The West Wing
S2E14
· The War At Home

Mickey Confirms Hostages Safely Extracted

At Dover Air Force Base under night skies, President Bartlet strides past military officer Mickey amid the grim arrival of fallen soldiers' caskets. Overlapping C.J.'s press briefing voiceover revealing the terrorists' demand for a Colombian drug lord's release, Mickey delivers pivotal news: the five DEA agents have been successfully freed from the compound. Bartlet, bearing the raid's tragic weight, vows to personally call the families of the nine slain soldiers, marking a bittersweet pivot—partial operational triumph amid irrecoverable loss, intensifying his moral crossroads over potential kingpin negotiations.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Mickey delivers the crucial update that the hostages are out, marking a turning point in the crisis.

tension to relief

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
C.J. Cregg
primary

Controlled urgency masking White House vulnerability

C.J.'s voiceover overlays the tarmac scene, commanding the press briefing with firm control, revealing the terrorists' demand for a Colombian prisoner's release, framing the raid's context and escalating stakes for the White House narrative.

Goals in this moment
  • • Shape public perception of the raid's complications
  • • Stave off immediate press frenzy on the drug lord demand
Active beliefs
  • • Transparency on demands builds credibility amid crisis
  • • Narrative control prevents political exploitation of losses
Character traits
Authoritative Poised under pressure Strategically communicative
Follow C.J. Cregg's journey
Mickey Troop
primary

Relieved determination tempered by the raid's profound losses

Mickey stands resolute on the rain-lashed tarmac as Bartlet walks past, delivering the pivotal update that the DEA hostages have been successfully extracted from the compound, his voice cutting through the ceremony's heavy silence with concise authority.

Goals in this moment
  • • Inform the President of the hostages' safe release immediately
  • • Provide a counterpoint of success amid the unfolding tragedy
Active beliefs
  • • Lives saved through timely intervention outweigh partial failures
  • • Diplomacy's role persists even in military aftermaths
Character traits
Stoic Diplomatic Decisive
Follow Mickey Troop's journey
Josiah Bartlet
primary

somber

walks past Mickey and states he will call the families of the slain afterwards

Goals in this moment
  • • acknowledge the hostage extraction news
  • • commit to personally notifying families of the fallen
Character traits
protective resolute self-aware principled
Follow Josiah Bartlet's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Dover Air Force Base

Dover Air Force Base serves as the stark stage for the motorcade's arrival and casket procession under night storms, where Bartlet confronts raid casualties while receiving Mickey's hostage update; its vast, windswept tarmac amplifies isolation and grief, contrasting operational success with human cost in the war on drugs.

Atmosphere Storm-ravaged, oppressively somber with howling winds and relentless rain underscoring irrevocable loss
Function Site of dignified military homecoming and real-time crisis update
Symbolism Embodiment of leadership's burden—triumph shadowed by sacrifice
Access Restricted to presidential party, Honor Guard, and essential personnel amid solemn protocol
Flag-draped coffins parading from C-141 cargo bay Tires screaming on wet tarmac, engines growling in the night

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 2
Thematic Parallel medium

"Bartlet's refusal to negotiate with the cartel thematically parallels the later announcement of the demand for a prisoner's release, both centering on the moral cost of dealing with criminals."

Bartlet Slams Folder on Aguilar's Release, Demands Military Options
S2E14 · The War At Home
Thematic Parallel medium

"Bartlet's refusal to negotiate with the cartel thematically parallels the later announcement of the demand for a prisoner's release, both centering on the moral cost of dealing with criminals."

Bartlet Rejects Aguilar Release, Staff Voices Gratitude as He Exits
S2E14 · The War At Home

Key Dialogue

"MICKEY: The hostages are out."
"BARTLET: I'll call their families afterwards..."