Episode Report Card M. Giant: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Fed Sematary
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 6 | Aired on 01.26.2009
Meanwhile, in shotgun seat of the yellow prisoner van carrying the Matobos (and Kiefer and Tony and Litvak, of course), Emerson is on the phone with Nichols, firming up their rendezvous plans. Once he's off the phone, he goes back to sit with the ex-CTUers. "Nichols is on his way with the diamonds," he reports. They're getting paid in jewelry? Who knew Emerson was such a girl? He asks Kiefer, "Is something bothering you, Jack?" Besides just having fake-killed his not-girlfriend, that is. Kiefer says he was just wondering why Emerson never told Tony how he got him out of CTU. Suddenly Tony is curious about that as well, as though it never would have come up in the years he's been working with Emerson. "Christopher Henderson," Emerson "explains." Kiefer reminds everyone that Henderson tried to kill Tony, but Emerson straightens him out on that. "He purposely missed the artery when he injected him." With a syringe that had been filled by Tony, mind you. "It was just enough to slow his heart to the point where you'd think that he was dead." Right after waking up from brain-death, in fact. So it was all part of Henderson's plan, except the part where Kiefer killed Henderson before Tony could be put back into play. "My team went dark," Emerson says. Which explains all the black clothing they wear now. Too bad we didn't get to meet them in Season Five; I bet Emerson could rock a pair of khakis and a Tommy Bahama. Kiefer asks why Emerson didn't let Tony go when Henderson went down, and Emerson says that staying was Tony's choice. "He was consumed with hatred and anger over what the government had done to Michelle." And he still looks pretty sad about it, between you and me. Emerson says he was just a friend to Tony. And Tony adds that he realized, "The rules had changed. That there was no thing such as honor left. That we would have to take care of each other. Like brothers." Wow, it's almost like Emerson suspects something and is trying to guilt a confession out of Tony or something. But before anything like that can happen, Litvak calls up that they're almost there. Way to blow the moment, Litvak.
By this point, the van is driving across the tarmac at what looks like an abandoned airport. In the back, Kiefer quietly makes sure that Tony is ready to do what he has to do, even after that emotional little display Emerson just put him through. Emerson sees this exchange in his visor mirror, but doesn't visibly react. Litvak drives the van through the open door of an aircraft hangar at 1:08:53. The place is already set up with a sports car, a big black van, some work tables, and a brace of motorcycles, all of which is just going to go to waste. Don't get all geared up for a motorcycle chase later in the episode, is what I'm saying. As Emerson and crew climb out of the van, Emerson sends Tony to help Litvak close the hangar door, and Kiefer to get the Matobos out of the van. Then, with the two old friends separated and their backs to him, Emerson makes his move, drawing his gun and grabbing Kiefer from behind. Tony hears the commotion and turns back, then remembers just in time to turn forward again and shoot Litvak before returning his attention to Emerson, who's now shielding himself behind Kiefer. I've never seen Kiefer not be able to bust out of a hold like this before, so Emerson must be using some hardcore Special Forces-fu on him right now. Either that or the show just wants to put Tony in a difficult position for a couple of minutes. "You better tell me what the hell's going on," Emerson growls at them. While Tony keeps telling Emerson to drop the gun, Emerson says he suspected all along, but just couldn't figure out how Tony and Kiefer were planning to steal the diamonds from him. "It's not about the diamonds," Tony says without lowering his gun. "It's about killing innocent people. I can't let you finish this." Ten seconds of this passivity is about all Kiefer can stand, so he tells Tony to take the shot. Everyone's yelling, and Emerson's about to shoot Kiefer in the head, but before he does, Tony fires a shot that tags Emerson in the shoulder. Kiefer rolls clear. Emerson glares at Tony in disbelief, but when he's about to return fire, Tony shoots him again, this time in a place that sends blood spattering up Emerson's neck. Gross. He goes down, making noises like he's trying to swallow an eel. Tony slides Emerson's gun away while Kiefer checks on Litvak, who was taken down by a clean headshot. From much further away, no less. Good shootin', Tony. At first, there.