Alias 4.8: "Echoes"
Written by Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum
Directed by Daniel Attias
In which Anna Espinosa returns, working for ex-Covenant terrorists, and when she uses Nadia against Sydney to get what she wants, revelations about Rambaldi’s endgame surface…
Status Report
Of all the cricitisms leveled at this season, largely due to the change in format and the network’s foolish interference, the one that stands as the most fundamental was the sidelining of the Rambaldi mythology and everything that went along with it. Granted, there’s been much talk and innuendo regarding Irina Derevko, who’s entire life was devoted to the fulfillment of Rambaldi’s grand design, but there were several elements that were related specifically to Sydney and Nadia. And of course, Sloane’s motivations are never far from his own attempts to fulfill Irina’s plans for his own purpose.
However, there were indications in the previous episode that the writers had a long-term plan in mind, even if the shuffling of episodes made it hard to see clearly. Intentional or not, it’s good that the previous episode did much to foreshadow possible divisions among the members of APO, because this episode brings back the Rambaldi mythology in a big way. Not only is it clear that Sloane has not changed his underlying value system, but the writers didn’t forget the main strengths of the third season: Vaughn and Sark have even more personal reason to hate each other, and that prophesy about Sydney and Nadia being deadly to one another hasn’t gone away.
In fact, if anything, it has finally been given a better connection to the overall Rambaldi mythology. The whole idea of “The Passenger” felt tacked onto the already confusing and unexplained concept of “The Chosen One”, which was only really used to good effect in one episode of the third season (“Full Disclosure”). Nadia’s existence seemed like another attempt to give the third season a feeling of relevance, since Lauren’s presence didn’t pan out as well as the writers had hoped.
The overall mythology seems to boil down to this:
Irina and Sloane, at some point more than 30 years earlier, discovered much about Rambaldi. Irina apparently knew much more than Sloane at that point, though it’s hard to judge, since he is very good at concealing just how much he knows and when he’s simply feigning ignorance to get information where he wants it to be. At any rate, Irina came to understand the core Rambaldi vision of the future: that two sisters, each brought into realization of Rambaldi’s design through their involvement in its execution, would ultimately battle one another to the death.
Sydney, “The Chosen One”, would be the one to bring about Rambaldi’s design, and through anger, use it to “render the greatest power unto utter desolation”. It’s not clear what the “greatest power” is, though one could argue that it is not a nation or alliance. (There has always been some confusion about the fact that the Chosen One was never meant to see Mt. Subasio, but since the prophecy specifically notes that it would have been “without pretense”, Sydney’s intentional trip there could easily fit within the meaning of Rambaldi’s words.)
Nadia, on the other hand, is “The Passenger”, the one who was meant to lead the followers of Rambaldi, once identified by The Telling, to the next (presumably final) piece of the Rambaldi puzzle. The process involved injecting Nadia with a concoction that was, in essence, Rambaldi’s genetic memory, thus allowing her to transcribe Rambaldi’s directions to the location of this critical device or object. Supposedly, according to the season premiere, Sloane and Nadia found that device, only to hand it over to the CIA. This allowed Sloane to once again regain a measure of pardon from the US government, but also suggested that there’s still another step to the Rambaldi mystery.
This episode finally unveils part of that step. The Magnific Order of Rambaldi has always known that “The Chosen One” and “The Passenger” would do battle over something, and thus one or both would be killed in the process. This episode places that conflict at the very heart of the mythology. The so-called “Eye of Rambaldi” (), the symbol used over and over again by the mystic, is really meant to show two equal but opposite powers (the two sisters) vying for some central, key object. It’s not hard to make a guess as to the nature of that object: the most obvious round object is, after all, the world.
Knowing Rambaldi, of course, it’s probably closer to say that it’s not the world or control of it that stands in the balance, but rather, the fate of those in the world. And what Rambaldi saw as vital to the fate of the world may not be so obvious. Whatever the case, the writers go one step further, suggesting that the two sisters would only reluctantly find themselves on opposite sides, or so Nadia’s vision strongly suggests. Something will drive them apart, and in the process, it seems that Sydney is the one fated to die.
