Irina Derevko
Encyclopedia
Irina Derevko is a fictional character on the television series
Alias
, and a main character during the second season
of the series. Irina, played by Lena Olin
, is the mother of the central character, Sydney Bristow
.
. She was recruited into the KGB
at the age of 18 by Alexander Khasinau
. She was assigned to gain the trust of CIA
agent Jack Bristow
in order to get information from him, specifically concerning Project Christmas
. They married and had a daughter, Sydney. In late 1981, Derevko disappeared, apparently dying in a car accident. At the end of the first season of Alias
, Sydney discovered that Derevko was alive and well and was actually the leader of a criminal organization.
Derevko turned herself in to the CIA early in season two. She was used as a source to help bring down SD-6
, and also assisted with other important missions. Mid season 2 Jack had Irina framed for giving Sydney false information regarding a mission in Madagascar, for which she was to be executed. Unfortunately for Jack agent Michael Vaughn
learned the truth and helped Sydney stop her mother's execution. It was later on in the series during a mission in Panama that Irina did betray the CIA and joined forces with Arvin Sloane
and Sark.
Her subsequent whereabouts were unknown throughout season three, although she continued to be in occasional contact with Jack via Internet Relay Chat
, and arranged for her sister, Katya Derevko
, to assist Jack and Sydney on occasion. It was also learned that Irina had had an affair with Arvin Sloane
and had a second daughter, Nadia Santos
.
At the beginning of season four, Sydney learned that Irina had hired a hit man to kill her. Jack Bristow received permission from his superiors to execute Irina, and in "Another Mr. Sloane" he states that he carried out the act himself. Sydney later identified Irina's body in a Moscow
medical facility and arranged for her burial in a Moscow crypt. Though Sydney was unaware for quite sometime that Irina had ordered her death, until later learning so from Jack.
The shooting of Irina occurred 18 months prior to the season four finale and sometime prior to season three's finale, "Resurrection". The fourth season finale revealed that, in fact, a genetic modification procedure known as Project Helix
was used to create a double of Irina, and it is this woman whom Jack shot dead. The hit on Sydney's life was placed by Irina's other sister, Elena Derevko
, to set up Jack and make him believe he had killed his wife. The woman who underwent the genetic therapy was an agent of The Covenant
, Elena's own criminal organization, who had volunteered to take Irina's place and be assassinated.
The real Irina was imprisoned by Elena and tortured for her knowledge of Rambaldi's secrets. After 18 months, she was rescued by her daughters Sydney and Nadia (whom she met for the first time since Nadia's birth) and Jack. Although technically under arrest by the CIA, Irina was given permission to help stop Elena from bringing about her endgame. After the successful completion of the mission, Jack and Sydney allowed her to escape into the darkness rather than return to America and imprisonment, under the pretense that no one could hold on to Irina Derevko.
In the fourth season episode "Ice", Nadia discovers a photograph of Irina holding a baby. Jack tells her that Irina told him that she had a niece. This niece preceded Sydney and was supposedly why Irina wanted a baby of her own. When Sydney was born Irina held her as she had the baby in the photo. No further information regarding the actual identity of the infant was ever presented and neither of the other Derevko sisters ever mentioned having a baby. Elena specifically said (in "Before The Flood") that she never wanted children. Jack presumes that the photo was just another ruse to lure him in.
During the fifth season, it is revealed that Irina is involved in the Prophet Five organization, although to what extent was unclear. Irina is seen at the end of the episode "The Horizon" as it is revealed she had Kelly Peyton
kidnap Sydney to recover information on the Horizon, she told Peyton to make Sydney comfortable and then she left, as Sydney was being hypnotize interrogated she made sure that the drug injected into her would not harm the baby. In the episode "Maternal Instinct" she reunites briefly with Sydney and Jack, during which they discover her affiliation with Prophet Five and Irina also indicates that she gave the order to kill Michael Vaughn. She also tells Sydney that she never wanted to have children, and that she only did so on orders from the KGB. After helping Sydney deliver her baby (in the midst of an attack by Prophet Five's Kelly Peyton
who may or may not have been betraying Irina), Irina disappears again.
