Facing the Fire

Broadcast 04/14/95
Written by Jeannine Renshaw
Directed by Lorraine Senna Ferrara

Guest Stars: Shirley Knight, Frank Converse, Meal McDonough, Blair Renshaw, Kevin Carr, Richie Fenner.

Synopsis: Sydney, obsessively trying to decipher her father's journal, is assigned to help a test-pilot in a psychiatric hospital. In the process of using VR.5 to help him, however, Sydney plants false memories of child abuse into his sub-conscious--memories that may, in fact, be her own. Sydney also discovers that her father had been a member of the Committee.

Observed Data

VR: VR.5 can be relayed to a portable computer; Sydney's own subconscious can forcibly overlay itself on the Other's subconscious, creating false memories in the Other and effectively taking over the scenario; VR.5 can crack "brainwashing" (presumably some kinds of hypnosis).

The Committee: TC's seal is a cruciform series of concentric circles surrounded by a motto that reads (in code) "Enter the Labyrinth"; Joseph Bloom may have been in conflict with TC over the contents of his journal.

Miscellaneous: Sydney can play basketball; Duncan knows a lot about conspiracy theories; Joseph Bloom's journal was meant to be a legacy to his daughters (or perhaps only one of them); Duncan is now being actively included by Oliver in the missions; Sydney remembers a hand pulling her from the crash.