Is Nikita a cult leader?

I am starting to believe that Nikita and Alex are naïve in their anti-Division perspectives. This is sacrilege, I know, but I understand why Jaden, Robbie, and Thom cling to Percy’s unctuous charisma. They’re at risk, abandoned children, formerly on death row, who previously served as the victims and/or perpetrators of violent crime. Division saves them from prison system dangers, re-trains them, and offers them a vocation. Yes, it takes advantage of abused teenagers, making them believe they belong to a greater good. And, yes, it disposes of them if they leave, fail to produce, or dare to put Division at risk. It’s essentially a cult. However, how is what Nikita or Alex does any different? Nikita kidnaps teenagers, emotionally manipulates them, and refuses to allow them to leave until they share her ideology and/or accomplish her vendetta-related tasks. Watching Nikita convert Sarah, a trainee placed on the suicide mission list, and Alex tap Robbie, a recruit receiving his first assignment, I wondered if Nikita, with her personal war, truly differed from Percy.

Both Nikita and Alex seem so blinded by their mission, they do not realize how others interpret their ideologies. Why does Nikita believe that after telling her story, every former operative will willingly shift to her side? Why does Alex believe her blatant proselytizing will go unnoticed? I’m disappointed that Nikita seemed more focused on creating the counter video than finding Sarah’s son. Two points and a twist to Sarah for pointing out the similarity between Nikita and Division. Even more than Nikita, I’m concerned that Alex almost revealed herself and an exit to a clearly unstable recruit who had just mass murdered other Division members because he didn’t receive the position he wanted. Seriously?

On the one hand, I liked this episode and I continue to enjoy how the writers expand pre-existing story threads from the earlier versions. The USA show featured an episode where Section One placed Nikita on a suicide mission with other Sarah-like characters. Despite Jaden’s two week disappearance, this week offered two roles I previously believed the writers could place her into – either as the acquaintance handed a dead-end assignment or as the trainee who follows the route of the cleaner. Considering Robbie served as the male Jaden in personality and actions, I can no longer blame the actress for that role. Clearly, the writers view all pro-Division, aggressive alpha characters as major douches.

On a side note, I am starting to wonder if Division is actually correct in their cancellation assessments. Both Sarah and Robbie eventually proved unstable. In reality, Sarah probably would’ve kidnapped her son and Robbie probably would’ve rampaged over something else.  Although I now know why recruits/guardians continue to follow Percy despite his clearly spurious missions, if someone tells me to read a suicide note into a camera and claims it’s for a play, I still know enough to walk for the exit.

Spy Tips I learned this week:

• A thermos is a great weapon for hand-to-hand combat.
• Today’s spies no longer need complicated databases when Google does the job easily.

Great things:

• Michael’s face upon learning Nikita’s alive

Questions:

• Why does Percy continue to accumulate so much power/money? At this point he could disappear to rule several small kingdoms. Is he contemplating a coup?
• Michael has clearly shifted over to Nikita’s side. How long before Percy puts him on the suicide mission list?
• How long before people link Alex’s subversive acts with Nikita?

Clacked by An Nicholson
on Oct 29, 2010 @ 21:13 EST5EDT