McGuffin Review of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Episode 20

Posted by Cory Johnson on 12.01.2008

Two shocking revelations rock the series and Sarah and Cameron get all dressed up trying to unravel the mystery of the three dots.

Ellison is digging up Cromartie and bolts awake when he uncovers the skin from his face. He immediately pulls his gun out of his nightstand. When he gets to his window, he sees Cameron shoving a long metal pole into his lawn at random intervals. He puts a flashlight on her, and she coldly tells him to go back to bed. Right, like he’s going to get back to sleep NOW.

Derek (for those of you clicking this week to see if I got my spell check right) and Sarah arrive at Dakara Systems and Derek tells the valet to keep the truck running. Sarah promptly starts ripping out every hard drive she finds. Back at home, John says that they have an incomplete design for an AI system. Derek accuses Sarah of chasing phantoms with her three dot obsession. Sarah notes that everything on the wall has meant something and Dakara’s logo has three dots. Cameron walks softly in on this, carrying her big metal stick, and announces that Cromartie’s body is not in Ellison’s yard. Nobody bats an eye at this or mentions it, which makes this moment even funnier. John tries to find a soft way to tell Sarah she’s been a little out there, but Sarah doesn’t do soft.

Next morning, John has set up Sarah for a meeting with Dakara, posing as an investor. John knows that they don’t have anything now, but every link to Skynet has started out small.

Jessie is fresh out of the shower. Her pictures of Cameron and the Connor’s are spread out on the bed. Derek and his gun tell her she’s got 30 seconds and some ‘plaining to do. She doesn’t believe him until he counts down to 25 seconds. Jessie says that she was sent back to find him, and her, because she (Cameron) has taken over, and Connor is making questionable decisions and getting good people killed. Jessie is here to save John from Cameron. Derek wants to think about this, and Jessie asks why he was sent back, but Derek angrily declares his love and warns her not to push it.

Ellison arrives at the office to find police and a body. Dr. Sherman, was working this weekend and was trapped and died in an elevator with no ventilation when a transformer blew out the power. In Weaver’s office, she tells him that Sherman was working on Babylon, the AI project. The AI borrowed generator power for itself during the blackout. This leads to a weird discussion about the AI’s intent, and whether it compares to a monster movie. Catherine seems irritated with the accusatory Ellison.

A very dressed up Sarah and Cameron meet with the head of Dakara, who apologizes for the mess, explaining that they had a break in last night. Apparently the Air Force is interested in their AI, but they a tight deadline to meet. The creepy son seems more robotic and socially inept than Cameron, blurting out that he named his AI “Emma” after his dead mom. Sarah goes for coffee with the dad, while Cameron challenges the kid to chess. Sarah says that she doesn’t have the capital funds they need and they say goodbye.

John meets Riley’s foster parents. Riley says that her foster parents are freaks, running a home for losers. Riley is sad and detached. Riley compares herself to a salmon being caught by a bear. John is weirded out and tries to go, but Riley asks him to stay. John explains that he cannot explain anything about Mexico. Riley just wants him to sit with her, but John leaves.

Cameron says that Dakara does not have the Turk, and tells her that the son has offered to teach her the game of “Go”, an ancient Chinese secret, err, game with unlimited possible outcomes. Cameron is setting up a Go board, and explains this week’s title, stating that the usual rules do not apply, and that Dakara does not have the funding to make their Air Force deadline. Sarah knows they will get their funding because it is written in blood on her basement wall.

Riley is shopping and Jessie walks up to her and wonders what SHE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT?

Jessie asks if Riley is getting enough sleep. Riley tells her about John’s visit and she thought that he was going to tell her everything. Is Riley a future soldier too? Riley tells Jessie that something is wrong with him he’s unsteady. Riley, on the verge of tears, isn’t sure she can do this and wants out. Jessie tells her that she’s nervous, he’s JOHN FREAKING CONNOR after all, and tells her there is no out, and she has nowhere else to go. Wow.

