Episodes 1-6: 7AM-1PM

Alas, Tony does not appear in these episodes!

Episode 7: 1PM-2PM

Jack and Audrey are ambushed by assassins at the offices of Felsted Security, where they are pursuing a lead on the men who kidnapped Audrey earlier in the day. Jack realizes that CTU has been infiltrated, as only someone on the inside could have known where they were. Knowing he cannot contact CTU for assistance, he calls “the only person he can trust.” Mere minutes later, just as Jack runs out of ammunition, Tony busts in with guns blazing, killing two terrorists and saving Jack and Audrey from certain death. After all, what are friends for?

Golden Almeida Moment
Truly the most amazing, most unbelievable return of any character to this series. This surpasses even Chappelle’s comeback of Season 2 or Nina’s comeback of Season 3. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE and once again confirms that TONY ALMEIDA IS GOD. Jack, Audrey and Tony rush out of the building to the safety of Tony’s waiting vehicle.

Episode 8: 2PM-3PM

Tony offers his residence for Jack and Audrey to lay low while they identify the man Audrey saw during her kidnapping using the video footage taken from Felsted Security. As they drive, Tony talks of how he was pardoned by President Palmer at Jack’s request and released from prison, only to have Michelle leave him. When they arrive at his home in North Hollywood, his current girlfriend Jen is none too pleased with the situation. Jack tells Audrey privately that Tony’s drinking has been out of hand since his release, which is the reason Michelle divorced him. Audrey and Jack identify their suspect as Henry Powell and Jack learns Powell is scheduled to leave Los Angeles in less than fifteen minutes. With back-up too far away, Jack plans to arrest Powell by himself until Tony offers his assistance. They arrive in time to arrest Powell, but a sniper shoots Powell in the heart before he can give Jack any information.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Henry Powell: Who are you guys? Police? FBI?
Tony: Actually, I’m currently unemployed.

Episode 9: 3PM-4PM

CTU picks up a thread on Henry Powell by tracing a cellphone he’d been calling repeatedly. Despite Tony’s reservations, Jack convinces Tony to continue assisting him with the operation and the two of them head to a motel where Powell’s contact is hiding. They take Dina Araz into custody, and she agrees to help them find the Override device if they can protect her son Behrooz from his father and grant him immunity. She leads them to Behrooz’s last known location, a local hospital, but Behrooz’s father has found him first and is holding him hostage. Dina assures Jack and Tony that if they can’t save her son, she wil be happy to see the nuclear reactors melt down.

Golden Almeida Moment
Jack and Tony, backed up by CTU Field Agent Lee Castle, bust into the hotel room to which Edgar traced the cell phone called by Powell. Dina Araz lays on the bed, wounded and bleeding. Castle attacks her, clamping his hand down on the gunshot wound on her arm. Dina screams in pain. Tony quickly grabs Castle off Dina and tells him to back off, reminding him that if she passes out from shock or pain, they won’t get any information out of her. Castle is angry that he has to take orders from someone who isn’t even authorized to be on the mission. Jack reminds Castle that he is but a lowly peon who must bow to the expertise, wisdom and experience of Tony Almeida.

Episode 10: 4PM-5PM

Jack, Tony and Castle formulate a covert plan of attack to take down Navi Araz and rescue Behrooz. All does not go as planned, however, when Behrooz kills his father before CTU can question him. Jack demands that Dina uphold her end of the bargain by giving them the location of the Override. Dina doesn’t know, but gives them the location of a building where she picked up her final instructions. When Jack and Tony arrive, they find the place deserted. Jack receives information he needs to follow up alone, and asks Tony to take the Arazes back to CTU and interrogate them. Tony argues with Jack about whether he can return to CTU under the circumstances and things get emotional. Finally, Jack convinces his friend Tony to take back control of his life. Tony returns to CTU and is greeted with a badge, a gun and a temporary reinstatement.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Jack: I need to follow up a lead on my own. I need you to do me a favour. I need you to take Dina Araz and her son back to CTU and head up the interrogation.
Tony: Wait a second, Jack. They’re not gonna let me set foot in CTU, even if I wanted to.
Jack: Just listen to me, you’re the only one I can trust to do this. Over the last two hours, I watched my friend come back to life.
Tony: It’s not that simple, Jack.
Jack: If I press hard enough I can get you reinstated, but I need to know now, is that what you want?
Tony: I don’t know.
Jack: Maybe I was wrong. [turns to leave. Pauses. Faces Tony] You saved the life of the daughter of the Secretary of Defense, who happens to be my boss. You do know that, right? [walks away]
Tony: Jack! [choked up] Thanks. I’ll do it.

