I thought the scene with John crying was there to affirm the earlier statement about the Resistance needing to that see he had a human side.
What evidence was there onscreen to say Derek's gun wasn't loaded? I sure didn't see anything.
It's not something you see, it's something you
hear. We got a "click" when Derek pulled the trigger, but not a "BANG!". I also suspected there was no bullet in the chamber.
I agree on the last scene - beautifully done, as Cameron either doesn't notice or doesn't know what to do when John looks at her, and then he turns to Sarah for support. I liked it that John spared Jesse, and I liked it that he seemed to realise his future self was also at fault for becoming so aloof. Present John is firmly human though, and he manages to care for and Riley, and Cameron, and Derek, and Sarah, while sparing Jesse.
Future Connor's secrecy (if he is even alive) was a major contribution factor to the mess on the submarine, as he was requiring blind trust in a reprogrammed Terminator (and they can go bad, sometimes). He should have at least told Jesse the real deal (probably afraid of freaking the resistance out with attempt to ally with non-aligned, non-reprogrammed Terminators).
Excellent episode all around, the way an almost season-long arc of Jesse and Riley came together in the end was beautiful. Big contrast to BSG; planning things out really helps.
