TV Review: Prison Break Season 2 Finale - "Sona"

Is it me or did this season seem to fly by? It feels as if they just got started, but then when I think about all of the ground that was covered, it feels like it's been forever since the gang converged on that poor woman's house that just happened to be over Westmoreland's hidden money. The season moved from there all the way to the finale, which takes place in Panama. I liked the finale, right down to the downright bizarre conclusion which will successfully send it off in another direction when the third season begins next fall. Yes, there will be a third season, it has already been announced that the show will be returning, so there is no need to fret over the immediate future of the series.

This season picked up right after the lackluster end of the first season. I loved the first season, it was dramatic, suspenseful, epic, and filled with a variety of colorful characters. That debut season ended with eight of the incarcerated literally on the run from pursuing authorities. I loved seeing them get over the wall, but the whole "We run" ending just left me a bit flat. Still, I anxiously looked forward to the return of Scofield, Linc, and the rest as they began their flight from the law.

Season two had the eight each set out on their merry way. The threads got pared down as Abruzzi was cornered and shot down, Haywire was trapped and jumped to his death rather than go back to the pen, and Tweener was shot in a setup by Mahone. That left the rest of the fugitives to eventually find their way back to each other, for the most part.

Before getting down to the business of what happened and what I liked about the finale, I have to say that I completely forgot what happened to C-Note. I remember him turning himself in for the safety of his daughter, I remember him being coerced by Mahone into tracking Scofield, and I remember Mahone supplying C-Note with the rope needed to hang himself. The suicide was unsuccessful, and he then made a deal to turn on Mahone in exchange for his family. After that, I lost track of him, what did I miss? Well, onto more important matters.

The episode gets a few of the characters out of the way early on. In the penultimate episode, Bellick and T-Bag were both arrested in Mexico, accused of murder. Meanwhile, Sucre is looking for Bellick who stashed away his girlfriend in some secret location. To close this story out for the season, and get these three out of the way of the bigger picture, T-Bag is left in prison after talking to a mystery man who, apparently, wanted Scofield in Panama for some reason. Bellick, on the other hand, is removed from his cell and tossed in the back of a pickup truck with a cage, an event spied by the just arriving, and injured, Sucre. Bellick tells him he will give up Maricruz' location if he can get him out of this predicament. That wraps them up. This leaves the bigger tale of Scofield, Linc, and Sara.

To set the stage, Mahone has Linc, Michael is trying to get to him and keep them both alive, while back in the States Sara is in court. Michael, on his way to his brother runs into a a young boy selling, shall we say, illicit items along the shore, which gives Michael an idea. After putting his plan into motion, he heads off to meet with Mahone. Mahone, is just trying to save his own skin at this point. He places a call to Agent Kim, and then to the local police.

As fate would have it, everyone arrives at about the same time, a firefight ensues when Mahone tries to turn the tables on Kim. Mahone and the two brothers each make their getaway, leaving Kim, and I believe, presumed dead. Mahone is then met by police at the boat, with the suspicion of drug smuggling. This turns out to have been the plan Scofield set in motion earlier, and which will put Mahone into a Panama prison for some time.

Now for an update on Sara, while that was all going down in Central America, Sara was about to be put away for a long time. A saving grace comes in unlikely form. Paul Kellerman stepped up in court and took the stand, admitting everythingm from his orders to kill Sara, to the framing of Michael for the murder of the Vice President's brother. This grants Sara her freedom, and a full exoneration of Lincoln. She then heads off to find the duo to tell them the good news.

Back to Panama, the brothers meet up with the boy from earlier who leads them to the boat he has procured for their use. As they go to board the boat, the boy looks at Michael and says "She's very pretty." Michael thinks he is talking about the boat, but the boy says he is not. Sara emerges from the cabin, revealing her presence. Before the reunion can get to far, Kim shows up, not dead, and not very happy. Earlier, Kim met with the mysterious Pad Man who wants one of the brothers alive. Back to now, Kim is about to shoot one of them when a shot rings out, and he falls over dead. Sara had come out and fired the fatal bullet.

No sooner does Kim die, the police that Mahone had called earlier arrive with guns drawn. The three split up, Lincoln heading one way, Sara and Michael another. The police choose to pursue Sara and Michael. Knowing what is about to go down, Michael intends to repay the debt he owes Sara for her help through all of this. He emerges holding Sara as his hostage, then allows himself to be caught.

Cut to a short while later, Lincoln shows up in town looking for Sara. Sara had just been released, and we see her leaving, followed by someone I do not recall seeing before. Now, make a cut back to New York, men in white lab coats are talking about how Scofield is behind bars again, they speak of how he will try to break out again and how they want that to happen, that escape is "in his blood." What?

The final sequence shows Michael in a dirty prison area, standing in front of angel wings on the wall. We watch as he slowly walks down the hallway, lined with all sorts of dangerous and bizarre characters. He comes to a cross painted at the other end of the hallway, he turns and walks into the rain and a blinding white light. And with that, season two ends.

I liked it, but I have to say that it seemed very weird, the way it ended up. Everything leading up to it was good, though I would have liked more from T-Bag, that is just a great character. From the end of Michael's story, are we getting a touch of science fiction? How did those scientist guys find out about the imprisonment so fast, and what do they have to do with Michael? Where did Sara go, and who is that guy following her? What is Sona? What does the Agency want with Scofield? So many questions. I am looking forward to see just where they are going to take the show come the Fall. Looks like season three will get back to the prison break roots of the title.