Episode 11: 5PM-6PM

Tony gets on with interrogating Dina Araz to try and obtain the location of the Override device, but Dina is being decidedly uncooperative. She tries to play dumb and claims that it was her husband who had all the connections. Erin Driscoll informs Tony that CTU suspects a terrorist named Habib Marwan is at the center of the day’s events. When Tony asks Dina about Marwan, she balks, but denies she knows him. It is only after Tony threatens her son Behrooz’s pardon agreement that Dina talks. She confirms that Marwan was the architect of the attacks and that he is controlling the Override from downtown LA. Tony gives Marwan’s location to Jack, who meets Curtis on-site and attempts to take down Marwan. Although CTU gets the Override and stops the nuclear plants from melting down in time, Habib Marwan manages to escape.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Tony: [throws Dina into the interrogation room, then pins her against the wall by the throat] Unless you tell me the whole truth right now, that deal you made to save your son is over and he goes to prison for murder and treason!
Dina: You can’t do that. The President signed an agreement.
Tony: If that deals gets in the way of protecting this country, you think the President’s gonna stand behind it? He’s gonna tear it up and your son goes to prison for the rest of his life. And I’ll tell you, I know a little something about prison. And based on the conditions of his confinement, I’ll tell you right now I give Behrooz about three months before he commits suicide. And by the way, I’m gonna make it my personal mission to make sure you never hear word one about what happens to him, ever.

Episode 12: 6PM-7PM

It becomes obvious to everyone that the suicide of Erin Driscoll’s daughter has greatly impeded her ability to lead CTU effectively. Heller orders Tony to call Division and have them send a replacement. Tony informs Heller of his experience running CTU and suggests that he would be capable of replacing Erin on a provisional basis. Heller agrees to make Tony the interim CTU Director, but maintains that he call Division to send a permanent replacement. Tony gets on with running the operation. He and Jack learn that McLennan-Forster, a defense contractor corporation and CTU’s only link to Habib Marwan, is planning to detonate an Electro-Magnetic Pulse Bomb to destroy any evidence linking them to terrorism. Despite their best efforts, CTU is unable to stop it and Jack loses all contact with CTU. Just as all hell is breaking loose, Tony’s replacement arrives from Division, and no one is more shocked than Tony to discover the new CTU Director is none other than his ex-wife, Michelle Dessler.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Heller: Tony, I wanna thank you for filling in and I’d like you to stick around and assist Miss Dessler.
Tony: I’m sorry, who??!!??
Heller: Michelle Dessler. Do you know her?
[Tony turns around to see Michelle striding into CTU, surrounded by her minions from Division]
Tony: [whispering] I used to be married to her.

Episode 13: 7PM-8PM

Michelle’s obvious bitterness towards Tony clouds her judgement with regard to his professional abilities, and she assigns him to low-level analyst work — but when Sarah Gavin oversteps her bounds, Michelle fires her and has no choice but to ask Tony to resume a larger role in CTU operations. With Jack completely out of contact due to the EMP-induced blackout, Michelle and Tony argue about the best strategy to find Jack. Ultimately, Michelle is reluctant to trust Tony’s instincts and disregards his suggestions. Audrey fills Michelle in on how Tony saved her and Jack’s lives, and Michelle reconsiders her harsh attitude. Tony turns out to be right about Jack’s field decisions, and Michelle realizes that his experience and personal connection to Jack will be invaluable in stopping Marwan. Tony informs Michelle that he wishes to resign because working with her again is too difficult on him emotionally, but Michelle refuses to accept his resignation, believing that CTU can’t afford to lose him.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Tony: I got those perimeter teams you asked for ready to go.
Michelle: Thanks. Tony, look, I just want you to know that just because I overruled you a few minutes ago doesn’t mean that I don’t value your input.
Tony: Don’t patronize me, Michelle.
Michelle: I’m not. Look, you ran CTU for two years. Anything that you have to say, I will consider seriously.
Tony: Uh, don’t worry. I’m gonna tell you what I think whether you wanna hear it or not, alright?

