(S07E18) "Kim, I'm dying." - Jack
That, my friends, is what you call a game changer. Initially, I wasn't feeling the vibe of this episode. It was slow, predictable, and the Kim/Jack reunion that we've known about for ages was about as anti-climactic as you can get. But it worked. Kim's return created precisely the distraction we needed so that hour eighteen's final minutes made our jaws drops. When I spoke with Carlos Bernard recently, he said that production was shut down for over a month at one point to reassess the direction of one episode. I'm guessing this was it.
OK, let's get the return of the prodigal daughter out of the way first. Don't get me wrong - the reunion was heartbreaking. Any scene where Jack breaks down and cries usually is. I was just hoping for more. Turns out Kim was at the Senate hearing earlier in the day and had been trying to see him.
The fact that Jack is dying obviously softened the blow, but I was hoping for just a little anger. Maybe something along the lines of, "You were captured by the Chinese, held for 18 months, came home for one day, and then disappeared for three more years. WTF?!?" In Jack's defense, he and Kim didn't exactly part on good terms in season five. There was no mention of Barry either. Oh well. Despite Jack's demand that Kim not donate her stem cells for the CJD tests, I'm sure we'll see her once again by the end of the season with a syringe or two full of some family recipe antidote. But how much damage will have already been done to Jack's brain?
Anyway, that was all just one big distraction. The missiles were destroyed, Hodges was arrested, and all seemed right with the world ... except that there are still six hours left. It was clear that Hodges' stand-off couldn't go on any longer and I think the writers were wise to end it now. However, the logical next step wasn't exactly clear and now that we know where they're going, it poses a ton of questions.
Tony killed Moss and with the help of a Starkwood employee, has stolen the last remaining canister of the bio-weapon. It feels an awful lot like the final hours of season three as Jack and Chase tracked down the last of Saunders' devices, but the stakes are obviously much higher this time. Especially since Tony killed kill Larry to cover his tracks.
So what are the possibilities?
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Well, the big thing to take away from all this is that Tony has had a guy (the creepy black dude ... not sure if we got a name) inside of Starkwood the whole time. How deep was Tony's knowledge of what was going on? He clearly had more up his sleeve that he let one.
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So was he just using Buchanan and Chloe earlier in the day?
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Is he working for Starkwood and this is what Jonas meant when he said to Allison, "You'll find out?"
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Or has this been Tony's plan all along and this play originated with Emerson's crew?
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Could this be Tony's backwards ass way of trying to get an antidote made for Jack? I'm guessing no on this one.
Regardless of the answer, at this point, one thing is clear - Tony has had some sort of ulterior motive the entire day and has used everyone (Jack, the FBI, Chloe, Bill, the President) to achieve his endgame. It's looking more and more like the arguments we all made early on in the season about Tony may actually hold some weight after all. He still has a pretty big problem with the US government - he's been used by them and lost Michelle as a result of it. What does he have to lose at this point? Hard to say, but I'll reserve judgment until we know what his plan is.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
4-14-2009 @ 10:42AM
Bill said...
Great Episode! Nice way to bounce back after a few "filler" episodes. Didn't see the Tony thing coming at all. One thing I don't understand was this... If Tony is on the wrong side, why does he go and blow up the entire operation? Is he on the wrong side? Or is he on his own side? Working for himself and no one else?
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4-14-2009 @ 10:42AM
VP said...
WOW, i did not see that coming. I was thinking Larry would now be a Bill like character who would help out Jack next season. I guess i should have known something was up when he and Renee were saying they went through a lot. I have no clue where they are going with this storyline. I guess that this is a good thing.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:42AM
Karen said...
Great ending. I don't know why but I was shocked. First thing I said was, "Oh, no Tony, why?" Should be interesting to see what happens next and how long it takes for anyone to catch on.
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4-15-2009 @ 9:36PM
AgentRez said...
I may be the only one in the world, but I saw it coming. I was so happy that Tony got to be a hero at the beginning and I was hopeful when Jack talked to the president about him that maybe he would catch a break, but I knew it couldn't be that simple because there was still a half hour left, not to mention 6 more episodes. Much as I have hoped it wouldn't happen, I have seen this coming for a while...I knew the producers would not be able to resist. I just hope it's explained next week in a way that makes sense and that Tony continues to be a sympathetic character that we can relate to even if we don't like what he's doing. I don't want them to turn him into just another villain that we love to hate the way they did with Nina. Because I don't think I could ever hate him no matter what...I've spent too many years rooting for this character to hate him now.
4-14-2009 @ 10:43AM
chuck said...
i'm pretty sure Tony has more bad guys in mind - so he went to pursue them. as to killing Moss - well, it's life (meaning it's '24').
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4-15-2009 @ 2:04PM
AgentRez said...
That's what I am hoping, but after seeing the preview for next week I am not too optimistic. Although I guess previews can be misleading. I am really having a hard time with this because I love Tony's character so much, but hopefully there will be an explanation we can at least understand if not completely agree with.
4-14-2009 @ 10:43AM
Michael said...
I think in all likelihood Tony's been playing everyone from the outset. However, I'm holding on to hope that he's still one of the good guys. Yes, he killed Larry. But, perhaps he realized Larry was dead anyway, and he could maintain his cover by doing it himself? Just maybe?
Regardless, didn't see it comin'.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:43AM
Beth said...
