Live to Fight

"This is a one-time offer, and the clock's ticking. You still get to go to trial, we get Donna and her father off limits, and we both live to fight another day."
— Harvey Specter to Anita Gibbs

Live to Fight is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of Suits and the 72nd overall. It first aired on February 3, 2016.

Synopsis

Harvey is back on his home court, with Donna back by his side, but there's no time to get comfortable as Anita Gibbs' next move hits both of them where it hurts. Meanwhile, it's revealed that the Justice Department's investigation into Mike was kicked off by an anonymous tip. Mike and Louis must identify the tipster before Gibbs can, in order to diffuse this damning piece of evidence. And Jessica confronts the fact that Gibbs isn't only interested in Mike Ross – she's set her sights on Harvey and Jessica as well.

Plot

To be added

Cast

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Stephen Macht as Henry Gerard
D.B. Woodside as Jeff Malone
Rachael Harris as Sheila Sazs
Aloma Wright as Gretchen Bodinski
John Pyper-Ferguson as Jack Soloff

Guest Cast

Leslie Hope as Anita Gibbs
Derek McGrath as Jim Paulsen
Suzanne McKenney as Judge Ralls
Jeni Ross as Young Donna Paulsen

Major/Highlighted Events

It is revealed that Sheila Sazs was the one who reported and exposed Mike Ross' fraud.
- After being sent an article by the American Business Association regarding Mike Ross' meteoric rise to Junior Partner, Sheila decided to dig through her file room, as she did not remember him. After failing to find a file, she elected to send an anonymous tip via email to the U.S Attorney's Office.
- When Louis Litt confronts her about her decision in Boston, she realizes that he was aware of the fraud, and wonders why he would protect such a "lowlife". She then tells Louis to get out, but not before assuring him that she would not come forward. However, at the end of the episode, she comes forward and reveals to the Attorney's Office that it was she who wrote the email.
- Gretchen Bodinski, Harvey's former secretary, is now working as Louis' secretary; she informs a surprised Louis that she knew Norma for the last 30 years, and was well aware of who Louis was. She also reveals that, believing Harvey Specter was sad that it was Jack Soloff who promoted Mike instead of him, she called the ABA and had them do an article about Mike Ross in order to cheer Harvey, and that it was this very article that found its way to Sheila.
Jessica Pearson, in an attempt to protect herself, seeks Jeff Malone and asks him to be her attorney. Before accepting, he tells her to tell her the truth without the protection of attorney-client privilege. Wanting to rebuild her trust with Jeff, as well as the fact she did plan to tell him earlier, Jessica confesses, and the two come up with a plan to have Mike destroy the letter Jessica drafted years ago to protect herself from Mike's fraud; however, Mike only agrees to do so if she destroys the affidavit that she had Rachel Zane sign that names Rachel as a co-conspirator to fraud.
- However, Jeff later decides not to be her attorney anymore, but tells her to build up on their renewed mutual trust once this case is all done and over with.
Donna Paulsen's personal life is revealed a little more – her father, James "Jim" Paulsen, once lost all of their family's money in a gamble, causing them to leave their large family home and live in a small apartment in Hartford, Connecticut. After Donna began working for Harvey, Jim decided to ask Donna to get Harvey to give him a loan of $250,000; when Harvey refused, citing that the numbers didn't add up, Donna decided to allow her father to access her 401K retirement fund. Wanting to protect Donna, Harvey threatened Jim into not accepting her offer or else he would tie him up in court for 20 years; Jim then inflated his assets illegally, committing bank fraud.

Cultural References

Harvey Specter refers to Mike Ross' business attire as his Superman outfit.

Trivia

Goddamn Counter: 11
This episode received 1.51 million views on its initial broadcast.

Goofs/Inconsistencies

Harvey claims to have worked at the D.A.'s Office for five years; however, multiple prior episodes revealed that he had joined Pearson Hardman as a fifth-year, meaning he spent four years at the District Attorney's Office.