Irina finally met her demise in Hong Kong
in the series finale. She retrieves the Horizon, which she had traded to Sloane for a pair of missile
s, through Kelly Peyton. She ordered Sark to launch the missiles at Washington, D.C.
and London
. Jack assumed that Sloane wanted to use the missiles not to simply destroy areas with high population densities, but to profit from the reconstruction, as he would gain billions from it. It can be assumed that Irina planned to do the same, as she never (in the show) expressed any interest in genocide or mass murder. Sydney tracked her down and learned that Irina sought the same immortality that Sloane had apparently found. Sydney and Irina battled a final time, with Irina ending up balanced on a skylight, which was about to crack under her weight. Given the choice of reaching back for Sydney and reaching forward for the Horizon, Irina chose the Horizon and plunged through the skylight to her demise.
, several other actresses portrayed Irina in the course of the series:
Yekatarina "Katya" Derevko, played by Isabella Rossellini
, was the first of Irina's sisters to be announced. She first appeared in the third season
to assist Jack and Sydney, but later revealed herself to be allied with The Covenant
and was taken into federal custody. In season four she again helped Sydney and Jack to defeat Elena's endgame in exchange for a promise from Jack to work for a pardon and release for her.
Considered the most ruthless of the three Derevko sisters, Elena Derevko, portrayed by Sônia Braga
, is first mentioned by Jack Bristow when he meets with Katya
during the third season. She is a pivotal part of the fourth season
of Alias
, with her actions significantly affecting the lives of nieces Sydney
and Nadia
.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring 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...
, and a main character during the second season
Alias episodes (Season 2)
The second season of Alias premiered September 29, 2002 on ABC and concluded May 4, 2003 and was released on DVD in region 1 on December 2, 2003. Guest stars in season two include David Carradine, Ethan Hawke, Richard Lewis, Christian Slater, and Danny Trejo...
of the series. Irina, played by Lena Olin
Lena Olin
Lena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
, is the mother of the central character, 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....
.
Biography
Irina Derevko was a long-term spy for the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. She was recruited into the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
at the age of 18 by Alexander Khasinau
Alexander Khasinau
Alexander Khasinau is a fictional character from the American television series Alias. He was played by Derrick O'Connor.Alexander Khasinau is second-in-command of a criminal organization headed by a mysterious figure known as "The Man." Julian Sark, who undertakes a number of missions on behalf of...
. She was assigned to gain the trust of CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
agent 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...
in order to get information from him, specifically concerning Project Christmas
Project Christmas
Project Christmas is a fictional black ops project from the television show Alias. Developed by the Central Intelligence Agency and headed by Jack Bristow in the 1970s, the project was designed to identify and train children as sleeper agents to become future spies...
. They married and had a daughter, Sydney. In late 1981, Derevko disappeared, apparently dying in a car accident. At the end of the first season of 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...
, Sydney discovered that Derevko was alive and well and was actually the leader of a criminal organization.
Derevko turned herself in to the CIA early in season two. She was used as a source to help bring down SD-6
Alliance of Twelve
The Alliance of Twelve, with SD-6 being one of its subsidiary cells, is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias...
, and also assisted with other important missions. Mid season 2 Jack had Irina framed for giving Sydney false information regarding a mission in Madagascar, for which she was to be executed. Unfortunately for Jack agent 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...
learned the truth and helped Sydney stop her mother's execution. It was later on in the series during a mission in Panama that Irina did betray the CIA and joined forces with 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:...
and Sark.
Her subsequent whereabouts were unknown throughout season three, although she continued to be in occasional contact with Jack via Internet Relay Chat
Internet Relay Chat
Internet Relay Chat is a protocol for real-time Internet text messaging or synchronous conferencing. It is mainly designed for group communication in discussion forums, called channels, but also allows one-to-one communication via private message as well as chat and data transfer, including file...
, and arranged for her sister, Katya Derevko
Katya Derevko
Yekaterina "Katya" Derevko, alias The Black Sparrow, was the second of the three Derevko sisters to be introduced on the ABC television series Alias. She was played by Isabella Rossellini.-Character Biography:...
