ok I know everyone’s considered Ryland grace wearing an “I put the ace in space” t shirt but. have we considered the infinitely funnier option of putting this shirt on eva stratt
I sort of love the idea of John and Ian being in many ways the classic James Bond type MI6 spy. Like obviously there is some influence given Ahorz loves James Bond/in many ways modelled Alex as a teenage James Bond, but Ian was literally living in Chelsea with a housekeeper (and his young nephew) and John has the whole 'licence to kill' thing going with his Scorpia mission. And they're closer probably closer to the stereotype than Alex is.
One thing that always fascinates me is the ways in which their time at MI6 probably differed a lot from Alex's. Thinking specifically about this quote from Stormbreaker:
Blunt had forced him into this. In the end, the big difference between him and James Bond wasn't a question of age. It was a question of loyalty. In the old days, spies had done what they'd done because they loved their country, because they believed in what they were doing. But he'd never been given a choice. Nowadays, spies weren't employed. They were used. (Stormbreaker, p. 230)
Alex thinks he's not like James Bond because he was forced into it and wasn't actually employed. Meanwhile Ian is described at his funeral as a patriot, as was John by Ash. I've seen people suggesting Ian was also manipulated by Blunt/MI6, but I've always found it more compelling that John and Ian genuinely joined MI6 out of their free will, because they enjoyed the job and perhaps because even because they wanted to serve their country. Alex thinks Ian wasn't much one for waving the union jack, so maybe the whole 'patriot' and 'good man' thing is just propaganda/the story told after they died, and I suppose that might go for this quote too:
"It was your father's idea," Mrs Jones went on. "He also knew Sir Graham. He wanted to help. You have to understand, Alex, that's the sort of man he was. One day I want to tell you all about him—not just this. He believed passionately in what he was doing. Serving his country. I know that sounds naive and old-fashioned. But he was a soldier through and through. And he believed in good and evil. I don't know how else to put it. He wanted to make the world a better place." (Scorpia, p. 350)
But I do enjoy the idea of John and Ian's motivations being in a sense incomprehensible to Alex at this stage. Why on earth would anyone voluntarily work for MI6? But John and Ian would have joined as adults, in another time, and their experience with MI6 is completely different because of it. They were trained, likely respected for their skills, paid — and I don't think Alex quite experiences how it could have been until he's sent back in in Scorpia and he's promised actual back-up and a way to signal an extraction and that's the closest they come to treating him like a proper agent, like his father and uncle would have been.
Also I have to say it's just really funny to picture Ian looking like Daniel Craig and going on a typical James Bond mission with car chases and explosions and suit-and-bowtie parties, and then he goes home and tells Alex the insurance conference was really quite boring.
Tangential to this post about Ian's time with MI6 being different from Alex's, but I also like the idea that perhaps Blunt wasn't lying when he told Alex that Ian had appointed the bank as his legal guardian. Like sure, maybe on paper it's not quite that simple, but I don't find it all that hard to image that a high-risk type of employment like that may offer benefits like MI6 helping to make sure your family is looked after if you die in the line of duty. We already see in canon that Crawley shows up the first day to tell Alex not to worry about the funeral because he'll take care of everything, and of course they would have good reason to be involved to avoid the truth getting out. Why not also make sure Alex is looked after and gets a good education etc until he's old enough to inherit?
And Ian having good reason to believe that MI6 would be willing to help with this, perhaps because they were already willing to help with some things after John and Helen were killed. Which makes it all the more of a betrayal when instead Blunt decides to recruit Alex and all but send him off to get killed on the same mission that killed Ian. He had no reason to suspect Blunt would want to use Alex, and trusted the bank to look after his nephew and instead they violated that trust in the worst way. :(
Mrs. Jones: Nightshade is the most evil organization we’ve ever encountered. They take children, turn them into killers, and force them to go on dangerous missions where they could die
This might be an odd thing to say as someone who has literally written a Sarov whipping fic but honestly rereading the book I do get the sense that Sarov, despite threatening to have Alex whipped or shot, wouldn't actually have physically hurt Alex.
Like he's clearly not above scaring Alex with the fake-out execution and he does seem to have genuinely considered killing Alex after the escape attempt in the car, but he... doesn't. He doesn't even have Alex punished in any other way, just has him taken to his room to be locked up until dinner. He's got Conrad whispering in his ear to let him kill Alex, but he apparently talks himself into thinking actually it's admirable of Alex to try to escape and fight for his country etc etc:
“You may be wondering why I decided not to kill you,” he began. “This afternoon, when I found you in the car… I came so close. Conrad is still annoyed with me. He believes I am making a mistake. He does not understand me. But I will tell you why you are still alive, Alex. You are working for British intelligence. You are a spy. And you were only doing your job. I admire that, and this is the reason why I have forgiven you. You are loyal to your country even as I am loyal to mine. My son Vladimir died for his country. I am proud that you were prepared to do the same for yours.” (Skeleton Key, p. 267)
And then after the escape and recapture at the Edinburgh airport, Alex expects to be killed the moment Sarov and Conrad find him but again he's restrained but not hurt.
Alex was sitting in the same seat as before but now he was handcuffed to it. Sarov hadn't hurt him and no longer seemed even aware that he was on the plane. In a way, that was the most frightening thing about him. Alex had expected anger, violence, perhaps even a sudden death at the hands of Conrad. But Sarov had done nothing. From the moment that Alex had been escorted back onto the plane, the Russian hadn't so much as looked at him. (Skeleton Key, p. 292)
Alex ends up just sort of tagging along during this phase of the plan, as the handcuffed prisoner who already tried to escape twice and is clearly no longer trusted but also left unharmed (unlike the navy men in Murmansk who are killed without mercy!)
