Alias/The Solution

The Solution
Season 1, Episode 20
Airdate	April 21, 2002
Production Number	E649
Written by	John Eisendrath
Directed by	Daniel Attias
← 1x19 Snowman	1x21 → Rendezvous
Alias — Season One

The Solution is the twentieth episode of the first season of Alias. Sydney and Vaughn start an operation to bring Khasinau out of hiding.

Starring: Jennifer Garner (Sydney Bristow), Ron Rifkin (Arvin Sloane), Michael Vartan (Michael Vaughn), Bradley Cooper (Will Tippin), Merrin Dungey (Francie Calfo), Carl Lumbly (Marcus Dixon), Kevin Weisman (Marshall Flinkman)

and Victor Garber (Jack Bristow)

Guest Starring: James Handy (CIA Director Devlin), David Anders (Sark), Tony Amendola (Barcelo), Kirk B.R. Woller (Exterminator)

and Amy Irving (Emily Sloane)

Co-Starring: Michelle Arthur (Abigail), Alec Maray (Sial), Al Faris (Salim Wahid), Zuhair Haddad (Sayyad), Nameer El-Kadi (Algosaibi)

Plot Overview

Sydney devises an idea to flush Khasinau out instead of trying to chase him. Knowing that he sent in a team to SD-6 to get a vial of solution Rambaldi invented, Sydney and Vaughn concoct a sting operation suggesting that a second vial exists. A former failed operation of SD-6 involved an art museum that was rumored to hold Rambaldi items.

Sydney and Vaugn go undercover as security experts so that Vaughn can observe as they test their systems and Sydney escapes to the vault. Using a grapple gun attached to a disabled fan, Sydney lowers herself down into the vault and takes several valuables. The museum's director comes into the control room and orders the security test over and to re-enable all of the systems despite Vaughn's protest. When the fan is turned on, Sydney is pulled back up violently and has to leave a backup explosive to cover her tracks.

They then post an offer on the black market for a vial of solution at a price of $10 million to lure Khasinau. Jack disables SD-6's communication interception gear to keep them out of contact. However, Marshall devises an ingenious method of bugging Edward Poole, whom Sloane is convinced is working with Khasinau, allowed them to get Khasinau's number and eavesdrop on the meeting information. Sydney meets with Sark posing as a member of the Raslak Jihad and concealing her identity with full dress, veil, and skin makeup. Sark is not convinced that she is from the Raslak Jihad and challenges her to mêlée combat with the group's traditional edged weapon, a latajang. Although unfamiliar with it, Sydney is able to beat Sark using the weapon and gain his trust.

As Sark is inspecting and verifying the solution and Sydney prepares to switch the vial with a replacement full of trackable radioactive isotope, Dixon and his team arrives and hold both Sydney and Sark at gunpoint. Sark has pocketed the vial before Sydney was able to make the exchange and Dixon demands the vial.

Will is again contacted by his mysterious contact urging him to take the story back up. When he refuses the voice tells him his kidnapper was Jack Bristow. Initially unbelieving, a picture of Jack that he mocks up to match what he would look like in a mask convinces him.

Will surprises Jack in a bar and confronts him with his knowledge. Initially keeping up pretense, Jack agrees to meet Will at a remote location. On his own terms, Jack will help Will to identify who his informant is. The informant obviously has very accurate information and Jack suspects it may be CIA Agent Haladki.

Sydney talks with Emily Sloane as she lies incapacitated in her hospital bed. During the talk, Emily makes it known that she knows Sloane and Sydney work for SD-6. Having deduced this from overheard conversations over the years, this is a breach of security. Emily was also being monitored by the Alliance of Twelve and they have made the decision to have her killed. Sloane is immediately defensive about this, but is confronted by the Alliance's representative on the death of Alliance member Jean Briault and Sloane's own personal actions against Khasinau. It is implied that his loyalty would be confirmed if he allows the Alliance to kill his wife.

Notes

• Sydney beats a museum guard and defeats Sark in armed combat. Dixon and his team shoot two guards.

• Vaughn uses a frequency jammer concealed in a pack of gum. Sydney uses a vault scrambler in a necklace and uses plastic explosive concealed in a cell phone.

• Sydney and Vaughn go undercover as members of a French security team. Sydney later goes undercover as a member of the Raslak Jihad.

Music

• Trickside - "Coming Down"

• Alison Krauss & Union Station - "I'm Gone"

Arc Advancement

Referbacks

• Jean Briault was killed by Sloane in "The Prophecy".

• The original vial was recovered from Khasinau agent MacKenas Cole in "The Box".

Quotes

• Emily Sloane: (to Arvin Sloane) I am so proud of you.