Who was dead at Watt's desk?

[The Old Man]

Mabius being a representation of Legion, could he be killed? I would say yes.

[nothing i do is magic]

I am apparently very slow; it took me several watchings to realize someone was supposed to be *dead*. I was younger and hadn't seen all the eps, nor in order. I didn't seen the pool of blood for the longest time; what I though had happened is that James Hollis had gone to sleep/passed out/fainted on the floor after immersing himself in his life, so to speak. (Though why he still had his shoes on puzzled me a bit.)

I have of course rewatched it and now know that indeed, there is someone lying in *Peter*'s house (it struck me at the time as very un-Emma's apartment), unmoving, with a pool of blood. The rest of the office is a mess. Also, we know that Peter is in danger because of the previously-discussed transfer of documents.

I haven't seen my GTAT tape in unfotunately quite some time - we never saw what those documents were, or not all of them, right? (I have a story idea floating aroudn in my brain about this.)

So somebody's dead in Peter's study. I'd honestly not considered the possiblity of a Legion incarnaton, or a MG-sent 'assassin' until reading it here or on another message board, and I'd have to agree with earlier posters that suicide doesn't seem like an action Peter would undertake. Granted, we don't know a lot about him, but it doesn't fall in line with my idea of Peter.

I know a lot of people here are good with things like shooting details and other behind-the-scenes information, so I propose a question: Who was the actor lying on the floor, whose leg appeared on screen? I'm pretty sure it would just have been an extra, or in this case a 'leg model' like are used for close-up hand shots, etc, but CC is often finicky with details. Also, because my tapes are regretably 1700 miles (but only about 3.5 weeks this time!) away, I was also wondering if anyone had screen caps of the shot of the leg and desk? Also, what did Peter's pants (and shoes? if seen) look like in his last living scene?

Wow. If only I devoted this much thought to my real homework and analyses, etc...

- nothing i do is magic

[The Old Man]

I feel some screenshots coming on!

[Bardo Thodol]

I definitely think that it was either the Mabius (Group assassin/Legion Manifestation) or a Group unknown lying there, who had come to assassinate Watts, but Watts was ready for him. I have several reasons for this, but not much time to ellaborate about it at the momment.

I am glad to see this thread is also still ressurected from time to time.

[Maxx Blackwell]

My take on this having completed viewing Season 3 now is that, this being the final show, it was Peter. They must have received some notice to the termination of the show prior to the end of production which allowed them to tie up some loose ends.

As further evidence to this I point to the X-Files episode Millennium. There's no mention of Peter Watts at all, and surely Peter was important enough in Frank's life, whether friend, foe or otherwise that somehow he wuld have come up in conversation. Even in the difficult tmes of third season Peter still tried to maintain contact with Frank.

I'm certain it was filmed this way on purpose however. It was their loophole for the eventuality that the decision was turned around and Season 4 would be revived or a movie would be made.

For this reason I voted Unknown Millennium Group Member.

It has also been proposed that Watts killed himself. Watts is too much of a fighter for that and he had a strict heirarchy of devotion to a personal code - Duty, Family, Friends.

Watts truly believed in the responsibility they had to the world in the shadow of the approaching Apocalypse. Even facing the truth about the Marburg Virus and the vaccines ...

WATTS: It was always about control, Frank. They're gonna expect us to stay with them now that they've protected us from this plague.

... he doesn't admit Frank was right, nor does he give any signs of desiring to leave the Group.

I would say that even if Peter were to leave the Millennium Group he would still see the responsibility and feel obligated to do something about it.

The second mitigating factor is his family which we do not see here. There are 3 possiilities here.

(1) He evacuated his family and remained behind. He loves his family dearly. They would all be targets that the group would pursue and kill to keep silenced in case they knew anything. In the case of his daughter, Taylor, this would be a certainty given what she knew and what was no doubt discussed at home after her return. Peter would not have killed himself because he would need to be alive to protect them.

(2) The Millenniup Group killed his family first and having found their dead bodies killed himself. Feeling hopeless and deprived of the futre by the death of his family he could have chosen to kill himself. If this were the case I don't think he would have killed himself in his office. He would have chosen to be close to his family when he died. But his sense of responsibility to the world would have over-rriden that impulse. Even when Taylor was kidnapped he didn't take matters into his own hands and get the information he was forbidden to by his superiors to give over to her kidnapper. His sense of duty kept him from this.

(3) Peter killed his own family first and then committed suicide. Again because of the responsibility he felt to the world this is not a plausible scenario. Besides, he loved them too much to deprive them of their lives. An while Peter has been proven to he a heartless killer when duty demanded it, he also proved himself of being loyal to those who he loved and cared for, like Frank, when he protected both him and Jordan from the Group at risk to his own life.

The most plausible scenario is that either (a) Peter went down in a blaze of glory or (b) a group member penetrated Peter's house with intent to kill Peter and his family. Finding them not there, he set about collecting documents from Peter's desk that the Group wouldn't want anyone else to see. Peter arrived back from dropping the information off to Frank. Peter got the drop on this MG assailant and killed him. Peter then left his house and rendezvoused with his family and they got out of Dodge. When Peter dropped the information off to Peter he would have left a clue and relied on Frank's deductive ability and his Gift to steer them in the right direction as to where they were.

