#217 Cry Your Name – Primer
Written by Ronald D. Moore
Directed by Allan Kroeker
Per the advice of Maria and Liz, Alex blows off Isabel in order to keep an upper hand in the relationship. When Alex’s take-out food arrives, Liz and Maria leave. Alex then asks the delivery boy why everything in life has to be a lie. After Sheriff Valenti stops at a car accident later that night, he goes to the Crashdown to inform the kids that Alex is dead. Max then tries to revive Alex, but is unable to bring him back to life.
Valenti talks to Kyle about Alex’s death, and wishes him a Happy Birthday as Isabel has a dream that Alex never died. At the Deluca’s when Michael informs Sean of Alex’s death, he asks Michael to watch over his family. Max then calls Liz to check on her, but her mother tells him she thinks Liz is in denial and is not even sure where she is. Meanwhile, Liz has gone to the junkyard to take a look at Alex’s car where she finds the photo of Alex and Leanna. Liz notices that Alex’s head has been cut out of the photo. Valenti then questions the driver from the crash who says Alex drove straight into him. Isabel tells her mother she feels guilty for Alex’s death.
Liz shows Maria the photo she found saying it means something. When Valenti questions the delivery boy, he tells him that Alex acted like it was the end of the world the night of the accident. Valenti and Hansen consider the possibility that Alex committed suicide. As the school builds a memorial for Alex, Max shares with Tess how it felt to touch Alex’s dead body. Maria gets upset that those who didn’t know Alex are pretending to care, as Kyle comes to ask Michael and Max to be pallbearers. Isabel then tells the group she’s graduating early, and is leaving for college in the fall. She tells Max she already told their mother, and as the two get into a fight Isabel tells Max her mind is made up.
After Liz questions the delivery boy, she goes to Valenti who tells her he thinks Alex committed suicide. Unable to accept this, Liz goes to Max upset that everyone will think Alex committed suicide. Max tells Liz he won’t let that happen.
Isabel has another dream of Alex, and tells him she’s sorry. She begs him not to go, but he tells her as long as he stays things will never get easier for her. Alex then tells Isabel goodbye, and she tells him she loves him. Alex tells Isabel he loved her too. Back at Max’s as he and Liz discuss Alex, he brings up a story about the prom. Liz then tells Max she saw him kiss Tess at prom and knows they are both moving on. She then thanks him for listening, and leaves asking him to always be her friend.
After Alex’s funeral, Max argues with Valenti over what he said to Liz, and Valenti decides to give Max the file on Alex’s death. At the wake, Liz finds Mr. Whitman and asks him if she can go into Alex’s room. There she goes through Alex’s things and finds tickets to a concert. Liz tells everyone you don’t buy concert tickets when you plan on killing yourself, and says she thinks Alex was murdered; possibly by an alien. Max and Isabel get upset at Liz’s accusation, and Liz brings up the fact that if an alien did kill Alex that would make Max, Isabel and Michael responsible.
The aliens leave, and Liz tells Maria and Kyle she’s determined to find out the truth. Later that night, Liz reflects on their moments with Alex. When she finally breaks down to cry, the delivery boy shows up with Alex’s credit card receipt to show her the bizarre way he signed it – 111001001 -.