As many of you may know, I am in the midst of re-watching season 4 on DVD. Last night I watched episodes 4.17-4.20, all episodes that explain Sloane’s Rambaldi obsession and Elena’s final end-game. I am so glad I went back! I understand now! I have a firm grasp on the complexity of those four episodes and I think I can relay what I have learned in a coherent manner, as to inform you all! YAHOO!!Bottom line- Sloane found comfort in the arms of Rambaldi after the death of he and Emily’s daughter, Jacqueline. I do believe, somewhere in all the hub-bub of this season and the HOLY CRAP factor of last season’s finale, we lost sight of where Rambaldi began for Sloane. He saw Nadia as the one final step in completely his journey. When she refused to help him (thus, not walking on the glass floor to retrieve the Rambaldi Sphere of Life) Sloane took the walk on his own, nearly falling to his death. But Nadia, the good wholesome daughter she is, helped her father from the hole and Sloane vowed never to speak of Rambaldi again. His obsession began with the loss of a daughter and ended with the gaining of one. I finally felt satisfied; it felt full circle for me to watch that again and understand it purely related to Sloane.
Watching the “In Dreams” episode in which the Sloane Clone is shocked back into this own brain, I found some overwhelming parallels to this season and tonight’s episode. One, Emily returns in the “In Dreams” episode, much like Vaughn will return tonight. Sloane is put under hypnosis in order to remember the deep buried pain of losing Jacqueline. This buried pain was necessary in shocking the Clone into revealing the whereabouts of the magical Rambaldi orchid. Tonight, Sydney will be put under in order for P5 to retrieve, no doubt vital information that will help them in their search for whatever it is they are looking for. It also seems interesting that both Emily and Sydney are presented as pregnant in these “dreams” or states of unconsciousness. This may be a stretch, but I saw Emily’s pregnancy and the death of their child representative of Sloane’s downward spiral into the world of Rambaldi. Jacqueline was to give Sloane something to live for, and when she died, his rationality and sense of reality died with her. Sydney’s pregnancy, especially in tonight’s episode, I find to be a new beginning for both Sydney and Vaughn. Sydney will be able to be the mother she never had and Vaughn will get to the father he always envisioned he had.
Parental relationships took over in the later half of season 4 and I feel they are making a come back. We saw Irina meet Nadia for the first time, we saw Sloane shoot Nadia in order to save Sydney. This season we’ve seen Jack reach out to his pregnant daughter, Sloane go to great lengths to save his daughter and we’ve seen Sydney pace APO as she tries to bring down the men that “killed” Vaughn and threaten her baby. We can assume that as this season progresses, the family bonds and relationships will only get stronger, especially with the birth of Baby Bristow-Vaughn.
Aside from these parallels, I was able to better under Elena’s plan by re-watching these episodes. Sloane admitted that as CEO of Omni-Fam, he put additives in the water supply of several third world countries; addictives that would alter brain chemistry and render the population more susceptible to of feelings empathy and generosity (hence, why Sloane is constantly drinking water in season 3.) He believed he was following Rambaldi’s message of peace and he had no idea that the additive’s positive affects could be reversed. Meanwhile, Elena was plotting, using the Sloane Clone to gather Rambaldi artifacts and materials needed for her endgame. We come to understand that the Sloane Clone was created by our fav man of mind games, McCullough (played by the wonderful Angus Scrimm.) At SD-6, McCullough made a “copy” of Sloane’s brain waves, which McCullough later used to convince Ned Bulger that he was Arvin Sloane. It was Sloane who tipped McCullough to the CIA raid on SD-6. This is just too neat and pretty for me. So convenient that the one man that can help Elena create a double was saved by Sloane from CIA custody. This, of course, all ties into my theory that Sloane is behind P5.
I do have to give kudos to Elena for her patience and stamina. She ultimately had been working towards her evil end game for nearly 25 years. She took Nadia, had her placed in an SD-6 like cell, had Sloane and the Clone do all her dirty work and then struck while the iron was hot. She was one tough lady, until Irina put a bullet in her head. That is another aspect of family relationships, but I won’t go into that now! HAHA!
So, have I missed something? Did I clear anything up for anyone, or did I further your confusion? Stay tuned for tips on watching tonight's eppy! Happy Hiatus! (Poor Robetron, I know he is crying right now!)
