Sentinel, Too (Season Finale)
Episode 323 (057) - May 20 1998
Attending an armed holdup in a grocery store, Jim is shot in the shoulder when he is distracted by a growling coming from the back room and a vision of a spotted Jaguar. In the hospital Jim tries to tell Blair and Simon about his strange vision. Blair starts to question Jim more deeply, telling Simon that Jim's visions usually have a deeper meaning, but Simon insists that Jim needs his rest and drags Blair away.
A week later, Blair's building at the university is being fumigated and he escapes to the station to get some work done. He tells Brown that living with Jim over the last week has been like living with an evil stepfather. Blair notices a beautiful woman that Megan is booking in after a traffic accident giving him the eye and Brown fills him in. Megan found the woman sitting on the curb after wrapping her car round a telegraph pole. She was screaming that the lights were hurting her eyes, noises were annoying her and her clothes were making her skin ache.
Blair's interest is immediately peaked, and when her blood tests are negative and Megan releases her, Blair approaches and introduces himself and asks if he can question her further. She tersely tells him to read the report but when he seems to exhibit and uncanny understanding of her condition and asks her whether she has experienced any prolonged traumatic isolation, she begins to weaken. He gives her his card and encourages her to call him.
Later that night at the loft, Jim hears growling again and answers the door with his weapon in hand. Blair is shocked to be met at gunpoint and tries to tiptoe around Jim's persistent bad mood, making small talk. When he tries to tell him about a woman he met at the station, Jim is not interested and retires to his room.
When Alex does come to see Blair in his office, in almost a replay of the day he met Jim, Blair shows her his Burton monograph and tells her about his research into Sentinels. When he reiterates that some Sentinel's remain dormant until a period of isolation she volunteers that she was recently lost in the woods for a week after a camping trip. He assures her again that he can help her with controlling her senses and like Jim, her first instinct is to want to get rid of them. But Blair tells her it is a gift.
Later Blair dictates research notes into his tape recorder. Blair says he is unable to illuminate the meaning of his "primary subject's" spiritual vision and that he seems "unusually reluctant" to explore the matter. He also admits that he has no data to indicate what would happen if he introduced the two subjects to each other -- would they become allies or territorial rivals? He decides to avoid such a meeting until he can conduct it in a controlled environment. Subsequently Oberon Security, a firm that designs state of the art security systems for major corporations, is expertly penetrated and their files downloaded to zip cartridge by an intruder dressed in black. When the intruder appears to be disoriented by the ringing of the alarm and is confronted by a guard, the intruder shoots the guard. Back in the intruder's car, Alex removes her mask and smiles at a job well done.
Back at the loft, Jim is still experiencing frightening and confusing dreams. That night he falls asleep on the couch and dreams he is running through the jungle chasing a growling sound when he comes across a stone temple and sees the shape of a jaguar. Just as he lifts his bow and arrow to fire, a grey wolf runs through the underbrush off to his left.
But when he releases the arrow, the wolf is suddenly between him and the jaguar temple and is struck by the arrow instead. When Jim runs to investigate, the wolf whimpers and dies, morphing into the figure of his naked partner. Jim awakes terrified.
Alex invites Blair to her apartment, warming to the idea of her "gift". Blair is amazed to find her walls covered with artwork depicting Sentinel symbolism -- jungles, jaguars, indians, a giant eye. She says the images just come to her and Blair agrees that there is a whole mystical side to the phenomenon that she has somehow tapped into.
She thanks Blair for helping her understand it and kisses him on the cheek, but he is discomfited by her overtures and changes the subject quickly, focusing on her sensory problem and assuring her that they can work through it.
Jim returns to active duty and is briefed on the Oberon Security heist case by Megan and Simon. He reports that his "shadow" has been at the university all week working on some big project and he hasn't seen him. On the security camera tape, Jim notices the strange and rather familiar way that the intruder reacts to the sound of the Oberon alarm, almost like they are in pain.