Derek holds up a belt with three dots and tells John that he is seeing three dots everywhere now, too. John defends Sarah, naturally. Derek just wants to know if John is seeing clearly, but John walks away from him.

Sarah and Alex, the Dakara dad, meet for coffee and compare life and kids. Alex tells her that he has found a miracle; a Japanese company has a tiny microchip they will license to Dakara, for a cool half-mil to start. Sketchy fact #1, the Japanese company won the Air Force’s chess tournament (the one that Andy Goode-creator of the Turk-died shortly after). Sketchy fact #2, Alex says this chip is the future. Analysis-Alex and/or his son will be dead soon.

Ellison is in the basement, which is kept near freezing temperatures, asking about Babylon. He notes that in the story, Babylon was a wonder, a work of amazing achievement, until God destroyed it. His tour guide notes that Babylon diverted almost all the power in the building to keep itself running during the blackout, saying that it created new rules to survive. Ellison asks how Babylon felt about Dr. Sherman. The tech says it is impossible that Babylon knowingly killed Sherman.

Sarah counts out the cash and diamonds needed to fund Dakara. When she is down to the last three diamonds (strategically designed to form the three dots, naturally) Cameron asks her if she is sure. When Sarah throws the diamonds into the pile, Cameron notes that the rules do not apply.

At the official business dinner, Alex asks Sarah if she is sure about doing this investment in cash. Sarah sounds really shady when she offers that she doesn’t trust banks. The Japanese representatives at the table offer a toast, and Cameron stands up and offers a toast in Japanese to their delight (I think I made out Inoki sucks Misawa's ass, but my Japanese sucks). The creepy Dakara kid, Xander, explains what makes this processor worth the money by saying if you could download everything about a person, memories, consciousness, ect and download it into a machine, this chip could run it. Sarah gets tired of the business games and wants Hideo, the Japanese rep to hand over the chip. He gets a nice briefcase full of diamonds and cash in return.

Riley has a breakdown back at her foster home; yelling at everyone for taking everything they have for granted when they are all going to die and wind up as nothing but bleached skulls.

At the Dakara office, Alex and Xander are geeking over the processor, while Sarah expresses her remorse to Cameron that they are about to crush their dreams. There is a problem with the chip, Hideo screwed them and this chip has none of the size or capabilities they were promised.

Alex is trying to stay calm and tells her that he will fix this and pay her back. Sarah is unconcerned for someone who lost half a million. Alex explains that Hideo is Yakuza, and that this is no BLACK RAIN (Screw you Michael Douglas!). Sarah shocks him by knowing that he paid Hideo to steal that chip. A text message about an acquired target is Sarah’s cue to leave.

Ellison explains that none of the techs know the AI’s intent, and Catherine wonders why he didn’t ask John Henry-the name Dr. Samuels gave Babylon’s AI. Catherine and Ellison are shown to John Henry and the tech explains that John Henry speaks in visual images, with binary code for yes (1) and no (0). John Henry has no understanding of death, and therefore no feelings about Sherman’s death. Ellison concludes that John Henry was never taught to value Sherman’s life, and therefore the people who programmed John Henry killed Sherman. Weaver wants to know what Ellison would teach John Henry, and he tells her to start with the Ten Commandments.

Cameron, Sarah, and Derek bust in our Yakuza contingent, and Sarah crushes Hideo’s hand beneath her heel. Hideo starts speaking perfect English and says that he is an actor, hired by Alex. Derek calls the wild-eyed Sarah off, claiming that she is making everything fit her vision and avoiding reality.

Back at Dakara, Alex calls for Xander when Sarah just blindsides him and starts asking about the chip. Alex tries to play dumb, but Sarah hates liars and nearly throws him through the wall before smashing his face in. Sarah takes him to see Xander and makes Alex tell him the truth. Alex tells Xander that he made the chip up, because he needed to make sure he was taken care of, because most of the time he doesn’t understand a word Xander is saying. Sarah gets her money back, but has to wonder if she is losing it again.