Episode 14: 8PM-9PM

Jack returns from the field with Paul Raines in critical condition, but in the meantime Michelle and Tony have uncovered a new lead through the encrypted file taken from McLennan-Forster. It turns out that a man who’d been on their watchlist for some time, Jospeh Fayed, is connected to Habib Marwan. The three of them decide that the most likely way to track Marwan through Fayed is by using Dina Araz to go undercover with Jack. Tony expresses concern to Michelle as the operation draws closer that Edgar isn’t up to the task, so Michelle entices Chloe to return to CTU. Michelle and Tony seem to grow closer again as they work together to support Jack in the field.

Golden Almeida Moment
Tony asks Edgar to update some logs to reflect the attack on Jack. Edgar says he needs a time window. Tony gets pissed off that Edgar wasn’t paying attention to Jack during the meeting, as he clearly stated he’d been attacked an hour ago. Edgar makes an excuse for his error, and Tony chews him out as though he’d never been sent to prison for treason or been fired from his post at CTU (or even had that beer earlier in the day). Edgar tells Tony he resents being told what to do by someone who “doesn’t really work here.” Tony glares at Edgar with the classic Almeida obsidian gaze. NO ONE fucks with Almeida, Edgar you insolent twit!

Episode 15: 9PM-10PM

Michelle acknowledges that she knows about how Tony saved Jack and Audrey’s lives at Felsted Security, but Tony tries to downplay it. He urges Michelle to tell Audrey the truth about Jack’s capture, and despite her initial reservations, Michelle follows his advice. Meanwhile, Habib Marwan becomes concerned that a police report about the disappearance of the Hansen family could tip CTU off about his plans, so he contacts CTU and offers to trade Jack for Behrooz Araz in an effort to distract them. Michelle wants to make sure she’s aware of any tactical value Behrooz may have before they agree to the exchange and has Tony oversee the interrogation. Bill Buchanan, Michelle’s boss from Division, arrives and takes over command. CTU goes forward with the exchange in the hopes of tracking Behrooz to Marwan, but Marwan’s men destroy CTU’s tracking devices before they get anywhere near Marwan. Jack informs Tony that he purposely short circuited phone wires at Marwan’s base of operations while he was being held hostage, and Tony tracks down Marwan’s location. CTU prepares to raid Marwan’s base.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Michelle: So I heard Jack called you earlier today.
Tony: Yeah.
Michelle: And that you saved his life.
Tony: Well, we both know I owed him one, right?

Golden Almeida Quote
“Jack’s about the only friend I have left, so I’m gonna do everything I can to keep him safe, alright?”

Episode 16:  10PM-11PM

Michelle and Tony advise President Keeler that he is safer to stay aboard Air Force One in transit until the crisis passes, but Keeler is adamant he will land in Los Angeles and address the nation from the ground. Jack and his team stage their raid on Marwan’s base, but Marwan manages to escape yet again. One of Marwan’s men reveals that something will go down “within the hour.” Jack sends forged identity documents recovered from the scene to CTU for analysis. Buchanan comes down hard on Michelle for failing to apprehend Marwan, but Tony defends her. Later, Tony witnesses Buchanan apologize to Michelle and stroke her shoulder affectionately. Tony finds out from Chloe that Bill and Michelle worked together for Homeland Security in Seattle while he was in prison before they worked together at Division. Tony accuses Michelle of violating her vows and sleeping with Bill while they were still married. Michelle denies his accusation, but Tony presses on and is reproachful that she didn’t inform him of her sexual relationship with Bill. Michelle simply refuses to acknowledge Tony’s accusations with a response, and walks away after telling him her personal life is none of his business. CTU gets a hit on one of the photos from Marwan’s base and realizes that a former Air Force pilot named Mitch Andersen has stolen a stealth fighter and plans to attack Air Force One. CTU tries to convince Andersen to abort his mission, but there is nothing CTU can do. Air Force One is hit.

