12 Monkeys - The Keys

So, did everyone notice on the, "previously on 12 Monkeys" lead in for "The Keys" it included the firearms training between Cassie and Cole?

Those lead ins can be so prophetic and a little spoilery.  I did a post on "The Cassandra Complex" where I thought it included a little foreshadowing into  Cassie someday shooting Cole.  (You can read that post here.)

Why do I mention this?

Of Monkeys and Milk

We got an extra glimpse into the "monkeys and milk" pre-cog memory that Cole has been experiencing.  We've seen this future memory before where a glass of milk shatters, a gun goes off, and a shadowy figure is standing before us.  This new one includes a splatter of blood so maybe Cole is filling in more of the blanks in his "pre-cog."

The blood is important because of all the tie ins to Cole's nose bleeds, the previous time travelers being torn apart and "The Striking Woman's" reference to, "Most of the blood has washed away."  (I covered my blood discussion in my "Red Forest" post.)

So Dave, what's the tie between Cassie's gun training lead in and the new blood splatter you're asking?

In the pre-cog memory we also get a glimpse of a silhouetted head and we can't quite tell who it is.  (Sorry, I don't have that glimpse available, I'll try to retrieve it soon.)

I think I'm prepared to make the call that the head belongs to Cassie and thanks to our lead in clue she is the one that shoots Cole.  Many of us thought the head belonged to either Cole or Cassie but now with the gun training being revisited along with the new pre-cog, this cements it for me.

So why does Cassie shoot Cole?

I'm not sure!  (Thanks a lot Dave.) But I think it might have something to do with the milk.

This is going to be a stretch and this angle isn't fully formed yet but I'm getting there.  Milk has been used in genetic bio-engineering research and the milk from goats has been genetically modified to produce higher levels of human antimicrobial proteins.  (When I used to read meters for the power company waaay back in the day, I read the meter for one of these facilities that used goats and sheep in either Charlton or Brookfield Ma.  Hmm, there was a lot of security there.)

So the milk tie in goes to genetic research and perhaps someone is working on a cure to fight the M5-10 virus.  Either that, or they are working on a vector for the virus using genetically altered milk.

Cole probably stumbles across this facility or more likely he was brought there because he is immune to the plague.  As for Cassie shooting Cole, I don't know.  Maybe he becomes an "immune vector" and she can't have him leaving the facility?

You don't drink milk to modify genetics but the breaking glass could be symbolic or even evidence of the research.

So what do you think, got milk?

Clocks a Ticking.

We had several references to time and clocks in this episode.  Pretty appropriate for a time travel show.  But these seemed significant if not just fun.

In the above image, Wexler tells Cole of the Army of the 12 Monkeys, Druze heritage and its symbology.  "12 Monkeys like hours on a clock," he said.  

 
I wonder if we can relate the imagery on the smashed plate to the face of a clock?  I'm not sure if we ever saw a full on look at the plate but hopefully it had twelve monkeys on it.  As for the outermost symbols on the plate, they are still a mystery but they are just like the marking on the Pallid Man's medallion.

So, 12 Monkeys like hours on a clock brings new meaning to our intro as the episode opens.

And we also got this nugget from the archeologist (missed his name) referring to the ancient Druze tradition and the "Pact of Time's Custodian."  Seems their plates were used to ground tea and I have been coincidentally referring to the brew that Cassie and Jennifer had to drink and see the Witness as "tea."  (I'm so intuitive for a coffee drinker.)  I'm thinking the drinking of "Time's Tea" allows you to see through time.  Somehow to access memories of events yet to happen and perhaps to see beings like the "The Witness" that exist out of or between time.

Speaking of clock faces, tried as I might I couldn't spot the scratch on Cassie's watch.  Shouldn't it be scratched?  New watch?  The other blew up when Cole put the two watches together?

The eighties were referenced again.  Cole hasn't been there yet but he will.  Goines gave us out first eighties reference and now Wexler chimes in with the Japanese mob from that era.  Cryptic indeed.  Oh, and our virus corpse was dug up in the eighties also.  Do you think Cole will have to make a trip to the Himalayas?

Our guy Cole has become acutely aware of how much time he has left.  He just wants to stop and smell the roses.  Like appreciating art, noshing on yummy hor's doevres and dancing with a pretty lady that smells nice.  If only Cassie had used a Star Wars reference to "Stay on target" when she reminded Cole of the mission.  (He wouldn't have gotten it anyway.)  Schull showed good comic timing in this episode and her dramatic turns are getting better too. 

This romantic interlude leads us too...

Blood Diamond

We had a "Blood Diamond" ending to our episode.  Above is the clip from the end of "Blood Diamond" that starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Connelly.  In it, Danny Archer tells Maddy Bowen that he is exactly where he is supposed to be and like Cole leaks a little blood.  Leo's character is on a Sat phone and manages to reach Jennifer's Maddy half way across the globe.  It's quite touching and I remember thinking if you can make Jennifer Connelly weep for you it would be something akin to winning the lottery.  (Better if you managed to live through it though!)

A similar scene played out between Cole and Cassie.  (I have a funny story to tell you about "The Keys." You already know it if you follow me on Twitter.)

Cole like Leo was on a Sat phone.

And like Leo's character, he made the lady on the other end across the globe cry for him.

I'm not sure "Blood Diamond" was the inspiration for the ending of "The Keys" but they were pretty close and I have a feeling Cole will get a better fate than Danny Archer experienced.

I have a few more things to say about this episode and I'll be posting them on twitter or Facebook.  Or maybe I'll just add them to this post later.

But the clock is ticking and I'm supposed to watch "Birdman" with my wife this afternoon.

Do you think I can make her cry if I call to tell her I'll be late?