit one of OA's biggest fears. Showrunner Rick Eid spoke with CinemaBlend to preview what’s on the way with what looks like an intense hour of television.
The description for the episode that will air on April 19 – called “Fear Nothing” –revealed that sarin gas counts as one of OA’s greatest fears, which is saying something for man who has faced incredible dangers in the army and as an FBI agent. Rick Eid explained why OA will have a strong reaction to the prospect of sarin gas in the United States:
He saw sarin gas in action when he was in the army, and it's a traumatic thing for him. So when sarin gas presents itself in the episode, his desire to get that off the street is pretty high. You know, even more so. I mean, everybody knows sarin gas is dangerous, everyone wants to get it off the street and secure it, but I think he has a particular more of an emotional connection to it than the other characters, is probably the best way to describe it.
Eid went on to agree that sarin gas is a “trigger” for OA, which comes in a season that has already been difficult for the character. The good news is that he’s surrounded by a team of incredibly capable agents who can power through even terrible tragedies if that means solving a case and saving lives.
Normally, Maggie would seem like the natural person for OA to lean on, but the preview for “Fear Nothing” indicates that she will be exposed to the gas. His partner being exposed to something that he already feels an emotional connection to sounds like the stuff of nightmares for OA, so what does “Fear Nothing” bring out in their partnership? The showrunner previewed:
How much they care for each other and how important they are to each other. You know, it's a professional partnership, and I think it transcends just the professional. It's just a real powerful human connection between these two.
Maggie and OA have been a solid unit from the very beginning of FBI, even despite Maggie’s time away undercover (while OA was temporarily partnered with Tracy Spiridakos’ Upton from Chicago P.D.) and when she was keeping secrets for a time afterward. They’re close as agents and as friends, which presumably means that OA will do everything in his power to help her if things go as badly as they seem in the preview.
Fans will have to wait until “Fear Nothing” to see just what happens with OA, Maggie, and the investigation into sarin gas. Season 4 has mixed up the partners more than once, rather than keeping the four core main agents paired off into the same duos. When I asked if Maggie/OA and Scola/Tiff are going to remain the core partners despite the shift, showrunner Rick Eid shared:
I think that's the core but we're starting to mix it up at times. I think it's a little more realistic that partners in groups like that are mixed and matched. It's not always the same two. But I think we look at OA and Maggie as partners for life sort of, and Tiffany and Scola as partners, but in some cases, it's just fun to change the dynamic and to explore different points of view and relationships.
Season 4 has found ways to pair off different agents together for certain episodes, which has been a fun twist for a show four years in and showed off some different dynamics. Still, the bond between OA and Maggie is unique, and fans can expect to see their connection showcased in the next new episode. With the 2022 TV season nearly at an end, now is the time to be sure not to miss a beat.
See how OA, Maggie, and the rest of the team deal with the potential sarin gas attack with the “Fear Nothing” episode of FBI on Tuesday, April 19 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, to kick off a full night of FBI action with FBI: International (which just delivered an intense episode for Vinessa Vidotto’s Vo) at 9 p.m. and FBI: Most Wanted (which just revealed Dylan McDermott’s Remy Scott as the new team leader) at 10 p.m.
All three series will wrap their current seasons in May, and you can find the finale dates for the biggest shows on TV with our spring finale schedule.
