As you will note, we skipped a couple of episodes, simply because Irina was not in them. :angry:

IRINA DEREVKO
A Free Agent – Episode 15
“Take Care of Yourself”

With these words, Irina Derevko says goodbye to her daughter whom she has come to know during her weeks as a prisoner of the CIA. We have learned through words here and there, that Irina definitely would like to Sydney out of both SD-6 and the CIA. She does not wish for her daughter to follow in her footsteps.

She has only one scene in the episode, but it is a powerful one between mother and daughter. Sydney has been told that if she leaves the CIA, she will lose her clearance to see her mother.

Kendall says, “Civilians aren’t authorized to be in this facility, let alone have access to a terrorist we can’t even acknowledge is in our custody! In or out, kiddo? Can’t have it both ways.”

Jack says he’s right legally, but ethically, “he’s an ass.” He can see the agony in Sydney’s face.

The scene shifts to the cellblock as Sydney walks down the corridor with Irina’s theme playing in the background. A smile on her face, Irina comes to the window as Sydney appears.

“Congratulations. Your father told me about your success. What about your associates at SD-6? You had friends there, yes?”
“I haven’t seen them yet.” Sydney says. “I mean, they’re still being debriefed. I’m sorry that I haven’t been to see you in a while.” (Far too long for Irina’s fans)
“Well, I understand. I’m sure this has been overwhelming for you.” (Nicely understated!)
Sydney pauses, then looks at Irina. “I graduate today.”
“I know.” Irina looks at her, head cocked as though trying to read Sydney. “I would think you’d be more relieved with SD-6 and the Alliance gone.”
Sydney pauses, thinking what to say next and then, “I’m thinking about leaving the CIA, which would mean giving up my clearance to see you.”
Now Irina pauses slightly, thinking about her next words. “You’re too forgiving, Sydney. Don’t pretend I’m something I’m not. I’ve never been a real mother to you…you don’t owe me a second chance. If you make this decision about me, you’re a fool. In fact, if you decide to stay I won’t agree to see you anymore.” She looks long at her daughter. “Take care of yourself.”
Sydney takes a long look at Irina, tears welling up in her eyes, and turns, walking back up the corridor.
Irina’s eyes are filling with tears drops her head as though she might burst out crying. That had been an agonizing decision: to cut herself off from the daughter she loves.

I’d like to take a few moments to discuss the feelings of the two women facing each other in the three minutes or less of the scene. It was probably the most powerful face to face they have had since their first meeting in “Trust Me.”

Sydney is still ambivalent about whether or not she is going to leave the CIA. Kendall has told her she won’t get to see her mother ever again if she leaves. Therefore, she goes to the cellblock to see Irina. It might be she wants Irina to tell her to stay so they will still have some contact. However, Irina wants her daughter out, perhaps more than Sydney realizes, because they’ve never really talked about each other’s lives after Irina left her and her father.

I would have loved to see them do that, but then Irina’s elusive, mysterious aura would be lost. (And we fan fiction writers would have nothing to write about.)

I think Irina is wrong when she says, “I’ve never been a real mother to you.” She was a real mother for six years. Sydney still has a few memories, especially when Irina brought them up. “You don’t owe me a second chance.” That’s what Sydney’s been giving her…to prove to her and to everyone that she is not as bad as everyone including Jack has predicted.

“Take care of yourself,” she says. Those words didn’t express her love for her daughter although by now we know she does love her. What might have happened after Sydney left? Allow me to give you my version.

Irina stood at the window looking out at nothing. She couldn’t bear to remember those words she had spoken to Sydney two days ago. She had done it again. She had cut herself off from the only person who made it possible to live in this cell. Two days and it was already too long.
You fool, she thought, why did you do that? She knew though that her greatest desire was to have Sydney to leave the CIA and the danger that life involved. She wanted her daughter to live a normal life and now that SD-6 and The Alliance were gone, she hoped Sydney would seize the chance. She did not want to be responsible for Sydney’s staying.
She heard the buzzer warning her someone was coming. She turned around slowly, thinking that maybe it was Sydney. Maybe she was coming to tell her she had made the decision to leave and would say one last goodbye.
As the footsteps came closer though, she realized it wasn’t her daughter. She walked slowly to the window as Jack appeared. She didn’t like the look on his face. Recently, he seemed more resigned to her being here and talking with Sydney. She waited for him to speak.
“How could you do that to her again?” His words cut into her heart and his eyes were unforgiving.
Her chest tightened in fear. It was a fear of now losing the only other contact she wanted with the outside world.
“Jack,” she began, biting her lips trying not to cry, “If she stayed in the CIA because of me, I couldn’t bear it. Do you think I put myself into a room like this for the rest of my life just to make up for my past mistakes.” She shook her head slowly. “When Sydney showed up in Taipei and then in Barcelona, I could only see myself and I didn’t want this for her in thirty years.”
“Commendable,” he said coldly. “It seems that she now feels once more abandoned by the one person she wanted to see the most – her mother.” He stared at her, and then blinked, as he watched tears starting to well up in those dark eyes.
“Thanks, Jack.” Her lips trembled and one tear rolled down her cheek.
“Irina,” his tone softened, “Sydney was taken by Sloane in Zurich. We don’t know where she is or if she’s alive!”
By his words, she knew Sydney was still with the CIA. “What happened?”
He told her quickly. “We need your help.”

I think Jack would have gone to see her after she sent Sydney away and this is my version of that meeting.

Of course, the rest of the show is the chase after Sloane, ending with Sydney’s being captured and made to drive him away from the bank. Irina had just that one scene.

Another discussion point: once more they called her a terrorist which I did not approve of since all of her previous dealings had been spying, alleged assassinations and running a crime syndicate, most of whose dealings were in blackmail. She was not a mass murderer like Sloane (Firebomb). Every time they used it to describe her, it irritated the hell out of me.

Hummm this column took longer than I thought, but then some of my fiction found it’s way onto the pages.

Next, A Dark Turn: when we get a lot of Irina and Jack together and hear about her own obsession with Rambaldi. And we’ll see another great scene between mother and daughter.
B)

I love your analysis (it's the first i read and i go to read the others immediately :) ).

Yes and i will add : an episode without Irina is not a good episode... no insult to JG, VG and the others...

I don't think Irina was trying to cut herself off from Sydney, but she didn't want to be the only reason Sydney was living her life at the CIA. By refusing to see her if she stayed for that one reason, she left Sydney the chance to make a decision based on what she wanted for herself, and not based on Irina.

She feels that she has made some mistakes in the past, and doesn't want to be the only reason Sydney puts her life in danger everyday.

Another great article!!! And ALIAS just isn't the same without Irina, so a little dissapointing, but still good fun!

AHHH! :angry: What is JJ trying to do to us? *groans* No Irina . . . for TWO WHOLE EPISODES!!!! I mean, Alias is cool and all, but without Irina, it's just MISSING SOMETHING! I seriously only re-watch the episode with her in them, and I sometimes just fast forward to her scenes (yes, I know I'm obsessed. . . :sigh: But I love her!).

Great analysis!

I second that!

Loved your made-up scene where Jack goes to see Irina. . . I could really visualize something like this having happened sometime during the episode, but of course it didn't. . . But you did an excellent job writing it - Irina's intense desire that Sydney not end up like her, and Jack's reaction - perfect! I know I rarely get a chance to reply on these forms, but I'm having a great time reading your columns!

Hehehe...take a number Ciara32! All lenafans pieces are exceptional!!! You should read everything else! (PS: you can't have #1...I've got it :lol: )

K :P