How Jennifer Garner Killed Michael Vaughn: 3.17

In this post, I'll be going behind the scenes of everyone's favorite spy show, Alias. If you're one of those people who doesn't want to know the inside scoop on what's happening on the next season of the show, please don't read anything below the picture of Jennifer Garner. Which is to say, SPOILER ALERT!
Hi Jen.

I know you can't believe everything you read on the internets, and I don't blame you. With that in mind, this inside scoop is from the same source that fingered Rachel Nichols as the new go-to action gal on Alias. Since that rumor turned out to be true, I'm going to pass on what is highly speculative gossip at this point. That said, it's totally true.

First, some background. When Alias was in its infancy, Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan became an item. The ridiculously good-looking couple had chemistry to spare [and it shows on those first seasons of Alias] until Garner inexplicably dumped Vartan for Ben Affleck, whom she met on the set of Daredevil. Vartan, though, perhaps more inexplicably, maintained his affection for Garner, although his love now went unrequited. Want outside proof of that? Check out this interview Vartan did with People magazine. [via celebrity-babies.com]

Take note of several interesting things. First, an ex who's 'very excited' about Garner being knocked up by Ben Affleck is one of two things:
1) The most gracious man on the entire planet.
2) Still in love with her.
[or, I guess, both would be possible]

Next, why is Vartan even weighing in? Frankly, it's really none of his business. Of course, he wouldn't realize that if he was still in love with her. And finally, isn't the timing of this awfully coincidental if one considers that Vartan's last day on the set was in late August? [btw, this means Vaughn will be killed off in the first few episodes] If he can't be monitoring her activity personally, the best he can do is take his concerns public. The point is, Vartan's still in love with Garner. Why else would he be so excited about her pregnancy?

So on the set of Alias, we've got a hard-working, hormonal Jen with a still-lovestruck Vartan. Have you ever worked with an ex? It's not the funnest thing in the world, especially if you've moved on and they haven't. Of course, since you're not the star of your own tv show, you probably can't get them fired. Jen, on the other hand, is, and, apparently, can get people canned. All it took was a little conference with the writers, and boom, Michael Vaughn is dead.

At this point, even a campaign like this one stands little [read: no] chance of bringing him back. Of course on Alias, death isn't necessarily permanent. But since Mrs. Garner-Affleck is too uncomfortable to work with Vartan, he probably won't be rising from the grave like so many Alias characters have done.

The worst thing, though, is that they're killing off Vaughn just when he was getting really interesting. [after all, it was his 'My name isn't Michael Vaughn' line that redeemed the entire kinda-mediocre-to-that-point season for me] As a committed Alias fan, I'm pretty disappointed that Garner couldn't just suck it up for one more season. After all, odds are that she'll be leaving the show once this season [Alias's fifth] ends. While the anti-Garner hate mail will do little to dampen her still-rising star, it will tarnish both her America's Sweetheart Crown and her reputation for being a non-diva and someone who's easy to work with.

In conclusion, way to go, Jen. Looks like Ben's already bringing you down. I now like Michael Vartan more than I like you.

He's not the only one scratching his head over how Jen ended up with Affleck.