516 Revenge <AKA Evil Leaper III>

[alsplacebartender]

Revenge of the Evil Leaper
September 16, 1987

Mallard Women's Correctional Facility, Mallard, Ohio


In the final "Evil Leaper" episode, Sam and Alia leap together into a women's prison where they are being accused of killing another inmate. In the search for Alia, Lothos leaps Zo? into the prison warden and she gets her own hologram by the name of Thames. Sam and Al struggle to mask Alia from the sensors of Lothos and must find a way to prove they didn't kill the inmate who was murdered.


Written by: Deborah Pratt
Directed by: Debbie Allen


Rate and comment on the final chapter of the "Evil Leaper" saga!

[Vince Beckett]

Things get very interesting here where there's now 3 leapers. We will never know what became of Alia and Zoey. Read the virtual seasons to find out.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

i loved this episode as well, when things really get caotic with the multiple leapers, and how dramatic the actress the portrayed Alia is when she is hypniotised and lives in Angel's mind. just as amazing as Scott in Shock Theature.

[Aging Boomer]

The chaos and the multiple leapers and holograms were what I didn't like about this episode. I can deal with the possibility that there are evil counterparts to Sam and Al, but Zoe suddenly becoming a leaper guided by yet another hologram (Thames) is too much of a good (or bad) thing.

[Lightning McQueenie]

I thought it would have been more interesting to have Sam leap with Alia and get trapped in Lothos' world. Then Al would have had to leap to save Sam, and we could have seen Sam have to do Lothos' evil against his will. Could have been a very interesting take on the storyline.

I didn't like how Alia leapt too soon... I thought that she and Zoey should have had a better face-off rather than Zoey shooting at Alia and Alia leaping away just in time...

I also thought that there should have been more episodes with Sam and Alia leaping together - leaping as a team they could have done twice as much to put right what's once gone wrong. They could have even leapt to destroy the Evil Project Quantum Leap... who knows???

Having said that, I still enjoyed this episode immensely.

[isz]

My least favourite episode from the "Evil leaper" trilogy the acting was quite good,but i thought the episode itself was hmmm... Too "messy",and the truth is - i thought it was quite boring and a bit ridiculous.
one of my least favourite of the series and it would probably be in my last 10 of QL.
BTW Can some one tell me how could Alia see Thames?!

[bluedana]

I ended up getting confused over who could see whom, and sort of gave up. I did like the prison guard's reaction: "I need a damn minute!" I use that all the time. If I could reach through the TV screen, I would slap Thames back to whatever dimension he came from. He was that annoying.

[Snish]

Originally Posted by isz

My least favourite episode from the "Evil leaper" trilogy the acting was quite good,but i thought the episode itself was hmmm... Too "messy",and the truth is - i thought it was quite boring and a bit ridiculous.
one of my least favourite of the series and it would probably be in my last 10 of QL.

I agree. I detest this episode. I could follow who could see whom, but I thought the plot was a not-believable mess. Especially the ending. Al suddenly blurts out all this information, which Sam repeats, and people believe him. Huh? Alia disappears, and Al says, "Wherever she is, she's free." So how does Ziggy know that? Didn't work for me.

BTW Can some one tell me how could Alia see Thames?!

Oh... good question. Maybe because it's the same computer processing the data? They just happen to have compatible brainwaves? In Killing Time, Al couldn't see Gooshie when Gooshie was in the Imaging Chamber, although he could hear Gooshie. So I suppose it's not unreasonable that Alia could also see Thames. See, hear, what's the difference?

However, I really enjoy the outtakes from Revenge of the Evil Leaper. They're a hoot. Poor Scott looks totally confused, while Dean, trouper that he is, just keeps going, repeating his lines until the director realizes they have run out of script. It's on the website, check it out.

[Lightning McQueenie]

The way I see it is that Alia was connected to Zoey's branwaves. Zoey's brainwaves were connected to Thames'. Thus Alia's are connected to Thames' through Zoey. If Zoey hadn't been there she couldn't have seen him.

[Sam Beckett Fan]

There are parts and concepts of this episode that I really enjoy such as the Hypnotism thing as I explained above but I really think they took the evil leapers way too far here by having Zoey become a leaper. I was really not into that idea. I agree completely with Naggindraggin they should have had Sam leap with her to make it more dramatic and keep Zoey as the hologram she is perfect as the hologram role. I very much detested her as a leaper.

[NYCSciFiFan]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

The way I see it is that Alia was connected to Zoey's branwaves. Zoey's brainwaves were connected to Thames'. Thus Alia's are connected to Thames' through Zoey. If Zoey hadn't been there she couldn't have seen him.

That was my take on the science of it too.

