By John Keegan
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Fans of “The 4400” have already come to expect a fast-paced season marked by high quality each and every summer. With the fourth season at its mid-point, the trend continues. Not only does this episode continue to pay off the release of promicin to the general population in interesting and logical ways, but the stage has been set for a massive conflict in the second half of the season.
This is the heart of the “complication” phase of the season arc, and as such, things escalate quite a bit. Jordan Collier comes out of hiding and declares that he and his followers will take over a polluted portion of Seattle as their own autonomous state: Promise City. They intend to use the area as a haven for the powered and a test model for how the powered can help bring Promise on Earth.
This fits into Jordan’s decision to use Kyle and the White Light book as the underpinnings of a modern religion, but it raises several intriguing questions. As one character puts it, Jordan is not necessarily a “bad guy” for protecting and fostering his own kind. His methods, on the other hand, suggest a desire for confrontation. His current actions are similar to those of the Nova Group in the third season. By demonstrating the ability to change the world, Jordan reminds the masses that he could easily force the issue and take control with enough support.
If the government concedes, allowing Promise City to stand, then Jordan wins and things will only escalate as more people choose to live in the idyllic world of the powered. If the government continues to act against Jordan, the situation could quickly get out of hand. Using conventional forces would place hundreds of thousands of innocents at risk and turn Seattle into a war zone (which is why Jordan’s tactics are sound, from his side of the conflict). If the government creates more powered soldiers, they could be eliminating one problem while creating another, since they would only be creating a superior breed of powered individuals.
Ironically, if the information from the future is to be believed, the powered need to take control or gain enough influence if humanity is to be saved. Allowing the current controlling interests to remain will lead to humanity’s destruction. So while his methods may be questionable, Jordan’s motivations may be sound. Similarly, Shawn’s motivations might be to have the best of both worlds, but in doing so, he might be preserving the status quo too much. Humanity as a whole may need Jordan’s current revolution, and that ambiguity is what keeps this show so entertaining and challenging.
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