Picking up where we left off, since the credentials he was given that were supposed to get him into the Embassy were compromised on purpose, Jack has to create a diversion to get in. Kate and Erik see Jack graze a couple of people outside the embassy to start the scene, and they rush in after him. Jack is successful in locating Lieutenant Tanner and finding out where his flight key is. Unfortunately, the embassy is on lockdown and there is no escape for Jack. His second plan is just to get to a secure location within the embassy where he can download the data from the flight recorder to Chloe in Open Cell. Chloe promises Jack she will get the information to the President. Things go horribly wrong when Mark is able to sway the President to authorize the Marines strike on Jack. Before the transmission could happen, IJack had to decrypt the program. He runs out of time to complete the data transfer. Kate risks life and limb to get into the room, hoping to get Jack to agree to surrender before the Marines break in. Jack agrees after Kate promises she will complete the data transfer. Jack goes into CIA custody and the data transfer is aborted.
Now while the tricks that are used in the episode, like for example traversing through air shafts, have been used in previous seasons, and the government seems hell bent to brand a man who has given everything he has to his country a terrorist, 24 continues to be quite a fun ride to take each Monday night. The show always keeps one on his/her toes, and I find myself at least on the edge of my seat, if not standing and pacing throughout the episode.
In last week’s installment, we see the commencement of what we knew was inevitable from the first hour, that Kate would wind up figuring out enough about Jack to know that she should trust him. We also know that given her history—specifically her inability to see that her own husband was a spy—means that her superiors as well as her field agents, will have a very difficult time accepting or agreeing with her new found faith in Jack. It seems that anyone that would potentially back Kate’s play has some reason why their opinion cannot be trusted either—like how the random CIA agent who told Navarro he shouldn’t be so dismissive of what Kate says, is discredited because of his obvious crush on Kate. It seems then that Kate’s only hope is to et Erik on her side. As the person taking her position after her forced relocation, he stands the least to gain by Kate being right. He could fear that they will decide that Kate belongs there and then he could lose his bright shiny new promotion. We also know that he does have his own interests in mind. He seems willing to listen though, and has a respect for Kate, her methodology and tactics. I have a lot of hope that he can be a strong ally—but this is 24, usually there are some twists and turns and you find out that people aren’t as trustworthy as you originally thought, or hoped.…
In the final moment, we know that Jack has been taken into CIA custody and we also know that the transfer has been aborted. Now we have to see what happens from here. From past seasons, I would think that there will be some Jack torture coming up…maybe they will change it up though. Margot is all set to start her reign of ACTUAL terror. I still think that if Mark has his druthers, Jack will be tortured a bit to make sure that he isn’t in league with Margot.
This episode was horrifying in seeing the beneficent and loving Lady Stark play someone so evil and devoted to her nefarious plan that she has her own daughter’s fingers chopped off to make Navid pilot the drones. Can you picture Catelyn doing that to Sansa? Just not even. This shows what a wonderful diversity Michelle Fairley has as an actor, that we can see her as Catelyn Stark and then see her as the twisted Margot Al-Harazi, all the while delivering both in completely believable ways.
We see Navid, who showed trepidation in the last episode, actually had a plan to leave the group. He exposes his plan to leave to Simone. He could have, and as it turns out should have, left a week prior but his love for Simone was so great he stayed. He had hoped to convince her to come with him. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her, free of her mother’s nefarious machinations. Navid underestimated Simone’s fear of her mother in telling Simone about his plan to leave. Or maybe he overestimated Simone’s love for him. Simone went to her mother to tell her. We don’t know entirely too much about the brother, but he seems more on board with the mother’s plan. Was Simone simply dedicated and that is why she told her mother? It seemed to me from the fact that Simone told Navid that they would leave after they were done with this mission that she did fear going against her mother more than any loyalty she may have to the family. My feeling though is that after what transpired last week, it really must be fear that Simone has for her mother. Although she did do some pretty horrible things regarding Yates.
What we definitely know is that Margot would hurt her own daughter to make Navid do what she wanted him to do. That kind of sick dedication means loyalty only to the mission, not to her family. Other than allow Simone to be tortured any longer, Navid agrees to pilot the drones. It will be interesting to see if he veers one off track or if he is so petrified of what Margot will do if he disobeys that he will do exactly what she says.
I wrote in my notes twice “I hate Mark”. I also wrote it at least once on twitter during the airing of the episode. I don’t think that I can express my dislike of Mark Boudreau enough. Here he admits he kept things from Audrey and her father, and feels perfectly justified in it. Audrey is not impressed at all. I do hope she files for divorce. This guy has his own agenda, like Audrey points out. Maybe we will find out a little more about that. I have a hard time believing that someone that will sign the president’s name to documents and hide vital information is doing so out of love and devotion to protecting Audrey and her father’s interests. I think he has something else going on…
In the end of the episode, we find out that Margot has control of the drones. Stuff is about to get real.
Let me know what you thought of the episode and where you see this going! Still from screencapped.net
