Tony Almeida's new look as a terrorist in season 7“What happened to Tony Almeida???!” I posted that same message on my YM status about a week ago, describing the wonder that was lurking in my mind about what truly happened to Tony Almeida oblivious of the fact that aside from 24 addicts like me, no one really knows who Tony Almeida is. For that whole day, a number of my YM friends who saw that status message of mine asked mo who Tony Almeida was. I gave them the same answer. Tony Almeida is actually one of 24’s recurring characters. And guess what, they also gave me the same reply. They all thought that Tony Almeida was some filthy Filipino politician who is involved with corruption issues.
I was obviously amused by their reactions but at the same time worried about how Tony Almeida’s character would end in 24. The night before, I watched the first two episodes of 24’s newest season. And for those who haven’t watched the new episodes yet, you better not read this post for below are spoilers for you.
On the very first sequences of Season 7’s first episode, Jack Bauer finds himself in a Senate hearing without a legal representation because he refused to have one. He was being tried for the “alleged” illegal procedures of interrogations that he and his comrades at the newly disbanded Counter Terrorist Unit did during their critical investigations of terrorist attacks. Jack Bauer, stubborn as ever, admitted in court that he tortured a radical Muslim terrorist in order to stop a bombing and even was a bit disrespectful to the Senator who questioned him when he said that he did not regret the decisions that he has made.
In the middle of the Senate hearing, a gorgeous FBI chic served a subpoena for Jack Bauer in the Senate. Renee Walker, second-in-command of Washington, D.C.’s branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, thought that Jack Bauer could help them in a situation that “has gone critical”. The facts were in. One of the men that plotted the terrorist attacks was someone Jack knew – Tony Almeida.
Although Tony Almeida’s being on the other side of the fence has been a spoiler for a year (because of 24’s postponement due to the Writers’ Strike last year), the existence of Tony in season 7 is just as unbelievable to the fans as to Jack Bauer. First of all, the world saw Tony die in Jack’s arms after Christopher Henderson injected a poisonous drug into him. And, Tony being a terrorist is just out of his character.
The writers of 24 justified Tony’s character evolution by saying that he was bitter to the government. At the end of Season 3, Tony found himself in jail after being proven guilty of putting his wife Michelle’s welfare over the security of the country. At the beginning of Season 4, he was a divorced drunkard as he wasn’t able to find a good job despite the fact that then President David Palmer gave him a presidential pardon. And just as he was beginning a new life after his reconciliation with his wife in Season 5, Michelle got killed by a car bomb under the orders of no less than President Charles Logan himself. He then “died” a few episodes later. His fate was brought about by the government that he spent all his life protecting.
I was obviously amused by their reactions but at the same time worried about how Tony Almeida’s character would end in 24. The night before, I watched the first two episodes of 24’s newest season. And for those who haven’t watched the new episodes yet, you better not read this post for below are spoilers for you.
On the very first sequences of Season 7’s first episode, Jack Bauer finds himself in a Senate hearing without a legal representation because he refused to have one. He was being tried for the “alleged” illegal procedures of interrogations that he and his comrades at the newly disbanded Counter Terrorist Unit did during their critical investigations of terrorist attacks. Jack Bauer, stubborn as ever, admitted in court that he tortured a radical Muslim terrorist in order to stop a bombing and even was a bit disrespectful to the Senator who questioned him when he said that he did not regret the decisions that he has made.
In the middle of the Senate hearing, a gorgeous FBI chic served a subpoena for Jack Bauer in the Senate. Renee Walker, second-in-command of Washington, D.C.’s branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, thought that Jack Bauer could help them in a situation that “has gone critical”. The facts were in. One of the men that plotted the terrorist attacks was someone Jack knew – Tony Almeida.
Although Tony Almeida’s being on the other side of the fence has been a spoiler for a year (because of 24’s postponement due to the Writers’ Strike last year), the existence of Tony in season 7 is just as unbelievable to the fans as to Jack Bauer. First of all, the world saw Tony die in Jack’s arms after Christopher Henderson injected a poisonous drug into him. And, Tony being a terrorist is just out of his character.