Golden Almeida Dialogue:
Tony: Michelle. When were you planning on telling me?
Michelle: About what?
Tony: About you and Buchanan.
Michelle: Never, because it’s none of your business.
Tony: Michelle! Before you worked with him at Division, you worked with him at Homeland Security Restructuring in Seattle, right?
Michelle: Yeah.
Tony: We were still married then.
Michelle: Legally, yes.
Tony: Did you sleep with him while we were married?
Michelle: No. I didn’t.
Tony: But you are now.
Michelle: Like I said. It’s none of your business.

Episode 17: 11PM-12AM

CTU rescue teams find Air Force One’s crash site and determine that although President Keeler is still alive, the severity of his injuries have left him unable to execute the duties of his office. CTU prepares for the ascension of Vice President Charles Logan to the Presidency, and Buchanan instructs Tony on how to proceed. Tony is offended that Bill doesn’t seem to be aware of the depth of his CTU experience. Buchanan confronts Tony by suggesting his hostility has something to do with Michelle, and informs Tony that he never had a personal relationship with her because she was still in love with Tony. CTU learns that the “Nuclear Football” has gone missing after the crash and their first priority is recovering it. A young couple camping near the crash site recover the Football but before Jack can retrieve it, Marwan and his minions close in on them. Marwan and his men engage Jack and CTU in a firefight and then flee the scene. Jack recovers the Football, but he and Tony realize that Marwan has taken crucial pages from it that contain acitvation codes for American nuclear warheads. Marwan is poised to use the USA’s own nuclear arsenal against them and CTU has no idea where Marwan is.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Buchanan: Tony. I’ve noticed a little hostility on your part. If it’s because of me and Michelle…
Tony: It’s none of my business. And as far as the hostility goes, I can promise you, it’s over with.
Buchanan: If you say so. [Tony starts to leave] One more thing. I think the world of Michelle. Love working with her. Outside the office, we never got off the ground. She never said why. But it didn’t take a genius to figure it out. She cared about you. If you ask me, she still does.
Tony: [looks both confused and embarrassed]

Episode 18: 12AM-1AM

Buchanan assigns Michelle and Tony to run point together on the investigation to find Marwan and the missing nuclear activation codes, so Michelle tries to clear the air with Tony, but before they can talk, Chloe interrupts with news that one of Marwan’s contacts has been located. Tony, Michelle and Bill alert the newly sworn in President Logan of the operation’s status. Tony expresses concern after the call that Logan’s leadership ability is lacking. Later, Tony apologizes to Michelle for accusing her of adultery and they make an uneasy peace. Chloe’s lead results in Curtis nabbing a suspect named Joe Prado, who is brought to CTU for questioning, and the stakes have never been higher when CTU discovers that Marwan’s people have hijacked a nuclear warhead in Iowa.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Tony: Logan’s supposed to be the man who speaks to the people of this country in times of crisis, and exude confidence, not fear.
Buchanan: Air Force One was just attacked. President Keeler is in critical condition. Logan was just sworn in. Give him time.
Tony: We don’t HAVE time.