That one threw me too! I'm not sure why Tony killed Moss! I sure didn't see this one coming either. I can't see Tony on the bad side. Maybe Moss was the corrupt one here.. Guess we'll find out! It was so awsome this week seeing Jack with Kim again!
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4-14-2009 @ 10:43AM
Mitch said...
I suspect Tony is headed off to infect those above Hodges in the conspiracy, which will force them to bring out the antidote to this contagion. Either that, or as you suggest, Kim will already be donating the stem cells to save Jack after he helps Renee hunt down Tony.
In any event, we have a few hours of Jack and Renee going after Tony before the conclusion of this season.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:43AM
Nola said...
It was obvious that Tony had ulterior motives and knew more than he should back in the episode when he reappeared with info for Jack on the bio weapon. How did he know about the weapon? Jack asked him where he got his intel and the best he could do was to say he knew a guy on the inside. That right there told me all I needed to know. Who is gonna just share such delicate and potentially dangerous info with someone who by that time would have been revealed to all the bad guys as a turn coat? The answer is no one. So while I've been enjoying the show immensely this season, I was always waiting for the epi where Tony goes back to the darkside and kudos 24 even though I knew it was coming it was still shocking the way he did it. Great episode.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:44AM
D said...
What I don't quite get is if one cannister of the bug juice is really what Hodges was talking about when he got dragged away.It doesn't seem like that's enough to get that dramatic about.I know it could do some damage but Hodges acted like whatever he meant was a huge deal.
As for Tony,I don't think he would have killed Moss if his intentions were very good.If he has a plan that is remotely good then he could have wounded Moss and took off.Yes Moss would have been a witness etc but killing him to me says Tony isn't going to be very nice.Also Moss would not have to die to save a plan to use the biostuff on Hodges or against Hodges.
Sadest part is I doubt Tony will survive this.Only possibility would be if they wanted Tony to be Day 8's bad guy,which I also don't really want and sort of think would be an overdone storyline at that point as it could only be based on being "mad at the government".
So yeah the Kim scene was slightly bland but probably a build for her to save Jack later.And WOW she looked incredible!She has the greatest nose in showbiz!
Well Tony old friend revenge is a dish best served cold.Remember that Klingon proverb as you run around with superflu in your pocket.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:44AM
Aaron said...
For a while, I was wondering if Jack would die and Tony would take over as the main hero of 24 next season. Guess that option is out.
Tony has to be a bad guy now. There is too much flip flop with his character. The end of this season will come down to a confrontation between Jack and Tony.
Also, I'm losing my willingness to let some details slide in this season. Washington DC seems just business as usual even though the White House was attacked hours before. Assassinated Senator, no big deal. Military action in Sengala (sp?), no big deal. President wimps out on launching attack from two only F-18s, no big deal. FBI shows up at Starkwood with only 20 guys, no big deal. President's daughter sleeps with reporter and walks out with perfect hair, no big deal. President's husband gets kidnapped and almost killed, no big deal. The list could go on and on.
In previous seasons all we had to believe was that cell phone batteries last forever and people don't need sleep. This season has been a tad much. I expect more from this show.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:44AM
Rohit said...
I dont think hes evil, why would he reach down for the detonator remote to blow up all of the bombs? either its bad directing, a set up, or i am in denial.... and Larry was shot in the ches with a shotgun, he would've died anyway
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4-14-2009 @ 3:08PM
LC said...
Larry was wearing a Kevlar vest. The shotgun blast would have knocked the crap out of him, but it wouldn't have pierced his body armor.
The reason Tony blew up the missiles is that he most likely has his own agenda, meaning he isn't working to help Hodges or the U.S. government.
Unless the writers come up with a desperate move like Larry secretly working for the enemy, I don't see how Tony can come up anything better than being a murderer.
4-14-2009 @ 4:29PM
D-Bo said...
If he was wearing body armor (which he did previously) his injuries might not have been as grave.
Not sure what to make of the rest though, no silent clock and all.
4-14-2009 @ 10:44AM
MikLamb said...
2 comments:
1. The FOX build-up to the show clearly said something about the "clock stopping". I took that to mean that someone central to the show would be killed and the ticking clock would be silenced again (like they did with Bill). Well, since the clock ticking stayed on after Moss died (I don't really think his character would have been worth it anyway), any thoughts as to what this promo meant?
2. Tony sure looked anguished after killing Moss. That, and the way that he has acted this season, lead me to believe that we haven't seen the end of Tony's flip-flops between good and evil.
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4-17-2009 @ 11:59AM
AgentRez said...
I noticed that too...Tony seemed conflicted and even remorseful after he killed Larry. It seemed pretty clear that he considered killing Larry necessary to whatever he was trying to do, but he looked like he wished he didn't "have" to do it, probably because Larry was so nice to him earlier. I can't for the life of me figure out what his end game is, but I am almost positive it's not the murder of innocent civilians, or he would not have blown up the canisters or tipped Jack off about the missiles to begin with.
4-14-2009 @ 10:44AM
LM said...
Never saw that one coming. Couldn't sleep last night, just played it over & over in my mind trying to put the pieces together. Why did Tony kill Larry by strangulation? He could have just shot him. Killing Larry was shocking enough, but the suffocation scene showed the pure evil that Tony became.
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4-14-2009 @ 10:44AM
Eric said...
The last time I was this shocked was in season 5 when Logan was revealed to be the "brains".
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4-14-2009 @ 10:57AM
Edward said...
If Larry Moss is dead, shouldn't the clock be silent?
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