(S07E20) "Another attack today is all we need to push this thing right over the edge." - Tony

Only four hours left. All the pieces are in motion and sides have been chosen. Following Tony's betrayal last week, things have progressed quickly - his cohorts aren't exactly the waiting type. As tense as the plot has become, I have to say that I'm a little disappointed. Essentially, the plan is exactly the same and Hodges has just been replaced with the dozen or so people in that bad guy summit ... not sure what else to call it.

Who exactly are they? We've only met Alan and Cara (a.k.a. The Intermediary) and common sense would suggest that they're the same as Hodges, right down to the resumé - government and defense contractor types. They share the same mentality too: the US government is unfit to deal with crisis and a major terrorist attack is what's necessary to prove that to the American people. If anything positive can be gleaned from that, at least it appears Tony is actually doing something he believes is for the good of the country.

The one thing I don't get? Yeah, Hodges went to the extreme, but why didn't the bad guy consortium just let him finish the job? Had Tony held back and "blundered" his moves for the FBI, Hodges' plan would have worked and the corporations behind the bad guy consortium (there has to be a better word for them...) would have presumably been required anyway. This is what I meant - same plot with different people behind it.

Maybe there's still a twist coming? I'm guessing Tony and Cara's plan to frame Jibraan Al-Zarian isn't going to go exactly as planned. Maybe Tony will actually be the one to pull off the attack? Either way, and I've said this before, but it still feels like season three and Jack will eventually just race against time to get Tony and the last canister.

A few more thoughts on hour 20 --

• It was a little jarring to see how much of a wuss Jonas turned into. He was so powerful but he caved so easily when Jack threatened him.
• I loved that after Tony killed Galvez with the shower curtain, he hung it back up and took a shower with Galvez's body on the bathroom floor. Hilarious.
• Other than a "Floridian gubernatorial adviser who got booted from the campaign because of his homosexuality," who the hell is Martin? And how is he going to help Olivia "take care" of Jonas? Olivia's transformation in Sherry Palmer Jr. is nearing completion. I still hope Aaron is the one to stop her.
• I'd like to know how Tony and Cara met. Not exactly the type of relationship you picture coming out of a chance encounter in the cereal aisle.
• Jack putting Janis in her place was priceless. I've been waiting all season for that, even if he did confuse Palmer for Taylor. What's next for Jack's CJD-riddled brain?

The highlight of the hour? The return of CTU! With Chloe back in the mix, along with all her old CTU servers, I expect the phrase "I need a secure socket" to be used approximately 87 times in the final hours of day seven.