Episode Report Card M. Giant: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT The Final Countdown
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 24 | Aired on 05.18.2009
At the hospital, Dr. Macer looks at MRIs of Kiefer's brain, which were certainly taken and developed quickly. She explains to Kiefer that the weaponization of the pathogen means it's at an advanced stage. Lying in the hospital bed with one hand twitching above the covers (because if it were twitching under the covers, we might get the wrong idea), Kiefer again refuses any morphine, which Macer says will induce a coma to stop the pain. A nurse enters to say that Kiefer has a visitor, and at 7:44:27, Kiefer says to show him in. A moment later, in walks Gohar, the imam from the Al-Zarians' mosque. Sweet! Kiefer's converting to Islam! As Macer leaves the two of them alone, Gohar crosses to Kiefer's bed and Kiefer thanks him for coming. Gohar says he was surprised to hear from him. "I'm dying," Kiefer twitches. Gohar says he knows. "I made so many mistakes," Kiefer says, "and I always thought that I would have time to correct them." Gohar sits on the edge of his bed and says the time is right now. "You don't know what I've done," Kiefer says, nearly breaking down. Except that's not what Gohar said earlier. But now, Gohar is willing to cut him some slack under the circumstances. "We live in complex times, Mr. Bauer. Nothing is black and white. But I do know this: I see before me a man, with all his flaws, and all his goodness. Simply a man." Who's been through the death of his wife, the death of himself (real but brief), heroin addiction, the death of himself again (fake but much longer), torture in China, and so many other brushes with death he could probably take over for the man with the scythe. But simply a man. Gohar takes Kiefer's hand, and says, "Let us both forgive ourselves for all the wrongs that we have done." Does Gohar do that with everyone? Because if so, it seems like he gets a lot more than his share of forgiveness. He should remember to forgive himself for that. But it seems to calm Kiefer both emotionally and neurologically. He thanks Gohar and says, "It's time." 7:46:45?
At 7:51:03, one of the splitscreen windows shows Dr. Macer shooting a large dose of something into Kiefer's IV. Wouldn't it be awesome if it were Red Bull? No coma for you!
Hanging out in the White House residence with Henry, Olivia appears to be over the guilt and is now just pacing around wondering what's going to happen to her. When Taylor returns, she smiles at both of them, takes their hands, and kisses them both. Olivia looks so relieved. When Taylor speaks, it's to apologize to her husband and daughter for how hard her job has been on them. "But I have a sworn duty to enforce the Constitution. Failing to honor that oath would be the worst kind of hypocrisy. Olivia, I love you more than anything in this world, and I will do everything I can to help you through this. But as president, this is what I have to do, no matter how much it breaks my heart." Olivia's already shut down as Taylor says Aaron will remand her into federal custody. Aaron enters and tells Olivia that he's taking her to the Justice Department. Henry kisses Olivia's hand before she's led out. "I'm sorry, honey," Taylor calls lamely after her daughter, and is roundly ignored, like she was the one who put out a hit on someone. Then she turns to her husband, who hasn't said a word this whole time. Nor is he about to, apparently. He just looks away from her, refusing to speak. And this incredibly stubborn woman, who today has stood up to terrorists, traitors, extortionists, and Kiefer, just gives up and leaves the room. Poor showing, Madam President.