The writers of 24 justified Tony’s character evolution by saying that he was bitter to the government. At the end of Season 3, Tony found himself in jail after being proven guilty of putting his wife Michelle’s welfare over the security of the country. At the beginning of Season 4, he was a divorced drunkard as he wasn’t able to find a good job despite the fact that then President David Palmer gave him a presidential pardon. And just as he was beginning a new life after his reconciliation with his wife in Season 5, Michelle got killed by a car bomb under the orders of no less than President Charles Logan himself. He then “died” a few episodes later. His fate was brought about by the government that he spent all his life protecting.
Tony "died" in Jack's arms in season 5Jack Bauer didn’t believe it at first but he knew that he wanted to know the truth from Tony himself, so he helped the investigation. He was able to confirm that Tony indeed was behind the attacks after a sniper killed the witness he was interrogating and Tony called him through the witness’ phone. “There is nothing you can do about this, Jack,” was Tony’s words.
Despite years of not practicing what he does best, Jack Bauer was still as smart as ever. He was able to track down the shooter who killed his witness and followed him to Tony’s location. A series of action sequences again flooded the screen but the most painful of all was the fighting scene between two very good old friends – Jack and Tony. At the end of episode 2, all Jack could say to Tony was, “What happened to you? What the hell happened to you?”
Jack’s emotional question was a very moving one. Jack and Tony’s friendship have gone a long way and it is really heartbreaking to see the heart and soul of CTU fighting against each other. Here is a brief summary of how Jack and Tony’s relationship evolved from being best enemies to being best friends.
Season 1. Jack was the head of the Los Angeles branch of Counter Terrorist Unit while Tony was third-in-command. They were not only rivals professionally but they were in love with the same woman, the second-in-command Nina Myers. Tony hated Jack because of Jack’s affair with Nina. He hated Jack more when Jack broke up with Nina to reconcile with his wife Teri. Nina didn’t reciprocate Tony’s love for her despite her breakup with Jack. Towards the middle of that season though, Tony believed that Jack made the right calls. Despite being questioned by their superiors, Tony stood by Jack because he thought that Jack made the right decisions. Their friendship started by that time and has since then flourished especially after they discovered that Nina was working for the terrorists.
Season 2. After the death of Jack’s wife Teri, Jack resigned from CTU and George Mason headed the federal agency. Tony was second-in-command. When CTU decided to bring Jack back because of an imminent terrorist attack, Tony was there to comfort him and help him be in the right perspective. Tony was the one who made sure that Jack’s daughter Kim was safe. And although they had disagreements in the middle of the season, Tony and Jack still found themselves allies and stood by each other’s decisions at the end of the day.
Season 3. With both of their successes, Tony and Jack co-headed CTU. Tony headed the tacticals while Jack headed Field Operations. Together, they co-authored and implemented a plan that would bring down drug syndicates and terrorists. When Tony’s wife Michelle was abducted, Tony compromised their operations to save Michelle. But even with their disagreements about the operations, Jack helped Tony save Michelle though Tony wasn’t able to escape the consequences of his actions. He found himself in jail at the end of the day but Jack helped him out of prison by convincing President David Palmer to give Tony a presidential pardon.
Season 4. Tony wasn’t able to get a good job after getting out of prison. He became a drunkard and his vices caused his divorce with Michelle. She left him and Tony became even more alcoholic. Tony and Jack continued to be friends though. When Jack needed someone he could trust, Tony was there for him. Jack asked Tony to help him track the terrorists on that day and Tony found himself in CTU once again with Michelle. Tony then became a hostage of the terrorist they were tracking. The terrorist then managed to stage the death of Tony which thankfully Jack didn’t believe. Jack was able to rescue Tony just before he was about to be killed by the terrorist. Tony’s abduction paved the way for his reconciliation with Michelle. Because of Jack’s decisions on that day, he found himself being a target of an assassination. Having found this, Tony, with Michelle and Chloe, helped stage Jack’s death and arranged his disappearance.
Season 5. At the beginning of the day, Tony and Michelle became targets of a series of assassination plots by President Charles Logan. However, only Michelle died and Tony was wounded. Tony stayed at the CTU medical clinics most of the time. However, Tony found an opportunity to avenge Michelle’s death when he found himself in the same room with the man who orchestrated the day’s events, Christopher Henderson. He tried to inject a poisonous drug to Henderson’s body but Henderson was quicker than him. Tony “died” in Jack’s arms while Henderson got away. Jack chased and killed Henderson avenging the deaths of his friends – David Palmer, Michelle Dessler, and Tony Almeida.
