Grimm Episode 1.19 Leave it to the Beavers

Nick unlocks a closet in Aunt Marie's trailer to reveal a collection of medieval weapons. Monroe and Nick are taking the items from the arsenal into the woods to train with them. Monroe is surprised to find Nick is a natural with such ancient arms as the crossbow and kanabo club. Is this success merely due to his extensive police training or something else?

At a bridge construction site, Robert Grosszahn, a beaver-like Wesen creature called an Eisbiber, owes protection money to Sal Burrell, a troll-like Wesen creature, or Hasslich. Robert decides it's time for the extortion to end and is going to the D.A. to report Sal's practices. Sal makes a decision of his own to suffocate Robert in a vat of wet cement. A construction worker named Arnold, also an Eisbiber, witnesses the murder, calls 911, then refuses to leave his name with the police as he runs off and hides in a friend's basement. Bravery isn't a common trait in Eisbibers.

Hank and Nick are investigating the crime scene. It appears to be a mob hit to them. Hank finds Robert's cell phone with an appointment scheduled the previous night with the initials S.B. The police are able to trace the 911 call to a cell phone belonging to an Arnold Rosarot. Hank and Nick check out Arnold's residence, though it's clear he's no longer there. Hank is confused by the huge assortment of wooden crafts inside Arnold's house. Nick, on the other hand, notices a picture of Arnold with two other people Nick has met during a recent case, Bud and John. Knowing Bud and John to be Eisbibers, Nick wonders if the same might be true of Arnold.

When Juliette wants to invite Monroe over for dinner to thank him for saving her life, Nick tries to deflect the intention with words describing Monroe as a loner, to no avail. Nick is resistant because there's not one aspect of he and Monroe's relationship they wouldn't have to lie about. Everything they do together is Grimm related. Monroe and Nick put their heads together to devise a story they can stick to during dinner to avoid Juliette's suspicion. Monroe mentions how the best lies are based around the truth.

Robert's assistant at the construction company is unaware of any meeting Robert was supposed to have the previous night; however, the initials S.B. belong to Sal Burrell who works at the city planning commission. He and Robert had worked together a lot, regardless of the tension in their partnership. Dropping in on Sal, the detectives find his alibi confirmed only by his own goons is less than convincing. Sal suggests Robert's 9:30 meeting was incorrectly entered and should have read 9:30 a.m. Nick isn't sold with the explanation and neither is Sal who informs his men Nick is a Grimm. A Grimm that needs to be dealt with.

Nick drops by Bud's shop to ask about Arnold's whereabouts. Bud acknowledges Arnold was working for Robert at the bridge site and offers some insight into their Wesen relation with the Hasslich. Sal and his kind are the types that always want their cut wherever there's a bridge. It's like a tradition: you've got to pay the troll. Nick needs Arnold to testify if he's going to be able to bring Sal down. Bud finds Arnold hiding out at John's house and shares the message. Arnold is scared yet allows Bud to bring it up at the next Eisbiber lodge meeting. If the community believes Arnold should come forward, he will.

Monroe comes over for his dinner and awkwardly greets Nick as if they aren't sure how to treat each other outside of Grimm duties. Juliette asks the inevitable "Where did you two meet" question. Monroe is able to explain it was during the case involving a little girl being kidnapped, while omitting the Wesen details. Things appear to be going great until Monroe and Nick stumble over a part of the story that presents a conflicted report. Unable to return to an agreed upon version, Monroe gracelessly asks for Juliette to fetch him the recipe for dinner to break up the conversation.

At the night of the lodge meeting, Bud leads Nick into the gathering to speak. Many Eisbibers prefer the status quo, whereas others believe it's time to stand up to the Hasslichs' bullying. Nick asks for the witness to come forward so they can bring Sal to justice. Some Eisbibers are afraid of the potential retribution if they "attack" a Hasslich, causing the lodge leader to call for a vote. They decide to allow Arnold to continue hiding and apologize. "Don't hold it against us. We are what we are." Disappointed with the results, Bud declares he's ashamed to be an Eisbiber. Overhearing Bud's admonishment, Arnold realizes he needs to be brave and do the right thing. Nick is relieved Arnold has agreed to testify.

Sal believes the only way to protect himself isn't to find Arnold. It's to kill the Grimm. Preparing to get a reaper to handle the task, Sal's henchmen fear this is a nuclear solution, which could destroy everything. Upon hearing the request, the family in Germany sends not one but two reapers to handle Nick. When they arrive in Portland, the reapers proceed by torturing Sal for information first in their own inscrutable ways. Nick calls Sal during the beating, leading Sal to set up a meeting with Nick at his club in 10 minutes.

Nick goes to the club per Sal's request and Sal turns himself in. Back at the station, Arnold correctly indentifies Sal in the lineup as the person he saw murder Robert. Once Sal is locked up and waiting for arraignment, Nick advises Arnold to lay low to avoid retaliation from Sal's goons. Deciding the lodge is the best place for staying under the radar, Nick drives Arnold there without noticing the reapers are following in the car behind him.

As they approach the lodge, Nick notices the same headlights have been on him for awhile. Expecting a showdown, Nick gets Arnold to hide inside the lodge while Nick grabs his duffle bag of medieval weapons. Nick quickly realizes he's not just dealing with Hasslich henchmen but deadly reapers as scythes swing through the air toward him. Nick deflects their moves with his kanabo club. When Nick ducks a swipe, the reaper's scythe misses and takes off the other reaper's head. Stunned by the turn of events, the reaper isn't prepared as Nick fires a crossbow arrow into his neck. Assessing his situation, Nick realizes the reapers are going to keep coming for him unless he sends a message.

A few days later, Nick comes home to a house filled with elaborate baskets of fruit, bread and wooded toys. The Eisbiber community is showing their gratitude to Nick for protecting Arnold and bringing Sal to justice. Juliette is amazed by the array of gifts and asks what Nick did. "Just my job." Elsewhere, the white-haired man in a German bar who sent the reapers after Nick is delivered a box. Inside the package, the man is shocked to find two decapitated heads and a note from Nick: "Next time, send your best."