137 SEKUNDEN

137 Sekunden will probably not be ranked in my top ten of favorite episodes when all is said and done. That does not mean, however, that it wasn't a good episode. If you are not a fan of FF by now, chances are, you will not become one. Flashforward is a procedural in that the main story and characters will develop over time with clues and questions being presented and answered slowly. The nice thing about FF is that they deal with one "stranger's" vision each episode that adds to the clues on Marks board.

In order to keep from being confused I'm going to record my thoughts on a linear basis, as it happened, so to speak, because much of tonight's episode ties together.

The episode begins by showing us that the babysitter is still awol, and Olivia and Mark are deciding who's able to collect Charlie from school. Mark volunteers as he answers the door. It's Aaron Stark, and Mark lied to Olivia why he's there. In Mark's home office, he tells Aaron about Charlie's knowledge of D. Gibbons and expresses his fear and worry. Aaron advises him to ensure Charlie is protected at all times if he thinks she could be in danger.

Dimitri tries to get information from the mysterious female caller, who tells him that he will be shot three times in the chest. When he tries to trace the call, he finds that she has taken steps to remain anonymous by routing the call through several locations at the same time.

Mark and Janice and a co-worker are sifting through files submitted to the FBI from around the world and find an interesting tidbit about Rudolf Geyer, who has requested a meeting specifically with Mark. They are about to discount it when Mark sees a photo of Geyer. He remembers it from his vision and thinks he should follow up, convincing Stan Wedeck to allow him and Janice to go to Germany.

Rudolf Geyer is a prisoner, serving time for Nazi war crimes, after eluding capture for several decades and even living in the United States. He thinks he knows what caused the GBO.

Dimitri's fiancee, Zoey, is finally able to leave Seattle, flying home to LA with the president of the airline. That man was rather nervous, don't you think? And did you notice? They were the practically the only two on the plane! That's some consumer confidence happening right there.

Olivia shares lunch with Felicia Wedeck, Stan's wife. Felicia tells her about her vision of putting a little boy to bed, who calls her Mommy. While they don't have children at home, and the boy is a stranger to her, she has to believe that she will be that child's mother if he needs her.

In Germany, Mark an Janice meet with Rudolf Geyer and his attorney. It is clear the Geyer wants something in return for his information. He wants to be released and be allowed to return to the US. Despite the objections from both Janice and the prison Warden, Mark agrees under the condition that Geyer provide trustworthy information.

At first Geyer spouts various symbolisms, asking Janice if she's homosexual because she wears a ring on her left thumb. He talks about how Kaballah says that everything has hidden meanings, and tries to explain Hebrew letters' number designations. Mark cuts him off an demands something that can be corroborated.

Geyer tells Mark of his vision. He is returning to the US and speaks to a customs official named Jerome Murphy, whom he tells he has a murder to thank for his return home. The grin Geyer wears in his vision is creepy and I immediately recall "everything has a hidden meaning". But I'm not ready to put two and two together. More on that later.

Dimitri is sent to find Jerome Murphy, who corroborates the vision. He also reveals that it was his vision that inspired him to apply to become a customs official. Right now he's sitting in his living room in his underwear. That makes two men we've seen in their underwear! I'm not sure I can take another. Anyway, as Dimitri is leaving he trips over a bong, but doesn't bust Jerome and thus, allowing the future to happen.

Zoey and Dimitri share an intimate reunion, where she tells him of their wedding on the beach in Hawaii. Dimitri lies and tells her that he saw the same thing, so they decide to set their wedding date to April 28th, 2010.

Aaron Stark visits his ex-wife (I thought she was dead, oops) and tries to convince her to sign an affidavit that requests Tracy's remains be exhumed and more DNA testing be performed. Kate freaks and tosses him out of the bar. Aaron calls Mark for a favor, and despite the illegality of it, Mark agrees to help. Dimitri delivers the court order for the exhumation.

