S02E22 - The Ask

"The Ask" is the twenty-second episode of Season 2 of We Can Fix Pawbert. It centers on the clemency hearing that determines how much of Pawbert's twelve-year sentence remains.

Synopsis

Nikki Bramble files a clemency petition and Mayor Winddancer expedites the hearing. Bogo, Agent Corbin, Nick, Judy, and Luther testify. Winddancer grants the commutation—twelve years reduced to time served plus one year remaining.

Plot

Nikki Bramble files the clemency petition at the City Hall Clemency Bureau, where a young pronghorn clerk named Tessa confirms that the Mayor has been expecting it. Given the public interest following the siege, Tessa promises Nikki will have her hearing date by end of day. Later at Site Two, the pack gathers while Nikki checks her phone every thirty seconds. When the call comes, she announces the hearing is scheduled for the next morning—unusually fast, but the siege changed everything.

Nikki explains the format: this is not a trial, there is no jury or prosecution, and the Mayor has broad discretion. She plans to call witnesses who can speak to Pawbert's character—Chief Bogo for institutional support, Agent Corbin for intelligence value, and the pack members themselves. She warns Luther that the hearing is public, with press present, and whatever he says goes on record. In the kitchen, Pawbert confides to Judy that having hope is harder than accepting the worst. Judy reminds him that whatever happens, the pack will be there every week.

The next morning, the pack arrives at City Hall, entering through a side door to avoid press. Hearing Chamber Three is smaller than Pawbert expected—no jury box, just a raised dais where Mayor Winddancer presides. Nikki presents the petition, summarizing Pawbert's cooperation with the RICO prosecution, his survival of multiple assassination attempts, and his refusal to activate the weather wall override when his uncle put a gun to his head. She emphasizes that the bullet wound in his shoulder is the receipt for that refusal.

Chief Bogo testifies that Pawbert's rehabilitation is genuine—he has seen criminals perform, and this is not performance. Agent Corbin confirms ZSI supports the petition without reservation, citing Pawbert's critical intelligence work during the siege. Judy speaks as a victim who has watched Pawbert change, defining accountability as what someone does with the time they are given. Nick admits he did not want to like Pawbert—it would have been easier if he had stayed a monster—but argues that at some point, the choices have to matter. Luther describes Pawbert as someone who has decided who he wants to be and chose to be that person even when it cost him everything.

ADA Wesley Evers delivers the District Attorney's position: given Pawbert's exceptional cooperation and his actions during the crisis, the DA's office does not oppose the commutation request. Winddancer then calls Pawbert forward. Reading from a prepared script his aide Tessa wrote, Winddancer acknowledges that the original sentence was not excessive but that it was imposed on a mammal who believed his only value was as a tool for his family's crimes. He declares that the mammal before him today is not that person. Winddancer signs the commutation order—twelve years reduced to time served plus one year remaining, post-release supervision reduced from five to three years. He looks directly at Pawbert and tells him not to make him regret this. Pawbert promises he will not.

In the aftermath, the pack processes the decision together. Back at Site Two, Nikki echoes the challenge Harvey Specter gave Pawbert during the moot court: one year—make it count. Over dinner, Nick tells a story from his con artist days and observes that Pawbert wanted the truth even when it hurt. That night, Pawbert and Luther lie together, counting down to the transport that will take Pawbert back to ZCF. Luther promises to be there when he gets out. He would wait forever if he had to.

Key Moments

• Nikki Bramble files the clemency petition at City Hall
• Mayor Winddancer expedites the hearing to the next morning
• Nikki warns Luther that the public hearing will put their relationship on record
• Pawbert confides to Judy that having hope is harder than accepting the worst
• Chief Bogo testifies that Pawbert's rehabilitation is genuine
• Agent Corbin confirms ZSI supports the petition without reservation
• Judy defines accountability as what you do with the time you're given
• Nick argues that the choices have to matter at some point
• Luther describes Pawbert as someone who has decided who he wants to be
• ADA Wesley Evers confirms the DA does not oppose the petition
• Winddancer grants the commutation—one year remaining, PRS reduced to three years
• Nikki echoes Harvey Specter's challenge from the moot court

Key Lines

Characters Introduced

Locations

Items

Notes

• The clemency hearing is the legal culmination of Pawbert's rehabilitation arc.
• "One year. Make it count" echoes Harvey Specter's earlier challenge from the Suits crossover.
• ADA Wesley Evers is Wesley Evers from The Rookie (Angela Lopez's husband), appearing as a one-time cameo in his only appearance in the series.