Love and War

**"Love and War"** is the third episode of the first season of *All American: Homecoming*. It first aired on March 7, 2022.

## Synopsis

**GOOD INTENTIONS** - When Damon and JR devise a plan to help boost the baseball team's morale, they realize they have their work cut out for them when an unforeseen obstacle enters that could derail their efforts. Simone tries to extend an olive branch to Thea, but things don't turn out as she was expecting. As the RA in her dorm, Keisha is met with constant complaints and in the midst of it all, a secret she has been keeping from a friend is revealed. Meanwhile, a former student offers Amara a tempting offer, but Coach Marcus makes a surprising discovery that might be of more interest to Amara.

## Plot

Simone runs laps on the tack and gets her time under seven minutes. The teammates give her a bag full of merch so she’ll feel and look great on the court. Simon sees Thea across the court by herself.

The baseball team loses another game by a run. Damon thinks it’s progress - they didn’t lose by a lot. Marcus tells them to keep their heads up as he’s proud of them for their hard work. JR tells Marcus they need to do something about the morale, and Marcus knows it will hurt a lot until they can do that. Damon and JR propose new equipment but the money isn’t there. Damon asks if individual sponsorships are available, but Marcus doesn’t want the boys to compete with one another. JR knows Damon is going to make some calls anyway. He’s just going to see if anyone is interested and will worry about Marcus later.

Damon tries to convince people to give endorsements with little progress. Simone notices he’s upset and he tells her about the sponsorship attempts. They either aren’t interested in HBCU sports or don’t want the scandal drama. She’s sure they’ll find something. He points out her new bag which she earned by running a mile under seven minutes. She has to get to the top six and starts to stress so she stops her. He takes her hands and makes her take a deep breath. He tells her to enjoy the moment. He tells her to focus on bonding with her teammates. She calls him out for being a bonding expert after a week.

Simone thanks Nate for letting her stay with her in the dorm. Keisha jokes about undercover arrangements going on. Nate praises her for making the tennis squad, but Simone is worried about Thea. Keisha knows it’s all about jealousy. Keisha is making gift bags for Thea as it’s her birthday soon. A girl, Wilinda, knocks on the door so Kiesha leaves. Simone feels inspired.

Damon and JR try to earn money a different way when they notice a sponsor in the stands, courtesy of Damon’s mother, Keena, who just arrived. She points out that Damon could have asked her for help, but he didn’t think she would help. He doesn’t want her to steamroll as there are protocols as Marcus wouldn’t be cool about it. Marcus is upset, and she intervenes to say Damon didn’t call her. President Allen already approved her offering her services and suggests he take his issues up with Allen.

Simone asks the girls if they have something planned for Thea’s birthday and they don’t. Simone sits with Nathaniel and Keisha who aren’t interested in helping. Nate tells her to let it go which Keisha agrees with, though Simone still wants to try.

In class, Nate asks questions to Ralph Wells, an author. He learned everything he knows from Amara’s class. Everyone claps at the end of class. Amara praises Ralph for being great now and he offers to grab lunch, but she doesn’t have time. Ralph offers dinner instead to help her grade papers. She offers to cook.

Keena talks to him and admits she’s proud of him. The other sponsors fell into place along with some press that will be there tomorrow. She knows a lot of attention will be there, and the perfect spot for players to pull in endorsements. Damon jogs onto the field and JR introduces himself to Keena. He asks about Damon’s scar and she admits he’s had it since he was a baby. When she leaves, JR looks at a photo of the baby picture he found and notices the fresh cut on the forehead.

Simone and Damon talk as they work, and he’s happy with his mom’s supportive attitude. He notices her disbelief but he’s sure Keena is okay with it. Their moms aren’t that different, as she and Tina are at odds because her mom refuses to accept her choices. He gets upset and tells her he wanted to her to listen, not criticize his mom. He packs up his things and leaves.

Amara and Ralph laugh and talk over food. He offers her a job if she wants it.

Simone sets up a surprise party for Thea when a girl arrives hoping to study. Thea arrives having heard about the party. She doesn’t get what Simone is trying to do. Thea has no choice but to show up now that everyone knows, but Simone convinces her to show up so they can celebrate her.

Damon thanks President Allen for approving Keena’s help despite Marcus not being okay with it. Allen asks JR for some privacy with Damon. Allen knows that Damon stepping into the role of a public star will bring in more money for the whole team. Damon points out that Keena is working on endorsements for everyone, it’s a team effort, not just him. Allen thinks he’s misunderstood and shows the logos that were created with his team number, which will bring in sponsorships for just him.