Back in Alex's department, she is confronted by her partner Karl, who has been reviewing her Oberon files for their next job. He has also been listening to the police scanner and accuses her of becoming "unreliable" and suffering her "headaches" again, both at the Oberon heist and with the incident where she was arrested. He says she may be talented, but she lacks discipline and direction, and he is considering getting himself a new partner. She denies his accusations, saying that she gets the job done and admitting that she has now found someone who can help her with her senses. Karl says he doesn't like the idea of someone else knowing about Alex, and she says that after she gets what she wants, she will "deal with him" sealing her promise with a passionate kiss.
At her next session with Blair, Alex describes the dreams she has been having. She is some kind of warrior in the jungle with a bow and arrow and she sees a huge, ancient temple with a stone pyramid and the statue of a cat. Blair tells her it was a jaguar, and goes on to explain that the first known civilized people in South America were the Olmecs, and legend has it that they built a huge temple in the middle of the jungle where Sentinels supposedly went and experienced a mystical vision where they would see "the eye of God". Blair acknowledges that this story was believed to be a myth, but 3 years ago, an archeologist in the Yucatan named Felice Santiago came across some carvings which he believed depicted "the temple of the Sentinels". Blair floats the idea of primal ancestral memories, but has to quickly depart the office to see about a lab he is teaching.
Soon after, Jim makes his way down the corridor at Rainier towards Blair's office but stops outside the door, suddenly sensing his "rival" through the etched glass. The woman transforms instantly into an image of the spotted jaguar and shatters the glass of the door as she jumps at Jim. Disoriented by the vision, Jim hurries away as Alex curiously opens the door to see Jim for the first time.
That night when Blair comes home, he discovers Jim packing all his possessions into cardboard boxes. Jim apologizes, but says it's getting claustrophobic. He feels like the walls are closing in and he can't have anyone there right now. When Blair again pleads with Jim that they need to talk about it, Jim says he doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to analyze it, he just needs Blair gone by the time he comes back, and with that Jim leaves the apartment giving Blair no time to respond.
The next morning Blair has agreed to meet Alex again in the grounds of the university to help her control her headaches, and he apologizes for his yawning, saying that he spent the night in a motel. But when he asks her to concentrate and focus in on the scent of some daffodils, she is still unable to control the agonizing spasm.
When Jim arrives at work that day, it is to find Megan using his desk because her phone is out and some of Brown's files on the top of his computer. Jim then claps his hands and starts to yell at everyone in the bullpen, demanding that no-one is to put anything on or take anything from his desk. Simon interrupts him and quietly calls him into his office.
That evening, Megan visits Blair to tell him that Simon sent Jim home for throwing a "tanty" in the bullpen. She says she doesn't know Jim well, but it's obvious his behavior has "changed". Blair admits that Jim threw him out last night. Megan asks Blair how an anthropologist got hooked up with a cop and he tells her it's a long story, but that he doesn't have all the answers. He seems reluctant to confront Jim again, but Megan is adamant that the two of them can get to the bottom of it and drags Blair back to the loft.
Meanwhile Alex ambushes a security van in a city tunnel and steals a high intensity cutting laser. When Blair and Megan arrive at 852 Prospect, they find Jim standing on the balcony of a cold, dark and very empty loft. Jim appears distracted and disassociated says he has cleared everything out to the basement because it was getting too cluttered. He says something "very wrong" is going on out there, something he's never felt before, then races off when he hears a siren in the distance, with Blair and Megan in confused pursuit. Jim joins the pursuit of Alex's fleeing vehicle and they corner her in an alley where Jim takes over the proceedings. As he tries to focus on the suspect on a fire escape above, Blair arriving with a flashlight distracts him and Alex gets away.
While Simon, Megan and Jim put together the clues and decide that they are looking at the preparations for a heist, Alex has broken into Blair's office to listen to his taped Sentinel research notes, and discovers the truth about Jim and Blair's relationship. Back at the station, Jim is running the Oberon surveillance video again. When Jim thinks he has discovered that the suspect is another Sentinel, he summons Blair to discuss the development but Blair is more concerned about why he was thrown out of the loft. Focused on the other Sentinel, Jim waves off Blair's query and instead reveals that he's been having dreams about a temple in the jungle and another jaguar.
Suddenly all the pieces fall together for Blair who realizes that Jim and Alex have been having the same dream and confesses to Jim that he knows there is another Sentinel, a female Sentinel. Even though Blair tries to explain that he was going to introduce them under controlled conditions, Jim is hurt and betrayed and insists that they confront Alex together. At Alex's apartment, Jim uses the burglary investigation to confront Alex and the two Sentinel's face off and trade threats before Jim leaves.
