(S07E13) "It was supposed to be me." - Jack

Just past the half-way point in Day 7, and as everyone predicted would happen, the threat has changed drastically. General Juma was neutralized (he's gone just as quickly as he appeared) and Jonas Hodges has taken on the role of main baddie now. However, despite all the fanfare that put him in that infamous position, it's going to take a few episodes before I buy into whatever it is he has planned. Right now, he's just some old dude with a big mahogany desk.

Yes, he now has a stockpile of Sangalan weapons and yes, he has them pointed at 12 targets along the Eastern Seaboard, but until there's some reason for his actions (and there will be), I just don't care. That being said, Jon Voight is the perfect actor for this type of role (reminds me of when he played "that guy" in every action flick he's ever been in) and I already can't wait for the moment Jack and him meet.

However, I did mention some fanfare that was required to bring Hodges into the forefront of the plot, and that began with Juma failing. Rest in peace Bill Buchanan. It crossed my mind that someone big could potentially die during the White House occupation, but I never thought it would be Bill. That was until Jack mentioned that he had cracked a bunch of cans of gas in the lock-down room, just waiting for a spark. Once he said that, well... you knew Jack wasn't going anywhere.

Bill made a valid point though - Jack was the only person he knew who could figure out who was on the other end of Juma's satellite phone. This hearkens back to the conversation that Bill and Jack had when Jack was thrown in the White House jail while trying to get to Burnett. Buchanan wussed out then, and had Jack sacrificed himself here, Bill probably would have wussed out again. It just wasn't who he was. I'm glad Renee got to see Jack sniffling over Bill's body too. Now she knows for sure that Jack has a heart.

Now speaking of Burnett, is anyone else having a hard time believing that he would have known who Hodges was? As far as we knew, Burnett was just one of the many government officials who had been bought off by Dubaku with a bag of Sangalan diamonds. Why would he have had any reason to know who Hodges was? Doesn't make sense. Oh well, he's dead now - killed by one of Hodges' men, Quinn.

A few more thoughts on hour 13 --

• Moss is really starting to bug me. I get it that he's a "by the book" guy, but it's reaching the point of absurdity - not trusting anyone, always thinking the absolute worst about Jack. At least he was willing to ignore Vice President Hayworth's orders. Apparently Larry has some spine...
• I love the plot that's been set up with Olivia joining her mother's staff. I wonder if she'll uncover anyone else who was complicit in the attacks?
• Why wouldn't Aaron talk about Martha Logan? She clearly played a role in his retirement, and while nothing was verified, I got the impression that she either died or had another one of her breakdowns and was admitted to a mental institution.
• Regarding Quinn... didn't anyone else think that he looked a little suspicious? If I saw a male nurse with a giant covert-ops fanny pack slung over his shoulder, I'd probably say something.

Overall, A really solid hour that moved the plot along as best it could. The first half of season seven certainly wasn't the worst batch of 24 episodes, but it wasn't the best either. Here's to hoping that Renee's epiphany gets followed for the final 11 hours: stay out of Jack's way and maybe, just maybe, bad things won't happen.