Department of Special Research
Encyclopedia
The Department of Special Research (DSR) is a fiction
al government
agency from the American
television
series Alias
. The DSR is introduced in the first season episode The Prophecy.
The DSR is a division of the National Security Agency
. Created during World War II
, the DSR investigated the interest of Nazi Germany
in the occult
. After the war an executive order expanded the mandate of the DSR to include investigation into a myriad of "fringe sciences"(e.g. parapsychology
, remote viewing
). Nothing further is known of the DSR's activities until the events of season 1.
Doctor Carson Evans headed the team that investigated Sydney Bristow
following the discovery of a Rambaldi
manuscript which, on its 47th page, has a picture of a woman resembling Sydney and identified as "The Chosen One." The page contains a prophecy
which states in part that the woman pictured "will render the greatest power unto utter desolation." The DSR administered a series of tests, including verifying that she has three physical anomalies mentioned by Rambaldi. With Sydney apparently confirmed as Rambaldi's Chosen One, the DSR took Sydney into custody. Aided by Jack Bristow
, Eric Weiss
and Michael Vaughn
, Sydney escaped and traveled to Italy
. Another part of the prophecy states that the woman pictured "without pretense, will have had her effect, never having seen the beauty of my sky behind Mt. Subasio." Sydney climbed Mt. Subasio, thus apparently disproving that it refers to her (although this was later revealed to be untrue, as "my sky" meant something entirely different).
In season 3, it was revealed that the DSR has a top secret storage facility in Nevada called Project Black Hole. It is also revealed that former Joint FBI-CIA Task Force director FBI Assistant Director Kendall
oversaw this division and was not part of the FBI at all. Marcus Dixon
visited Project Black Hole in the episode "Taken" as a pretext to facilitate Sydney's entry into the complex to steal a Rambaldi artifact.
In season 4, Arvin Sloane
visited the DSR to research Rambaldi materials in an effort to discern the plans of the man impersonating him ("Arvin Clone"). Later in the series, Project Black Hole was the target of a break-in orchestrated by Elena Derevko
to obtain the artifacts she needed to implement her endgame, a genocidal "cleansing" predicted by Rambaldi known as Il Diluvio ("The Flood"). The DSR sent a team to Sovogda, Russia
, the site of Elena's endgame, but they were slaughtered by the infected.
The final mention of the DSR comes in season 5, when its facility is burgled yet again, this time off-screen by Renée Rienne
, who stole a cryonic
case which she believed contained her father but in fact held Doctor Aldo Desantis.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
agency from the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Alias
Alias (TV series)
Alias is an American action television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC for five seasons, from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006...
. The DSR is introduced in the first season episode The Prophecy.
The DSR is a division of the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
. Created during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the DSR investigated the interest of Nazi Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
. After the war an executive order expanded the mandate of the DSR to include investigation into a myriad of "fringe sciences"(e.g. parapsychology
Parapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
, remote viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
). Nothing further is known of the DSR's activities until the events of season 1.
Doctor Carson Evans headed the team that investigated Sydney Bristow
Sydney Bristow
Sydney Anne Bristow , played by Jennifer Garner, is the main character and protagonist on the television series Alias. She is an American woman with Russian-American family background who works as a spy for the CIA....
following the discovery of a Rambaldi
Milo Rambaldi
Milo Giacomo Rambaldi is a fictional person from the American television series Alias. The work of Rambaldi, often centuries ahead of its time and tied to prophecy, plays a central role in the show.According to Alias creator J.J...
manuscript which, on its 47th page, has a picture of a woman resembling Sydney and identified as "The Chosen One." The page contains a prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
which states in part that the woman pictured "will render the greatest power unto utter desolation." The DSR administered a series of tests, including verifying that she has three physical anomalies mentioned by Rambaldi. With Sydney apparently confirmed as Rambaldi's Chosen One, the DSR took Sydney into custody. Aided by Jack Bristow
Jack Bristow
Jonathan "Jack" Donahue Bristow, played by Victor Garber, is Sydney Bristow's father on the television series Alias. Jack is widely referred to as "Spy Daddy" in Alias fandom, and consistently ranks as one of the most popular characters on the show...
, Eric Weiss
Eric Weiss
Eric Weiss is a fictional character, played by Greg Grunberg, from the television series Alias. He is one of Sydney Bristow's CIA co-workers....
and Michael Vaughn
Michael Vaughn
Michael C. Vaughn is a fictional character on the television series Alias. Played by Michael Vartan, Vaughn is one of Sydney Bristow's co-workers and her ongoing love interest. He, like Sydney, is skilled in a variety of areas...
, Sydney escaped and traveled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Another part of the prophecy states that the woman pictured "without pretense, will have had her effect, never having seen the beauty of my sky behind Mt. Subasio." Sydney climbed Mt. Subasio, thus apparently disproving that it refers to her (although this was later revealed to be untrue, as "my sky" meant something entirely different).
In season 3, it was revealed that the DSR has a top secret storage facility in Nevada called Project Black Hole. It is also revealed that former Joint FBI-CIA Task Force director FBI Assistant Director Kendall
FBI Assistant Director Kendall
Assistant Director Kendall is a fictional character from the television series Alias, played by Terry O'Quinn.-Season 1:He first appeared in the first season as the head of an FBI tribunal brought in from Washington DC to interrogate Sydney Bristow after she is arrested following evidence linking...
oversaw this division and was not part of the FBI at all. Marcus Dixon
Marcus Dixon (Alias)
Marcus R. Dixon is a fictional character on the television series, Alias. He has been one of Sydney Bristow's coworkers and the CIA's Director of Joint Task Force. He is portrayed by Carl Lumbly.-Character biography:...
visited Project Black Hole in the episode "Taken" as a pretext to facilitate Sydney's entry into the complex to steal a Rambaldi artifact.
In season 4, Arvin Sloane
Arvin Sloane
Arvin Sloane is a fictional character played by Ron Rifkin. He was the former director of SD-6 on the television series, Alias.-Background:...
visited the DSR to research Rambaldi materials in an effort to discern the plans of the man impersonating him ("Arvin Clone"). Later in the series, Project Black Hole was the target of a break-in orchestrated by Elena Derevko
Elena Derevko
Elena Derevko is a fictional character from the television series Alias, played by Sônia Braga.Elena is the sister of Irina and Katya Derevko. Considered to be the most ruthless of the Derevko sisters, Elena is the secret leader of The Covenant. She was first mentioned in the season three episode...
to obtain the artifacts she needed to implement her endgame, a genocidal "cleansing" predicted by Rambaldi known as Il Diluvio ("The Flood"). The DSR sent a team to Sovogda, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the site of Elena's endgame, but they were slaughtered by the infected.
The final mention of the DSR comes in season 5, when its facility is burgled yet again, this time off-screen by Renée Rienne
Renée Rienne
Renée Rienne is a fictional character in the spy-fi television series Alias. Played by Élodie Bouchez, she was introduced as a new character for the fifth season...
, who stole a cryonic
Cryonics
Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
case which she believed contained her father but in fact held Doctor Aldo Desantis.