Taking it a step further, because Sam had leapt with Alia they had crossed neurons (to use an Al-ism) and that's why Thames' incessant crowing kept attracting Sam's attention.

I'm not buying the turnaround time on sending out another evil leaper so effortlessly. Zoe did get a bit swiss-cheesed, but not as much as should have happened to a first-time leaper, IMO. 48% probability of return within 48 hours - betcha she never told Alia that statistic. Poor Alia kept trying to get back home and the odds were probably nil.

While I'm not a major fan of the Evil Leaper episodes, I liked this one. The hypnosis, the multiple leapers, and the nasty prison guards were all thought-provoking. I thought the nasty guard had killed the dead woman.

My kids had hoped that the holograms could see each other and have a verbal face off, which I agree could have been fun. They also wanted to draft Thames to the good side because he was loud and dressed funny, just like Al. They even went so far as to suggest a hologram for the holograms, like a sidekick, lol. I explained that SAM is Al's hologram partner, which distracted them long enough to finish the episode.

As always, Al's standup routine in the waiting room was intriguing, esp with such a sharp opponent. She was a smart, tough woman; very much a challenge for Al. They both handled the scenes well. I had never thought about it before, but it's true: some of the people Sam has lept into are better off in the waiting room than in their real-life situations that Sam now occupies. Eye-opening comment, that one.

I thought that Alia's leap was interesting because she lept blue-white, so (to our way of thinking) she was moved by the Good Force. The woman she lept into came back unharmed by the shotgun blast, which was even better.

We all cheered to see Zoe leap Red and Thames fritz out. Guess by that point, even the kids were fed up with the evil leapers, lol. Hope that "worse than death" awaits them, too.

[bowspearer]

Originally Posted by Snish

I agree. I detest this episode. I could follow who could see whom, but I thought the plot was a not-believable mess. Especially the ending. Al suddenly blurts out all this information, which Sam repeats, and people believe him. Huh? Alia disappears, and Al says, "Wherever she is, she's free." So how does Ziggy know that? Didn't work for me.

A couple of possibilities come to mind. The first is that the instant the guard who helped them demanded they be handed over to the state troopers, history changed and when it did, Ziggy suddenly had access to all the information that wasn't available before. Al would have literally been reading information that Ziggy had only just been able to access due to a timeline divergence.

The other possibility is that when Alia sufddenly leapt, Liz's mind was no longer swiss cheese from 2 people leaping inot the waiting room at once, and was suddenly able to remember what she'd been told.

Either works.

[Snish]

Originally Posted by bowspearer

A couple of possibilities come to mind. The first is that the instant the guard who helped them demanded they be handed over to the state troopers, history changed and when it did, Ziggy suddenly had access to all the information that wasn't available before. Al would have literally been reading information that Ziggy had only just been able to access due to a timeline divergence.

The other possibility is that when Alia sufddenly leapt, Liz's mind was no longer swiss cheese from 2 people leaping inot the waiting room at once, and was suddenly able to remember what she'd been told.

Either works.

I believe that Ziggy had the right information about the story situation in the usual way (I haven't watched this in a while, so I'm swiss-cheesing it myself). I wasn't questioning that. I just thought it was bad writing to blurt out all this vital plot information in a few moments so they could wrap up the episode before they ran out of time, rather than having the characters uncover the information through their actions in the story. Sam was supposed to be a desperate escaped convict, and I really doubt the troopers would believe anything he said. I don't know how Ziggy knows that Alia is "free." I don't see how Ziggy can get any information about Lothos or about someone who's probably dead (if I remember right), except to say that she's dead. So it just didn't work for me.

[bowspearer]

Originally Posted by Snish

I believe that Ziggy had the right information about the story situation in the usual way (I haven't watched this in a while, so I'm swiss-cheesing it myself). I wasn't questioning that. I just thought it was bad writing to blurt out all this vital plot information in a few moments so they could wrap up the episode before they ran out of time, rather than having the characters uncover the information through their actions in the story. Sam was supposed to be a desperate escaped convict, and I really doubt the troopers would believe anything he said.

True, but the fact was she was the last person that saw Carol alive, and so there was enough there to suggest that an autopsy needed to be performed (it's a safe bet she died within a day of the leap). Furthermore, the Warden was known to have a history of getting it on with inmates, as suggested several times throughout the story.

Also I'm not sure that solving the mystery was Sam's goal, but rather, saving Alia.

Originally Posted by Snish

I don't know how Ziggy knows that Alia is "free." I don't see how Ziggy can get any information about Lothos or about someone who's probably dead (if I remember right), except to say that she's dead. So it just didn't work for me.