Derek stares a hole through Jesse and finally confesses that John is his nephew that he is here to stop Skynet right now. He wants no more secrets and tells her to come clean if there is anything else. Jesse says that she was using his toothbrush the whole time they were at Serrano Point. Derek says that he wasn’t using that to brush his teeth. Jessie gives Derek a warm hug, but her eyes are cold and a million miles away.

John hugs Sarah, when a knock at the door breaks them up. It’s Riley, and she rejects his rejection. John goes for a walk with Riley. Sarah stares at her face in the mirror, there are three drops of blood in the same pattern on her face. Sarah smashes the mirror.

Weaver tells Ellison that she is not qualified to teach John Henry about rules and the Ten Commandments. In myth, John Henry defeated the machine, but he couldn’t stop progress. Weaver leads Ellison into the basement where A SMILING CROMARTIE INTRODUCES HIMSELF AS JOHN HENRY AND ASKS ELLISON HOW HE IS TODAY!

Analysis
Now THAT is how you end an episode folks. They did everything at full throttle this week and everything worked. Hopefully they didn’t lose any of the audience with everything they threw at them.
The revelation that Jessie is not AWOL and is on a mission to eliminate Cameron, if true, is fantastic. The revelation that Riley is a part of this blew me away, that was one that I never, ever saw coming. The fact that she managed to get into John’s life under the radar and without attracting the wrong kind of attention to her means that she has some extreme talents and raises all other kinds of questions.

Ellison feels like he is in way over his head, but they way they had him analyze and break down John Henry was unreal and creepy. Knowing what he knows about Cromartie will almost certainly cause a tipping point for his relationship with Catherine.

Sarah’s obsession with the three dots is really opening up her character. First of all, it was a nice break to see her dressed like a lady for a while, something that I don’t think we’ve seen since Arnie and Linda Hamilton went at it the first time. Second, it raises the question of whether Sarah really had a breakdown or some other mental issue, or if she was just the only sane voice in an insane world that couldn’t understand her. The emotion is just wringing out of Lena Headey and it seems that for the first time, Sarah is wondering if she can handle the burden. Amazing stuff.

Things I Wonder
So John and Cameron survive in the future…as a family?
How did Jessie get back, if John didn’t send her? Skynet??
Why is Riley having such a problem with her mission? Is has to be something more than survivor’s guilt, doesn’t it? Personally, my guess is that they will have to kidnap John to draw out Cameron.
What is Riley’s connection to John in the future?
Does anyone believe Jessie?
Why wouldn’t Jessie come clean to Derek?
Are the three dots in Sarah’s head or real? My money has to go on real….for now.
Why didn’t anyone say anything when Cameron came back from Ellison’s house?
What are the odds that Ellison got back to sleep after he saw Cameron?
How stunning is Sarah all done up (she stills looks better natural)?
Would Cameron or Xander win a chess game?
Did Hideo, the Japanese rep sound like an Ando (HEROES) rip-off or what?
Anyone out there wanna try Sarah?
Why hasn’t Weaver built a Terminator before now?
Was I the only sucker who was just expecting Catherine to show Ellison something new about John Henry and then tell him to tutor him?
Anyone else’s jaw hit the floor when they saw Cromartie?
So who is going to die in the next two weeks? I’d say even money on Jessie, Derek, or Riley.

That wraps up another great Terminator episode. This is Cory, hoping that everyone had a great Thanksgiving, hunting season, or whatever else you want to celebrate in November. We only have two episodes left before the December 15th finale, and I have a feeling they are going out with a bang. Don’t forget that you can still register to vote for TTSCC for the People’s Choice award. As always, comments, feedback, and email are appreciated. I will be back later this week with the next episode of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, “Self Made Man”. Until then, keep watching.

The 411: This episode was a tense and terse bolt of lightning. The revlations about Jessie and Riley were unreal, and the big revelation that Cromartie is back had my jaw on the floor. They took a jackhammer to Sarah's character and it worked beautifully. It would be greedy to ask for anything more.

Final Score:  8.4   [ Very Good ]