TV and Sympathy

Sloane lives forever, but Alias will not

It's over. Final blows delivered, explosives detonated, motives revealed, and last sweet scenes recapped at (excrutiating) length. So how did the Alias finale stack up to my wish list?

Rambaldi resolution: I'll give it an B+. They tied up a lot of loose ends given the time allotted, but it wasn't clear exactly what that red gooey liquid did. Was Sloane just healed? Or will he live forever? He seemed to think so. Plus, if Sloane fell in the red ball and got all revitalized, why did a similar-looking red ball do something harmful to Vaughn back in Season Two? I admit confusion.

Jack and Irina: A-. Both of them kicking the bucket kinda shuts things down for any sort of reunion, but we did at least conclusively find out she had nefarious motives at heart. Maybe they'll hook up in the afterlife? Nah...they're probably headed for different destinations. Pity, 'cause you know Jack would still love her, even though she's all evil.

Sloane suffers: A-. Syd got to fill him with lead, which has got to feel good after all the pain he'd caused her over the years. I'd say being trapped by rubble, alone in a tomb for eternity (without even your trusty Casper daughter to keep you hallucinatory company), is nearly as bad as it can get. I'm also hoping he gets an itch on his foot that he can't reach. Now that would be torture.

Awesome wigs: B-. We only got one disguise. There was no wig. Bwah! However, points for the roof-jumping sequence, which definitely took me back to the early days of Alias.

Peace: A. Living on a secluded beach with your children and the love of your life? We should all be so lucky.

With all these things on my wish list, it seems like things would average out to a B+ or so. (I never was a math wiz. Well, I was, but I'm not in 5th grade anymore.) However, the people behind Alias gave me something I hadn't even asked for - flashbacks of important events in Syd's life that led her to become the amazing woman she is today. Why didn't I ask for it? Because I didn't know how much I'd love it until I saw it. Her mother's death, her recruitment, her ascension to field officer...they were all steps on a path that led Syd to what she described as "...my purpose. It's in my blood. It's who I am. I have never been so sure of anything in my life."

Seeing the flashbacks brought us full circle and reminded me of what I loved most about this show - Sydney's inner strength. I don't believe in destiny or faith or any of that Rambaldi hooey Sloane did. But I believe that when you live to the fullest extent of who you are, you can do great things.

I'm sorry, is that mushy? Well you know what they say: I'm a marshmallow. (I'm also the girl who was totally in tears over Jack and Syd's final scene together, but we won't get into that. I have a rep to protect.)

posted by Veltman @ 5:36 PM