The purpose of the Covenant, it seems, was twofold: create the “second coming of Rambaldi” by taking the genetic material of the Chosen One and melding it with the DNA hidden in a Rambaldi device, while also locating the Passenger and getting her to reveal, through the genetic memory goo, the location of an unknown Rambaldi object. If the writers are trying to fix the mistakes of the third season, then they would want to reveal how the two projects were linked. One theory, developed in the third season and still viable, is that Rambaldi never died and that a device like the one in “The Passage” was used to keep him in stasis until his new body could be created.
This theory would place Sloane’s motivations into an interesting context. Did Nadia really see what Sloane managed to find, and did Sloane really give the CIA the device he found using the coordinates Nadia provided? Or did Sloane realize that the device found revealed the location of Rambaldi, and APO is his means to some end, his way of controlling the circumstances under which Sydney and Nadia will do battle?
Whatever the case, Irina’s true condition is very important to the whole picture. The Covenant fell apart, having apparently failed in each of their main tasks, but Irina’s legacy is not so easily broken. If Irina is alive, then Jack and Sloane are working together for some unknown purpose related to that fact, and for Jack to work with Sloane, there has to be something more at work, Jack almost seems sympathetic towards Sloane at times, perhaps suggesting that he recognizes that Irina played both of them, indeed all of them, towards some still-undefined goal. Is APO meant as a force to uncover and defeat Irina’s plan to set Sydney and Nadia against one another, or Sloane’s Trojan Horse gambit, as mentioned earlier, to co-opt Irina’s plan, only to replace it with one of his own? Or, what if Jack and Sloane are working with Irina, all for the hopes of saving Sydney and Nadia from the Rambaldi design, now that it is coming to fruition?
The fact that a few short scenes, carefully placed within the context of the episode, could elicit such a deep and complex re-consideration of the mythology demonstrates, without a shred of doubt, the continued viability and necessity of the Rambaldi concept for the health of the series. At the same time, JJ’s intent has been proven valid; by letting the mythology slip into the background, informing rather than directly shaping events, it’s that much better when it does return to the forefront.
Anna’s involvement with the plot, and her apparent desire to bring about the division between Sydney and Nadia, however long-term, suggests a number of things. For one, it has already been strongly hinted that Irina constantly reshapes and redefines the nature and composition of her organization, all to ensure that her rivals and enemies must endlessly catch up to her design. If Irina is still the enemy, and not working underground for Jack and Sloane, then Anna could be working for Irina to bring about the Rambaldi endgame. If Irina is not the enemy, and Jack and Sloane are working with her, then perhaps Anna is working with someone new to bring about the conflict.
Whatever the case, Jack’s comment about Anna’s apparent resurrection, and how many people who are supposed to be dead are not, could have more than the obvious implication. It’s clear that this is a hint about Irina, but what if it also refers to Rambaldi? This would be a theory that could explain everything about the fourth season. What if a resurrected Rambaldi, utterly committed to using his followers to bring about his grand design for the world, is the thing that Sloane discovered, after Nadia left his expedition? Could Sloane and Irina have gone heretic on the object of their obsession, having perhaps seen the madness of his plans? If so, Jack would be the obvious ally, since he’s the other parent involved in the creation of the two sisters, and he would have a vested interest in protecting them. And since all three love hiding the truth from everyone else, Jack’s philosophy in “The Awful Truth” now has a possible deeper meaning: that both Sydney and Nadia are being manipulated by Jack and Sloane to ensure they remain unaware of what Irina is doing and the extent of the forces trying to drive them apart. In other words, the de-emphasis of Rambaldi is not simply to satisfy the network, but might also be viewed as the attempt to channel Sydney and Nadia into areas where they won’t encounter the Rambaldi endgame unless absolutely necessary.
Anna’s fate was never shown on screen, and JJ had always noted that her return was prevented by her rather full schedule. Gina Torres’ schedule may not be as problematic as before, but there was also the issue of how much time has passed. Thankfully, the writers managed to bring her back in a context that made perfect sense from the point of view of the character and her previously established motivations. One didn’t have to know about Anna’s past history with Sydney to understand the depth of their animosity, and that was key to making it work for new viewers.