I'm not sure if that's just good scripting or good profiling, but there's my opinion.

[4th Horseman]

My take on this having completed viewing Season 3 now is that, this being the final show, it was Peter. They must have received some notice to the termination of the show prior to the end of production which allowed them to tie up some loose ends.

As further evidence to this I point to the X-Files episode Millennium. There's no mention of Peter Watts at all, and surely Peter was important enough in Frank's life, whether friend, foe or otherwise that somehow he wuld have come up in conversation. Even in the difficult tmes of third season Peter still tried to maintain contact with Frank.

I'm certain it was filmed this way on purpose however. It was their loophole for the eventuality that the decision was turned around and Season 4 would be revived or a movie would be made.

For this reason I voted Unknown Millennium Group Member.

It has also been proposed that Watts killed himself. Watts is too much of a fighter for that and he had a strict heirarchy of devotion to a personal code - Duty, Family, Friends.

Watts truly believed in the responsibility they had to the world in the shadow of the approaching Apocalypse. Even facing the truth about the Marburg Virus and the vaccines ...

WATTS: It was always about control, Frank. They're gonna expect us to stay with them now that they've protected us from this plague.

... he doesn't admit Frank was right, nor does he give any signs of desiring to leave the Group.

I would say that even if Peter were to leave the Millennium Group he would still see the responsibility and feel obligated to do something about it.

The second mitigating factor is his family which we do not see here. There are 3 possiilities here.

(1) He evacuated his family and remained behind. He loves his family dearly. They would all be targets that the group would pursue and kill to keep silenced in case they knew anything. In the case of his daughter, Taylor, this would be a certainty given what she knew and what was no doubt discussed at home after her return. Peter would not have killed himself because he would need to be alive to protect them.

(2) The Millenniup Group killed his family first and having found their dead bodies killed himself. Feeling hopeless and deprived of the futre by the death of his family he could have chosen to kill himself. If this were the case I don't think he would have killed himself in his office. He would have chosen to be close to his family when he died. But his sense of responsibility to the world would have over-rriden that impulse. Even when Taylor was kidnapped he didn't take matters into his own hands and get the information he was forbidden to by his superiors to give over to her kidnapper. His sense of duty kept him from this.

(3) Peter killed his own family first and then committed suicide. Again because of the responsibility he felt to the world this is not a plausible scenario. Besides, he loved them too much to deprive them of their lives. An while Peter has been proven to he a heartless killer when duty demanded it, he also proved himself of being loyal to those who he loved and cared for, like Frank, when he protected both him and Jordan from the Group at risk to his own life.

The most plausible scenario is that either (a) Peter went down in a blaze of glory or (b) a group member penetrated Peter's house with intent to kill Peter and his family. Finding them not there, he set about collecting documents from Peter's desk that the Group wouldn't want anyone else to see. Peter arrived back from dropping the information off to Frank. Peter got the drop on this MG assailant and killed him. Peter then left his house and rendezvoused with his family and they got out of Dodge. When Peter dropped the information off to Peter he would have left a clue and relied on Frank's deductive ability and his Gift to steer them in the right direction as to where they were.

I'm not sure if that's just good scripting or good profiling, but there's my opinion.

Maxx...i have to agree with your last sentiments, with one exception. Why stop with the Peter/Frank dicotamy. Why not also tie the ends with Lucy and Frank as well. I dont feel it was Peter lying in the pool of blood. I give kudos to the decision to not be definitive as to whom the leg belonged to, because if the show had been picked up at the last minute again, or if it was percieved that a Season 4 would be a possibility in the future, then the character could have been picked up again with a retrospective explanation of just who it was lying in Peter's home. Yes, Frank did receive the folders after Peter told him that would be a sign of "danger", but he was not specific if i recall. I feel any continuation of MillenniuM beyond S3 is going to be based on this "Peter Principle".

My point is, it all boils down to this.

If there is ever a followup series or movie, here are the facts:

Dead

1. Catherine

2. Bletch

3. Peter ?

4. Laura ?

5. Andrews

6. Baldwin

Alive/Missing in action

1. Frank

2. Jordan

3. Lucy

4. Giebelhouse

5. Laura

6. Ardis

7. Murphy

Two of those, Ardis and Murphy were one episode wonders, so in actuality you only have 4 definites, and one possible, Laura...

doesnt leave a whole lot to work with, does it?

The Fourth Horseman...

[richard]

i think watts is dead when he gave frank the files that mean that the MG was going to be killing someone today

[Earthnut]

Richard, thank you so much for reviving this thread. I have never voted on this one and don't know how I managed to miss it.

I have a feeling that it is Watts, but sure don't want it to be. I'd rather it be a mabius.

[ethsnafu]

I like to think it's Watts and I like to think he knew that would be the most likely outcome for betraying The Group by freeing Frank from their influence. It makes his end one of redemption and personal sacrifice and I find that fitting for a character who has a less than pleasing run during season three IMHO.

And I hadn't voted on this poll either, must have had my head in the sand somewhat.

Eth

[Guest chagrin]

Clearly Peter, the shoes are a "dead" giveaway