Ziggy didn't have to- she would have observed the blue leap taking place as opposed to a red one, meaning that even though Lothos had a lock on her and by rights should have been able to leap her out, he couldn't- her self-sacrifice broke her free and sved her.

[julieannboo]

def. my favorite leaper episode.

just finished watching it.

bloody brilliant.

[Lightning McQueenie]

I just realised two new things when watching this episode again...


I had never really understood the significance of Zoey appearing in the vision Alia created while she was being hypnotised. Now I realise it's actually Zoey locking on to her brainwaves. They must have come verrrrrrry close to locking on to her.


Second - after Zoey has leapt into Myers, she says "for the sake of Science, I'll see how the other half live..." and while she was sabotaging "Liz's" chances of finding out the truth by cutting the 24 hours she had to ask the prisoners down to 16, I also now realise that she was planning to rape "Liz". From the candles and alcohol etc, it seems like Zoey was planning a "romantic" evening. It's interesting to see just how evil one leaper can be...

Wonder what would have happened if Sam had been captured by Lothos when he and Alia leapt together eh?

[QL Nut]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

I just realised two new things when watching this episode again...


I had never really understood the significance of Zoey appearing in the vision Alia created while she was being hypnotised. Now I realise it's actually Zoey locking on to her brainwaves. They must have come verrrrrrry close to locking on to her.


Second - after Zoey has leapt into Myers, she says "for the sake of Science, I'll see how the other half live..." and while she was sabotaging "Liz's" chances of finding out the truth by cutting the 24 hours she had to ask the prisoners down to 16, I also now realise that she was planning to rape "Liz". From the candles and alcohol etc, it seems like Zoey was planning a "romantic" evening. It's interesting to see just how evil one leaper can be...

Wonder what would have happened if Sam had been captured by Lothos when he and Alia leapt together eh?

I just happened to watch this episode again and must say that's some great insight, because I don't think I would've ever come to those conclusions.

You're definitely right about the brainwaves, because later in the episode Thames explains to Zoey that they "were just getting a lock on her brainwaves when suddenly, she just...vanished."

Regarding Zoey's "for the sake of science" comment, I had always assumed she was going to perversely examine her male counterpart's reflection. Now it all makes sense when she later says, "I had such wonderful plans for us..."!

[leaper1]

Originally Posted by QL Nut

I just happened to watch this episode again and must say that's some great insight, because I don't think I would've ever come to those conclusions.

You're definitely right about the brainwaves, because later in the episode Thames explains to Zoey that they "were just getting a lock on her brainwaves when suddenly, she just...vanished."

Regarding Zoey's "for the sake of science" comment, I had always assumed she was going to perversely examine her male counterpart's reflection. Now it all makes sense when she later says, "I had such wonderful plans for us..."!

Curious that you say you wouldn't have come to those conclusions - I came to exactly those conclusions the first time I watched it. Just goes to show I've got that sort of mind I guess!

[JuliaM]

Originally Posted by leaper1

Curious that you say you wouldn't have come to those conclusions - I came to exactly those conclusions the first time I watched it. Just goes to show I've got that sort of mind I guess!

I guess we have the same sort of mind since those were the conclusions I came to on first viewing as well.

[QL Nut]

Originally Posted by NYCSciFiFan

Taking it a step further, because Sam had leapt with Alia they had crossed neurons (to use an Al-ism) and that's why Thames' incessant crowing kept attracting Sam's attention.

Well, I don't think the fact that Sam took Alia with him had anything to do with he and Alia crossing neurons. All that happened is that Project Quantum Leap's technology overrode Lothos' technology and broke her free. They were never connected mentally.

Originally Posted by NYCSciFiFan

I'm not buying the turnaround time on sending out another evil leaper so effortlessly. Zoe did get a bit swiss-cheesed, but not as much as should have happened to a first-time leaper, IMO. 48% probability of return within 48 hours - betcha she never told Alia that statistic. Poor Alia kept trying to get back home and the odds were probably nil.

Remember in "A Leap For Lisa" when Bingo (young Al) was leapt back into himself with a specific mission in mind? And also in "The Leap Back" when Sam leaped back to save Al's life and immediately knocked out Clifford? I believe that the Swiss-cheesing can be partially overcome if the leaper has a predetermined specific mission in mind before they leap. Alia, Sam, and even Al (in "The Leap Back") were the most Swiss-cheesed because they didn't know where they'd end up and had no mission in mind, unlike Zoey, who was hell-bent on getting revenge on Alia.

Originally Posted by NYCSciFiFan

I thought that Alia's leap was interesting because she leapt blue-white, so (to our way of thinking) she was moved by the Good Force. The woman she lept into came back unharmed by the shotgun blast, which was even better.