Equally, Sark’s involvement was in keeping with his previously established personality, and he was pulled into the story in a logical context. Sark’s part in the story was actually harder to work out, in terms of the new viewers, because he was ultimately more intricately involved in the series’ history. The entire situation with Lauren alone is rather complicated. The writers simply take the challenge head-on and place Sark and Vaughn in a battle of wills. Both try to establish a sense of superiority; in this case, Sark seems to win the first match.
Beyond strong connections to the series mythology, this episode also has something else that many episodes this season have lacked: a strong sense of pacing. The episode starts off quickly and doesn’t slow down or take shortcuts. It’s great seeing Jack take command, and the best character elements of the season thus far continue to find expression, adding to the dynamic established in the previous episode.
There is, unfortunately, one major element that doesn’t make sense: Sloane’s role. In the teaser, Sloane makes it very clear that the CIA agreement placing him in charge of APO stipulated that he step down, at least temporarily, if certain people or situation arise that represent a conflict of interest. He places Jack in charge, explaining that the team is not allowed to tell him anything or allow him to be involved. All well and good, but then on more than one occasion, he manages to insert himself without penalty. While this certainly backs the theory that Jack is sympathetic to Sloane’s agenda, at least where their desires are aligned, it would have been the perfect moment for Sydney or Dixon to follow through on their previous threats.
However, Sloane’s involvement, in those key moments, was necessary to place the Rambaldi material into perspective. His tone when discussing Rambaldi is reverent, almost needlessly so, but he is also clearly concerned for Sydney and Nadia both. Taken as a plot point, the fact that Sydney and Dixon ignore the breaches of conduct speaks to the seriousness of the situation. When even the most problematic elements of the episode work to its advantage, it’s hard not to get excited about the prospects for the future.
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode is probably the best of the season, if only because it finally brings back elements of the Rambaldi mythology and conflicts beyond the characters associated with APO. The foreshadowing for plot threads later in the season continues apace, neatly ushering in the “complication” phase of the season. With the new viewers more or less caught up, hopefully this marks the return to the way “Alias” used to be.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4
Final Rating: 9/10
Season Average (as of 4.8): 7.3
Directed by Daniel Attias
In which Anna Espinosa returns, working for ex-Covenant terrorists, and when she uses Nadia against Sydney to get what she wants, revelations about Rambaldi’s endgame surface…
Status Report
Of all the cricitisms leveled at this season, largely due to the change in format and the network’s foolish interference, the one that stands as the most fundamental was the sidelining of the Rambaldi mythology and everything that went along with it. Granted, there’s been much talk and innuendo regarding Irina Derevko, who’s entire life was devoted to the fulfillment of Rambaldi’s grand design, but there were several elements that were related specifically to Sydney and Nadia. And of course, Sloane’s motivations are never far from his own attempts to fulfill Irina’s plans for his own purpose.
However, there were indications in the previous episode that the writers had a long-term plan in mind, even if the shuffling of episodes made it hard to see clearly. Intentional or not, it’s good that the previous episode did much to foreshadow possible divisions among the members of APO, because this episode brings back the Rambaldi mythology in a big way. Not only is it clear that Sloane has not changed his underlying value system, but the writers didn’t forget the main strengths of the third season: Vaughn and Sark have even more personal reason to hate each other, and that prophesy about Sydney and Nadia being deadly to one another hasn’t gone away.
In fact, if anything, it has finally been given a better connection to the overall Rambaldi mythology. The whole idea of “The Passenger” felt tacked onto the already confusing and unexplained concept of “The Chosen One”, which was only really used to good effect in one episode of the third season (“Full Disclosure”). Nadia’s existence seemed like another attempt to give the third season a feeling of relevance, since Lauren’s presence didn’t pan out as well as the writers had hoped.
The overall mythology seems to boil down to this:
Irina and Sloane, at some point more than 30 years earlier, discovered much about Rambaldi. Irina apparently knew much more than Sloane at that point, though it’s hard to judge, since he is very good at concealing just how much he knows and when he’s simply feigning ignorance to get information where he wants it to be. At any rate, Irina came to understand the core Rambaldi vision of the future: that two sisters, each brought into realization of Rambaldi’s design through their involvement in its execution, would ultimately battle one another to the death.
