This episode’s cold open brings back Young Kim Wexler. Young Kim has been caught shoplifting a necklace and a pair of earrings from a department store, and when her mother arrives, it looks like Kim is in serious trouble. But that’s all for show. After they leave, Kim’s mother mocks the store manager and gives Kim the very necklace and earring set she was trying to steal. Young Kim looks puzzled, to which her mother replies, “Relax, you got away with it.” It’s yet more great insight into Kim as a character, and confirmation that Jimmy didn’t create her moral greyness and questionable decisions — he just helped bring it back to the surface. 

But Kim is still a lawyer, and a damn good one. So good, in fact, that Cliff comes to her and tells her about a job opening with a foundation that funds justice reform programs. Kim jumps at the chance, but there’s a snag: her interview for the gig takes place on “D Day,” aka the day that the “get Howard” plot finally enters its final stage. Jimmy, knowing how important the job is for Kim, tells her not to worry — they can still make it happen without Kim being around. 

The plan — which, again, remains shrouded in mystery — involves someone impersonating the judge handling the Sandpiper mediation. Last week, I theorized that Jimmy was going to be the imposter. Instead, he and his team of film student nerds have recruited an actor to play the judge, and appear in some still photos involving Jimmy and a large amount of money — a large amount of money that Howard is aware of, because the private eye he hired to follow Jimmy witnessed the bank withdraw. 

There’s the briefest glimmer of hope before the episode ends. On “D Day,” Jimmy heads out to purchase the ultra-expensive tequila Kim likes in order to celebrate the success of the plan. But then he spots the real Sandpiper judge, and sees he’s wearing a rather large cast on his arm. This will screw up the plot, since the impostor judge in the photos doesn’t have a cast. Kim is halfway to her interview when Jimmy gives her a call. He’s distressed, but he also calmly tells Kim that it’s okay — they’ll pull the plug on the entire plan and try again some other time. Here is Kim’s exit. Her way out. Her chance to avoid finally going down a path that will almost certainly lead to ruin. Instead, she violently turns the car around, and angrily tells Jimmy, “It happens today.” Oh Kim, you were so close.