Episode Report Card Sobell: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT It's All Over But the Monologuing
By Sobell | Season 4 | Episode 21 | Aired on 05.15.2009
We cut back to Agents Franco and Wright telling Don Self that they're simply trying to find whomever was behind the assassination, as it's now triggering geopolitical incidents and the U.S. government would like to prevent any political outcome that might result in the good peoples of Nepal or Bhutan being nuked until they glow as a side effect of the pending China/India spat. Don Self bluffs, "Obviously, your clearance level isn't high enough to fully grasp the operation I've been involved with." Agents Franco and Wright promptly call his bluff, as they've managed to uncover all of Don Self's machinations. Yet the rogue agent continues to pull the "I've served my country, and you can't do this to me" act. Agent Franco casually wanders over to close Don Self's hospital room door (at which Don Self squawks, "What is this, Gitmo?") and Agent White dispassionately responds, "As a homeland security agent, you are, of course, aware that anyone who impedes an investigation into terrorism has no protection under the law." Then he squeezes Don Self's leg right at the site of the compound fracture. The unholy delight I take from listening to Don Self scream more or less chases my outraged harangue about civil liberties and Quies custodiet ipso custodies? right out of my head. Don Self folds faster than a floor employee at the Gap during a t-shirt sale. He promises he can connect the agents to Michael and Linc.
Because this show isn't done torturing wounded people yet, we switch to Christina displacing her anger at Michael onto Linc. Over the course of her temper tantrum, she tells Linc he's going to be an uncle.
Michael's back in his dockside hideout and fielding a call from General Von Baldy concerning Scylla's whereabouts. "I'm trying," Michael tells him. "And I'm trying not to kill Sara, and that would be a lot easier if I had something in my hand beside a gun," General Von Baldy replies. I love how quippy the bad guys are on this show. The takeaway from this conversation: if General Von Baldy does not get Scylla in one hour, he's going to let T-Bag "play doctor with the doctor." T-Bag clucks, "Doesn't Michael understand he's playing chicken with other people's lives here?" Dr. Sara mumbles that her life's been threatened before, and T-Bag bursts out, "I'm not talking about you! That boy has messed up every chance I've ever had at freedom. This is my last shot." Dr. Sara asks, "You really think when this is over, you're going to be free?" T-Bag replies, "Better than free -- I'm going to be employed. The General's getting me an honest-to-goodness job with an office and a desk." Despite having her hands cuffed behind her, Dr. Sara still manages to drop a reality check on T-Bag's table, pointing out that the One World Conspiracy has such a surplus of competent and legitimate pros, they hardly need one marginally-educated spree killer. She concludes, "The only thing you're getting when this is over is a slit throat and an unmarked grave." T-Bag would love to dismiss that prediction, but his face shows that he suspects this too. Dr. Sara then attempts to negotiate for her life: if T-Bag recognizes that his only chance for a life is to escape, and if he takes Dr. Sara with him, she'll get Michael to drop his grudges against the upwardly-mobile rapist-murderer. T-Bag immediately rejects this idea. Because at this point, what we viewers need to be told is that T-Bag's need to triumph over Michael outweighs anything else, even his own better instincts. It's not like the prior episodes would have given us that idea at all.
Michael then calls his mom to check on Lincoln. She answers with, "I suppose that little explosion was for me." "Let's pretend that was for the cops," he replies saucily. It's endearing, and I love seeing Michael get his mojo back. Christina tries to snatch it away again with "You should know by now that you can't outthink me. I'll always be one step ahead of you because I'm your mother ... I remember the first time I caught you in a lie. I could see it in your eyes, like I could see it today." Michael demands to talk to Linc, and Christina reminds him he's not in any position to be making demands. Michael replies, "If Lincoln is dead, I have no reason to give you Scylla, which puts me in exactly the position you describe." Christina reluctantly lets Linc gasp at Michael. Michael tries to get some info on where Linc is, but Linc is in Captain Bringdown mode. He says his goodbyes with "Sara's pregnant. You're going to be a dad. Go to her, Michael. Let me go out knowing I did something for you --" Then Christina grabs the phone. Michael cries, "Linc!" and we zoom in on his stunned expression.