, to assist Jack and Sydney on occasion. It was also learned that Irina had had an affair with 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:...
and had a second daughter, Nadia Santos
Nadia Santos
Nadia Santos is a fictional character in the television series Alias, and a main character during the series' fourth season. She is played by Mía Maestro.-Biography:...
.
At the beginning of season four, Sydney learned that Irina had hired a hit man to kill her. Jack Bristow received permission from his superiors to execute Irina, and in "Another Mr. Sloane" he states that he carried out the act himself. Sydney later identified Irina's body in a Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
medical facility and arranged for her burial in a Moscow crypt. Though Sydney was unaware for quite sometime that Irina had ordered her death, until later learning so from Jack.
The shooting of Irina occurred 18 months prior to the season four finale and sometime prior to season three's finale, "Resurrection". The fourth season finale revealed that, in fact, a genetic modification procedure known as Project Helix
Project Helix
Project Helix is the name of a fictional technology in the TV series Alias. The device is used to rewrite a person's DNA, effectively morphing them into a clone of the person from whom the replacement DNA was procured. The only way to detect a double is through a deliberate flaw built into the...
was used to create a double of Irina, and it is this woman whom Jack shot dead. The hit on Sydney's life was placed by Irina's other sister, 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 set up Jack and make him believe he had killed his wife. The woman who underwent the genetic therapy was an agent of The Covenant
Covenant (Alias)
In the television series Alias, The Covenant is a large, powerful, and secretive intelligence/terrorist organization.The Covenant was a "loose affiliation of Russian nationalists" composed of retired KGB and former Central Committee members, all dedicated to the new world envisioned by Milo...
, Elena's own criminal organization, who had volunteered to take Irina's place and be assassinated.
The real Irina was imprisoned by Elena and tortured for her knowledge of Rambaldi's secrets. After 18 months, she was rescued by her daughters Sydney and Nadia (whom she met for the first time since Nadia's birth) and Jack. Although technically under arrest by the CIA, Irina was given permission to help stop Elena from bringing about her endgame. After the successful completion of the mission, Jack and Sydney allowed her to escape into the darkness rather than return to America and imprisonment, under the pretense that no one could hold on to Irina Derevko.
In the fourth season episode "Ice", Nadia discovers a photograph of Irina holding a baby. Jack tells her that Irina told him that she had a niece. This niece preceded Sydney and was supposedly why Irina wanted a baby of her own. When Sydney was born Irina held her as she had the baby in the photo. No further information regarding the actual identity of the infant was ever presented and neither of the other Derevko sisters ever mentioned having a baby. Elena specifically said (in "Before The Flood") that she never wanted children. Jack presumes that the photo was just another ruse to lure him in.
During the fifth season, it is revealed that Irina is involved in the Prophet Five organization, although to what extent was unclear. Irina is seen at the end of the episode "The Horizon" as it is revealed she had Kelly Peyton
Kelly Peyton
Kelly Peyton is a fictional character played by Amy Acker on the television series Alias. She works for a terrorist organization known as Prophet Five, which is the focus of the fifth and final season of the series.-Character biography:...
kidnap Sydney to recover information on the Horizon, she told Peyton to make Sydney comfortable and then she left, as Sydney was being hypnotize interrogated she made sure that the drug injected into her would not harm the baby. In the episode "Maternal Instinct" she reunites briefly with Sydney and Jack, during which they discover her affiliation with Prophet Five and Irina also indicates that she gave the order to kill Michael Vaughn. She also tells Sydney that she never wanted to have children, and that she only did so on orders from the KGB. After helping Sydney deliver her baby (in the midst of an attack by Prophet Five's Kelly Peyton
Kelly Peyton
Kelly Peyton is a fictional character played by Amy Acker on the television series Alias. She works for a terrorist organization known as Prophet Five, which is the focus of the fifth and final season of the series.-Character biography:...
who may or may not have been betraying Irina), Irina disappears again.