Simone and Thea head to the party together where Thea agrees to feign surprise. When they arrive, the room is empty except for a few male students playing video games, Keisha, and Nate. Thea knew that no one would show at her party and that’s why she didn’t want one. Simone questions Keisha and Nate about not telling her the party was a bust. Wilinda shows up to speak with Keisha and file a formal complaint against Simone and Nate. She knows Simone has been staying there with Nate, who she misgenders as male, and Nate doesn’t have the right to risk everyone’s safety by letting others shack up in their dorms and use up their resources. Simone immediately jumps to defense mode, correcting Wilinda for misgendering Nate. She confronts Melinda about her problem but Nate calls out Simone. Keisha takes Melinda to fill out the paperwork. Simone questions Nate on why she lets Melinda treat her like that, and Nate knows Melinda is trying to stir her up. She knows who she is and if she sat around trying to correct everyone she’d run out of air. Simone calls Melinda a “Karen” and threatens to handle it if Nathaniel won’t. Nathaniel has enough and tells Simone to listen when people tell her their boundaries. If she had listened to Thea she would have spared her the embarrassment of an empty party, then storms out.

Marcus tells Amara about the sponsorships and his worries. She thinks it’s an opportunity for the athletes to be compensated for their work. He worries about what will happen when some players get endorsements and others don’t. She tells him to keep an open mind. She tells him about her journalist position offer at the Atlanta Daily News. She would give up Bringston and considering everything, she’s thinking of leaving. They postponed her tenure hearing and they both know it’s more fallout for her being a whistleblower. She won’t’ stay if they mess with her tenure. He wants her to stay. They are interrupted by Simone, so Marcus leaves. Simone asks if they used to date as they had vibes, but Amara tells her to stay out of folks’ business. After bugging her more, Amara admits she and Marcus used to date but they had deep personal differences that couldn’t be put aside.

The team readies for the sponsorships. Damon talks to Marcus in his office about the presentation, as it isn’t for the whole team. He admits that Allen confirmed it earlier. Marcus wishes he had listened as this will shatter team morale. Damon didn’t mean for this to happen as his mom lied to him. He doesn’t want the guys to be blindsided but can’t bring himself to do it. Marcus tells him to be honest and talk to his team.

Damon takes the stage in front of everyone. He invites the team up on the stage with him as he gives a speech about why he chose Bringston, its legacy, and the baseball team. Tonight isn’t about him but also his teammates. One by one, the teammates give speeches about their lives and what they represent. Marcus plays a video they put together of the team to sell everyone on their team. It is voiced over by JR’s speech to the students on bonfire night. Afterward, a man introduces himself and promises to be in touch as he was impressed. The team is elated to have landed one of the biggest sponsors. Damon admits they didn’t land the deal as someone promising to be in touch means they won’t be.

Wilinda is talking with a friend who leaves, just as Nathaniel arrives. Nathaniel suggests Wilinda stop bothering her friends and address the person she has a problem with. Wilinda doesn’t respect certain people getting special treatment. She goes to walk away when Nathaniel asks what that has to do with her. Wilinda thinks it’s unfair that Nathaniel is the only one who has her own room with its own bathroom while the rest have to share a gross communal one. Nathaniel wonders if she really wants to share a bathroom with her. The university assigned her the room for that very reason. Wilinda points out that the university had nothing to do with it, as the room is supposed to be for R.A.s. Keisha made sure she got it and doesn’t think it’s fair.

Marcus walks into the locker room with the boys. He has decided to send the video to local sponsors and several businesses want to sponsor several players. The team is elated and Marcus was inspired by the leadership and community he saw. Damon suggests using their individual endorsements to create a team fund and everyone agrees.

Simone apologizes to Damon for projecting her issues, but he admits she doesn’t have to as she was right. He wanted to see the bets but he can’t force it to be true. She suggests making things right before Keena leaves.

Simone finds Thea and apologizes as she wanted to celebrate with her friends. Thea doesn’t have any friends as the girls from the team only tolerate her. Her parents paid for the facility and if anyone had a choice they wouldn’t choose to hang out with her. Simone admits she made a mistake by projecting her birthday wishes onto Thea, instead of listening to her wishes. Thea commends her for trying. Simone asks how she wants to celebrate the rest of her day, and Thea just wants food.