Alex's files reveal her to be Alicia Bannister wanted for grand theft and industrial espionage and served three years in a California women's prison. Blair is devastated to realize he's been lied to and used by Alex. When Jim and Blair tell Simon that their suspect is another Sentinel he is horrified at the prospect of dealing with the DA, but Jim is more concerned about keeping the Sentinel connection from Megan. When they return to the alley where they lost Alex to look for clues, Blair again tries again to discuss the situation with Alex and Jim says he is trying to get past it. Jim feels it's too much of a coincidence that two Sentinels have appeared in Cascade and hooked up with Blair.
On the overhead fly walk, Jim discovers a blond hair which he takes back to forensics to confirm Alex Barnes as their suspect. They secure a warrant to search her apartment and Megan confronts Jim about not being informed about this development in the case. They arrive at Alex's apartment and Jim determines that no-one is home. When Megan insists on forcing the door, she triggers an explosive device and Jim pulls her away just in time.
In the cleanup at Alex's apartment Blair again voices his concern that Alex is challenging Jim and there is only one way to end it. In the rubble they find a burned zip cartridge from Oberon and file recovery reveals it to contain security plans for a new Hazardous Materials vault at Rainier University, installed as a result of the Lee Brackett case and the theft of the Ebola virus (Rogue - 1st Season). But when they arrive at the university, the security has already been breached and two canisters of VX nerve gas have been stolen.
Back in Simon's office, he reports that a women matching Alex's description has boarded a plane for Bogotá, Colombia and they decide that for now, it is out of their jurisdiction. When Megan suggests they all share an early breakfast, Blair begs off, saying that he and Jim need to talk.
Blair admits total culpability to Jim, saying that he was focused on his research and lost sight of his friend, but he is willing to do anything to get past it. Jim in turn says that he needs a partner he can trust, and feels betrayed, suggesting that Blair should think about what good all his research is doing. Blair insists that it has helped Jim find out who he is but Jim rejects that suggestion, telling Blair he should think about another subject for his dissertation. Blair leaves, telling Jim he knows where to find him and Simon overhears the whole conversation, telling Jim he was a bit hard on Blair and asking him if he can handle the Sentinel thing on his own.
Back at the loft, Alex calls Jim from a warehouse and issues the challenge. Jim races off to confront her but she is well prepared, using his Sentinel senses against him. She quickly gains the upper hand, pushing a disoriented Jim into an elevator shaft. Megan arrives and engages Alex in hand to hand combat. She subdues Alex and rescues Jim, but Alex is gone when they return. Just then, Jim again flashes on his dream and the image of Blair's death, and suddenly understands what Alex has gone to do.
Blair meanwhile is waiting in his office when Alex arrives with a gun and admits that her senses actually appeared after a period in solitary confinement in prison. She thanks him for helping her find out who she is but tells him that she cannot let him live.
When Jim, Simon, Megan, Brown and Rafe arrive at the Anthropology building, Jim notices a familiar form floating face down in the fountain. They drag Blair's lifeless body from the water and Simon shakes Jim from his daze, insisting that they begin CPR. But there is no response. When the EMTs arrive and take over, they cannot find a pulse. Simon and Brown drag Jim back from Blair's body telling him to let it go, while Jim shouts "No, he's alive."
Credits
- Written by Gail Morgan Hickman
- Directed by Richard Compton
Main Cast:
- Detective Jim Ellison: Richard Burgi
- Blair Sandburg: Garett Maggart
- Captain Simon Banks: Bruce A. Young
Semi regular Cast:
- Detective Megan Connor: Anna Galvin
- Detective Rafe: Ryf van Rij
- Detective Brown: Henri Brown
- Detective Joel Taggart: Ken Earl
Guest Roles:
- Alex Barnes: Jeri Ryan
- Karl: Matt O'Toole
- Supervisor: Kevin McNulty
- Woman Clerk: Winnie Hung
- Security Chief: Dee Jay Jackson
- Guard #3: Terry Barclaw
- EMT Leader: Jay Brownlee