Alias S3 Ep 13 (After 6 hours?)

[kangeiko]

OK, so Jack didn't shoot Arvin the head (and you would have, Jack, I know you're trying to deny it - and why is that, exactly? - but you would have) and is now feeling guilty. Arvin doesn't mind. Arvin is lonely. Arvin misses Emily (which, you know, makes me want to snuggle him. *fear*). Arvin also obviously doesn't want a shrink, Jack, Arvin wants a hug from you or Sydney.

The way I see it -

Katya is playing her own game and the Sloane gambit was her pay-off, not Irina's (except that maybe they overlap).

Jack knows that she knows that he knows (that she knows?) that it's an Irina and/or Katya pay-off, which brings an extra player into the game.

Katya also knows that Sloane knows that Jack would have done it and there isn't a hate there, which leads me to think that hate or distrust wasn't what was intended. Instead, it simply clarified or crystalised their relationship, moving it from a slightly romanticised "the man jumped in front of a bullet for me, Sydney" and "you're all I have" to "You feel guilty" and "I'm alone", respectively. It's a lot more honest and more likely to be the basis of a lasting relationship (however you want take that) than a romaticised version of rekindled friendship. Really, what the hell was Jack thinking? Sloane's always been a romantic, but I figured Jack for a cynic. Anyway. So, actually, all three players get a payoff (and Irina, if she was involved, except if she wanted them driven apart) and I believe that Katya knew that this is a better basis for a renewed relationship. So -

Katya (and/or Irina) wants to drive them together. Payoff of them becoming friendlier/more honest friends = A; payoff of their friendship dissolving = B, where A is greater than B (based on the probability of each outcome).

Jack knows that he's been manipulated by Katya but cooperation may yield a greater payoff, so he's at the moment appearing to cooperate. Non-endgame scenario, his payoff from cooperation (payoff C) will be greater than non-cooperation (payoff D) or forcing an endgame (payoffs E and F, depending on who gets killed. Payoff G, where Jack ends up dead, we'll leave to one side).

Sloane...

... is lonely.

No, seriously. I could hear the numbers clicking as Katya and Jack were talking, but, man, I just about bled tears when Sloane stood in front of that window, looking incredibly lost and alone. And Jack... Jack will not allow the possibility of letting him in too close too early, because he's learned his lesson (we don't want payoff G, whereby Katya and Sloane receive payoffs of who cares, Jack'll be dead). But he won't leave Sloane like this. No, correction, he won't leave Arvin like this. It's like I can hear a yield each time he uses Sloane's given name. He's surrendering points and ground each time he says it.

And Sydney... Sydney's isn't a player or a payoff or, or, I don't know what. She's like the extant conditions, or something; the market in a price game. The last thing you want is for the market to collapse, so, actually, you may risk cooperation even though it'll cost everyone, because, well, otherwise the alternative is that the market goes away. And if that happens, that ties Irina and Jack and Sloane in knots.

Which, interestingly, gives Sloane something else to play for. Because if Sloane views Jack is both player and market and, hell, payoff, that makes things considerably more complicated.

Right, first, assume that the cow is spherical.

*goes back to the rest of the episode*