photo: tnt
The Last Ship
Valkyrie
Original Air Date: Aug 23, 2015
Vincent Chia – Sr. Reviewer
vincent@thetwocentscorp.com
Tonight’s episode sadly featured the death of four of Chandler’s crewmembers, two of which had significant screentime (but, unsurprisingly, were secondary characters).
The episode started off with the officers of the Nathan James listening in on the radio transmissions of the civilian fleet. There are a lot of panicked voices and a lot of calls for help. Chandler orders the radio cut so that his people can stay focused.
The ship’s helicopter flies off to drop two sonar buoys near the river channel, since the ship’s own sonar capabilities were knocked out by the torpedo hit.
Lt. Green’s Cobra Team is helping people swim ashore from the destroyed civilian ships. He reports that it appears there were limpet mines attached to the ship hulls. (trivia tidbit: a limpet is a sea snail that clings tightly to hard surfaces. Limpet mines usually attach by magnets).
Sean Ramsey broadcasts a video message blaming the virus on a U.S. government conspiracy to create a “New World Order.” Granderson determines that the signal is originating from somewhere on land.
Chandler talks to Dr. Scott about the contagious vaccine. We learn that the vaccine only stays contagious for a few days, so Scott doesn’t want to give the crew the booster until the sailors are sure they are safely on land and can spread the vaccine through the population. Though, if it’s only contagious for a few days, isn’t that still a problem? Hmmm…
In a meeting with Chandler and Michener, Slattery recommends destroying the Valkyrie communications network but Michener wants to commandeer it instead so that he can spread his own message.
On shore, Lt. Green’s team helps the sonar team triangulate Valkyrie’s signal. Chandler sends a winged drone to a spot where they suspect the signal is coming from. The video feed from the UAV shows an oil rig in the middle of the ocean.
Michener records an impassioned and inspiring message explaining that he is onboard the U.S.S. Nathan James and praises the ship and the crew. He also says that they have the cure and says Sean Ramsey is the enemy. Chandler and a boarding team gear up and prepare to take over the oil rig so they can use the equipment to broadcast Michener’s speech.
Chandler leads Vulture team onto the oil rig. His team seems relatively large compared to the teams from the past. Almost too many to fit on one zodiac. It consists of himself, Ravit, Burk, Taylor, Chung, Granderson, Lynn, and Walker. The oil rig does not appear to have any defenses or even lookouts who can call on defensive back-up. Lt. Chung (pictured above) was brought to the rig to figure out the power systems. Granderson is there to figure out the communications system.
At first, the oil rig seems abandoned, but they find one woman onboard. Chandler sees a “V” symbol on her messenger bag and determines that she is Valkyrie. She warns them that “her people” will come rescue her.
Valkyrie’s real name is Valerie Raymond. She chose to be isolated alone because she is not an immune. Although she is highly intelligent and knowledgeable about engineering systems, she comes off as a bit of a conspiracy nut. She believes that the government was responsible for the spreading of the virus, something confirmed to her by Ramsey. Chandler mocks her a little bit and jokes that she forgot to mention the involvement of the space aliens, who were coughing and sneezing up a storm. Valerie is predictably annoyed by the sarcasm.
Granderson cannot find the missing Bluetooth booster. Chandler orders the rig destroyed. If he can’t use it, nobody will.
A civilian watercraft approaches the oil rig and shoots an RPG.
Slattery sends the helicopter and Cobra team to the rig as back-up.
Granderson is knocked out in the explosion. Chung rescues her.
Valerie panics and runs off. Chandler chases.
A second RPG hits the rig.
The Seahawk helicopter arrives and destroys the enemy boat. However, because there is a gas leak, the Seahawk cannot land. Chandler finds Valerie and attempts to pull her to safety. The rig explodes and collapses. We go to commercial with it being unclear whether Chandler and his crew made it off in time.
Vulture team is brought back to the ship, some on the Seahawk and others on Cobra team zodiac.
Israeli commando Ravit is seriously injured. There appears to be a sizable fist-sized hole in her back. It is bleeding out. She soon dies while Burk and Taylor and trying to comfort her.
Chung is also seriously hurt. There is brain bleeding. He dies as Granderson sobs saying he saved her life.
Chandler seemed a little dazed but soon collapses. Scott examines him. He is bleeding internally.
Sean Ramsey’s brother reports that a couple of “regular joe six-packs” from shore were responsible for destroying the rig sine they got riled up about a navy ship destroying the civilian fleet. The brother seems concerned that they lost the communications network but Sean is enthused that his message is out and the general populace is turning against Chandler.
Scott stabilizes Chandler and tends to his wound. (lower right abdomen). Chandler thanks Scott for saving him.
After a memorial service for the four fallen crewmembers, Valerie thanks Chandler for saving her instead of just running away or saving his own people. Chandler admits that it wasn’t completely out of the goodness of his heart. He needed her and he wanted to bring her onboard so she could see who his people were. The episode ends with him asking her whether whatever is in her bag can help him.
So, I presume that the Bluetooth booster is in her bag. If Chandler had suspected that earlier, why not mention it while they were still on the rig? Perhaps he wanted to let her reveal it at her own pace as a sign of good faith/trustbuilding?
Are there any communications engineers out there who have an opinion as to this alleged Bluetooth booster technology? Is it possible, or pure science fiction? It could destroy the cell phone companies!