Episode 19: 1AM-2AM

Jack tracks Marwan to a nightclub downtown using information he obtained from torturing Joe Prado against Logan’s orders. Logan insists that Jack be arrested for his insubordination immediately, and Secret Service Agents arrive to take him into custody right in the middle of the ambush to capture Marwan. This tips Marwan off and allows him to escape, YET AGAIN. Tony remains predictably unimpressed by the entire incident, and is surer than ever that Logan is an incompetent fool. Meanwhile, Edgar’s ego is out of control as he gets territorial and refuses to let Chloe do her job properly, so Tony is forced to intervene and kick Edgar down a few notches.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Chloe: Tony…
Tony: (annoyed) What.
Chloe: A woman called in, she thinks her boyfriend my have had something to do with today’s terrorist attacks.
Tony: Did you verify it?
Chloe: No, that’s the problem. I need to use Edgar’s system.
Tony: Why?
Chloe: Her evidence involves data that she got from her boyfriend’s computer. It’s in proprietary format.
Tony: Well, what’s Edgar doing?
Chloe: He’s screwing around moving agents that Jack and Curtis don’t need.
Tony: EDGAR!
Edgar: Yeah.
Tony: Let Chloe into your system.

Episode 20: 2AM-3AM

A phone call from Tony’s girlfriend Jen forces both Tony and Michelle to openly acknowledge the feelings they still have for each other. Later, Tony works covertly with Jack to infiltrate the Chinese Consulate and extract a key witness, CTU’s only existing connection to Marwan. When Buchanan finds out about the covert operation after the fact, he makes it evident that he doesn’t like being kept in the dark and does not support Tony’s temporary reinstatement or his involvement at CTU. Tony is hardly concerned.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Tony: Michelle, uh…I’m sorry you had to find out like that.
Michelle: It’s really none of my business. [walks away. Tony follows]
Tony: Yeah it is. I shoulda told you I was living with somebody else.
Michelle: I don’t wanna talk about this right now.
Tony: [forcefully grabbing her arm] Well I do! Listen to me.. when you left, everything fell apart. Jen happened to be there for me.
Michelle: You don’t have to make excuses for your relationship.
Tony: I’m not making excuses. I’m just tellin’ ya how it is.
Michelle: Do you love her?
Tony: (whispers) No.

Episode 21: 3AM-4AM

Buchanan instructs Michelle and Tony to deal with the fallout from the situation at the Chinese Consulate and make sure there is no evidence linking CTU to the attack. Tony remarks to Michelle how much the events of the day have driven a wedge between Jack and Audrey. They discuss how difficult a time people in their line of work have with relationships. Tony starts to tell Michelle how much he misses her and how badly he wants her back, but Edgar interrupts them before she can respond.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Tony: This situation with the Consulate is dragging us down. We shouldn’t be diverting resources away from finding that warhead.
Michelle: Well hopefully this is just a formality and we can get rid of him quickly. [looks down and sees Audrey at her workstation] If we don’t get information from Lee, Audrey’s husband will have died for no reason.
Tony: What is she still doing here?
Michelle: I think she wants to stay busy so she doesn’t have to think about it.
Tony: It’s funny, when I met Audrey this afternoon, it seemed like she and Jack were totally together. A few hours later, everything’s changed.[pauses, looks at Michelle] Michelle… I hate being without you.
Michelle: I never wanted it to be this way… [phone rings]

Episode 22: 4AM-5AM

Tony finally lays it on the line and tells Michelle that he wants to get back together with her, but says the only way they will ever make it work is if they both leave the world of CTU together for good. Michelle is hesitant, troubled by the idea of walking away from a job to which she has devoted 12 years of her life. Meanwhile, CTU finds evidence that Richard Heller, the Secretary of Defense’s son, is somehow connected to Marwan. After interrogating him, they learn that he was compromised by a couple who picked him up in a bar several weeks earlier. CTU gets an address on them from the cab company they used and Jack prepares his team for a raid on their apartment. Buchanan refuses to let Jack have Curtis in the field, so Jack asks Tony to back him up. As Tony is leaving, Michelle tells him she can’t live without him and will leave CTU to be with him, and they kiss passionately. When Jack, Tony and their team arrive on site, they find their male suspect dead and their female suspect missing. Their female suspect turns out to be none other than Mandy, everybody’s favourite DangerSlut! Jack instructs his men to secure the building’s perimeter. Mandy kills Lee Castle and takes Tony hostage, knowing that using him as leverage is the only chance she has to get away.