Wilinda gives Keisha another written complaint. Nathaniel shows up to tell Keisha that the other dormmates have admitted that Wilinda is sneaking her boyfriend in and out of the dorms after hours. She has their signatures as witnesses, so Wilinda takes back the complaint. Nathaniel assures Wilinda they will be friends one day, promising on it, but Wilinda just leaves.

Marcus is doing paperwork when Allen arrives to applaud him for his work. Allen wants to force the players to share 75% of their shares with the university. Marcus refuses and tells Allen the boys won’t be ponies in his show any longer. Allen warns him not to get too comfortable, with Marcus asking if he’ll get shuffled out like Amara. He points out Amara’s tenure is on hold, with a surprised Allen admitting that all the professors’ tenures are not just hers. He asks why that is, but Allen doesn’t owe him an explanation and tells him to mind his business by staying in his lane.

Keena tells Damon that she’s impressed that he flipped the script on her, but he isn’t pleased. He doesn’t want a relationship where they have to fight each other over the business. She takes a moment then says she’s listening. He admits he loves her which is why he has to fire her as his unofficial manager. He’s an adult, in college, and his baseball career is his. He wants to build a relationship with just them without baseball or anything else. He needs his mother. She apologizes as the lines somehow got blurred. She admits that nothing makes her happier than being his mom. They hug one another.

Marcus tells Amara that the tenures are postponed for everyone, but she knows the university would only do that if they were in more trouble financially than previously believed. Simone arrives with Thea, so Amara takes a moment alone to call Ralph and admit she’s going to stay at Bringston. She does have a potential story.

Nathaniel comes into Keisha’s room to talk with her about something serious. She appreciates her looking out for her but doesn’t need her going back her back to fight her battles. She knows about the room situation. She thought the university was being inclusive but it was really Keisha making it all happen so she wouldn’t have to endure bigotry. Keisha just wanted her to feel safe and comfortable, which Nathaniel knows and appreciates. But in the real world, she won’t always have her Keisha shield. Se needs to fight these battles now so she can create a place for herself. She needs to be prepared. Keisha apologizes and hears her, promising no more Keisha’s shield until she needs to beat someone for her.

At dinner with Amara, the teens talk happily. Simone notices JR looking at Damon and Marcus in an odd way. He has to tell someone and pulls Simone aside, making her promise to keep things between them. She agrees and they talk in private. JR admits to thinking Damon is his biological brother. When he was a toddler he swore his parents had another baby, but one day, the baby was just gone. Everyone acted like it never happened, and he thought he’d made it all up until a few years ago when he found a picture of that baby in a bible his mom gave him. The baby looks a lot like Damon - right down to the scar. Simone is surprised and JR elaborates that both their birth parents to Bringston. Simone admits that Marcus and Amara went to Bringston and were a serious couple until something super personal came between them. JR doesn’t think that’s the case as they both could be jumping to conclusions. Simone counters that one of them could be right. Thea admits to the group she’s always wanted to pole dance, and Keisha has the perfect cap for her birthday. The girls pole dance at a dance studio while Simone watches, looking at the baby photo JR sent.

## Cast

### Starring

* Geffri Maya as Simone Hicks
* Peyton Alex Smith as Damon Sims
* Kelly Jenrette as Amara Patterson
* Cory Hardrict as Coach Marcus Turner
* Sylvester Powell as Jessie Raymond
* Netta Walker as Keisha McCalla
* Camille Hyde as Thea Mays
* Mitchell Edwards as Cam Watkins (credit only)

### Guest Starring

* Robert Bailey Jr. as Ralph Wells
* Iyana Halley as Wilinda
* Rhoyle Ivy King as Nathaniel Hardin
* Tamberla Perry as Keena Sims
* Leonard Roberts as President Zeke Allen

### Co-Starring

* Sebastian Armani as Cole Higgins
* Joe Daru as Coach Yee
* Terrence Hardy Jr. as Art
* Lesette Latimer as Jerika
* Anton Peeples as Coach Lowe
* Derek Rivera as Santiago Reyes
* John Weselcouch as Aiden Pederson

## Trivia

* This episode's title originated from the song "Love and War", originally sung by Kodak Black.
* Netta, Camille, and Rhoyle had 3 hours to learn how to pole dance for the final scene.

## Multimedia

### Videos

All American- Homecoming - Season 1 Episode 3 - Love And War Promo - The CW
## References

1. ↑ *All American: Homecoming:* Season One Ratings
2. ↑ Listings - ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING on The CW | TheFutonCritic.com
3. ↑ @BringstonLions on Twitter