Classic Moments: Vaughn's Big Smash ('Alias')

Over the course of its five brilliant seasons, Alias served up some brilliant jaw-dropping cliffhangers. One of the best occurred at the end of the fourth season, when the climactic scene turned from bliss to bedlam.

The Context

Sydney and her team have just finished a physically and emotionally exhausting mission in Sovogda, where her sister Nadia was turned into a zombie by her aunt Elena Derevko, before being shot by her father Arvin Sloane. A holiday was sorely needed and upon their return, Sydney and her partner Michael Vaughn decide to get hitched and take a trip to Santa Barbara.

However, Vaughn, having found out how Sydney's parents were involved in a marriage laden with lies, decides to come clean on a few truths...

The Moment

The couple are driving along in the sunny countryside, all laugh and smiles. Vaughn suddenly turns to Sydney and confesses that his real name isn't Michael Vaughn after all. Even worse - he confesses that his initial meetings with Sydney as her CIA handler were orchestrated by a higher power and that he wasn't chosen at random.

Sydney is aghast at these revelations - as are the audience - but before anyone has time to draw breath a car suddenly appears out of nowhere and smashes into Vaughn's side of the vehicle at high speed. Roll end credits...

The Aftermath

The couple miraculously survive the smash, but a helicopter arrives on the scene and whisks the injured and dazed Vaughn away. Sydney returns to base and discovers that her lover is suspected of being a double agent who has been reunited with his true bosses via the helicopter. Sydney has faith though, and soon discovers the truth is a different story altogether.