Now that Mark is assured that Geyer's information is corroborated and trustworthy, he promised the old Nazi his freedom, much to the vocal objections from Janice and the warden. Geyer then tells them what happened after his vision and the many dead crows in the courtyard of the prison. He explains that he doesn't know how many crows died worldwide in the event, then slides a book about birds across the table.

THE SLY GEEZER SCAMMED THEM!

Or so it would seem.

The agents and families attend a delayed memorial service for the agents who died during the GBO. Felicia Wedeck is there and she spots the boy in her vision, sitting in the front row with what appears to be a Muslim woman. The boy's name is Attaf.

At the after party Dimitri makes a toast to their absent friends and comments how these memorials must be happening all over the world, which inspires Mark. He and Janice return to the office to check on possible reports of massive crow deaths, which is when they stumble upon an event that occurred in Ganwar, Somalia in 1991. The also discover an interesting fact: Just after the crows fell from the sky dead, all the humans in the area experienced a blackout!

IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE!

The final scene shows a flashback, of sorts, as a boy herds his goats and a massive flock of crows fall out of the sky, The boy runs up a hill and stands beside a tower. The sky has turned yellow. Coming from the top of the tower there appears to be smoke or some sort of steam.

OBSERVATIONS and QUESTIONS:

At first when Geyer mentioned that a murder had helped him return to be released and return to the US, I thought he might have some sort of clue that might solve or avoid Dimitiri's murder. Hey, Ruddy was a Nazi and was serving time for crimes too horrible to contemplate, right? But then I remembered my visit to the Tower of London, and the tour guide telling us that a flock of crows or ravens is referred to as a murder. It wasn't an actual murder of a human being, but a murder of crows that helped secure Geyer's release.

The Benfords must have more than one phone line into their home. Is it so unusual for Aaron to visit his friend that Olivia would comment on it?

When we see the overhead view of SeaTac airport and then learn that Zoey's plane is about to take off, was I the only one who wondered how the aircraft was going to take off with that plane plunked in the middle of the tarmac? (see above picture) What does the plane do, speed up, hop over the broken fuselage then continue down the runway and lift off?

When the DNA tests come back and it is certain that the remains belong to Tracy, Did Aaron re inter her remains before going to see his ex-wife? Speaking of Tracy's remains, Aaron said that she weighed only 35lbs upon her repatriation. It's a long shot, but do you think Tracy may have lost a leg in the explosion and someone took her and saved her life? All the marines found was her leg? Made ya think about that, didn't I?

If Tracy really is dead, does that mean that many of the flashes could be false?

Mark seems to be getting really good at telling Olivia lies or omitting critical information. He hasn't told her about Charlie's vision and his fear for her safety? I'm no expert andmy status as a single mom might preclude me here, but I'd think that two parents working to keep their kid safe is way better than a paranoid one and a clueless one.

Felicia was dressed in scrubs, so I'm assuming she works in the medical profession.

Was the blackout event in Ganwar Somalia in 1991 a test leading up to the GBO? If it was man made, who's responsible? Does Rudolf Geyer know?

Initially I thought the tower was used to signal the call to prayer. Somalia is a Muslim country. What's was that smokey substance being emitted from the tower?

If Demitri is killed on March 15th, who is Zoey marrying on that beach in Hawaii? Ghosts of boyfriends past?

Is Geyer is connected to who caused the GBO? Could he possibly have helped to create the GBO with research while eluding capture?

How does Felicia come to be the little boys mother? Where is his mother?

Where is the babysitter and why hasn't she called?

Could Janice be Jewish? Her animosity toward Geyer was barely concealed, and she does have the tattoo of three circles on her arm. Could her family have escaped the Nazi's, gone into hiding and, as a private memorial, all descendants get that tattoo to remind them of where they came from?

Could Janice be homosexual, which would explain her surprise at being pregnant. (I'm not thinking this one, but I thought I'd slip it in).

And finally;

WHEN DO WE SEE DOM?

I'll add my favorite quotes either tonight or tomorrow, after watching again. If you have any, let me know.

Screencaps courtesy of The ODI