And even when Sarov finally leaves Alex to die, he can't quite bring himself to do it in a way that would hurt Alex, and he doesn't let Conrad or anyone else kill Alex even though he very well could have and Conrad certainly wants him to.
Then Sarov came over to Alex.
He stood there, examining him as if for the first and last time. As ever, his face gave nothing away, but Alex detected something in the man's eyes. Sarov would have denied it. He would have been angered if anyone had suggested it. But the sadness was there. It was plain to see.
“And so we come to the end,” he said. “You are standing in the Nuclear Submarine Repair Shipyard of Murmansk. You may be interested to know that the soldiers we met at the airport have all served with me in the past and are loyal to me still. The entire compound is now under my control and as you have seen, the nuclear bomb is primed. I'm afraid I cannot stay with you any longer. I have to return to the airport to ensure that everything is ready for our flight to Moscow. I will leave Conrad to place the bomb in position on the submarine, directly over the nuclear reactor that is still there inside. It is possible that the detonator in the bomb will also trigger the reactor, doubling or trebling the force of the explosion. This will mean very little to you, as you will be vaporized instantly—before your brain has time even to work out what has happened. Conrad is very disappointed. He had hoped I would allow him to kill you himself.” (Skeleton Key, p. 304)
There was another, long silence. Sarov reached out and gently stroked Alex's cheek. He looked into the boy's eyes one last time. Then he turned on his heel and walked away. Alex watched him get into his car and drive off. (Skeleton Key, p. 305)
It's not directly relevant to my argument, but I also wanted to include this quote because Sarov's twisted affection for Alex is so compelling. Stroking Alex's cheek as he leaves him to die in a nuclear explosion!
We also get confirmation from Conrad afterwards that Sarov specifically said to leave Alex alone and that he cares about Alex:
Conrad stepped forward and stopped very close to Alex. “I have a job to do,” he rasped. “But then we will have a little time together. Strange though it is, Sarov still cares about you. He told me to leave you alone. But I think, this time, I must disobey the general. You are mine! And I intend to make you suffer…” (Skeleton Key, p. 305)
Of course, things go wrong for Sarov and Conrad after this and Alex manages to disarm the bomb before Sarov shows up again wounded and demands the key card back. Interestingly, his last desperate plan seems to be a suicide one which would see both him and Alex die:
Sarov shook his head. “I can still detonate the bomb. There is an override. You and I will die. But the end result will be the same.” (Skeleton Key, p. 316)
Sarov then threatens Alex to give him the card and Alex essentially calls his bluff. In fairness, Alex does expect to be killed for his defiance, but that's not what happens.
Sarov raised the gun. The blood was spreading more rapidly now. He swayed on his feet. “Give me the card or I will shoot you,” he said.
Alex lifted the card then suddenly flicked it. It spun twice in the air, then disappeared into the water. “Go ahead then, if that's what you want,” he said. “Shoot me!”
Sarov's eyes flickered over to the lost card, then back to Alex. “Why…?” he whispered.
“I'd rather be dead than have a father like you,” Alex said.
There were voices shouting. Footsteps coming nearer.
“Goodbye, Alex,” Sarov said.
He raised the gun and fired a single shot. (Skeleton Key, p. 316)
Sarov at this point has lost everything. His plan (years in the making) failed and he's injured and about to be either arrested or killed, and Alex is in a large part to blame and defies him right to the end, even rejecting him as a father. Honestly, there's no shortage of AR villains who would have shot Alex in this moment. And yet even now Sarov doesn't hurt Alex. Well, aside from the obvious trauma of watching someone shoot himself in front of you.
Afterwards, Blunt and Mrs Jones talk a bit about Sarov's motivations as well and Mrs Jones again brings up Sarov's 'attachment' to Alex:
“I suppose Sarov didn't want to be taken alive,” Blunt muttered.
“I wish it was as simple as that. It seems that Sarov had some sort of… attachment to Alex. He saw him as the son he had lost. Alex rejected him and it pushed him over the edge. That's why he did it. He couldn't live with himself any more.” (Skeleton Key, p. 321)
Twisted though his affection for Alex was, Sarov did seem to have genuine feelings for Alex. And this situation so easily could have been a murder/suicide, but instead Sarov shoots himself and Alex makes it out alive.
Throughout the story we see Sarov being dangerous and making threats to Alex but he never actually follows through on them. He doesn't have Alex shot or whipped after the first escape attempt, he doesn't hurt Alex after the escape at the airport, and even when he plans to leave Alex to die, he doesn't let Conrad have his sadistic revenge. And at the end, he kills himself rather than actually firing his weapon at Alex.
It really is fascinating how a man who is so ruthless in many ways, brushing off all the deaths his plan entails, is so reluctant to harm Alex himself right to the end.
He did it, he saved the world. It cost him his arm, but after expecting to die, he thinks he got off easy. He woke up in the hospital, his sister and friends there, and he got the good news. After getting discharged, spirits were high but… That’s all he remembers. Like a record skip, suddenly he was somewhere else, his friends, sister, and dad no where to be seen. His cellphone isn’t working either, so he wanders. He’s quickly approached by a self identified Assassin and taken to his team, but somethings wrong. They’re noticeably older. His baby sister looks like she could be older than him actually. Shaun and Rebecca sport wrinkles now, still subtle, but not when moments—days??—earlier they were so young. They act strange too, they’re hiding their distraught faces, they stare like they’ve seen a ghost, and they keep stepping aside to talk without him. Finally they explain, Desmond is dead and the world is still going to end. But he’s here, how? That’s what they have to figure out. Oh and save the world too… Again.
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