PS- I found the Season 4 DVD Easter Egg, or the secret extra. On disc 6 (with Vaughn on it) select "bonus" and scroll down to the "deleted scenes." Don't select it, just highlight it. Then click twice to the left and once down. A red cursor will appear over Alias Seasn 4. Click on that. It's a short film of the holiday hiatus party on the set of Alias. It's cute!
9 comments:
GS-
My belief that Sloane was behind P5 was anticipated by the fact that Sloane had manipulated or brought down whatever organization he needed to in his pursuit of Rambaldi. I even think he was behind the Sloane Clone.
What convinced me of it was the symbolism of showing the guard tower number 5 right before every scene of Sloane in prison this season- Sloane is behind 5.
Nice Uncle111, very good catch!
I think it just so happened that the additives could be turned. I think Sloane and Elena were on the same mission, one for good and one for bad. It would look like Sloane helped Elena, by putting the additives in the water, but really he was out for his own design. There is still very much we don't know about Elena and Sloane's plans. I am hoping this season will clear it all up before the end.
I'm not convinvinced that Sloane is at the head of P-5. I think they recruited him along with those others. He found out they were rogue from the Inteligence Agencies from which they came, and found himself blackmailed into getting involved with the rival group, The Alliance of Twelve. He finally found a way to arrange for their demise and thereby extracted himself from P-5 control. Now, due to his Rambaldi obsession pre-Nadia, he finds himself trapped again into serving them. Sloane's life is nearly as traggic as his daughter's.
Anyway, that's how I see it so far.
Great call on the Nadia/ Jaquelyn circle, GS. I think I mentioned something like this a while back, but I don't remember.
HIATUS?! *tear* *tear*
-R.
Thanks Robetron. I am with ya on Sloane being blackmailed into all this business. Can't wait to see what happens!
I finally re-watched Season 4 and just watched it through, taking no notes, so I could just get it in my head, then go back. One thing I kept wondering in general was this: "The Passenger" seems to have many many people concerned for her well-being and protection from pretty much day one. Those who seem have studied and followed Rambaldi revere The Passenger and are willing to even hurt The Chosen One to protect The Passenger. Don't you think there would be a faction that would want to protect The Chosen One? If Syd is the Chosen One, why weren't Rambaldi fanatics trying to protect her etc from the day of her birth as some did Nadia? Just a thought... sorry to go off topic.
No KLG, you made some good points. I wondered why everyone seemed to fear Sydney, when in fact it was Nadia that became "zombie-like." I always wondered how everyone knew Nadia was special, but Sydney was just living her life, going to school, etc. Then I thought, maybe APO, Dixon, Jack, Vaughn, even Sloane are her protectors. They don't believe in the prophecies, they believe in Sydney, they want to protect her. I hope some of this Rambaldi prophecy blah blah will be cleared up. Maybe we will learn the truth about the prophecy.
About that prophecy--in season four, I think (they seem to run together in my brain), it said that the two daughters would face each other and only one would survive . . . yet at some previous point, I could have sworn I remember the prophecy saying that BOTH would be destroyed. Is that an inconsistency, or am I delusional?
I've also been bugged by something in that eppy where Nadia finds the picture of her mother holding the baby. In the last scene, where Jack is finally willing to talk about the photo, isn't the baby on Irina's left arm in one shot and on her right in another? (Or maybe it's my delusions kicking in again.)
LOVE the mention of Sloane and the number 5 showing up in prison. Perfect!
As for Sloane being a good guy at heart (as in trying to nudge the world toward peace and tranquility)--I'm not sure I buy that if only for this reason--over and over again, almost ad nauseum, Sydney has declared her hate and revulsion toward him. And though one of the things we love about Syd is her emotional roller coaster, it seems to me that the writers would want to honor her gut instinct--after all, she has good guts. They've pulled her out of many a scrape and close call.
Well, I'm being verbose. Yes, GS, tell me about your short story. You can write me at Angie@angelaelwellhunt.com. :-)
Angie
Sloane and Elena Connection: In season two, we see Sloane in charge of project Helix [and possibly it's destruction]. In season four, we know that Elena doubled Irina. Does anyone else find it odd that both evil genesises doubled someone? Doesn't it just scream "LOOK AT THE CONNECTION"?
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