August 2005 was a much simpler time: The first iPhone was still two years away from being released, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo was in theaters, and Prison Break debuted on Fox. After two prison escapes, an Ocean’s Eleven-style reset, four seasons, and a TV movie, the hit series signed off in 2009.
Now, with Fox reviving many of its greatest hits (please let Fastlane be next), Michael, Lincoln, Sara, T-Bag, Sucre, and C-Note are back. I know what you’re thinking: “Wait, but didn’t Michael die at the end of Prison Break?” And to that I say, “Stop overthinking things and let Wentworth Miller eat!”
The first episode of season 5 delves right into the mystery of Michael’s possible reemergence, considering the whole world believes him to be dead. Yet eight years after seeing his friends and family stand over his tombstone, this new iteration begins with a Michael voice-over. “Freedom has a price,” he says. “But the dead talk… if you listen.”
The true beginning of this new adventure starts where everything kicked off — Fox River. It’s the present day, and T-Bag is getting released, which is immediately suspicious since he’s T-Bag and all. Before he leaves, he’s given a piece of mail that leaves him in shock upon opening it.
Anyone who thought Lincoln would make the most of his freedom is in for a rude awakening, as our reintroduction to the former death row inmate finds him running from some shady characters whom he owes $100,000. While he manages to temporarily dodge them, he arrives home to an even creepier character. Let’s just say that Lincoln isn’t exactly thrilled to see T-Bag, an exchange that only escalates when he reveals the image he received in mail. “If you’re playing me, I’ll kill you,” declares Lincoln upon glancing at a photo of Michael. “It’s impossible.” T-Bag tries to play the Riggs to Lincoln’s Murtaugh, but to no avail — Lincoln sends him away.
He may be suspicious of T-Bag’s news, but that doesn’t stop Lincoln from flying to see Sara. “I didn’t think I was ever going to see you again,” she says, assuming he wasn’t thrilled with her decision to marry Jacob, who is a little too eager to have a beer and catch up with Lincoln. Get your own family! Add Sara to the list of people skeptical of this newly unearthed photo, especially with T-Bag being the source. “I know you want it to be true,” she says. “I want it to be true.” I bet I know who doesn’t want it to be true: Mr. Let’s Have a Beer.
T-Bag is out of prison and on the prowl. His first night as a free man and he’s looking for a nice desperate woman to have a good time with. The search for the perfect lady is interrupted by a reminder for an appointment with a prosthetic specialist. Confused and intrigued, T-Bag goes to meet Dr. Whitcombe for his 9:30 p.m. appointment. Weird timing, but at least you figure less competition for those old copies of PEOPLE magazine! An unknown benefactor has given the doctor money to conduct his research, with the only stipulation being that T-Bag has to be his first patient. Basically, someone is paying for T-Bag to get a new robot hand. First, he gets out of prison early, and now he gets a new hand. Things just keep coming up T-Bag.
Seemingly persuaded by Sara that Michael is dead, Lincoln takes a visit to his brother’s grave. “I’ve got good in me; it would just be nice if you were here to help me find it,” he somberly says. Ready to give up, he takes a second look at the image and is drawn to the message. He takes an eraser to the wording, with the remaining letters spelling, “Ogygia.” A quick Google (or whatever fake site is standing in) search reveals that Ogygia is a prison in Yemen. This inspires him to come back at night and dig up the grave to see if Michael is really in there… and he’s not! Instead, there’s an empty suit. After not finding any clues, Lincoln clings to his brother’s jacket.
With proof that Michael may still be alive, let the conspiracy begin. At a stoplight, Lincoln comes face to face with a car he had previously believed was following him. When the light turns green, the suspicious man uses his computer to take control of Lincoln’s car, sending him uncontrollably speeding through traffic. Eventually, the vehicle goes off the road, sending Lincoln flying through his windshield and into the water. Lincoln Burrows has survived an execution, so a little car accident is nothing. He swims away unharmed and with his new prized possession — Michael’s coat.
Immediately, Lincoln calls Sara, telling her about what has happened. She doesn’t have much time to talk since the other person who had been following Lincoln just pulled up. As an armed blonde woman enters the house, Sara yells for a scared Jacob to grab a gun while she goes to protect Michael Jr. Jacob is basically left out to dry, getting shot in the leg. Right as the blonde and Sara are headed for a brawl, the police close in, forcing the intruder to quickly exit. Then Sara rushes to help Jacob, showing why she was Fox River’s top doctor until the whole “fall in love with a prisoner and let him and his buddies escape” thing.