Season 6. Tony was missing in action since he was thought to be dead.
Season 7. With the events of the first two episodes of the newest season, 24 fans could only ask one question: Is Tony Almeida really a terrorist?
Despite years of not practicing what he does best, Jack Bauer was still as smart as ever. He was able to track down the shooter who killed his witness and followed him to Tony’s location. A series of action sequences again flooded the screen but the most painful of all was the fighting scene between two very good old friends – Jack and Tony. At the end of episode 2, all Jack could say to Tony was, “What happened to you? What the hell happened to you?”
Jack’s emotional question was a very moving one. Jack and Tony’s friendship have gone a long way and it is really heartbreaking to see the heart and soul of CTU fighting against each other. Here is a brief summary of how Jack and Tony’s relationship evolved from being best enemies to being best friends.
Season 1. Jack was the head of the Los Angeles branch of Counter Terrorist Unit while Tony was third-in-command. They were not only rivals professionally but they were in love with the same woman, the second-in-command Nina Myers. Tony hated Jack because of Jack’s affair with Nina. He hated Jack more when Jack broke up with Nina to reconcile with his wife Teri. Nina didn’t reciprocate Tony’s love for her despite her breakup with Jack. Towards the middle of that season though, Tony believed that Jack made the right calls. Despite being questioned by their superiors, Tony stood by Jack because he thought that Jack made the right decisions. Their friendship started by that time and has since then flourished especially after they discovered that Nina was working for the terrorists.
Season 2. After the death of Jack’s wife Teri, Jack resigned from CTU and George Mason headed the federal agency. Tony was second-in-command. When CTU decided to bring Jack back because of an imminent terrorist attack, Tony was there to comfort him and help him be in the right perspective. Tony was the one who made sure that Jack’s daughter Kim was safe. And although they had disagreements in the middle of the season, Tony and Jack still found themselves allies and stood by each other’s decisions at the end of the day.
Season 3. With both of their successes, Tony and Jack co-headed CTU. Tony headed the tacticals while Jack headed Field Operations. Together, they co-authored and implemented a plan that would bring down drug syndicates and terrorists. When Tony’s wife Michelle was abducted, Tony compromised their operations to save Michelle. But even with their disagreements about the operations, Jack helped Tony save Michelle though Tony wasn’t able to escape the consequences of his actions. He found himself in jail at the end of the day but Jack helped him out of prison by convincing President David Palmer to give Tony a presidential pardon.
Season 4. Tony wasn’t able to get a good job after getting out of prison. He became a drunkard and his vices caused his divorce with Michelle. She left him and Tony became even more alcoholic. Tony and Jack continued to be friends though. When Jack needed someone he could trust, Tony was there for him. Jack asked Tony to help him track the terrorists on that day and Tony found himself in CTU once again with Michelle. Tony then became a hostage of the terrorist they were tracking. The terrorist then managed to stage the death of Tony which thankfully Jack didn’t believe. Jack was able to rescue Tony just before he was about to be killed by the terrorist. Tony’s abduction paved the way for his reconciliation with Michelle. Because of Jack’s decisions on that day, he found himself being a target of an assassination. Having found this, Tony, with Michelle and Chloe, helped stage Jack’s death and arranged his disappearance.
Season 5. At the beginning of the day, Tony and Michelle became targets of a series of assassination plots by President Charles Logan. However, only Michelle died and Tony was wounded. Tony stayed at the CTU medical clinics most of the time. However, Tony found an opportunity to avenge Michelle’s death when he found himself in the same room with the man who orchestrated the day’s events, Christopher Henderson. He tried to inject a poisonous drug to Henderson’s body but Henderson was quicker than him. Tony “died” in Jack’s arms while Henderson got away. Jack chased and killed Henderson avenging the deaths of his friends – David Palmer, Michelle Dessler, and Tony Almeida.
Season 6. Tony was missing in action since he was thought to be dead.
Season 7. With the events of the first two episodes of the newest season, 24 fans could only ask one question: Is Tony Almeida really a terrorist?
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