I think it's safe to say that Alia now became a 'good' leaper just like Sam, since she was free of Lothos' technology and leapt by the same force that leaps Sam. In order for Alia to be truly free forever, Zoey had to have died so that no subsequent leaper or Lothos could ever connect to Alia's brainwaves again. Zoey was special because only she was connected to Alia's neurons and mesons.

I would say Alia leaps from place to place exactly like Sam, though with no holographic guide.

In regards to Alia being able to see Thames, both Alia's hypnosis and the fact that Sam hadn't yet touched Zoey to break through her counterpart's aura prevented Alia from seeing Zoey and Thames for most of the episode. After that, despite the fact that Alia was free from Lothos' technology, her neurons and mesons were still connected to Zoey's, thus allowing her to see Zoey, and, ultimately, Thames as well. However, I agree with what was said earlier that Zoey would be needed in order for her to see Thames, since she was linking all of them. Kill Zoey, and Thames would never be able to reach Alia.

Another interesting technicality is that whilst neither Alia nor Angel was hit by the shotgun blast since it passed through between leaps,



Zoey was shot and the fragmented bullet remained in her as she leapt out, because Meyers returned unharmed (no one seemed to notice this since the guard was preoccupied with Angel not being shot). This shows that the bullet was more or less now part of Zoey's DNA once she leapt out.

Also, keep in mind that Zoey's comment about the 48-hour window of time to get home before the percentage drops with each leap had not passed yet. So, Lothos' technology would've still been able to retrieve her at the time she got shot. Of course, since she was dying, her brainwaves were no doubt diminishing, thus Thames' connection became lost.

Clearly, Alia was always deceived about being able to get home so that she could have an incentive to keep completing Lothos' assignments.

[Lightning McQueenie]

Originally Posted by QL Nut

I think it's safe to say that Alia now became a 'good' leaper just like Sam, since she was free of Lothos' technology and leapt by the same force that leaps Sam. In order for Alia to be truly free forever, Zoey had to have died so that no subsequent leaper or Lothos could ever connect to Alia's brainwaves again. Zoey was special because only she was connected to Alia's neurons and mesons.

I would say Alia leaps from place to place exactly like Sam, though with no holographic guide.

I actually had an idea for a fanfic regarding what happens to Alia.

I think that she actually will be leaping around putting right everything that SHE had put wrong under Lothos' orders, before ultimately destroying the Evil Project herself.

And as for her guide - does anyone remember Angelita???




Also, something else I thought of...

Since under hypnosis Alia was remembering parts of Angel's life... would that mean that Angel (in the Waiting Room) was remembering parts of Alia's life? What horrible memories she must have had to endure. Or would she just have been "empty" (for lack of a better term)...

[QL Nut]

Originally Posted by Lightning McQueenie

Also, something else I thought of...

Since under hypnosis Alia was remembering parts of Angel's life... would that mean that Angel (in the Waiting Room) was remembering parts of Alia's life? What horrible memories she must have had to endure. Or would she just have been "empty" (for lack of a better term)...

It's definitely a two-way street, as "Lee Harvey Oswald" and "Return Of the Evil Leaper" proved, when the leapee absorbs just as much of Sam's memory as he does theirs.

And speaking of that, Warden Meyers was a serial rapist, known by the prison guards to rape some of the female convicts. So when Zoey had her "wonderful plans," was that because she was evil, was given that information of Meyers by Thames, or was it just a coincidence?

[Lightning McQueenie]

Probably a combination of both.

Her mind was probably merging with Meyers', which, when combined with her lecherous and evil ways, made raping the inmates seem like a "natural" Evil Leaper's Past Time...

[Lightning McQueenie]

Since Zoe was planning to rape "Liz", had Liz really been Liz, how would she have planned to do so, since she doesn't have a penis? Was she hoping that the aura of the penis would still be functional? Also, had it gotten to that point, and she touched Sam, thereby revealing his true self, do you think she still would have gone through with it?

[Lightning McQueenie]

I don't mean to double-post, can't edit...

Anyway, just wanted to say that the highlight of this episode is the scene in the Waiting Room. I enjoyed Liz's verbal face-off with Al, and she is right, she (and many other leapees) are much better off in the Waiting Room than where they were.

The catatonic Angel actually really upsets me, he appearance is short but does the job. She is obviously experiencing Alia's memories (since Alia has most of hers), and since the memory of all her evil deeds even upset Alia (like in Deliver Us From Evil when she says "I can't kill all those people again...") they must have been so traumatising for poor Angel who didn't have all the time Alia had to learn to live with them. Al was right that she would be fine when she leapt back, but this is probably what set Liz off, as Al was not very sympathetic...