A Hero's Death

Well, this little tidbit from the "Ask Ausiello" column over at TVGuide.com has officially killed any iota of hope I had that Tony Almeida might still be alive.

Question: OK, so we know the Hobbit made the ultimate sacrifice on Monday's 24, but did Tony die as well? Couldn't quite tell from the closing scene. — Jay

Ausiello: Yeah, Tony's toast. Carlos Bernard confirms it himself in the new issue of TV Guide, saying, “Creatively, the writers have done all they could do with Tony.”

I wasn't as shocked by Tony's demise as I could have been. I had to tape and watch the episode after it aired (I hate work!), and after my beloved roomie already saw it. Suffice it to say, I knew she wasn't offering me a box of tissues because Samwise bought it. It could only be Tony or Bill Buchanan (she's a huge James Morrison fan).

Last week's previews touted another death. My logic scale said one of two people: Audrey or McGill. I was pegging Audrey because the actress has apparently shot a potential fall pilot (and boy did that sound ominous). But McGill won the Most Deserved to Fall On His Sword Award for the night. I felt more sorry for Red Shirt #2,348. "So we're all gonna die because you were embarrassed?" Sucks to be a glorified extra on this show.

I had hoped it was all over. After all, we last Edgar last week. Just just lost Samwise...er, McGill (plus 40% of CTU's staff). There couldn't be anything else....

This is why I both love and hate "24."

During the episode's nailbiting final scene, I saw one of two things happening: One, Tony doesn't kill Henderson, but rather jabs the needle in his own arm and takes the easy way out. Two, Tony decides to jab Henderson, but Jack rushes into the room at the last minute and plugs Tony in the chest. Neither very nice thoughts.

I was, however, shocked by what was behind door number three.

Henderson can not only withstand an inhuman amount of pain, but he can also fake being comatose (at least well enough to fool two trained CTU agents). It bent the rules of believability, but that's what this show is famous for. So Robocop is loose (we can only hope he's on his way to kill Kim and her creepy shrink-boyfriend), and Jack rushes into medical in time to hold a dying Tony in his arms.

I'd like to point out that for once, Kim was right when she said, "I don't want to be around you. Every time I am, something horrible happens. People die." As much as I'd like to say that it's her, it really is Jack. And the work he does. And the fact that he's the star.

In the end, my beloved Tony was not a murderer. He couldn't kill Henderson. He was a hero, and it was time to rest.

Jack: Hang on, hang on.
Tony: She's gone, Jack.

I cried like a baby. What longtime fan didn't?

That puts the "special guest star" body count at ten (adding Edgar, McGill and Tony to the ever-expanding Day Five list).

And on a quick Battlestar Galactica sidenote, Nowplayingmag.com has an interview with Ron Moore, complete with spoilers for season three.