Episode Report Card M. Giant: B- | 367 USERS: B YOU GRADE IT The Final Countdown
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 24 | Aired on 2009.05.18
Taylor sits in the Oval Office alone, looking at the family photo of all four Taylors standing in that same room, looking dressed for an inaugural ball. Which is weird, because we know that before last night, Olivia hadn't talked to Taylor since getting fired from the campaign. And if this was taken during the campaign, it seems a little presumptuous for a photo op. A tear spills down Taylor's cheek, because in addition to this horseshit with her daughter, now she's going to have to fire someone in the prop department.
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?