Golden Almeida Moment
Tony is leaving CTU to retrieve the suspects implicated by Richard Heller. Michelle is with him, briefing him on their strategy. He is all business, and is about to head out the door, when suddenly Michelle cries out for him to wait. Tony stops and looks at her with expectant eyes. He silently encourages her. Suddenly it all spills out. Michelle says she’s ready to leave CTU to be with him, and can’t stand to spend another day apart. Tony sweeps her up impatiently in a grateful embrace, laying a hungry, desperate kiss on her. AT LAST, FHTMA3 burns the screen, but not with the cathartic release we were expecting. Instead we are filled with foreboding. This kiss, this moment, the timing, is rife with the tension of threat, of uncertainty. We almost don’t want this moment now, terrified that the risks Tony will undertake going into the field with Jack will tear them apart. As Tony breaks the kiss, he gives Michelle a long, lingering, tender gaze and turns to walk away without a word. Just as he is about to walk out to the waiting chopper, Michelle calls to him. He turns. “Be careful,” she whispers, her voice husky. Tony’s face breaks into that famous Almeida half-smile as he exits the building, feeling like the love of a good woman has made him invincible.

Episode 23: 5AM-6AM

Mandy researches Tony’s background and discovers that he went to prison for committing treason to save Michelle’s life. She decides using Tony as leverage against Michelle is her best chance to facilitate her escape, so she contacts Michelle and tells her that unless she aids the escape, Tony dies. Initially, Michelle intends to comply, but finds herself unable to put Tony’s life ahead of civilians’ safety. She informs Buchanan and Jack of the situation, and the three of them decide to string Mandy along so they can arrest her. Mandy, however, anticipates this and stages a clever ruse by forcing her neighbours at gunpoint to walk out to her car, posing as she and Tony. When Mandy sees CTU’s field team closing in, she blows up the car. Believing Tony is dead, Michelle breaks down and leaves CTU under orders from Buchanan. Meanwhile, Jack isn’t convinced that the explosion was all it appeared to be. After reviewing video and audio footage, he realizes that it was a hoax. When CTU teams don’t vacate, Mandy knows they figured out she’s still alive and she has no choice but to try leaving the building anyway, using Tony as a hostage if necessary. As she’s leading Tony out of the building at gunpoint, Tony grinds his foot into broken glass so that Jack will have a trail of bloody footprints to follow. Jack tracks Mandy and Tony to the parking garage and engages her in a standoff long enough for Curtis to ambush her from behind, saving Tony’s life. Jack arrests Mandy, who agrees to give Marwan up in exchange for immunity. Meanwhile, Michelle is tearfully relieved to learn that Tony is still alive and they reaffirm their love for each other.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
Jack: Drop the gun, it’s over!
Mandy: Take one more step and I’ll kill him.
Tony: Do it, Jack. Do what you have to do.

Episode 24: 6AM-7AM

CTU finds Marwan, but Marwan commits suicide before Jack can get any information from him. Edgar and Chloe use information they find on Marwan’s PDA to locate the missile, and the Air Force shoots it down successfully before it can detonate — LA is saved. Tony returns to CTU and enjoys a passionate reunion with Michelle. Meanwhile, Palmer tells Jack the Chinese know he led the attack on their Consulate and that the Secret Service agent sent to take him into custody has orders to assassinate him. Jack enlists the help of Tony, Michelle and Chloe to stage his own death. Tony and Michelle help Jack get out of CTU and provide him with a forged passport and a scrambled cell phone. Tony watches forlornly as his brother in arms wanders off into the sunrise.

Golden Almeida Dialogue
[Tony walks into CTU after the Mandy debacle. He and Michelle embrace ferociously]
Michelle: When they told me you were dead…
Tony: I know. I’m sorry.
[intense FHTMA 4 action]
Michelle: Oh, I love you. I didn’t realize how much until I thought I lost you.
[Michelle pulls back from Tony suddenly]
Tony: What is it?
Michelle: When that woman called and she told me that…
Tony: Hey hey hey … you did what you had to do.
Michelle: But I didn’t do what you did. You chose me and I chose…
Tony: Look, we did the best we could, alright? Now, it’s over.
[intense FHTMA 5]