Reese and Finch rush to resuscitate what is left of the Machine's source code; Root fights for her life after being targeted by Samaritan. Meanwhile, Fusco is forced to deal with the aftermath of the events that victimized Elias and Dominic.

The Machine experiences a glitch during rebooting, supplying Reese and Fusco with the numbers of dozens of people not actually involved in crimes, while also locking Finch and Root out after identifying them as threats based on past violent behavior. Written by Emily reddom

In light of his recent downtime and advice from others, Reese explores the option of moving to the next step in his relationship with Iris, however knowing that he cannot divulge the true nature of his work to her, at least not yet. As the numbers from the Machine become more steady, he may have a clearer picture if he can maintain a work/life balance at this time. That next number belongs to Alex Duncan, a computer security expert working for a consulting company. As Reese infiltrates Alex's work life and learns his story including whether he is the victim or perpetrator, Reese will find that his own CIA past is mixed up in Alex's goings-on, most specifically with his old boss, Terence Beale. Reese has to figure out how to deal with this case in light of the fact that Beale and the CIA believe him to be dead, yet he is still committed to his work in helping the victim in this and any other case. Meanwhile, the Machine has placed Root in the undercover position of a courier driver. ... Written by Huggo

Shaw is able to escape from Greer and his men, using a known method for her friends to find her, all the while eluding Greer and Samaritan. When Shaw is reunited with her friends who believe it best not to take her back to the safe house or divulge the location of the Machine to her, it is not all a happy reunion. While Reese wants to be careful believing that Samaritan might have turned her, they are all aware that a microchip has been implanted in her skull, the chip probably some method of control over her. Even when Root is able to extract the chip from her skull, Shaw knows that something is still not quite right with her. Finch is able to decipher for what the chip was meant to accomplish. All these items together truly do make Shaw a risk to the team. Written by Huggo

The team is divided in their efforts. Finch has set up a confined simulation to see how the Machine would fare against Samaritan in an open battle, the process largely excluding Root. Beyond that exclusion, Root and Finch have a philosophical disagreement on how best to handle the outcome of the simulation, most specifically if Finch needs to make changes to the Machine's coding so that she can better protect herself. Fusco has been menacingly approached by Bruce Moran, an associate of Elias'. Moran, who had been underground since Elias' death four months ago, is looking for answers from the people he thinks are in the know, Fusco only the most visible. They have to decide how much to divulge to Moran for his and their own good. With those three occupied, Reese is left largely on his own to deal with the latest number, that belong to Ethan Garvin, a sound analyst for ShotSeeker, a company that produced and administers a program used by the NYPD that monitors false alarm sounds, most ... Written by Huggo

Reese is given the assignment as lead in dealing with the latest number by the Machine, it a number for a marriage license, that of heiress Phoebe Turner, whose father, Kent Turner, owns a $1 billion horse breeding/racing business, and Will O'Brien, a relatively poor public defender. Finch's initial thought is that Will is the intended target as someone, perhaps Kent, probably does not want him to get his hands on any of the Turners' vast wealth. The best way to deny the perpetrator's intention is to make sure that the wedding proceeds as planned, which means the team infiltrating the wedding. While Finch devises a way for Reese to use his masculine good looks in getting an invite, Finch decides to assist in also being at the wedding, masquerading as one of Will's relatives from Ireland. Finch probably wishes that he did more research into Uncle Ralph before choosing this identity as his way in. They will find that the situation is more complex as one of Phoebe's bridesmaids is ... Written by Huggo

Fusco is in the hospital, recovering. Root goes undercover as the new producer of Mysterious Transmissions in her attempt to save a new number, Warren. She finds out her new boss has intercepted a secret message that he wants to announce live during his radio show. The message is from Samaritan, that kills Warren and makes it look like a suicide. Samaritan is next onto Root. Harold makes an interesting discovery that helps Root send a message to Shaw. But Shaw cannot tell the difference between reality and simulations anymore. Written by Andreea D

