Monday, November 21, 2005

Alias Answers by Paul

Over the years Alias has had us asking many a question. Never have they given us satisfying answers, answers the tie up plotlines in neat packages and lead us on to the next line of questioning. BUT, we have some answers!! Someone actually has some answers for us!! A blogger caught the piece I posted on Lauren and the many questions she left us with at the end of season 3. This blogger, we will call him PAUL MY DEAREST (because I think I love him), found the answers in a season 4 episode, answers that have been in front of us this entire time!!

He writes:

You posted an article about it last week, about the final conversation with Lauren at the end of season 3! :) But it occurred to me that this wasn't actually a case of the writers dropping the storyline. To referesh your memory, here is what Lauren stated at the end of season 3:

“Do you think the CIA couldn’t find you when you went missing or that you learned what happened to you by chance?”

“If your mother’s really been trying to help you since she left, why haven’t you spoken to her?”

“You can’t believe that you and your sister just happen to be agents.”

“We’re both pawns in the same game. The difference between us is I know who controls me.”

“There is a bank in Wittenberg, a numbered vault-proof.”

Now, here are my thoughts to tie these together. We learn in season 4, throughout the entire season, various clues that I believe can piece this puzzle together. Here goes: The headmistress was Elena, and she shows up when Nadia is a teenager to encourage Nadia to accept the job from the government. We also learn near the end of season 4 that Elena had been keeping tabs on both Sydney AND Nadia for YEARS. So she obviously knew where Nadia was and could have directed Roberto Fox to recruit Nadia! Hence, "You can't believe that you and your sister just happen to be agents." She may have maneuvered Nadia's offer from Roberto Fox. Remember, he didn't actually work for the government at all!!! Elena says to Nadia when she is in prison, “I believe people come into our lives for a reason.” It is very possible that Elena was referring to herself in Nadia’s life, or Roberto Fox.

Also, we learn from Katya near the end of season 4 that Elena was the "Man" behind the Covenant ALL along. Although we only see Quentin Tarantino's character McKenas Cole as Covenant leadership, he clearly says that he is merely, "The man in front of the Man." He then makes Sark and Lauren co-chairs of the new North American cell. Perhaps Lauren found out in the interim (unbeknownst to us) who the "Man" really was. Hence, “We’re both pawns in the same game. The difference between us is I know who controls me.”Next, because it was Elena who manipulated Jack to kill "Irina" all along, this could be the ONLY way that Lauren knew that Jack had killed Irina, let alone where the vault was!!! “There is a bank in Wittenberg, a numbered vault-proof.” This is actually quite shocking in a way. If my line of reasoning is correct, Lauren may have been privy to much more information than we were led to believe, even more so than Sark. She always did seem to have the upper hand over Sark, with her manipulation of killing the Covenant leadership in direct collaboration with McKenas Cole. Is it possible she knew she was working for Elena?!?! She obviously had information that only Elena would have known!

OK, now here's where I delve into some truly shocking ideas! It was just revealed to us that Prophet 5 is embedded in world governments...could this possibly include the DSR??? Kendall??? He is obviously a very important character that seems to be underused. “Do you think the CIA couldn’t find you when you went missing or that you learned what happened to you by chance?” POW! We know that Elena wanted the Rambaldi tissue, but is it possible that she was playing BOTH sides?? Trying to get it through the Covenant by manipulating Sydney AND trying to get it via Kendall and the DSR by manipulating Sydney? Or is it possible that Prophet 5 (embedded in world governments) was using Elena and we STILL haven't seen the top of the command chain? Either way, this raises doubts in my mind as to whether the DSR is "good" or not? Remember, Dean was able to get inside APO and infiltrate the CIA...that would be even easier for Kendall! Not to mention, do you remember how all those Rambaldi artifacts were stolen from the NSA in season 2??? How would anyone but Kendall (Project Black Hole) have known where they were to steal in the first place? Either way, that statement makes me think that someone in Prophet 5 is in the US government...and my guess is Kendall! Again, this also brings in the comment, “We’re both pawns in the same game. The difference between us is I know who controls me.” Elena has been manipulating Sydney too, giving even more credence to the idea Lauren may have known about Elena!

“If your mother’s really been trying to help you since she left, why haven’t you spoken to her?” We see Jack communicate with Irina throughout the season via instant messenger, but Jack wasn't REALLY talking to Irina! Elena was manipulating him the whole time! Elena already had Irina locked up and was interrogating her. Jack was speaking with her placed double! That is why when Jack asked her about the Passenger, she closed down the user account and disappeared. Jack was getting too close and Elena decided to cut him off. Of course, this would also suggest that Elena has been manipulating Katya! It was through one of these conversations to save Sydney in North Korea that brought Katya to Jack's door. Clearly, Elena needed Sydney alive, and since Elena was able to manipulate Jack, using Katya to do this would certainly be within her power.Another quick thought...Elena must have been manipulating McCullough and the Sloane Clone, again to get the orchid for her scheme! She was behind the manipulation of Vaughn to believe that his father was still alive. Remember, the cipher text in the book Vaughn was given led him directly to Nadia's headmistress, Elena!This explanation would account for that weird conversation between Lauren and Sydney, and given what we already know about ALIAS, this explanation is even far-fetched. Perhaps the writers didn't drop the ball on that conversation after all and the explanation is still to be revealed.

