(1.7) Rogue

(commented on by Kathryn A)

General

Well, here we have another favourite, another milestone episode, whose repercussions will haunt Our Heroes for years to come. Well, that's what it feels like in fanfic: that "Rogue" is the episode that made them really concerned about secrecy, and the reason why, as some fans say, that Blair should never publish his dissertation on Sentinels. However, consider this:

Jim was always concerned about secrecy, not from the government, but from the criminals he was after; concerned that if they knew he had an edge (his senses) then that advantage would be gone. Which was a real valid concern (considering what happened in TSbyBS)
What put Brackett on to Jim was not Blair's Sentinel work. Brackett was responsible for debriefing the officer who found Jim in the jungle. After that, he kept an eye on Jim. And he kept an eye on Sandburg and his work. It was "an early undergraduate piece" that Blair did on Sentinels which alerted Brackett to the idea. So whether or not Blair did any later work wouldn't have made any difference.

Antother interesting point related to this: I checked the transcripts and there is nothing in the series actually saying that Blair did his Masters Thesis on Sentinels. As I said, it was an undergraduate paper which was what Brackett read (considering that this would have been five years ago, Blair wouldn't have had his Masters yet, presumably). So why do fans all talk about a Masters Thesis? Mind you, it is a plausible extrapolation, considering that one usually sticks to a similar topic in one's Masters and in one's PhD. But it wasn't actually stated in canon.

Another point: if Brackett read an undergraduate piece of Blair's, that implies that Blair's work, even as an undergrad, was good enough to get published. (I can't see Brackett finding out about it otherwise!).

Brackett. What a memorable character. The handsome, all-American boy who is as cold and calculating as (insert cliche here). Interesting to note that he justifies his actions to himself by declaring that "the republic that I swore allegiance to was overthrown years ago. The people in charge today -- they're the traitors." This raises the question of whether Brackett is working alone, or whether he's part of a conspiracy. And what kind of idealism he hides inside that cold heart.

Another question (gee we're full of questions today!): Considering that Brackett went to all the trouble of putting white noise generators with the tear gas, did he know that Jim would be there or not? If not, then was he just being extra careful, on the off-chance that Jim might be there? If he did know that Jim would be there, how? Nobody knew that Jim was going to be in that lecture hall. It was a last-minute arrangement, a spontaneous idea that Sandburg thought of, when Sandburg was asked to substitute for the lecturer. Granted, Brackett might have caused the substitution to be necessary, taking out the lecturer (giving him gastro wouldn't be too hard for a covert operator), but Brackett still couldn't know that Jim would have been in that hall. Mind you, I suppose for his game plan it wouldn't have mattered: just the fact that there were white-noise generators there, were part of his plan to let Jim know that he knew about Jim's abilities -- whether or not Jim would have been in that lecture hall or not. Considering that the tear gas was buried "under plaster and a fresh coat of paint", Brackett couldn't have set it up at the last minute, it was planned well in advance.

Hold on a minute! Continuity error! Blair here says, and I quote: "Five years ago as a member of the United States Army, Detective James Ellison, now with the Cascade Police Department, spent 18 months in a Peruvian in forest living among the Aymara Indians." But later on, the tribe is referred to as being the Chopek.

First use of the term "guide". Used by Brackett: "You're his guide, so to speak" were his exact words. So it doesn't sound like an official term.

Introduction of Jack Kelso. Is he a friend of Blair's or just a university acquaintance?

The scene at the music centre was kinda stunning.

First appearance of Joel Taggart, captain of the bomb squad. Question: why does Carolyn go into Brackett's house with Joel? She's head of forensics, not a member of the bomb squad.

I still wonder what happened to Brackett - whether he actually stayed in prison or not. Wanted for murder, mind you. Even if he is part of a conspiracy, they'd likely let him rot, now that he's caught.

Characters

Jim

for a guy who hates giving speeches, he's not bad.
was a military liaison to the CIA counterinsurgency unit.
knows about black ops (possibly participated in some, or not?)
still doesn't use his senses automatically.

Blair

is quick on the uptake (knows to knock over lamp)
has now started carrying his Swiss army knife on his person, instead of his backpack (hey, the guy learnt something!)
quickly thinks of the best way for Jim to use his senses.
most valuable use of a thrown shoe award...
gets the girl! (this time)

Senses

Jim

tastes salt, sugar and vanilla in the cups of water (and then sour milk!)
fails to hear the timer in the lecture hall, due to the masking of a white-noise generator.
sees in the dark of the loft, fighting Brackett
fails to smell that the thing Brackett tossed him wasn't a bomb.
finds the chili-pepper Brackett tracked in on his shoe, caught in a crevice in the floor of the loft.
tastes the chilipepper, detects metallic taste.
hears the heartbeats of the people in the music centre.
distinguishes Brackett's more rapid heartbeat from those of the sleeping victims.
hears the differences between active and dormant mines.
zones while listening to the mines.
uses touch to open combination lock.

Observed by:

Brackett (of course!)
Dr. Price (hearing)

Favourite Bits

Where Blair knocks the lamp over, and Jim and Brackett fight.

Crossing the mined bridge, and Blair chastising Brackett for not having read his paper properly.

Blair and the soldiers at the bridge.

The Ellison charm slipping, er, dropping.