Sydney, “The Chosen One”, would be the one to bring about Rambaldi’s design, and through anger, use it to “render the greatest power unto utter desolation”. It’s not clear what the “greatest power” is, though one could argue that it is not a nation or alliance. (There has always been some confusion about the fact that the Chosen One was never meant to see Mt. Subasio, but since the prophecy specifically notes that it would have been “without pretense”, Sydney’s intentional trip there could easily fit within the meaning of Rambaldi’s words.)
Nadia, on the other hand, is “The Passenger”, the one who was meant to lead the followers of Rambaldi, once identified by The Telling, to the next (presumably final) piece of the Rambaldi puzzle. The process involved injecting Nadia with a concoction that was, in essence, Rambaldi’s genetic memory, thus allowing her to transcribe Rambaldi’s directions to the location of this critical device or object. Supposedly, according to the season premiere, Sloane and Nadia found that device, only to hand it over to the CIA. This allowed Sloane to once again regain a measure of pardon from the US government, but also suggested that there’s still another step to the Rambaldi mystery.
This episode finally unveils part of that step. The Magnific Order of Rambaldi has always known that “The Chosen One” and “The Passenger” would do battle over something, and thus one or both would be killed in the process. This episode places that conflict at the very heart of the mythology. The so-called “Eye of Rambaldi” (
Knowing Rambaldi, of course, it’s probably closer to say that it’s not the world or control of it that stands in the balance, but rather, the fate of those in the world. And what Rambaldi saw as vital to the fate of the world may not be so obvious. Whatever the case, the writers go one step further, suggesting that the two sisters would only reluctantly find themselves on opposite sides, or so Nadia’s vision strongly suggests. Something will drive them apart, and in the process, it seems that Sydney is the one fated to die.
The purpose of the Covenant, it seems, was twofold: create the “second coming of Rambaldi” by taking the genetic material of the Chosen One and melding it with the DNA hidden in a Rambaldi device, while also locating the Passenger and getting her to reveal, through the genetic memory goo, the location of an unknown Rambaldi object. If the writers are trying to fix the mistakes of the third season, then they would want to reveal how the two projects were linked. One theory, developed in the third season and still viable, is that Rambaldi never died and that a device like the one in “The Passage” was used to keep him in stasis until his new body could be created.
This theory would place Sloane’s motivations into an interesting context. Did Nadia really see what Sloane managed to find, and did Sloane really give the CIA the device he found using the coordinates Nadia provided? Or did Sloane realize that the device found revealed the location of Rambaldi, and APO is his means to some end, his way of controlling the circumstances under which Sydney and Nadia will do battle?
Whatever the case, Irina’s true condition is very important to the whole picture. The Covenant fell apart, having apparently failed in each of their main tasks, but Irina’s legacy is not so easily broken. If Irina is alive, then Jack and Sloane are working together for some unknown purpose related to that fact, and for Jack to work with Sloane, there has to be something more at work, Jack almost seems sympathetic towards Sloane at times, perhaps suggesting that he recognizes that Irina played both of them, indeed all of them, towards some still-undefined goal. Is APO meant as a force to uncover and defeat Irina’s plan to set Sydney and Nadia against one another, or Sloane’s Trojan Horse gambit, as mentioned earlier, to co-opt Irina’s plan, only to replace it with one of his own? Or, what if Jack and Sloane are working with Irina, all for the hopes of saving Sydney and Nadia from the Rambaldi design, now that it is coming to fruition?
The fact that a few short scenes, carefully placed within the context of the episode, could elicit such a deep and complex re-consideration of the mythology demonstrates, without a shred of doubt, the continued viability and necessity of the Rambaldi concept for the health of the series. At the same time, JJ’s intent has been proven valid; by letting the mythology slip into the background, informing rather than directly shaping events, it’s that much better when it does return to the forefront.