Excellent observations and clarifications PAUL MY DEAREST. I, too, re-watched the episode explaining Nadia’s past and found MY DEAREST’s statements to be very plausible. I think it is highly likely that all the answers we are longing for are buried deep in old episodes, in encrypted conversations and heavy back story. This is why re-watching old episodes is so important; it gives us a better understanding of the characters and the plot and where the story maybe headed. Please, go back and watch episodes 4.10-4.13!!
Thank you to Paul for this fabulous piece. Stay tuned for more answers about…Bill Vaughn.

16 comments:

Kiki said...

I love Paul's theory about Kendall. I entertained that idea myself. He's such a great character. I also thought that Irina was not "the Man" and that it was somebody else yet. In fact, Paul has so many good points, I think I adore him too.

Girlscout said...

I know! Isn't Paul a genius? I felt so complete after I read his e-mail, I just had to post his stuff. Cross your fingers for more from Paul. *Paul, you might have a cult following. You might have to beat us off with sticks.

SRM said...

So Paul, ya single? Live in the NC area? ;) j/k, that was a great post, very good explaination of many things we've been wondering. My theory on why Lauren told Syd about the vault was that she knew Elena was holding Irena and wanted Syd to "find out" about Jack killing Irena so everyone would think she was dead, in essance she was helping Elena by leading Syd to that info. Just my 2c. :)

Girlscout said...

Nice SRG. That's what I figured. The Covenant wanted them to think Irina was dead. I am on a hunt now for more answers. And by the way, the Cougs (Washington State University) beat the Huskies (U of Washington)!! GO COUGS!

Andrew said...

When we're referring to Elena as "the "Man" behind the Covenant" are we saying she is the infamous "The Man" from Season 1, or just saying that she is/was the head of the Covenant?

I'm still under the impression that Irina was the one referred to as "the Man." I think "the Man" and the Head of the Covenant are two entirely different things.

If anyone can explain how we're making this jump, I'd love to have it explained better.

Girlscout said...

Andrew- It was assumed that Irina was the Man, because Kassinau said he was not the man and then Irina entered the room. But, that doesn't mean she is the man. It is very possible that Elena was the Man. Maybe Kassinau wasn't sure who he was working for. I think the Man is/was Elena, that she ran the Covenant through other people, McKenas Cole, Lauren, Sark, etc.

SRM said...

Andrew I agree, I also think Irena was the Man from s1 and Elena was the "man" behind the covenant.

Anonymous said...

I agree...even though we ASSUME Irina was the man, this was never actually stated, although Khasinau DID refer to Irina as his 'boss.'

I guess I might have been a little confusing. I didn't really make a connection between the organization Irina was running and the Covenant, but I can see how that connection could have been made by referring to Elena as "the Man." I always assumed they were 2 separate organizations.

And I assumed that because if Elena was the man, and Khasinau and Irina were subordinates, that would mean that Irina was working with/for Elena, which wouldn't make sense, as Irina was trying to stop Elena! Of course, that early in the plotline, Irina may not have known what Elena's endgame was...

Another good question that I would be curious to find out more about...

M said...

Good theories Paul! I think one jump we could also make from your guesswork would be that Elena somehow worked with the original Alliance (or even Sloan?) to get Sydney recruited into SD-6. (Just as she got Nadia recruited into Fox's organization.)

I think we also need to further explore to see if Nadia may have gone through Project Christmas.

SRM said...

ooo, good points m!!

Girlscout said...

Ohh, I heart M too! You always have really great additional questions!!

Jess said...

But why would Irina be working for the same group as Elena. In season 4 we learn that Irina was trying to stop Elena before Irina's "death". So how would that work. Unless of course Irina was working for the same people as Elena (or working for Elena, as the case may be) so that she could get close enough to stop Elena's endgame and stop her from hurting Syd and Nadia. Hmmm...I am typing as I am thinking of this so sorry if it is a little all over the place.

Do we know if Irina admitted to being the Man when she turned herself in to the CIA in season 2? She must have had to give a statement or something....

SRM said...

ok thanks dignan, I was pretty sure he had a double band before, maybe that 3rd one does mean something, hmm. I agree Jess that it doesn't make much sense for Irena to be working w/ Elena, they obviously hated each other, I mean Irena shot her in the head for goodness sake! I don't know if Irena ever admitted to being the man though, it was just assumed from what Kazinau (sp?) said in the s1 finale.

Kiki said...

Whether or not we are defining Irina as "the man" I think she did have her own organization with a fair amount of latitude to do as she pleased especially in pursuit of Rambaldi. However, I think she was also under another, larger organization. When Irina is telling Syd why she shot her in Taipei, she explains that she was being watched from the next room by that guy who stole the nuclear cores to open the Rambaldi thing with the flower (whom Irina pretended to ally with when Jack and Syd were caught but it was a ruse because Irina slipped Jack the keys to the handcuffs...) So I think Irina had her own Rambaldi agenda (I mean, her daughters are the Passenger and the Chosen One) but she was not the ultimate head of whatever organization, just an arm of it perhaps.

Girlscout said...

Good point KLG. Irina's agenda maybe very different than whatever anyone else is up to.

uncle111 said...

I used to think Irina was "The Man" from the first season. But, someone pointed out to me that in a later episode Irina told Syd that when she walked into the room where Syd was and eventually shot her that she shot Syd because Couvee(sp?- the guy in the Rambaldi device makes a 500 year old flower bloom episode) was in the other room and he was watching to see if Irina would shoot Syd as a test of loyalty.
That means that Irina was in a subordinate role to Couvee.