Close Reading: The Last Ship

Characters:
Captain Chandler, Doctor Scott, Enemy captive, Valkerie, and the Immune Brothers. Chandler, Scott, and Valkerie are all protagonists since they're trying to spread the cure. The enemy captive and the immune brothers are antaganists as they hate the navy and are trying to stop them from spreading the cure.

Setting:
The setting is aboard the USS Nathan James, and an oil rig. After the enemy captive tells the immunes that the navy is present, the soldiers on the beach retreat back to the ship. They then raid the oil rig in attempt to capture Valkerie.

Mood:
It is very tense the entire episode until the end when 3 of the navy's soldiers are killed on the oil rig. At this point the mood is very depressed.

Climax:
The climax is when the navy is aboard the oil rig and it comes under attack by RPG fire.

Resolution:
The resolution is the President showing Valkerie what the navy is really about, and how they aren't out to kill everyone.

Title:
In the opening scene, it shows the burning/sinking New Orleans fleet of ships which was just destroyed by the Immune Brothers. It sets the mood for the rest of the episode, which was sad and tense.

Story/Plot/Narrative:
It opens with a few soldiers on the beach helping survivors of the New Orleans fleet. When their captive tells the Immune Supporters there that they soldiers are navy, the soldiers are forced to retreat. They then go onto an oil rig to take over Valkeries broadcasting system. They come under RPG attack by rogue Immunes and lose 3 men.

Motif:
Something that you see often throughout the episode is a close up on the captain. This is because he is stressed and it shows how tense the episode is.

Scene/Set:
The scene is very important. Being on an oil rig adds danger to the show since any attacks could destroy the entire rig very quickly.