Anna’s involvement with the plot, and her apparent desire to bring about the division between Sydney and Nadia, however long-term, suggests a number of things. For one, it has already been strongly hinted that Irina constantly reshapes and redefines the nature and composition of her organization, all to ensure that her rivals and enemies must endlessly catch up to her design. If Irina is still the enemy, and not working underground for Jack and Sloane, then Anna could be working for Irina to bring about the Rambaldi endgame. If Irina is not the enemy, and Jack and Sloane are working with her, then perhaps Anna is working with someone new to bring about the conflict.
Whatever the case, Jack’s comment about Anna’s apparent resurrection, and how many people who are supposed to be dead are not, could have more than the obvious implication. It’s clear that this is a hint about Irina, but what if it also refers to Rambaldi? This would be a theory that could explain everything about the fourth season. What if a resurrected Rambaldi, utterly committed to using his followers to bring about his grand design for the world, is the thing that Sloane discovered, after Nadia left his expedition? Could Sloane and Irina have gone heretic on the object of their obsession, having perhaps seen the madness of his plans? If so, Jack would be the obvious ally, since he’s the other parent involved in the creation of the two sisters, and he would have a vested interest in protecting them. And since all three love hiding the truth from everyone else, Jack’s philosophy in “The Awful Truth” now has a possible deeper meaning: that both Sydney and Nadia are being manipulated by Jack and Sloane to ensure they remain unaware of what Irina is doing and the extent of the forces trying to drive them apart. In other words, the de-emphasis of Rambaldi is not simply to satisfy the network, but might also be viewed as the attempt to channel Sydney and Nadia into areas where they won’t encounter the Rambaldi endgame unless absolutely necessary.
Anna’s fate was never shown on screen, and JJ had always noted that her return was prevented by her rather full schedule. Gina Torres’ schedule may not be as problematic as before, but there was also the issue of how much time has passed. Thankfully, the writers managed to bring her back in a context that made perfect sense from the point of view of the character and her previously established motivations. One didn’t have to know about Anna’s past history with Sydney to understand the depth of their animosity, and that was key to making it work for new viewers.
Equally, Sark’s involvement was in keeping with his previously established personality, and he was pulled into the story in a logical context. Sark’s part in the story was actually harder to work out, in terms of the new viewers, because he was ultimately more intricately involved in the series’ history. The entire situation with Lauren alone is rather complicated. The writers simply take the challenge head-on and place Sark and Vaughn in a battle of wills. Both try to establish a sense of superiority; in this case, Sark seems to win the first match.
Beyond strong connections to the series mythology, this episode also has something else that many episodes this season have lacked: a strong sense of pacing. The episode starts off quickly and doesn’t slow down or take shortcuts. It’s great seeing Jack take command, and the best character elements of the season thus far continue to find expression, adding to the dynamic established in the previous episode.
There is, unfortunately, one major element that doesn’t make sense: Sloane’s role. In the teaser, Sloane makes it very clear that the CIA agreement placing him in charge of APO stipulated that he step down, at least temporarily, if certain people or situation arise that represent a conflict of interest. He places Jack in charge, explaining that the team is not allowed to tell him anything or allow him to be involved. All well and good, but then on more than one occasion, he manages to insert himself without penalty. While this certainly backs the theory that Jack is sympathetic to Sloane’s agenda, at least where their desires are aligned, it would have been the perfect moment for Sydney or Dixon to follow through on their previous threats.
However, Sloane’s involvement, in those key moments, was necessary to place the Rambaldi material into perspective. His tone when discussing Rambaldi is reverent, almost needlessly so, but he is also clearly concerned for Sydney and Nadia both. Taken as a plot point, the fact that Sydney and Dixon ignore the breaches of conduct speaks to the seriousness of the situation. When even the most problematic elements of the episode work to its advantage, it’s hard not to get excited about the prospects for the future.
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode is probably the best of the season, if only because it finally brings back elements of the Rambaldi mythology and conflicts beyond the characters associated with APO. The foreshadowing for plot threads later in the season continues apace, neatly ushering in the “complication” phase of the season. With the new viewers more or less caught up, hopefully this marks the return to the way “Alias” used to be.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4
Final Rating: 9/10
Season Average (as of 4.8): 7.3
posted by John Keegan | 18:48
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