Markus works at creating an alliance of regional leaders, while Kurdy investigates the disappearance of one of the groups. Daniel's followers put forward their own proposal for a new government.

After the interruption of recent events, Markus is taking the opportunity afforded by the rescue of regional leaders to hold a summit at Thunder Mountain. His goals have increased - to form a new American Alliance, complete with a new constitution. The alliance, stretching from the western edge of Arizona to Minnesota, is to permit free passage between members, and enshrine the right to private property. This is the cause of much disagreement.

Kurdy is assigned a new partner, Trent, to investigate the disappearance of one group. They are captured by a gang. Trent is about to sell Kurdy out, but the leader kills himself and most of the gang after a conversation with Mister Smith, and Smith rescues the captives. Markus decides to allow Kurdy to pick his own partner.

An emissary is sent to Thunder Mountain from Daniel to persuade the leaders to follow him. Theo puts the case for uniting behind Markus and the others reluctantly agree.

Mister Smith has a functioning pinhole camera, which he uses to take photographs of the leaders' meeting, and other moments.

Lee is no longer functioning as head of security at Thunder Mountain, though it sounds as if his former personnel still consider themselves loyal to him. He is allowed to stay at Thunder Mountain on a probationary basis. Erin is placed in charge of security.

It sounds like Daniel has a "survival of the fittest" mentality. He is sometimes known as "The Tall Man", and can be found on the east coast. Theo says he's building something "big and scary" and has slave labour camps.

Theo says she lived in Wyoming when she was a girl. She also reveals that she is pregnant, and has been suffering morning sickness.

Vincent is sent to Thunder Mountain as an emissary from Daniel.

Theo on Daniel: "You ask me if I ever see Daniel? No. But I've seen the he trail he leaves where he walks, and the effect he has on other people; and they mark the passing of something awfully big, and awfully dangerous."

Lee to Jeremiah: "I guess we have something in common - neither of us knows where we fit in anymore."

Mister Smith to the leader of the gang: "I have a message for you. Not just for you: about you. All about you. God says, 'you can't hide. My eye sees you, and all the darkness that's inside of you. Listen. Listen.'"

"Congratulations, people - you just became the Government." - Theo.

The title of the episode literally translates as "God from the machinery", and refers to the practice in Greek drama of a divine character appearing at the end to resolve the plot. Nowadays it is used in a rather derogatory fashion to refer to a plot resolved by any contrived device, such as a poor character receiving a sudden inheritance. However, Smith's method of rescuing Kurdy could be seen as a true Deus Ex Machina (pronounced "Mackinner" or "Mackinnah")

In the Old Testament, the books of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel are separated only by the book of Lamentations. So… is that Smith's real name? ;-)

Lee gives a reason for not letting the information about the Brothers of the Apocalypse be known to Markus - he thinks Markus would have gone after Valhalla Sector too soon, before they were ready. It's certainly a fair bet Markus would never have sanctioned the use of Meaghan to bring Valhalla down. Libby tells Jeremiah that his appearance at Thunder Mountain caused much conflict between Lee and Devon, with Lee wanting to tell Markus the truth, and Devon disagreeing, knowing that Jeremiah would head to Valhalla Sector. This puts in a different light a lot of Lee's hostility towards Jeremiah during the first season, particularly his comment in "Tripwire" that if Thunder Mountain fell it would be Jeremiah's fault.

There are hints that the real Daniel may not live up to his myth: Jeremiah says that such figures have emerged before and turn out to amount to little or nothing; and Vincent chooses an interesting form of words when he says, "'we' being Daniel - and those of us who believe in him". Picking up on last episode's strange attractors discussion, Daniel could either be God's opposite number - not a real person but communicating by messages given to someone - or could be Smith's opposite number: an ordinary person who, through such messages, can control and manipulate others as Smith does to the gang in this episode.

Once again, Mister Smith's behaviour vacillates between being mysterious and a confidence trickster. We may never know what he said to the gang leader to cause such an extreme reaction, though there may well be a spy in the group who gave him some important information. We don't see where he develops his photos, though Thunder Mountain could have a functional darkroom. The fuel he used in the car (if indeed he did borrow it) could be from his personal stash.

With no snow around, in what medium did Trent write his name?

Are there no leaders from further west than Arizona, such as Washington or California?

Made somewhat uneven by its transitional nature, there are nevertheless a number of very strong moments, Smith dealing with the gang who capture Kurdy being the most powerful.