Wow. I might go so far as to say that that was my favorite episode of the season.We start out with President Palmer and the cabinet watching the nuclear bomb slowly approach its target. There are 5 minutes to go before it blows the northern regions of Derka Derkastan off the map. Lennox and Karen plead with Palmer to stop the attack. The ambassador of Derka Derkastan calls Palmer after their military notices the bomb. The ambassador tells Wayne that one of their generals, Habib, was in contact with Fayed in the hopes that this new information will persuade them to call off the attack. Palmer agrees and the bomb is deactivated. Lennox says he’ll dispatch troops to go pick up the bomb but Palmer stops him saying that it won’t be necessary. The bomb wasn’t real and never would’ve gone off. Palmer realized that Daniels was right in the respect that they needed to be stronger in order for other countries to cooperate with them, but unlike Daniels, Wayne wasn’t ready to sacrifice innocent people to do it. BOOYAH! President Palmer officially kicks ass. I was wondering how they were going to explain Palmer’s decision to go ahead with the strike anyway, and that was a spectacular explanation in my opinion.
Finally a Jack centered episode. Jack is punching Fayed repeatedly in the face trying to get him to talk. Doyle looks on from behind a refrigerator, because they’re in a kitchen for some reason. Fayed and Jack both know that Fayed’s not going to tell him anything. Doyle wants a shot with him, but Jack’s not having it and calls Bill to tell him he’s getting no where with Fayed. Doyle tries to convince Fayed that he won’t be remembered for planning the attacks so he might as well tell them where they are, but Fayed’s not falling for it. Doyle pulls a gun to Fayed’s head and Jack yells at him to put his weapon down. All Jack’s done whenever he’s around Doyle is yell at him. It’s awesome. One of my friends actually likes Doyle. He’s the first person I’ve met so far who likes him as a character. Anyway, Jack tells Doyle they’re bringing Fayed back to CTU and Doyle tells Jack there’s no time for that. Doyle, only Jack can say that, shut up. So the merry trio gets in a CTU-mobile and start to head back.
Now we're gunna have some real fun. –Jack Bauer
Fayed will not like Jack Bauer’s idea of fun. I guarantee that. In the truck, Fayed keeps telling Doyle he won’t say anything, and Doyle’s cool with that because he’ll still “get to watch him suffer.” Jack tells him to stop talking or he’s going to turn this CTU-mobile around and no one gets ice cream. The truck Jack’s riding in gets hit by an on-coming heavy duty truck and flips over. Jack, Doyle and various CTU agents are under fire by the guys coming out of the truck. One by one the agents, Doyle and Jack go down and Fayed escapes in the van. Ok Jack, get up now. We see 4 or 5 trucks coming up the street, Jack sits up, yells “clear” and everyone brushes themselves off. Beautiful. Fayed thinks he’s been rescued, but really he’s been taken by men pretending to work for General Habib, who are really CTU agents. This is the 24 I know and love.
Fayed won’t tell head “terrorist” Jamal where the bombs are until he speaks to the general. Jamal tries to stall while Buchanan tells the president of the situation. Lennox isn’t feeling this ruse CTU has set-up and Wayne says, “If Jack Bauer says that’s a dead end, then that’s a dead end and I believe him.” Finally people just believe what Jack says at face value instead of questioning his every word. Lennox then apologizes to Wayne really sincerely. Wayne explains that he’s not his brother David, but he’s learning a lot about himself and that he’s not too bad. I agree Wayne, you’re really coming into your own. Wayne tells Lennox it’s ok that he doubted his strength and ability, and Lennox says that it really isn’t. Is Lennox my new favorite character? Possibly. Meanwhile, Wayne keeps looking weaker and weaker.
The ambassador arrives at the batcave and Wayne explains to him that they need to get the general on the phone so that Fayed will lead them to the bombs. The ambassador says he’ll do what he can but Habib might not cooperate. Karen and Wayne both get all tough on him. Wayne is awesome in this scene; he really lays down the law. He also tells the ambassador to threaten Habib’s family if he doesn’t agree to do what they need him to. He then tells the ambassador that Derka Derkastani’s are barbarians, but in a good way. It works and General Habib gets on the phone with Fayed and Nadia translates.
Fayed seems to believe that Habib is legit and agrees to go to a meeting point. Nadia double checks the conversation and a name doesn’t match up. He was linked to terrorists, but he died two years ago. Nadia thinks this is a way for the general to tell Fayed that he’s speaking under duress and that Fayed is on to them. Good catch Nadia. Bill tells Jack and Jack tries to warn Jamal. However, they go under a tunnel and lose reception. Jack and Doyle move into the tunnel and find the van Fayed-less and a lot more bloodied than when they left it.
Jack goes into a door in the tunnel and finds Fayed getting onto a sanitation truck. He’s going to meet with his terrorist henchmen to launch the rest of the nukes ASAP. Apparently, terrorists are trained to be able to operate every kind of transportation vehicle ever, even 18-wheelers. Jack climbs under the truck and holds on for dear life, even though he could have easily just hopped on the back like garbage men do. But to be fair, that would have been far less badass.
After they believe Fayed bought the general’s phone call, Palmer whisks the ambassador away and collapses in his office with Tom at his side. The doctor comes up and tries to convince the president to go to the infirmary for some tests but Wayne refuses. He goes back to work.
Fayed and Jack arrive at Fayed’s terrorist headquarters. Jack is left alone with one terrorist henchman, gives him a “Judo Chop!” to the leg and breaks his neck. I love it when Jack breaks necks. Fayed says he wants to detonate the bombs in downtown Los Angeles and to do it now. Jack starts shooting at the maybe 8 or 9 terrorists assembled. He doesn’t waste a single shot. Then it’s just him and Fayed and we get one of the most intense “oh shit that was sick” inducing fight scenes ever. They’re both giving and getting it really good. Jack’s not looking all that well and I keep having this sinking feeling that Jack might not make it out of this one. But he of course does. He strangles Fayed with a chain, whispers “say hi to your brother” and hangs up and watches him die. Wow. That is Jack Bauer at a whole new level of badass.
Doyle and CTU agents come in and explain that they traced Fayed’s get away vehicle with satellite. Doyle’s only response to seeing the carnage that just went down is, “damn Jack,” which really is the only response necessary. Jack doesn’t look too good but says he’s ok, being the ultimate alpha male that he is. Fayed’s dead and the bombs are secure. Ok, there are still about 8 episodes left. Jack gets a call. He can’t hear who it is. When the voice finally speaks, we can tell it’s Audrey. The split screen shows Audrey in an abandoned warehouse somewhere with the Chinese diplomat who’s had it in for Jack ever since season 4. I knew Audrey wasn’t dead. It’s convenient that the Chinese diplomat knew that Jack would be free to take the call at just that moment. Did he just see what Jack did to Fayed? He does not want to declare war on Jack Bauer.
This episode was great, and why is that? Because there was so much Jack. Simple math, more Jack screen time = better episode.
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