‘Prison Break’ Recap: The Truth About Whip’s Past Is Revealed In Craziest Twist Yet

On the May 23 episode of 'Prison Break,' Whip's connection to Michael is finally revealed, and it's a twist we never saw coming. Plus, Michael and Jacob set their plans to take each other down in motion and Lincoln comes face-to-face with an old enemy who's out for blood.

Reading Time: 5 minutes
T-Bag And Whip On Prison Break
Image Credit: Courtesy of FOX

The episode begins with a flashback to six years earlier, showing Michael and Jacob (Poseidon) discussing their plans for a 21-void mission. Michael tells Jacob he needs to bring someone else on to help, and he suggests Whip, who he’s been watching. Whip is the perfect candidate because he has a mean streak and grew up without a family, so he can be manipulated. Back in the present day, Michael, Whip, Lincoln and Sucre are rescued by a boat and taken to Marseille, France, where Michael gets a text from Sara. However, he quickly realizes something’s up when ‘Sara’ refers to their son as “Mike Jr.,” which she promised him she would never do.

It’s actually Jacob texting from Sara’s phone, but Michael plays along so Poseidon doesn’t know he’s onto him. It’s also revealed that little Mike has the same brilliant mind as his father — Jacob is very impressed when he sees the intricate treasure map Mike drew for his friend. Meanwhile, Linc comes up with a plan to get home. He explains that over the last seven years, he’s been doing ‘odd jobs’ for John Abruzzi’s son, but when he found out the pills he was transporting were killing people, he threw out $100,000 worth of them…and owes that money to his boss, who now wants to kill him. Linc calls Abruzzi, promising him the $100,000 if he can get the guys on one of the under-the-radar planes that he uses to transport the pills.

Back in the States, Jacob meets with Van Gogh and A&W. He realizes Michael will probably contact several people to help with his plan, and in the midst of it all “he’ll lose sight of the simplest details,” like the fact that his phone can be tracked. Through their text messages, Jacob tracks the phone to the airport in France, where Michael turned it off at 11:50 p.m. There was a direct flight to New York 20 minutes later, so he sends Van Gogh and A&W to the NY airport at landing time to greet Michael and end this once and for all. Michael has a plan of his own, though — he puts Sucre on the plane with the phone and takes Abruzzi’s flight with Linc himself. Van Gogh is growing suspicious of Poseidon’s intentions, and vows to A&W that he wants out after Michael is dead.

Michael and Linc have another big problem to deal with once they land. Obviously, they don’t have $100,000 for Abruzzi, which is where C-Note comes in. He poses as a DEA informant, who threatens Abruzzi and his men with an arrest warrant if they don’t call it even with Linc. Abruzzi isn’t convinced, but when Sheba and some friends drive up in black SUVs wearing DEA hats, it’s enough to send Abruzzi’s crew running. At the risk of putting C-Note in more danger, Michael sends his old friend back to his family. However, Sheba’s face isn’t recognizable to Poseidon, so she offers to join in on the plan. They’ll have to deal with Poseidon AND Abruzzi, though, as the latter quickly figures out the plan was a set-up and vows to kill Lincoln.

Michael and Linc show up to Jacob’s house to rescue Sara, and Michael finds the dozens of origami swans he’d sent his wife through the years to let her know he was alive are crumpled up in the sewer — Jacob had been intercepting them. Nobody’s at the house, so Michael sends ‘Sara’ a text, knowing it’s Jacob, and plans a meeting.

Although Jacob, Van Gogh and A&W have a plan set in motion, Michael is obviously a step ahead. He has Linc allude A&W near the meeting spot, while he’s watching as Jacob drives off from a building above. Sheba and Lincoln follow Jacob to an alley, where Michael meets them. In the back of Jacob’s car, Michael finds a map that he thinks was drawn by Little Mike, showing him exactly where Jacob has taken Sara and his son. He tracks the map to Jacob’s lake house, and heads there with Lincoln, who sends Sheba back to Buffalo to keep her safe. He does give her a kiss back on the lips before they part ways, though!

At the lake house, Little Mike is growing anxious, and seems suspicious that his mom won’t come out of her room. When Michael arrives, Little Mike reveals he wasn’t the one who drew the map (it was Jacob!), and fearfully tells his father, “We have to run!” It isn’t Sara in the room at all, it’s A&W wearing a wig. She comes at them with her gun pointed, and the last thing we see is blood spattered on the window. Oh, and as this is happening, Linc is parked down the street. He’s approached by Abruzzi, who fires several bullets at the window, leaving Linc bleeding out on the seat. Now, the fate of both brothers is up in the air.

Meanwhile, Michael sends Whip to Chicago to finally find out why he calls him his ‘whiphand.’ He gives Whip a set of coordinates that are in the middle of Lake Michigan. Whip goes to the coordinates and finds a jar, with what appears to be blood inside, tied to a buoy in the lake. As this is happening, there’s flashes of T-Bag recording a message into his phone, begging God for forgiveness because he’s about to do something the “old Theodore Bagwell” would do.

When Whip docks the boat, he’s met by T-Bag on shore. T-Bag reveals he knows Whip’s real name, which pisses off the feisty kid, and they grab each other by the necks in what looks like is going to be a big showdown. Instead, T-Bag stuffs a note he received from Michael in Whip’s pocket, and reveals the most shocking twist of the season: WHIP IS T-BAG’S SON, and Michael specifically picked him for the 21-void mission because of his “innate ability to thrive,” which was engrained in him because of who his father is. In the note, Michael explained that he was the benefactor for T-Bag’s hand, but that it would come at a cost: “Enclosed in this envelope is information that will change your life,” he wrote. “Once you read it, you’ll understand. But in return, you must take a life.” What exactly he means by this last sentence, though, is still uncertain.

HollywoodLifers, what did you think of tonight’s episode of Prison Break?!