Salvation (Hinc Illae Lacrimae)

Hince Illae Lacrimae is the fourth episode and the 4th produced hour of the series as a whole. It was transmitted on May 19th 2009. Alexander Weir's past takes center stage as the events which led him to Melissa are revealed. Meanwhile, tensions between Chase and her partner grow, and a temporary reassignment leads Roland to a revealing encounter with Robin Quick.

Previously

 * Chase and Roland meet with Kristen Herlacher at the Babylon Research Facility. Chase is looking for John Alessandro. Kristen replies that he had to fly back to Chicago that morning.
 * Roland informs Chase that Melissa Weller's body has been discovered.
 * Alexander tells Chase that he and Melissa used to dance in parking lots.
 * Chase discusses with Roland the possibility that Melissa and Mattie may have ben intimately involved.
 * Reading from the police report, Chase learns that Melissa's cause of death was asphyxiation, the result of being choked with some kind of scarf.
 * Chase confides in Roland about her encounter with Beverly; he promises not to tell Doug.
 * Kristen reveals that she and Robin know each other.
 * Alexander tells Chase that Robin's inaproprate relationships with women have gotten him into trouble in the past.
 * Doug tells Chase that it's been brought to his attention that she saw Beverly.
 * Chase insists there's a connection between Melissa and Dabareh.
 * Alexander confesses to Chase that he tried to come between John and Alisson at Sarah Alessandro's funeral.

Flashback: Schaumburg, Illinois
Alexander Weir walks up the steps of a suburban home in a quiet, flower-lined residential neighborhood. He rings the doorbell and waits but no one seems to be home. After a moment he turns to leave when a young woman opens the door and recognizes him. He turns and smiles, its Alisson.

Inside the home, Alisson asks why he's there, it is clear that there exists tension between the two. He asks for John, but Alisson tells him that the family is at the funeral parlor making arraingements, leaving her to watch the younger cousins. Alexander fondly remembers reading to Renee when she was younger. After an awkward pause in the conversation Alexander turns the subject to the real reason why he is there. He woke up to find that she had left him without an explanation. She incredulously reminds him that John's mother had just died. Alexander, while saddened by Sarah's death, reminds her that she had planned to break up with John, not get back together with someone who had been emotionally distant and abusive to her. She incredulously re-iterates the fact that John's mother just died, implying that now is not the time for that. Alexander relizes he's being a jerk and relents, asking how John is coping.

"He loves you, Alisson. But you will never be that important to him."

Outside, Alisson stops Alexander to tell him that, at the hospital, John was arguing with someone about his research grant. When Alexander asks who the man was, Alisson replies, Gideon Cryter. They were arguingbecause Dabareh bought out John's research grant. Alexander thinks about this for a moment before dismissively wondering aloud why he should care.

After Sarah's funeral, Alexander stops to comfort Renee who asks what happens now. Peter and Francesca hold each other and he tells Renee that Sarah is going to a beautiful place. Francesca asks if Alexander will be coming with them to the cemetary. He says he will, but Peter takes him aside and asks to have a word with him. As the two walk, Peter asks him about a teaching position he was offered in Boston, but Alexander isn't sure he's going to take it. His life, he says, is there in Schaumberg. Peter stops him, relating the story of how, as a child, one of his fondest memories was working at the family store with his father. Growing up, he wanted that life for John, he wanted John to feel as he had and was frustrated when John didn't. He began to realize that, he had become so wrapped up in his own life that he didn't realize it was destroying their relationship. Alexander dismisses this as something he knows quite well, but Peter asks him if he understands. John may not have become the person his father imagined or wanted him to be, but by leaving, John became a better person, one that he never could have become if he been the man his father was trying to make him. Peter emplores Alexander to take the job in Boston--to go and become the man he was meant to be, not the one he believes he should be.

Some time later, John is seen sitting out on the deck lost in thought and holding a business card. Alexander steps outside, clearly upset and trying to clear his head. He doesn't see John sitting there and is startled when John gets up and confronts him. Alexander jokes about escaping the kids, but John does not seem amused. Alexander tries to start a casual conversation but the tension between the two is palpable. Eventually, which John growing increasingly angry, Alexander decides it's time to go, however, as he turns to leave, John stops him, asking if he loves Alisson. Alexander tries to deflect the question, but John persisists. He reluctantly tells him that he keeps a picture of him and Alisson on his desk and that when he was in the hospital, Alisson was there for him. Of course he loves her. John dismisses Alexander's affections as superficial, prompting Alexander to retort that John isn't the only one who has a history with her. John acknowledges their history, but points out that Alexander had years to do something about it and never acted on it until now. The flood gates open, Alexander tells John to grow up, reminding him that Alisson his there for him inspite of everything he put her through. She's with his family and reading to his cousins. Alexander wasn't the one who walked out on Alisson and he wasn't the one who didn't tell her his mother was dying. John claims to have had his reasons, but Alexander replies that his reasoning "sucks, just a little bit." He then asks him if he knows why Alisson was there that weekend. When John doesn't respond, Alexander tells him that she flew out there to break up with him, and they only reason she hasn't is out of respect for the death of his mother.

Furious, John demands he leave but Alexander says he's already leaving to take a position in Boston. He has asked Alisson to go with him. Stunned and realizing that for the first time Alisson may actually leave him, John asks what her response was, but Alisson hasn't given one. John insists that he still loves her, but Alexander snaps back that it's not about him, it's about her. That inspite of everything she still loves him and that she still believes there's something in John worth saving. Choking back tears, he pleads with John to stop telling her that he loves her and just love her. Unable to say any more, he appologizes to John for his mother's death and turns to leave. John stops him again, but he says it's best if he leaves, and that John should say bye to Renee for him. John jokes that the girl will be pissed that he never read to her. Alexander smiles and promises he will next time.

