Episode Report Card M. Giant: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Check But Not Mate
By M. Giant | Season 7 | Episode 7 | Aired on 02.02.2009
At 2:54:32, the Oval Office big screen is tuned to a CNB report of the near-disaster's aftermath. Taylor's watching it, and is rather surprised to hear her assistant buzz in to say that she's got a call from Prime Minister Matobo. After making sure they're trying to trace the call, Taylor picks up the phone and asks Matobo if he's all right. "We were rescued," Matobo says, and tells her that the CIP device has been destroyed and the U.S. is no longer immediately threatened. Obviously Taylor wants to know more, but Matobo will only tell her in person, alone, in ten minutes. End of call, which Kiefer says they tried and failed to trace. Taylor calls in Ethan, who's even more surprised to hear that Matobo is okay. "Bring him in through the south entrance and keep this to as few people as possible," Taylor orders. Like she couldn't go to the south entrance herself. Ethan goes to comply. Or does he?
At 2:56:35, Chloe has already mapped a super-secret, traffic-cam-avoidant route to the White House to send to Kiefer's phone. Kiefer starts to lead the way down the stairs, but Tony says he isn't going. Probably because he doesn't want to be arrested. "I already told you," Tony reminds Kiefer, "I did some pretty bad things before I teamed up with Bill." Kiefer has the nerve to lecture, "Tony, take it from me -- you need to deal with the consequences." You know, like Kiefer dealt with them by fleeing the jurisdiction and going all Richard Kimble from country to country for as long as he could. Tony still wants to continue the search for Dubaku, and adds that he might have a lead through a guy in Emerson's crew. Who I'm sure will be super eager to talk to Tony now that all of their coworkers and boss are dead. Kiefer grudgingly agrees to let Tony go through with it, if he'll promise to turn himself in when it's all over. "We'll stand behind you," he adds, as though he and Buchanan are so highly regarded right now. Tony agrees, and they shake on it. "Good luck and be careful," Kiefer says. Tony watches Kiefer and Buchanan walk down the stairs; apparently Matobo and Walker will be driving separately. Why not use as many of Buchanan's cars as possible, after all?
In the final splitscreen, the Matobos silently say their goodbyes before he leaves with Walker; Vossler stuffs a bound and gagged Henry into the trunk of his car, which he has thoughtfully transferred to an underground parking ramp; Matobo and Walker head out of YouCT; Taylor stares presidentially into space; and Dubaku lets himself into a rather modest apartment. Clearly he's not paying for this place with Sangalan diamonds.