How to Get Away With Murder Recap: [Spoiler] Is Killed, Annalise Faces the Death Penalty
Torture, murder and a declaration of love.
In last week’s HTGAWM recap, Gabriel learned who killed Asher while Annalise discovered her former students had turned on her. This week, Soaps.com has the season 6 episode 12 recap where another character is murdered and Annalise’s situation grows more dire.
A panicked Gabriel tells Oliver, Connor, and Michaela at their place that Agent Pollack killed Asher. They question his story and order him out but wonder if he is telling the truth once he’s gone.
The next day, Tegan and Annalise head to court where the AUSA presents her intention to pursue the death penalty against Annalise. Annalise and Tegan jolt up in protest. The judge advises them to take it up with the Department of Justice, but they know getting a meeting will take too long.
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Gabriel’s mother, Vivian, arrives at the law offices to meet with Annalise to tell her the FBI killed Asher. They move to the parking garage to talk privately. Vivian reminds a wary Annalise Gabriel’s testimony could blow up the FBI’s case against her, but she wants Annalise to keep his statement anonymous. Annalise can’t do that and starts to leave. Vivian calls out that she has more information that could help her case, but she needs Annalise to protect Gabriel first. A disdainful Annalise walks away. Back in the offices, Annalise instructs Frank to look into Agent Pollack. Bonnie thinks they should tell Nate about the Feds killing Asher because it could scare him back to their side. Annalise shuts that down.
Vivian returns to Gabriel’s place. He can’t believe she told Annalise and plays the recording of Frank threatening to kill him when they thought he was testifying against her. Vivian recognizes Frank’s voice. She explains Sam’s sister Hannah grew up knowing Frank’s family.
Frank tails Agent Pollack to an outdoor café where she leaves a cup of coffee on a table and walks away. Frank sees Xavier Castillo walk by and swipe the cup that contains a plane ticket and passport. Later, Frank calls Bonnie to tell her he has Xavier, who is tied up in a warehouse. Bonnie urges him to tell her where they are because they need Xavier to testify in court. Frank knows, but this isn’t something she should see. As he prepares to torture Xavier, Castillo offers to tell Frank where Laurel is. Frank isn’t interested. He has someone who loves him for all his dark and twistedness and her name is not Laurel. Frank later calls Bonnie. Annalise grabs the phone and learns Xavier confessed to hiring Agent Pollack, but said no one else in the FBI is dirty. Annalise urges Frank not to kill him. Frank’s not an animal, but he does plan to dig for more information, namely if Governor Birkhead is on Xavier’s payroll. Annalise has a better idea.
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Annalise meets with Nate in the parking garage. She can take him to Xavier, the man who killed his father, if Nate testifies for her, not against her. She declares all of the FBI is dirty in an attempt to convince him.
After a lot of hand wringing upon learning Annalise could get the death penalty, Connor and Michaela meet with Annalise at her place. Connor plays her the recording of Gabriel warning them about Agent Pollack. They also apologize for taking a deal against her with the Feds. However, Connor thinks if they use the recording to get the charge for Asher’s murder dropped they won’t have to testify against her.
Following a press conference, where Annalise accuses the Department of Justice of being racist and corrupt, a committee agrees to meet with her. As Tegan argues Annalise’s case in a conference room, Annalise plays a recording she secretly made of her conversation with Michaela and Connor. It includes them accusing the FBI of coercing their confessions. The women wait for a verdict on a bench in the hallway. Tegan, who was previously called out by Robert (the man Annalise recently dated) for having feelings for Annalise, holds her hand. Tegan tells her friend how much she believes in her. A teary Annalise puts her head on Tegan’s shoulder. When they reconvene, the committee agrees to take the death penalty off the table. The Feds then pay Connor and Michaela a visit to bring them in.
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As Frank sits in a car outside the warehouse, he assures Bonnie over the phone that he loves her, not Laurel. He is in this with her to the bitter end. Meanwhile, Nate coerces Xavier into admitting it was Governor Birkhead’s plan to have Nate’s father killed in order to tank Annalise’s supreme court case and that Pollack has been following Birkhead’s orders. In addition, Xavier’s father is the one who told him to go along with every one of the governor’s orders, including killing Nate Sr. Xavier can help Nate get to his father, who deserves whatever happens. Nate agrees and says, “Let’s hurt him.” He snaps Xavier’s neck.
Vivian visits Annalise at home. Annalise assures her she could have but didn’t expose Gabriel to the FBI. Vivian in turn tells Annalise Hannah is the one who started the war against her. This is not a surprise to Annalise. Hannah has always hated her. Vivian realizes Annalise doesn’t know. Annalise asks, “Know what?” Vivian replies, “What happened with her and Sam.”
