The Prisoner: Fall Out

January 1st, 2008

Episode 17

Synopsis

The final episode begins immediately after the previous one, Once Upon A Time. Number 2 (Leo Kern) is dead and Number 6 is about to meet Number 1.

Number 6, the bald operations manager, and the butler descend by elevator to a lower level of The Village. Someone says, “We thought you would be happier as yourself,” as an unseen individual fondles a dummy resembling Number 6. The trio walks through a tunnel lined with jukeboxes playing the Beatles’ All You Need Is Love. They come to a doorway bearing the words “Well Come”.

Beyond this door is a subterranean cavern filled with soldiers and masked, hooded individuals (reminding me of Star Trek, James Bond, and Beneath the Planet of the Apes). The masked people are seated behind desks with nameplates saying “Identification”, “Defectors”, “Therapy”, “Reactionists” — different elements of society. Surveillance equipment, a throne, and a huge rocket emblazoned with the number “1” complete the scene. The Judge will name three revolutionaries who will be evaluated by the council of masked individuals.

The first is Number 48 (Alexis Kanner). He sports a top hat, hippie vibe, and keeps chanting the song Dem Bones. His erratic behavior confuses the council, and the judge says that youthful rebellion not be allowed to damage society. Number 48 dashes around the cavern and leads the council in a round of singing. He’s found guilty, handcuffed to a pole, and lowered into a steaming hole in the ground.

The next revolutionary is Number 2. He emerges from his resurrection saying “I feel a new man,” shakes hands with Number 6, and spits into the robotic eye of the rocket labeled “1”. Number 2 is also found guilty. The judge explains that the second variety of revolt is that of an established person who turns and bites the hand that feeds him. These individuals contribute nothing to the culture and are to be stamped out.

The Judge names Number 6 as the last revolutionary. He rebelled and survived while fighting for a noble cause, and therefore is a true leader. He is free to leave The Village or stay as its leader.

Number 6 will finally get to meet Number 1. He goes through a tunnel leading to the rocket labeled “1”. Within, both 48 and 2 are encased in glass tubes. Number 2 ascends a spiral staircase. At the top he sees a masked, hooded figure behind a table laden with globes, wearing a huge patch reading “Number 1.” He hands a glass ball to Number 6. Curious to know the true identity of Number 1, Number 6 tears off the mask to reveal an ape mask. Number 6 tears off that mask to see — his own face. The Number 6 / 1 runs off laughing and escapes through a hatchway.

Number 6 descends the staircase with a fire extinguisher. The butler has shifted allegiance to Number 6, and they fight off the hooded guards. They set Number 48 and 2 free. The quartet picks up machine guns and instigate a violent, chaotic revolt, to the music of the Beatles’ All You Need Is Love. Escaping soldiers stream out of the tunnel. Speakers blare “evacuate” throughout The Village. Villagers scatter running to escape vehicles and many helicopters lift off. Numbers 6, 48 and 2 board the jail cell car which is on a truck bed, and the butler drives the truck out of The Village. The missile launches and rises over The Village. Rover shrivels away accompanied by an odd song.

The jail cell car barrels down the A20 and into London to drop off the various ex-prisoners. Number 48 stays on the freeway and begins to hitchhike. Number 2 enters a large, establishment building. Number 6 and the butler ride a bus to his original apartment. The door (with a number “1”) opens automatically and the butler goes inside. Number 6 rides off in his familiar car. After a clap of thunder, we see the series’ first image of Number 6 riding his car down an open highway. The Prisoner is finally free.

Thoughts

I found Fall Out a very entertaining and at times compelling episode, but its vagueness wasn’t an entirely satisfying conclusion to the series. Several of my biggest questions remain unanswered (or answered weakly):

1. Why did Number 6 resign?
2. Who or what is Number 1?
3. What is the full story behind The Village (who built it, and did it have a purpose beyond a prison for spies)?

This episode also raised more questions that will basically remain forever:

1. Where did the Villagers go?
2. What was meant by the Number 6 / Number 1 character?
3. Was the cavern scene meant to be taken at face value — or merely one final attempt by The Village to extract Number 6’s information?

Notes

• Alexis Kanner also appeared as The Kid in the episode Living In Harmony.
• Number 2 is shaved is because Leo Kern had done so for a different production.
• Number 6 fulfills his wish to destroy the village, a desire he first aired in the episode Chimes Of Big Ben.
• The song Dem Bones may represent the belief that all individuals should work together as a societal whole.
• The rocket is similar to that of the episode The Girl Who Was Death.

Some of the episode’s nuttiness is explained by Patrick McGoohan writing the episode under an extremely short deadline, but the sloppiness also indicates that the series was developed without an ending in mind. Fall Out also explores themes of rebellion and sociology instead of the twisting plots and spy elements that I personally found more interesting. But it’s still a surreal, almost psychedelic piece of television that attempts to make the series relevant to contemporary events. I do believe it’s more successful than not.

I’ll write one last Prisoner post that goes into more detail about Fall Out and the series as a whole.

Previous Episode: Once Upon A Time

IMDB: Fall Out
Wikipedia: Fall Out
The Prisoner Online: Fall Out
Bookmice: Fall Out

iTunes Store Link: Fall Out — The Prisoner (Classic)