Fabula
Object
Object

Redin Hassan's Ten 2-Ounce Jars of Nitroglycerin

Ten small jars, each cradling 2 ounces of highly volatile nitroglycerin, smuggled by Algerian terrorist Redin Hassan across the Canadian border until Secret Service seizure. Bartlet unleashes their existence mid-bourbon ritual, voice feigning trivia as Leo, Toby, Charlie, and Sam freeze—Toby's eyes narrow, grilling FAA timelines while imagined explosives detonate the room's fragile calm, embassy shutdowns looming in the blast radius.
3 appearances

Purpose

Liquid explosive weapon for terrorist attack

Significance

Diversionary anecdote detonates Oval tension, deflecting Toby's fury over Hoynes and MS into frantic protocol scrutiny; seized threat underscores presidential maneuvering, shattering avuncular facade as political fault lines crack open.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments
S2E18 · 17 People
Leo Cautions Agitated Toby Before Charged Oval Entry

Ten 2-ounce nitroglycerin jars cited in Bartlet's anecdote as Hassan's volatile cargo, fueling Oval debate on FAA evidence and embassy closures, serving as feigned crisis to heighten stakes before personal trust-shattering revelation.

Before: Seized by authorities (past event)
After: Referenced in conversation, unchanged
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S2E18 · 17 People
Bartlet Deflects with Nitroglycerin Terror Threat

The ten 2-ounce jars of nitroglycerin are spotlighted by Bartlet as Hassan's volatile payload, their compact lethality amplifying the threat's immediacy and justifying rapid embassy closures, while fueling Toby's FAA timeline demands in a narrative escalation of perceived peril.

Before: Concealed in U-Haul at border crossing
After: Confiscated by Secret Service, catalyzing security protocols
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S2E18 · 17 People
Bartlet Confesses MS Diagnosis to Stunned Toby

The ten 2-ounce jars of nitroglycerin are detailed in the President's account of Hassan's arrest, embodying volatile peril that justifies embassy closures and fuels Toby's insistent questions on FAA evidence, amplifying crisis tension as prelude to MS trust rupture.

Before: Confiscated by authorities
After: Neutralized and referenced
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