Present Day, Boston
Rhea in the park

Back at the police station, Roland returns from dropping Rhea off at home and remarks to Chase that she needs to get the lock on the front door fixed. Chase is preoccupied with a photograph of Meliss and Alexander and curtly replies that she has a new one in the top drawer of her desk and she'll replace it when she gets home.

Roland proceeds to tell her about his conversation with Mattie, but is more than a little put off by Chase's cold, and distant demeanor. He tries to lighten things up with a joke, but Chase is uninterested. When he asks her what's wrong, she changes the subject to Alexander and Melissa.

Chase orders him to take James and go speak to Robin while she meets with Alexander. When Roland questions why he doesn't just go with her all things considered, she curtly replies that he shoudl have thought of that before going behind her back.

James and Roland and Robin

Chase and Alexander

Trivia

 * The title of the episode is latin for Hence These Tears.
 * Actor Stephen Libby's response to Rhea's "Want some stick" was ad libed differently on each take.
 * During the flashback at the funeral, Renee can be seen holding a copy of The Hobbit. In addition to it being the same prop used in the stage play, the copy is a first edition.
 * In the flashbacks, Alexander is frequently refered to as Xander. This was his character name in Hence These Tears. His name was changed back to Alexander during Salvation to avoid the popular (and incorrect) theory that he was named after the character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His in-character explanation, however is that he's matured since Hence These Tears.

Production Notes

 * Although the entire series has been filmed entierly in and around Boston, this is the first episode to actively illustrate that. Among the locations seen in the episode footage was shot on The Green Line near Brigham Circle, The Boston Common, Quincy Market and Newbery Comics.
 * Footage of Alexander and Melissa in front of a giant fish tank was shot on the quick at the New England Aquarium. You can see one of the divers in the shark-tank.
 * The funeral scene with Renee had to be considerably rewritten to accomodate the fact that the actress playing Renee was 4 years older than she had been during Hence These Tears, had grown considerably, and was no longer able to portray so young a child.

Color Scheme

 * Rhea is seen wearing a blue shirt while reading in the park. The trees and grass around her are a very bright green.
 * On the plaza, when James stops Robin, James is wearing a blue dress shirt while Robin wears a green one.
 * The Jellyfish tank at the aquarium is a deep blue.
 * Melissa wears a blue t-shirt during the flashbacks.
 * The bed Melissa and Alexander have sex on has green sheets.

Bloopers and Continuity Errors

 * The placement of Mattie's hair while speaking with Roland in the park alternates between behind her ear and over her ear depending on the shot.


 * When Alexander is speaking with Peter, the lighting is different in his closeup. It is clearly later in the afternoon.


 * During the scene on the Plaza, James' facial hair is different in the far wide shot. This is due to the fact that portions of the footage needed to be reshot because the original footage was damaged. Joey Pelletier had shaved his chinstrap for another show. Damage to the audio in this scene resulted in some distortion, and became the principle reason why additional footage with Cassie Meeks was shot.


 * The lighting is different between camera angles during the scene between Roland, James and Robin. a severe thunderstorm blew in during the reverse angle. Ironically, a similar thing happened with a snow storm during the second episode scene in the exact same location.

Analysis
Storyline Analysis

Cultural References

 * My Little Ponies: Alexander jokes that he used to help Alisson brush their hair and give them names.
 * Hallmark Cards: Roland quips that Chase's cynicism about human nature "Everyone lies, especially when they're in love" should be put on one of the ubiquitous greeting cards.
 * The Green Lantern: Alexander tries to get Melissa to buy a T-Shirt with the Marvel character's logo on it. During the sene, which is part of a montage, he points to his finger, indicating the character's ring.
 * Doctor Who: A Dalek makes an appearance on top of the television where Alexander is playing video games.
 * Dr Horrible: Alexander is seen wearing a Captain Hammer T-Shirt
 * Star Wars: While at the comic book store Alexander and Melissa mull over purchasing Princess Leia earmuffs.
 * Aliens: Alexander jokes that Renee has a tendency to "latch on like one of those things from Aliens". In doing so, he mimes a facehugger implanting an alien, and a chest burster emerging.

Episode Conenctions

 * Alisson Daniels, John Alessandro, Peter Alessandro, Francesca Alessandro and Renee Cipriani all appear in Flashbacks to the events of Hence These Tears.
 * Alexander's relationship with Alisson and John is revealed after being mentioned in (SA: Pilot) and (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * John Alessandro, the Director of Special Projects at Dabareh, who's business card was found in Melissa's room is revealed to be Alexander's old friend.
 * Rhea is reading her father's diary. She previously expressed interest in her father's life in (SA: Pilot) and (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * Roland asks about Colleen causing problems for Rhea (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * Roland asks Mattie about the Missing Pages from Melissa's diary (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * A rift is growning between Chase and Roland after he told Doug about their private conversation (SA: Vade Retro) and (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * Alexander talks about accepting a teaching position in Boston (Hence These Tears)
 * John is seen mulling over a job offer at Dabareh.
 * Robin's relationship with one of his previous students raises some questions (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * Roland and James debate the merits of Chase's belief there was another person working with Prescott. (SA: Vade Retro)
 * Alexander and Melissa are seen dancing in a parking lot (SA: Souhitent)
 * The reason Alexander and Melissa broke up is revealed (SA: Vade Retro), (SA: Sien Souhitent)
 * At the funeral, Renee is seen reading a copy of The Hobbit. Alisson starts reading this to her before everyone leaves for the funeral (Hence These Tears)

Unanswered Questions

 * Does Alexander know that Melissa was meeting with John? Or for that matter, that Chase is looking to speak with him?