Lincoln rushes to the hospital to check on Sara and MJ, and I guess Jacob too. With no dad around and stepdad laid up, Lincoln takes the time to give a pep talk to his nephew. You have to wonder if wherever LJ is, he could use some fatherly advice as well. Then it’s time for a grown-up conversation — Sara is still rightfully dubious that Michael is alive, wondering why he would abandon his family. “Let’s fight back,” exclaims Lincoln, recommending they go to Yemen and get to the bottom of this. Sara contends that she can’t leave her family behind, so Lincoln is determined to find someone who could be of use.
He heads to a mosque in Buffalo, where he finds an old friend and Mike Jones’ TV cousin — C-NOTE!! The former soldier/Fox River inmate has dedicated his life to Islam and fighting against radicalism. When he hears the news about Michael, he replies, “I thought he was dead.” Join the club, C-Note. The Fox River 8 alum is super helpful, divulging that Ogygia is a prison for the worst of the worst. When they call looking for Michael, there is no record of the name. Wanting to send a photo of Michael, they look him up on the internet, only to discover every Michael Scofield image is of someone else. Lincoln is now as determined as ever to head to Yemen. C-Note tries to persuade him out of it, considering the country is in the middle of a civil war and how little they know about why Michael is there. “Michael has never been anyone’s sucker,” he says. “He’s always been in control… always.”
Having returned to his hotel, Lincoln has just gotten Michael’s jacket cleaned. I know it belonged to his brother, but he’s being a little too protective of this thing. If I crash my car into a lake, I’m grabbing my iPod ahead of a coat that has been buried for years. As he’s trying it on, an intruder sneaks in, prompting Lincoln to knock him out. Uh oh, it’s Sucre! Poor Sucre, always on the wrong end of things. C-Note told him about what’s going on, and he wants to join Lincoln in Yemen. While Lincoln doesn’t think it’s a good idea, Sucre contends that he would be valuable since he’s been traveling world on cargo ships (something tells me that will come into play eventually). C-Note shows up at the airport to steal Sucre’s thunder and become Lincoln’s traveling partner. Probably a good move considering C-Note’s connections and knowledge of Arabic. As they head for the plane, the bad guys from earlier look on, happy to let them go and face the dangers of Yemen.
Lincoln continues to rack up a load of frequent flyer miles, finally touching down in Yemen as citizens do their best to get of the country. We immediately see why, as explosions go off in the background. They are supposed to meet C-Note’s contact Sheba, but a man approaches saying she sent him instead. The problem is once they leave, their real driver shows up. When their fake driver turns in to a garage, C-Note knows they’re being set-up. They get out of car and are surrounded by a group of men, forcing the duo to brawl their way out — Fox River style! “Greetings from the U.S. prison system, bitches,” yells C-Note after they emerge victorious. Then, a few minutes too late, Sheba shows up to take them to safety.
Back in the U.S., T-Bag has skeptically decided to have the hand replacement surgery. When he awakens, he realizes that this is no ordinary prosthetic; it looks more like something out of Terminator. Not happy, he slams the doctor against the window, demanding to know why he did this. The doctor says “Outis” is the only name he was given. But unfortunately for T-Bag, the word translates to “nobody.”
It doesn’t take long for the audience to see the name Outis again. As Lincoln continues his obsession with Michael jacket’s, he notices that the tag reads “Kaniel Outis.” Meanwhile, Sheba has found a man who can get them into Ogygia, but it will come at a costly price — Lincoln’s passport. Despite C-Note’s pleas not to do it, Lincoln is kind of all in at this point.
Arriving at Ogygia, C-Note isn’t pumped to be back inside a prison, with Lincoln contesting, “As long as we walk out of it.” The guard at front desk says there’s no inmate by the name of Michael Scofield. A dejected Lincoln doesn’t know what to do, when C-Note decides to show the mysterious image of Michael. “Kaniel Outis,” responds the guard, prompting Lincoln to jump up. As the guard goes to get this prisoner, Sheba storms out as C-Note explains to Lincoln that Kaniel Outis is a terrorist working with ISIL.
As Michael makes his first appearance, making his way through the prison, MJ is asking Sara about his father. “Michael Scofield was like a storm,” she shares. “The question is if they come back, is it the same storm, or has something changed?” Then, Lincoln and Michael are finally face to face as C-Note stands nearby recording. While Lincoln couldn’t more ecstatic to see his brother, who’s sporting some fresh ink, the man before him contests that he isn’t Michael. As he turns walks away, the pain is all over Michael’s face. Screaming, Lincoln chases after him, wanting to know why he’s doing this.
Source: http://ew.com
