Revolution 2.17: Arabic Writing on the Wall

No nanites but lots of welcome action in Revolution 2.17 - welcome, because it's good to see the "patriots" crushed whenever that's possible.  This means that I agree completely with Monroe taking the opportunity with or without Miles and against Rachel's increasingly annoying opposition.

But it was interesting to encounter the continuum of motivations and likely future actions of our freedom fighters.   Monroe's son is beginning to be a little put off by his father's violence - or at least, it seems that that's what we're supposed to think, based on the look on Connor's face.  Charlie's joining the battle, out of both loyalty to Connor and maybe even more so to the cuase, was also noteworthy. Revolution has taken to having its characters examining their motivations in the past few episodes, and that enriches the narrative.

But I thought the most interesting thing about 2.17 was the writing in the "patriot" journal revealed at the end - not so much the new attack it described, but the fact that it was written in Arabic, which brings us back to exactly who the "patriots" really are, or on whose behest they are ultimately working.

Last week's episode seemed to decisively portray the "patriots" as the brainchild of the Secretary of Defense before the blackout, and because of the blackout in a great position to implement his totalitarian inclinations.   If that is indeed the whole story, then the Arabic writing may be nothing more than a method, picked up at Guantanamo, to make important patriot writings not easily readable by outsiders, should the writing fall into the wrong hands, as they did last night.

But there's been at least a sliver of an implication that somehow some Arabic power or force, also connected to Guantanamo, is really running the patriot show.   If we think it would be hard for any American - including even the President on the show - to nuke major American cities like Philadelphia, then it would make sense that a foreign power is ultimately behind what the patriots are doing.

Another reason to keep watching this series.

See also Revolution 2.1: "The Last Surviving Friend" ... Revolution 2.2: Reanimation ... Revolution 2.4: Nanites and ... Maybe Aliens? ... Revolution 2.7: Firestarter Aaron vs. the Creepster ... Revolution 2.9: The Boy and the Attitude ... Revolution 2.10: Mexico and More ... Revolution 2.11: Captives and Nanites ... Revolution 2.12: Eugenics and Lubbock ... Revolution 2.13: Steve Tyler, Mummy ... Revolution 2.14: Time Travel! ... Revolution 2.15: Not Time Travel ... Revolution 2.16: The Manchurian Post-Blackout Candidate

And see also Revolution: Preview Review  ... Revolution 1.2: Fast Changes ... Revolution 1.14: Nanites and Jack Bauer ... Revolution 1.15: Major Tom and More 24 ... Revolution 1.16: Feeling a Little Like the Hatch in Lost ... Revolution 1.17: Even Better Nanites ... Revolution 1.18: Whodunnit? ... Revolution 1.19: Cheney's Bunker ... Revolution Season 1 Finale: Good Pivot

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