Smitty’s big decision on Ray Donovan: Would you do the same?

Ray Donovan gave Smitty a look that would turn Medusa into stone on tonight’s episode after his family-altering decision was revealed. Would you have done the same in Smitty’s position?

This article contains spoilers for Ray Donovan Season 7 Episode 8 (“Passport and a Gun”).

A Donovan house divided against itself, cannot stand. Abraham Lincoln’s 1858 Senatorial run address said it best. Smitty made a life changing decision on tonight’s Ray Donovan episode that will polarize fans eternally in its rubble. He agreed to snitch against the family that welcomed him as one of their own, against the man that saved his life in the first place. In return? The debt for his freedom has been collected upon. Only instead of an envelope stock full of money or a vintage baseball jersey, his payment came through the use of a wire. One that will implicit Ray and remove Smitty’s crest off the Donovan family tree unceremoniously.

Daryll losing Jasmine [Keren Dukes] on tonight’s Ray Donovan chapter was ominous for what Smitty’s crystal ball holds. When Daryll decided to forgo allegiance to his own father and go against the house of Donovan, he ended up losing the love of his life. Even if Smitty doesn’t physically lose Bridget for going against the family, he will never have her trust again. Though Smitty whimpered to Ray about doing this to protect Bridget, if she had one foot out the door before, she’ll be out of the house and in the Taxi now. Marriage annulled. Finito.

Liev Schreiber as Ray Donovan in RAY DONOVAN, “Passport and a Gun”. Photo Credit: Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME.

Ray’s look towards Smitty was one of pure disappointment more than surprise, a stare-down that’s silent yet deadly. Cutting deep into the very soul. Put yourself into Smitty’s shoes, would you have agreed to cooperate with Detective Perry [Quincy Tyler Bernstine]? On one side, without Ray Donovan, there is likely no Smitty. His story simply ends without an operation, right or wrong. There is no Bridget, no new chapters, only an epilogue. On the other side, in reality, most people would do anything do stay out of the big house. Even if it means ‘snitching’ to take the heat off themselves. Cutting a deal means getting to live the second chance at life Smitty was given, even without Bridget.

From Smitty’s perspective, he already faces a collapsing marriage with a wife that’s cheated on him, and now potentially long-term jail time for crimes he wanted no part of. Time lost by association. Would most people not take the exit door in that situation? What about you? Would you be able to look at yourself in the mirror? Turn your back on the house that clothed you and healed you… Would you bite the hand that feeds to save yourself?

Be sure to read The Natural Aristocrat’s interview with Sandy Martin on Sandy Patrick! Check out more coverage of Showtime’s Ray Donovan on The Natural Aristocrat’s Ray Donovan category section.