The first hour basically took care of the Henderson-Bierko storyline and did it well. This was satisfying and in keeping with 24 tradition. Jack stops the threat of the nuclear missiles with Henderson’s help, and he even finds the time to break Bierko’s neck. For a character who wanted to bring fire and brimstone down on the innocent population centers of this country, it is fitting that Jack kills Bierko like the common thug that he is.
With the nuclear threat averted, Jack realizes Henderson is missing and goes outside to look for him. Henderson comes up from behind Jack with a gun and it looks like Jack made one major mistake (giving Henderson the gun in the first place). But Jack comes from the John McLane school of smart (remember that scene in Die Hard when he gives the unloaded gun to Hans?) and Henderson pulls the trigger and comes up empty. He says, “Good for you, Jack.”
Henderson, the master teacher, has been eclipsed by his pupil. Jack, as if reciting the charges against Henderson, reminds him that he is responsible for the deaths of President Palmer, Tony Almeida, and Michelle Dessler. “They were my friends,” Jack tells him and then blows him away.
The second hour is all about bringing down the malevolent president. Jack concocts a rather crazy plan to infiltrate Marine One as a co-pilot, and he does this with the assistance of Mike Novick (Chief of Staff) and Aaron Pierce (bloodied but unbowed Secret Service Agent). Once on board the helicopter, Jack takes over rather quickly, pulls off his helmet, and handcuffs Logan like a common criminal. Logan can’t believe it, but we the audience can because Bauer Power has come through again.
Jack takes Logan into yet another abandoned warehouse, and there he relieves him of presidential pen and cell phone and sets up a video conference with CTU. The object is to get Logan to confess and send the recording to the Attorney General, but Logan isn’t giving in one bit. He denies all Jack’s charges and soon Logan is rescued by a rush of agents who capture Jack. Logan then returns to the airfield where the body of the dead President Palmer is being readied to be flown back to Washington for the funeral.
Article comments
1 - Michael J. West
You were talking about "24" as Shakespearean tragedy, which is only magnified with Jack & Audrey. Talk about star-crossed lovers!
I wasn't nearly as disappointed as you were. I knew the Chinese connection was going to come back to haunt Jack, so I frankly wasn't overly surprised (though at first I thought it was Rocket Romano and his cohorts that had kidnapped Jack). But I must say, I can't wait to see how he gets outta this one.
2 - Victor Lana
Michael,
It's obvious (and I think it will be made clear in Season 6) that Logan did this. He kept promising Graham that Jack would be taken care of. I'm sure he struck a deal with the Chinese and it will come out as he tries to snivel his way out of prison.
3 - Jeff
Great as always, Victor. Excellent take that Chloe and Edgar were like the gravediggers, the comic relief (and any number of other Shakespeare characters.) And, Morris and Chloe weren't quite the same.
And great point about Logan realizing he wouldn't get a 21 gun salute.
I'm probably more like Michael. I liked the ending. (Aside from the question of how the Chinese got to him so quickly. Nobody knew where Jack was going with Logan.) It ties up a loose end that's been hanging there all season. And, sets the stage for a very different next season. What will 24 be like if Jack isn't in LA? How will he get out of this?
4 - Eric
I'm a long time fan and I wasn't disappointed with the "Chinese" ending. I was actually expecting it. I even predicted that the season would end with the Chinese taking custody(meaning he'll be in China) of Jack Bauer 14 episodes in. It was expected since interviews with the executive producers even prior to the season starting have said "who said they[chinese] were out of the picture?"
My speculation with Season 6 is that Bauer is trying to escape China with some help from US or maybe independent agents. Back in the US, CTU or Homeland Security would still be functioning with new Characters and new terrorism plot.
Anyhoo... Season 5 was great and the ending was very good.
5 - Chris
DEUX EX MACHINA! i.e. Chloe's husband--who just happened to show up as fast as he did to resolve 24's mangled plot. The writers need to get their act together for next season (Hopefully set in a different city--DC or NY maybe). PS - This is just a minor detail but what's up with the vehicles? Did they cut the budget or something? First of all that Navy chopper looked nothing like Marine-one and I've never heard of the POTUS riding in a Lincoln Towncar.
6 - Mary K. Williams
Vic,
finally get to comment on yours. I actually broke my no-reading-of-any-other-24-posts-before-I-finish-my-own rule.
Yup, I read yours first thing. Great insights. Last night's ending didn't really get to me one way or the other. Of course I didn't want Jack to get taken away, but I was just going with the flow.
7 - Dave
"Marine One" is not a specific helicopter. It's the designation for whatever Marine helicopter might be carrying the President. You don't think he'd be flying all the way to the west coast from D.C. and back in a helicopter, do you?
8 - Astrid
I couldn't see the season and its finale, writing from europe (not the UK, where it is also on TV already). But being such a huge fan I read along the season with you although it is full of spoilers for me. I like your article (especially the Shakespearean analogy, and indeed Jacks character has always been a tragic one, just think of the necessity to indirectly kill Audreys husband Paul in season four although this made Jack lose Audrey and the new friend he had only just found before, Paul).
I know what you mean with your critique , because these questions have been hanging in the air in the earlier seasons as well.
On one side your article reads like a fans disappointment about the unhappy ending for the fictional hero he loves. I can very much understand this and would feel the same. But not having seen the finale, I am not as close as the American audience and realise that it need not be a mistake by the writers not to provide the happy ending everybody is waiting for.
But: I have observed before that it's a thin line the writers and Jack are walking on, a thin line between us still buying his being good, his love and sensitivity, and not buying it anymore because he just has to bear too much to make it still believable to remain exactly the character we love.
And also: to me, what you write about the finale reads like the writers have been praised so much especially with all the twists and turns and all the wit and skill they put into (not only) fifth seasons story line that maybe they thought a simple happy ending is not a worthy finish. but a new radical turn in the last 15 minutes might not be a good solution either. People expect it to be concluding with respect to what happened before, you don't need a twist just for its own sake. It has already been challenging enough to deal with the deaths of every friend (except Chloe) Jack had (isn't it funny me writing that noteven having seen it?).
The good thing about it is: now the writers will have time to think about a way out of this mess and to graciously reintroduce Jack in season six. I don't know how but I sure hope they will figure it out. And, please, writers, leave Cloe, Audrey and his daughter alone.
9 - Victor Lana
Thanks to all for the comments, especially Astrid for an odd reflection (considering you didn't actually see the shows). Every show has a fan base and then there is 24, which I think took on an added importance because it began in September 2001 right after 9/11. This heightened its meaning to many people, including me.
Jack is the whole show in my estimation. I've heard talk about Jack dying since Season 1, but he is the center. 24 without Jack is like Hamlet without Hamlet; you might as well have another show.
I've been thinking about that ship and thinking about Dracula and making a comparison to the Demeter, the ship of death that brought Drac to London. In some ways Jack asking to die is rhetorical because in his conditon he has a living death (like Drac).
Wouldn't it be amusing if that ship reached Shanghai and the whole crew was dead, just like when the Demeter reaches London. Somehow Jack gets off in between and makes his way back home.
Hey, don't laugh. You know Bauer Power can swim like a fish.
10 - The Stevo in H-Town
Look ferrin' addition of an eye-patch...(see "thejammy.blogspot.com"