Why Idris Elba’s Sam Is Helping The Hijackers – Armessa Movie News

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WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Hijack episodes 1 & 2.



The first two episodes of Apple’s new thriller series Hijack leave many viewers wondering why Idris Elba’s Sam is helping the plane’s hijackers. It is revealed by the end of the first episode that Sam is a highly-skilled negotiator who specializes in closing major business deals as a third-party service. Even with the knowledge that the mysterious Sam is likely up to a psychological scheme, the question still remains of how he will be able to persuade four armed hijackers that he is somehow on their side in their act of terrorism.

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Episodes 1 and 2 of Hijack have yet to dive into the reasons why the hijack is taking place, which adds to the suspense and uncertainty of the seven-episode miniseries. There are clearly good and bad players in the extensive list of cast and characters in Hijack, although it is not absolutely certain that Elba’s Sam is actually putting everyone on board’s best interests in mind. Regardless if Sam is helping the hijackers or not, his bold actions could face unforeseen consequences in later episodes of Apple’s Hijack.

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Sam’s Plan In Hijack Episodes 1 & 2 Explained

The hijackers on flight Kingdom 29 have clearly put a great deal of planning into their act of terror, which quickly gets sidetracked once a stray bullet is found by a young passenger in a bathroom. Forced to think on their feet, the hijackers, led by Stuart, focus on maintaining control of the plane by taking everyone’s cell phones and claiming that the WiFi is no longer working. Sam knew this was false as was able to send a text to his ex-wife Marsha that eventually led to Daniel signaling an alarm on the ground. This is the first indication to Sam that the hijackers were being forced to improvise, which meant that he could slowly begin poking holes in their objectives.

Sam observes the hijacking situation long enough until he chooses his best negotiating tactic, which in this case was to demonstrate allegiance and value to the hijackers, particularly to Stuart. After Stuart is able to gain access to the cockpit, which was the only part of his original plan that still worked, Sam begins to suspect that the hijackers are not as eager to use the violence that they are threatening passengers with as they seem. This allows Sam to double down on his non-violent, diplomatic approach and appear as someone who is willing to help the hijackers in order to get home safely.

Is Sam Really Helping The Hijackers?

Idris Elba in Hijack episode 1

It’s very unlikely that Sam is actually giving the hijackers any information that will advantage them in any way despite appearing to do so. Sam is introducing himself to the hijackers as someone who is innocently filling in the blanks of their rushed plan to take control of the flight. However, Sam is intentionally misleading the hijackers by presenting his opinion as helpful or insightful, when really he’s just convincing them, particularly Stuart, that he’s thinking with their best interests at heart. Sam’s tactics seem to be counterintuitive and do much to ostracize him from the other passengers, who view him as traitorous and unhinged, although he is doing his best to protect them.

Why Captain Robin Assaults His Co-Pilot

Captain Robin threatening co-pilot in Hijack

Captain Robin appears to be a traditionally charming, well-spoken commercial pilot until he brutally assaults his co-pilot Anna in the cockpit. The two scuffled as Robin tried to open the cockpit door to save the life of his secret lover Colette, a flight attendant. Robin’s love for Colette appeared to tap a deep nerve inside him, which inspired him to attack Anna, leaving her face bloodied from harsh punches with a steel water bottle. This initially raised questions of whether Robin was in on the plan with the hijackers, which still might be the case since he’s proven to be untrustworthy. Robin’s feelings for Colette despite having a wife and family ultimately put all the lives on flight Kingdom 29 in danger.

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Why Sam Hands The Gun Back To Stuart

Idris Elba in Hijack episode 2

Sam had a golden opportunity to regain control of the flight after he picks up a loose gun off the ground and points it directly at Stuart’s head. In a stunning deviation from the typical action-hero character trope, Sam hands the gun right back to Stuart without hesitation. Sam’s decisions are counterintuitive to the untrained eye, making him seem grandiose and even reckless. Sam’s actions even shocked Stuart and everyone else on board and make the once apparent “us vs. them” conflict dynamic much more murky and nuanced.

Sam hands the gun back to Stuart as an undeniable demonstration that he is on his side and will help the hijackers accomplish their mission. He creates an environment in which he is able to build a foundation of trust with Stuart so that he can better influence his decisions moving forward. Shooting Stuart or threatening him with violence would have worked against Sam’s desire for peace and would devalue the potential for negotiation. Sam’s plan is to gain leverage over Stuart as a trusted advisor in order to make him appear like he’s still in control when really, Sam is directing the narrative.

How Sam Changed Kingdom 29’s Flight Path

Hijack episode 2 Eve Myles

Sam convinces Stuart that Captain Robin can’t be trusted in the cockpit, which gets the pilot out into a first-class seat near Sam where they can communicate silently. Sam finds a cunning way to message the pilot via an in-game chat feature, which allows them to quickly form a game plan that would signal a silent alarm to air traffic control centers in England. Sam’s strategy worked out perfectly with Daniel’s involvement on the ground, knowing that Marsha would tell Daniel about his text and investigate it as a potential act of terrorism.

Through Daniel’s counterterrorism contact Zahra, the Iraqi military got involved and questioned Kingdom 29’s intentions. This allowed Captain Robin to return to the cockpit and alter the flight’s path by 3 degrees, which effectively sent out a silent alarm of a security threat. Alice is quick to point out that such an acute shift in flight path is a deliberate tactic used by pilots that could only indicate a security threat on board Kingdom 29. Sam knew that someone on the ground would get the signal and was able to make it happen on the flight.

The Real Meaning Of Sam’s Negotiation Strategy

Idris Elba thinking in Hijack episode 2

Sam’s negotiation strategy is primarily focused on a peaceful resolution in which both sides feel that they have walked away with more than what they had. Sam’s ostensibly bizarre and traitorous behaviors are actually breaking the illusion of power that the hijackers created through threats of violence and fear. Sam’s empathetic tactics aim to reason with Stuart through logical and emotional understanding. Sam offers his strategic advice to the hijackers while also plotting against them, which is how he aims to neutralize the threat altogether. While it appears to be grandiose and dangerous to face the hijackers head-on, Sam likely has a few more cards up his sleeve over the remaining five episodes of Hijack.

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