Shaw plans and executes an escape from Samaritan's operatives. Mr. Reese is following an international business man named Ko who's getting sick. Things get worse when Ko dies as he may have been infected with a mysterious virus. As a result, Mr. Reese and Harold get trapped in a hospital trying to find the person who may be responsible for Ko's death as well as preventing an outbreak. From the subway, Root helps them identify the perpetrator. However, a third player comes around, Jeff, who's given a tough choice by an operative of Samaritan. Fusco reaches out to Elias to help him dig deeper into the dead bodies from the tunnel. Written by Andreea D

Reese is leading the surveillance on the latest number, 24-hour locksmith Terry Easton. When Reese sees Terry clandestinely breaking into an investment firm, he finds an obviously scared Terry inside with a bomb strapped to his wrist, which Reese is able to dismantle. Reese will learn that Terry's wife Carla is being held hostage by whoever forced Terry to do the break-in by strapping that bomb to his wrist, that person vowing to kill Carla if Terry doesn't comply. Based on voice recognition of the messages left by that person to Terry's cell phone, Finch knows that the person behind what is happening is a mastermind criminal nicknamed The Voice, his identity still unknown. Because of The Voice's deep criminal history, Finch believes he has to call in specialized assistance to find out who The Voice is and what his end game with Terry is. While Reese brings Terry into the precinct for safe keeping, he finds that the precinct is abuzz with activity, including a Hispanic gang called the... Written by Huggo

Feeling like his time is near, Finch hopes to get some answers directly from the Machine before he locks her down, while in the process not wanting his friends to die on his behalf. Finch continues to have philosophical differences with Root about giving the Machine the tools to defend herself, those which were not the rules he wanted when he created her. Finch may have subconsciously predetermined his fate when the next number provided by the Machine is his, meaning that his cover as college professor has been blown. Regardless of Finch's feelings on the matter, his friends intend to protect him to their own deaths if that's what it takes, as in Reese's words Finch is just the next in the latest of numbers he was hired to save. Also on board until the end is Elias, who has seen his friends killed by Samaritan. Finch may make some decisions about the Machine based on what happens as Greer and Samaritan's legion track him. And Reese believes he has come to the true reason why Finch's ... Written by Huggo

The team are faced with a dramatic challenge and have to be one step ahead of the secret service when the machine gives them the number of the President of United States. Meanwhile, Harold separates himself from the team and considers taking drastic action to combat Samaritan to avenge his friends' deaths. Written by jeshu-42609

Finch goes on a mission to destroy Samaritan by unleashing the most dangerous computer virus known on it. In the process, Finch and the Machine continue to discuss in balance if she has done more good or bad. She provides him with simulations of what would have happened to several different people if she had never existed. Finch will also learn if the Machine has truly learned that self-preservation is the top priority. He too will find how much collateral damage he is willing to exact in the process. Meanwhile, Reese and Shaw receive the next number from the Machine, that belonging to an alias for Greer. What they believe his number means is that the showdowns between he and Finch and thus between Samaritan and the Machine are imminent. But most importantly, they know in following the leads to Greer, they will also find Finch. Those leads take them back to Washington DC, most specifically the offices of the National Security Agency (NSA). They may be without the services of the ... Written by Huggo

Shaw visits Root's grave to say her final goodbyes. Mr. Reese and Lionel are given the rough edge tongue by the police chief, who figures out that John is in fact the man in a suit. The police arrest them and are ready to make them disappear forever. However, they are interrupted by Mr. Finch's arrival. The team splits in two, Lionel and Shaw who remain with the the Machine in order to protect it, while Mr. Reese and Mr. Finch attempt to destroy Samaritan's back-up servers. Mr. Finch says his final goodbye to his friend, Mr. Reese. Wounded by a gunshot, he starts hallucinating Root, while Mr. Reese sacrifices himself. Shaw finally avenges Root's death. Written by Andy Ward