When Josh explains that his grandfather spoke to him on the phone after he was captured, Jack realizes that Stretch is involved with Cheng. While not saying anything directly, we can see Jack processing this information as he puts it all together that his father and brother were no doubt behind his incarceration in China for all those months. Poor, poor, Jack (and Josh), to have been born into a family such as this.
We get another glimpse of Jones and Hillary heading into the Cisco Conference Room (talk about product placement), where Russian President Subaru is revving up the engines of war. He knows that Jones has not secured the component and continues his threats to attack US interests (a base in Central Asia) in two hours if the situation is not remedied. Jones has had a really bad day (not quite as bad as Jack Bauer) and he seems unable to handle Subaru like the cowboy that I thought he was.
Stretch then calls the White House (I wonder how all these guys get such easy access to the President’s phone line) and offers a deal: he will give Jones the component in exchange for his grandson. Hillary chides Jones about such a preposterous transaction, but before we can say “Monica Lewinsky,” Jones has called CTU to authorize this exchange.
This explains why in the last scene Jack and Josh are separated by Doyle who has his men secure Jack (obviously, Doyle is not foolish enough to try to take on Jack by himself). As Doyle rushes Josh onto a helicopter, Josh is screaming “Uncle Jack” and Jack is at once shocked and angry that Doyle has turned on him so inexplicably. The last scene shows us a frightened kid being torn away from his family in order to settle a bigger score, and this sets Jack up for next week's big showdown.
Jack almost got to Cheng in this episode but he escaped. I imagine that in the exciting two-hour season finale next week that we are going to have some major league battles. Among them will no doubt be Jack verses Cheng, Jack verses Stretch, and perhaps even Jack verses Doyle (which, in essence, once again pits Jack against CTU, the White House, and all odds). I don’t even have to guess who will win, because in the end, Jack Bauer is an iconic figure who can now be mentioned in the same breath as John McClane, James Bond, John Rambo, and Indiana Jones.
Article comments
1 - Mary K. Williams
John McClane, James Bond, John Rambo, and Indiana Jones And don't forget Chuck Norris!
Very, very good write up Vic.
Fav. parts
1. but he rises to the task at hand
2.Jack and his new BFF Nadia
3.heading into the Cisco Conference Room (talk about product placement)
Yeah, gotta love that Cisco stuff. I mentioned it in mine (mine is in pending)
So, remember to fling me some tidbits for our finale thingie!