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Alias
"The Counteragent" (2.7)

Review by Malin Huffman
11.21.2002

Synopsis:

Vaughn, infected with the virus from the Rambaldi sphere, heads for quarantine but stops to see Irina on the way to find out if Khasinau found a cure in his experiments (from this season's opener). Irina asks if he's in love with Sydney; Vaughn says he'll tell her if she helps him.

Investigating the US standardized tests for Vaughn, Will first discovers that the 1982 test is missing from conventional sources, then that the official test on file is a fake, and finally that the real test did contain Project Christmas questions, to the surprise of the man who wrote the test.

After discovering Vaughn is infected, Sydney visits Irina. Conveniently, she divulges that an antidote exists, and can be found in a base in Paldiski, Estonia. Mixing up the counteragent requires a blood sample from the patient, to tailor it to their DNA. The CIA estimates Vaughn has about three days to live.

Surprise! Vaughn's previously unseen girlfriend, Alice, appears at the hospital as Sydney is visiting him to get a blood sample before leaving to retrieve the virus. Sydney is understandably surprised.

Jack concocts a cover story on Sydney's absence to tell Sloane, but he hardly needs it. Sloane is disturbed over his recent revelation that his wife's grave is empty. He's also disturbed at the string of recent SD-6 failures and what they could mean for his position in the Alliance. He tortures Sark's agent (captured last episode) to try to find the location of Irina's base.

Sydney infiltrates the base and mixes the counteragent, but is trapped in a decontamination chamber. Sark agrees to let her go and give her the counteragent if she will deliver Sloane, unconscious, to Sark. She agrees, leading to a gratuitous naked "decontamination scrub-down" scene!

Sloane is en route to an Alliance meeting by way of a spa in Tokyo. Sydney, in geisha disguise, sneaks into the middle of Sloane's massage, drugs him, and hands him over to Sark.

Back at the CIA, Vaughn has recovered and visits Irina, and somewhat hesitantly admits his attachment to Sydney.

Having handed Sloane over to be killed, Sydney is shocked at SD-6 by the sight of Sloane and Sark together, now allies. Sark convinced Sloane that he had actually saved his life from an assassination attempt and handed him a mysterious piece of paper which sealed the deal.

Review:

Great episode! It moves forward on several plotlines, plus inserts some new twists and a few big surprises.

The appearance of Vaughn's girlfriend is a surprise and not only throws an interesting wrench into his deepening emotional connection with Sydney, but also adds a dimension to his previous reluctance to show affection for her openly, in addition to just professional detachment.

Sydney, on the other hand, is showing more affection for him with every episode. Note the "goo-goo eyed smile" she flashes him twice -- once when she visits Vaughn in the hospital, and again at the end when he's all right. She smiled in the same wide, nervous way in the previous episode when the two were quarantined together.

The existence of a counteragent to the virus is a bit too convenient, but no one wants to see the likeable Vaughn killed off so soon, right?

The big news this week, of course, is the new alliance between Sloane and Sark. The irony is that Sydney who despises both of them, unwittingly engineered their alliance. What was on the piece of paper Sark showed Sloane? Is Sark responsible for Sloane's "haunting"? Seems likely.

Sark enjoys his work and genuinely seems to admire Sydney's abilities, but is just as much scum as Sloane.

Sydney turns a pretty difficult ethical corner this week; actually sanctioning Sloane's murder to save Vaughn. Of course, it didn't actually happen, but as far as her conscience goes, it might as well have. The CIA won't put up with her rogue activities forever.

Marshall only gets a cameo, but it's damn funny. Is he doing taxidermy on his down time, or really researching polar bear inspired stealth technology? Hilarious.

Finally, bravo! Kudos to "Alias" for showing "Enterprise" how to really do a decontamination chamber scrub down. Who's queen of the decon? T'Pol? Hoshi? I think not. Jennifer clutching her bosom and shivering has them both beat. Once again, "Alias" comes out on top!

Repartee:

"Did you know that polar bears can't be detected by infrared photography? Their fur emits no heat -- nothing, nada, zip." - Marshall

Jack's geek toy of the week: (No Marshall mission briefing)

Propulsion boots, underwater tranquilizer-dart pistol

Mission Style Guide:

Location: Paldiski
Outfits: Scuba gear, yellow radiation suit

Location: Tokyo
Hair: Black
Outfit: Geisha uniform

Malin's Score: 9/10

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