Alcatraz Observations 1.04 Cal Sweeney Easter Eggs & Theories

Welcome to Alcatraz Observations — our weekly investigation into the FOX mystery series. This week we dig into “Cal Sweeney.”

ALCATRAZ 1960s — OBSERVATIONS

Meet Cal Sweeney. Alcatraz prisoner #AZ2112. He lost his whole family in a fire when he was 10. The result? He went on to hit over 20 banks in the late 50s for safety deposit boxes.

Despite the fact that his traumatic past made him vulnerable, Sweeney was determined to conceal his weaknesses. He lays it out to his protege:

“You can’t care about anyone, or anything. The moment they see a soft-spot, they’ve got you by the short hairs.

Tellingly, the protege commits Sweeney’s pearls of wisdom to “memory.” Memory would become the major theme of the episode and a way into the deeper mythology of the show.

The search for the only physical memory that remained of his family — a small metal box — led Sweeney to cross paths with Deputy Warden E.B. Tiller, who we know has a habit of tormenting prisoners. He planted contraband in Jack Sylvane‘s cell, after all, so at this stage we had reason to believe that Sweeney was right in his suspicions.

Tiller denies taking the box but wants in on Sweeney’s operation, which actually provided early insight into the relationship between himself and Warden James, who Tiller claims looks the other way for most minor vices and infractions:

“If it were up to me I’d run this place on the up and up, but it ain’t, so in the meantime, you’re getting squeezed.”

In some respects this presents the Warden as something of a weaker touch, but we know from his encounter with Kit Nelson, for instance, that the warden is not shy in psychologically tormenting the inmates himself.

We certainly see hints of Tiller’s ambition to one day become Warden and he clearly believes his approach would be better.

We delve further into Tiller’s character when Sweeney threatens him. In a deliciously tense moment, he gets nicked by his barber and delivers the following gem to the Sweenster:

“You know the secret to a good, hot shave? You have to draw the razor with the grain of the whiskers, so everything ends up nice and smooth. When you go against the grain, that’s when you get nicked.”

While the scene can be looked at as contrived, the fact that he takes the opportunity to give the barber a lesson in shaving while delivering a chilling metaphorical response to Sweeney’s threat, just lands so perfectly that the contrivance melts away. It’s also great because we see Tiller momentarily flustered but equally quick in regaining absolute composure.

Another seeming contrivance that can be overlooked is the convenience of Tiller’s birthday party, that just happened to be coming up, giving him a chance to force his hand in ‘private’. Later we’d find out that it was not so much convenience, as timing on the part of the sneaky protege.

Our first visit to the Warden’s residence is filled with intriguing moments, beginning with the protege offering a possible Bermuda Triangle reference when teaching Sweeney how arrange a “small triangle”.

While this seems like a reach, the disappearance of the 63s could hold similar properties as the mythical triangle.

Unfortunately, the warden’s record player doesn’t appear to be the same the one Dr. Beauregard used to boogie on down to in the previous episode.

The guests at Tiller’s party included his flirtatious sister, Geri. She has a disability that might peel back a more caring, sympathetic side to Tiller (or Elijah). She also lives with him, so this might be her first appearance of many.

The warden puts on a no expense spared meal for Tiller, which is interesting considering the the underlying sense of friction that exists between them.

The other guests are Dr. B. and psychologist Lucille Sengupta (Lucy Banerjee), who indulge in an interesting tit-for-tat, revealing their different perspectives on the human mind.

Overcome with a feeling of inadequacy, Dr. B. purposefully gets her name wrong and tries to belittle the fact that she has an MD, in addition to qualifications as a clinical psychologist. He jokes that his nose “might come to bleeding in such rarefied air,” which is the second ‘nose bleed’ reference of the episode, following Sweeney comparing the inmates to “300 nosebleeds.”

A coincidence, or a hint of some kind? LOST fans will recall that nosebleeds were a common feature of the time-travel-heavy fifth season — an offset of the Island’s time-flashes.

Tiller takes the discussion to nurture vs nature by claiming that “most of these animals are just wired bad.” He continues:

“Instinct and impulse. They are as far from inner feelings as we are from the moon.”

Little does he know that Humankind would soon make it to the moon, essentially quashing his own statement .

