Episode 7 of Alex Rider begins at the top of the mountain, where emergency services are hurriedly summoned by a truck driver who's just collided with Alex Rider. Meanwhile, Kyra remains trapped inside the facility, concealed in the basement, anxiously awaiting Alex's signal.
As the guards finally locate Alex, they watch helplessly from afar as he's whisked away to the hospital, Eva trailing behind to ensure his demise. The monitor's flat line prompts Eva's departure, but it's revealed to be a cunning ruse orchestrated by Jones and his team, designed to deceive Eva into believing Alex has perished.
Back at headquarters, Smithers briefs Alan Blunt on the mysterious Parker, revealing that he's undergone numerous surgeries, making it clear he's not the genuine article. As they ponder the identity of their captive, a remote feed is established with Alex and Jones to discuss their findings.
Alex unveils Greif's shocking scheme: he cloned himself and surgically enhanced the copies to resemble students at the school. These kids were chosen as young as children from affluent families across the globe. Greif's master plan involved infiltrating each of these families, eliminating the parents, and seizing control of the global economy through their various companies. This revelation also corroborates the discovery of face masks at Point Blanc.
As they scramble to decide what to do with this bombshell information, Alan interviews Parker again, revealing that he's privy to the truth. Parker speaks cryptically, but it's just enough for Smithers to use the same vocal technology from before to dupe Greif into believing Alex and his team have been neutralized.
Meanwhile, Alex is briefed by Wolf and his squad, who devise a plan to infiltrate the building and rescue Kyra and the other children. As they breach the facility, the soldiers swiftly neutralize the clones. Initially, the operation proceeds with quiet precision, but things quickly spiral into chaos as Greif frantically attempts to destroy incriminating evidence on his computer.
As Wolf stalked into his office, gun in hand, the tension was palpable. Down in the bowels of the building, Eva and Alex were locked in a fierce struggle, their fight culminating in a devastating fire that engulfed the lab. Flames danced around the room, igniting a catastrophic explosion as they came into contact with the liquid nitrogen.
Upstairs, the clones trembled on their knees as the real prisoners were finally freed. Kyra, on her way out, caught a glimpse of her clone, who smiled at her with a sinister grin that sent chills down her spine.
With Greif in captivity and Alex safely returned home, Alan Blunt delivered a harsh verdict: Alex had failed, and Greif's experiments were over. But the revelation that Greif wasn't even involved in Ian Rider's operation threw a wrench into the already complex situation. An ominous shadowy organization was pulling the strings, overseeing everything that was happening.
As the episode drew to a close, another Alex Rider emerged from the rubble of the basement, a clone now standing in his shadow. The mystery and intrigue deepened as Alex faced the daunting prospect of having to contend with a doppelganger.
While some of the characters' motivations may have been slightly cliched and the clone concept somewhat far-fetched, the intense action sequences in this penultimate episode were enough to make up for it. Alex Rider may not be the most groundbreaking action show of the year, but it certainly provides an entertaining watch. With its young adult appeal and straightforward espionage thriller storyline, it's a decent choice for those looking for a thrilling adventure.