Irina finally met her demise in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in the series finale. She retrieves the Horizon, which she had traded to Sloane for a pair of missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
s, through Kelly Peyton. She ordered Sark to launch the missiles at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Jack assumed that Sloane wanted to use the missiles not to simply destroy areas with high population densities, but to profit from the reconstruction, as he would gain billions from it. It can be assumed that Irina planned to do the same, as she never (in the show) expressed any interest in genocide or mass murder. Sydney tracked her down and learned that Irina sought the same immortality that Sloane had apparently found. Sydney and Irina battled a final time, with Irina ending up balanced on a skylight, which was about to crack under her weight. Given the choice of reaching back for Sydney and reaching forward for the Horizon, Irina chose the Horizon and plunged through the skylight to her demise.
Portrayal
Besides Lena OlinLena Olin
Lena Maria Jonna Olin is a Swedish actress.-Early life:Olin was born the youngest of three children, in Stockholm, Sweden. She is the daughter of actress Britta Holmberg and the director Stig Olin...
, several other actresses portrayed Irina in the course of the series:
- Arabella Holzbog portrayed Irina/Laura Bristow in a photograph Sydney kept
- Kate Anthony was the voice of Irina Derevko in the video clip shown in episode 1.19, "Snowman"
- Natasha Pavlovich is the woman actually seen as Irina Derevko in that video clip
- April Webster played Irina when she walks up to Sydney at the end of episode 1.22, "Almost Thirty Years"
- Mia MaestroMía MaestroMía Maestro is an Argentine actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Nadia Santos in the television drama Alias, and as Christina Kahlo in Frida.-Life and acting career:...
portrayed Irina/Laura in a photograph seen in episode 4.4, "Ice"
Katya Derevko
- main article: Katya DerevkoKatya DerevkoYekaterina "Katya" Derevko, alias The Black Sparrow, was the second of the three Derevko sisters to be introduced on the ABC television series Alias. She was played by Isabella Rossellini.-Character Biography:...
Yekatarina "Katya" Derevko, played by Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini is an Italian actress, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and model. Rossellini is noted for her 14-year tenure as a Lancôme model, and for her roles in films such as Blue Velvet and Death Becomes Her.-Background and early life:Rossellini is a...
, was the first of Irina's sisters to be announced. She first appeared in the third season
Alias episodes (Season 3)
The third season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias premiered September 28, 2003 on ABC and concluded May 23, 2004 and was released on DVD in region 1 on September 7, 2004. Guest stars in season three include Vivica A...
to assist Jack and Sydney, but later revealed herself to be allied with The Covenant
Covenant (Alias)
In the television series Alias, The Covenant is a large, powerful, and secretive intelligence/terrorist organization.The Covenant was a "loose affiliation of Russian nationalists" composed of retired KGB and former Central Committee members, all dedicated to the new world envisioned by Milo...
and was taken into federal custody. In season four she again helped Sydney and Jack to defeat Elena's endgame in exchange for a promise from Jack to work for a pardon and release for her.
Elena Derevko
- main article: Elena DerevkoElena DerevkoElena 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...
Considered the most ruthless of the three Derevko sisters, Elena Derevko, portrayed by Sônia Braga
Sônia Braga
Sônia Maria Campos Braga is a Brazilian actress. She has been nominated for both a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.-Early life:...
, is first mentioned by Jack Bristow when he meets with Katya
Katya Derevko
Yekaterina "Katya" Derevko, alias The Black Sparrow, was the second of the three Derevko sisters to be introduced on the ABC television series Alias. She was played by Isabella Rossellini.-Character Biography:...
during the third season. She is a pivotal part of the fourth season
Alias episodes (Season 4)
The fourth season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias premiered January 5, 2005 on ABC and concluded May 25, 2005 and was released on DVD in region 1 on October 25, 2005...
of 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...
, with her actions significantly affecting the lives of nieces Sydney
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....
and Nadia
Nadia Santos
Nadia Santos is a fictional character in the television series Alias, and a main character during the series' fourth season. She is played by Mía Maestro.-Biography:...
.