It's clear that Season 6 of “Nashville” is going to be filled with dreams and dilemmas that radically alter the lives of beloved characters on the drama in its final season. What is just as evident is that through its long run, these characters have become family to each other, as much as to their viewers. A family is at the center of what happens in Episode 10 of Season 6, “Two Sparrows in a Hurricane.” Daphne (Maisy Stella) is seizing her opportunity for stardom and lasting artistry in the “Next Nashville Country Star” competition, too young to realize that Brad Maitland (Jeffrey Nordling) is manipulating her emotions much more than he is sharing sage music industry wisdom.

Jessie and Deacon (Kaitlin Doubleday and Charles Esten) are being menaced by Maitland in a different way, as he seeks sole custody of Jake. They see a high-powered attorney, who insists that the only way to win in court is to put Jake on the stand and let him explain the abuse of his father. Jessie and Deacon decline to put him through any further emotional torture.

Alannah (Rainee Blake) finally gets Avery (Jonathan Jackson) to succumb to her wiles, but Gunnar (Sam Palladio) isn’t about to let his jealous fury go. Scarlett (Clare Bowen) coaxes Sean (Jake Etheridge) to what she thinks will be a quiet coffeehouse stage. He finds the courage to get through the song, but can she find the courage to face his wartime truth?

Everything comes at a cost

Deacon doesn't take “No” for an answer when it comes to paying for the legal costs to win back Jessie’s custody of Jake. Sadly, what is most difficult for the couple is realizing that their relationship cannot continue until the case is settled. Both know that Brad will weaponize every word and every smidgen of information that he can attain against them.

They toy with the idea of keeping it “a secret thing,” but that would mean asking their children to lie, so they bid goodbye.

Daphne is already the clear front-runner in the competition, but she doesn't want to use her famous mother to gain favor. Brad compares her ability to that of Eric Clapton and Faith Hill, prodding her to dig deeper into her feelings for her mother.

Deacon knows that Maitland’s motive is purely monetary, seeking to line his pockets. He tells Daphne to explore and express as many feelings as she can in her music, but to be careful about exposing too much, to the wrong people, just for a few moments of fame. She contends that she is being treated as “too young” to be a true artist.

Alannah is a cold fish when it comes to Gunner’s impromptu romantic visit, a bottle of wine in hand. She bluntly tells him she feels “shutdown.” He leaves, dejected, but she can hardly wait to visit Avery again, and this time, because he was turned down by Gunnar for a guys’ evening in, her advances pay off. They share a kiss, and more, before going to their performance with the band.

From his parked car, Gunnar watches their affectionate exchanges as they walk into the venue. Earlier in the day, Alannah teased that more than mere couples’ therapy, the group needed “quadruples therapy.” It's going to take a lot more than that to cool down these flames.

Gunnar is seething, and gets through the opening song, glaring at Avery and Allanah before he storms off the stage. Naturally, Alannah says that she saw this coming. What she also sees is a very big check from Brad Maitland, as an advance on her signing as his solo artist. She's always playing an angle, and this time it's her against three. It won't be long until all three men will rue every regretful moment with her.

The truth hurts

Scarlett urges Jake to come to the coffeehouse for an “open mic night,” assuring that she will be right beside him. By the time they get there, the place is packed, not like when she stopped in during the morning. Still, when Jake's name is announced, he makes his way to the stage and manages to sing his “Send Me an Angel,” almost as a gift to Scarlett. The crowd loves it, but the commotion and noise are about to trigger the veteran and his PTSD. When they go outside, Jake relates the full story about why he feels he was a failure as a soldier, letting his best friend be lost in a roadside attack. His traumatic recollections bring out, in Scarlett, every tender urge to help and heal, but this is no stray kitten on the streets of Nashville, and Jake needs greater intervention than she can give.

Avery tries to hash out the contention with Gunnar, beating on his door. Gunnar remains holed-up inside, refusing to answer.

Jessie tells Deacon that he is the “kindest man” she's ever known, and she is devastated by the situation with her ex-husband, saying that she wished she had never met him. Deacon resolutely admonishes that she “solve the problem.”

Daphne dazzles all of the competition judges in her performance of “Memories Crash.” Already, Maitland had discussed with the panel of judges the power of using Rayna Jaymes’ daughter in his enterprise. She is swept up in her first brush of fame as an artist in her own right. She rushes to her sister, Maddie (Lennon Stella), and Deacon, surrounded by their protective arms, just before the “Nashville” credits roll.
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