However, Lucy is more interested in their memories, believing that by altering their memories she can rewire them:

“When it comes to deviant behaviour, their wiring, as you so aptly put it, lies in their memories. Specifically, traumatic memories that give rise to these instincts and impulses. If I can remove the traumatic memories and leave a more soothing one in its place, we might be able to correct or adjust their behaviour. In essence rewire them.”

Note the warden’s slight reaction (smile?) during her explanation. Whether that’s a Jonny Coyne thing or something in the script, we don’t know, but this along with his high regard for Lucy is interesting to note.

Dr. B. thinks removing memories “sounds like magic.” Lucy hurls it a zinger, “as did fire to the cavemen, no doubt.” As I said after the second episode, I think Lucy could be one of the most fun characters on Alcatraz.

Lucy’s findings have worked wonders with rats, giving Dr. B. another chance to crack a cheesy joke before we’re reminded (as if we forgot) that all of this is being said in front of our two inmates. “You hear that? Now they want to take our memories too,” squeaks the protege. Sweeney seems more intrigued than threatened. Obviously this talk about memories is particularly personal to him.

Another quick note on Lucy — at this point it’s reasonable to assume that she is one of the 63s and that Cobb shot her as part of some payback for meddling with his mind (or some mission-assigned strategy). But, I wonder whether there’s an even bigger conceit to this with the possibility that we’re not just dealing with one-way time-travel system?

Could Lucy, at some as yet undisclosed future point, travel back in time to insert herself in the 60s, in an attempt to adjust (rewire) the inmates before they are sent to the future?

It’s a crackpot theory, but at this point I don’t think it can be ruled out, especially with the ‘big ass key’ mythology still a mystery and Hauser’s mention in “Kit Nelson” about possibly needing Dr. B’s help regarding a friend.

The evening continues as the warden lavishes more praise on Tiller before bestowing him with the gift of a pen:

“Beneath the rule of man entirely great, the pen is mightier than the sword. And though I’m sure most of us will take exception to such a lofty ideal, but bearing witness to the reality behind these walls, I have always believed the vessel in which a man releases his thoughts, is apt to carry influence over them.”

We’re peering into the warden’s beliefs here; the very things which make him the psychological invader that he seems to be. We’re beginning to build up a picture of a man with personal strength and psychological depth. His mention of seeing the reality of Alcatraz life, touches on an intriguing note that could hint towards greater truths, while painting him as someone who has learned a great deal from the inmates/prison.

Indeed, he seems to be teaching, if not testing (preparing?), Tiller here. Using a pen metaphor in less threatening, but still menacing manner to that of the four strike match approach he used to squeeze the truth out of Kit Nelson.

Tiller, somewhat perplexed by the warden’s gift, thanks him by saying “I’ll keep that in mind.” In mind — another memory reference — before the protege spills tea on his lap. Tiller reacts aggressively, which the warden frowns upon.

Tiller shakes down Sweeney for half of his operation, but his continued denial over taking the box brings out the beast in the inmate. Tiller puts the warden’s theory into practice (kinda), proving that the pen is indeed mighty by stabbing Sweeney in the leg.

A brutal piece of resourcefulness once again by Tiller, who, in a nice touch, wipes the blood on Sweeney’s white jacket. In another interesting character note, he decides not to let the warden know what happened but books the Sweenster into the hole for 30 days — double if he squeals.

All four titular prisoners that we’ve followed so far have spent time in solitary confinement.

Protege (who has a bit of the Matt Damons going on) takes pleasure in revealing that he took Sweeney’s McGuffin box and planned the whole thing, so he could steal his turf. He proceeds to mock the fact that Sweeney has no memories to put inside the one physical memory that didn’t burn in the fire.

He wasn’t kidding about committing Sweeney’s #1 lesson to memory:

“You broke the rule, Cal. You shouldn’t have showed your belly. [..] Thirty days. I’ll be running things so good, no-one will ever remember you were even here.”

A poignant thought — the man who had only an empty box of memories to hold on to, would himself soon be forgotten. Faced with this, Sweeney crushes the box as if choosing the destroy those memories that led him to this vulnerable position, before they exposed him further.

It seems to work. He’s overcome with a sense of release. Further revealing the psychological elements that appear to be at the center of Alcatraz, certainly at this point.

Continue Reading on Page for Present Day Observation and Cliffhanger Observations…

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