Diksha Sundriyal
ABC’s ‘High Potential‘ Season 2 returns after its mid-season break to pick up the case of the stolen painting. The last time we saw Morgan Gillory, she was making out with Rhys, an art consultant who is hired by people to retrieve stolen art. She noticed a scar on his back, which reminded her that the infamous thief, Jean Baptiste, is also known to have the same scar. As all the puzzle pieces fall in place, Morgan realizes who Rhys really is. Meanwhile, Karadec and team find the dead body of the museum’s director, Cyrus, who had also been a major suspect in the case. Soon after, she shares her theory about Rhys with Karadec. Because Wagner has benched her, she wants her partner to find a way to share the information with their boss and make him reinstate her.
A New Suspect Emerges in the Investigation
Cyrus’ death turns the investigation into a new direction, especially after Morgan and Karadec visit his house and meet his partner, Emilio. While talking with him, Morgan notices all the things that would have been required by the thief to steal the painting, including the shoes they would have worn. As soon as she mentions this, Emilio runs, but is eventually caught by Karadec. He is brought in for questioning, where he claims he didn’t steal the painting and, most certainly, did not kill the man he loved. When he is made to take off his shirt, several scars are found on his back, which suggest that he may be Jean Baptiste. This certainly surprises Morgan, especially since she had been suspecting Rhys.
Now that they know that Emilio had something to do with the case, they visit his office, where, after a quick search, Morgan finds the painting hidden behind the school papers he had been grading. This confirms their doubt about his guilt. With the painting retrieved, it is time to call its owners, Linda and Greg. Since Morgan knows that this is Miriam Weisman’s last chance to see the painting that should rightfully be hers, she calls her to the precinct to provide some closure. Meanwhile, Rhys says goodbye and leaves the team to their own devices. A moment later, Miriam reveals that the painting is not real because it is supposed to have the same eyes as hers. This means that the real painting is still out there, and the case isn’t yet closed.
Who Stole the Painting? Who Killed Cyrus?
Morgan’s suspicion turns towards Rhys once again. She catches him before he leaves the building and makes him open the briefcase that he carries around all the time. It turns out that the briefcase has his case files, one of which is about the stolen painting. One of the documents reveals that Greg and Linda had insured the painting for 22 million earlier that year, so they are the only ones who can benefit from the theft. It turns out that the couple was going broke, so they decided to have their own painting stolen in order to collect the insurance money. However, instead of having the real painting stolen, they commissioned a fake, which is what they gave to the museum. Then, they made a deal with Cyrus.
He would steal the painting for them and get a cut. However, he got greedy and asked for ransom money. This angered them, and to stop him from blackmailing them and revealing their secret, they killed him. Now, they not only have the insurance money, but they also still have the real painting. Wagner sends Daphne and Oz to their house, but Morgan remembers seeing a photo of a yacht in their home. So, Wagner and Karadec head towards the docks, and sure enough, Linda and Greg’s boat is about to sail off. After a minor showdown, where Greg tries to fight back using a flare gun, the couple is arrested. But then comes another twist. It turns out that the real painting, the one they had been hiding in their boat all this time, is stolen again.
Why does Morgan Let Rhys Go? What Happens to the Painting?
While Karadec and Wagner arrest Linda and Greg, a mysterious figure in a wetsuit slips off the boat with the painting. When he removes his mask, it is confirmed that he, Rhys, is Jean Baptiste after all. Ideally, he would have gotten away with it, but when he arrives at the beach, he finds Morgan waiting for him by his car. Following their last encounter, where he showed her the documents in his briefcase, and she abruptly left, he thought that she was on another trail and wouldn’t come after him. However, nothing gets by Morgan. So, even as she figured out the whole deal about Linda and Greg, she didn’t forget that Rhys would have made the same conclusions and would go after the painting.
He is not surprised to see that she figured out everything, but he is intrigued when he notices that she came to see him alone. If she wanted to have him arrested, she would have asked one or more of her team members to be there to greet him. However, despite being on different sides of the law, they both want the same thing. Rhys confirms his identity as Jean Baptiste, revealing that he also works as an art consultant, and it is not just a cover. However, he doesn’t always steal things for money. Earlier, before he left the station, he said that he, like Morgan, wished that the painting had gone to the Weismans, not Linda and Greg. Now that he has the painting, he intends to do exactly that.
Because Morgan knows this is his intention, she didn’t bring the cops with them. Initially, she is hesitant to believe that Rhys will give the painting to the Weismans. However, there is no option but to trust him. With no backup, there is no way she can arrest him on her own. Even if she calls for help, he will have slipped away before the cops can arrive. So, she gives him the benefit of the doubt, and he actually comes through on it. Later that evening, Ari Weisman opens the door to find an object left at the door by an unknown person. It turns out to be the painting, and when his grandma sees it, she notices the eyes of the girl, and confirms that the painting is real and has finally found its way back to its real home.
What Happened to Arthur? Is He Dead?
While Morgan and the team chase after the thief and the murderer, another storyline unfolds in the background. At the end of the previous episode, Arthur was confronted by a mysterious man, who’d snuck into the back of his car and was asking about Roman’s backpack. The confrontation ended with the man walking away empty-handed while Arthur took a few punches. He updates Morgan about this, and she asks him to come to the station since things are getting more dangerous now. He refuses to do that. He doesn’t even go to the hospital and has himself patched up in the gym, where he knows people. In any case, Morgan doesn’t want to risk her and her family’s safety, so she shares the details with Soto.
Soto visits Arthur in the gym, where he tells her about the mysterious man. She identifies him as a man whose picture was found in Roman’s backpack. Again, she tells Arthur to come into the station and give a formal statement, but he refuses. She gives him her number, just in case the man follows him again, while Arthur assures her he can take care of himself. Later that day, Soto gets a call where Arthur tells her he is being followed again. She tells him to come directly to the station and stay on the line. He agrees to come to the station, but he cuts the call, saying he will meet her soon. Hours go by, and the night falls, but there is no sign of Arthur. Soto becomes worried and decides to put out a BOLO for him.
Meanwhile, his vehicle and phone are shown abandoned by the side of a road, with no sign of him. Because there is no dead body, one can’t assume that he is dead. Most likely, he has been kidnapped by the mysterious man and is being used to get information out about Roman and his family. The man seems to have succeeded in his endeavor, because later that evening, we find him hanging out at the same bar, where Morgan, Karadec, and team go for drinks to celebrate the closing of the case. Wagner seeks out Morgan to talk to her about how valuable she has proven to be and how he is not letting her go from the team so easily. Their interaction is noted by (a jealous?) Karadec from a distance, as well as by the mysterious man.
Read More: Who is Nick Wagner? Who Plays Him in High Potential?
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