Jack's illness has caused him to hallucinate about a cure among other things. As a result, Sydney must recreate the time when Jack was working for the CIA and hid the only man who might be able to help him now. For this, Sydney must role play her own mother. Meanwhile, Sophia moves in with Sydney and Nadia.
The character "Hanna Flanders" is based on the life of German author Gisela Elsner, Oskar Roehler's real life mother, who committed suicide in 1992.