Locations in Jericho (TV series)

This article contains a summary of the fate of various cities in the American fictional drama/adventure television series Jericho.

Contents

The attack

Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego
Seattle
Phoenix
Denver
Lawrence
Houston
Dallas
Atlanta
Miami
Charlotte
Minneapolis
Chicago
Indianapolis
Detroit
Boston
Hartford
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington, D.C.
Baltimore
St. George
Norfolk
New York
Columbus
Jericho
● Attacked city
● Unsuccessful attack
● Jericho

According to episode "A.K.A.", the attacks destroyed twenty-three major American cities. The bombs used in the attacks were brought in by the U.S. government. After the Soviet Union fell, neglected military and the satellite republics started selling their nuclear stockpiles on the black market. So the Central Intelligence Agency started an operation; "Project Red Bell". The objective of the project was to obtain that material by any and all means necessary, but a few years before the events of the series a shipment disappeared on its way to the Department of Energy storage compound in Oak Ridge.

Those warheads were converted into twenty-five 20-kiloton devices, which were disseminated to extremist cells active within the United States. It was a cross-section of "domestic militia, anarchists, and religious fanatics" — terrorist groups that would never ordinarily collaborate, ideologically or politically. The only thing that connected them was the desire to take down the federal government of the United States. The entire plan was orchestrated by someone with deep resources, an ability to coordinate diverse groups, and by all indications, an American.

After someone (believed to be Thomas Valente) tipped off the terrorists about the government's knowledge of the plot, they moved up the timetable for the attacks.

As described in the episode "The Day Before", the attacks were to take place simultaneously, using the 20-kiloton nuclear devices hidden in 55-gallon oil drums, at 8:05 p.m. EDT, during the U.S. President's emergency address to Congress on Tuesday, September 19.

Darcy Hawkins states in the episode "Casus Belli" that 30 million people were killed outright in the attacks. A news report in the second season premiere episode, "Reconstruction", says that "over 15 million" were "left dead or dying" and "another 40 million homeless."

Cities reportedly attacked

Cities are identified within the show as having been attacked, mainly through a series of maps maintained by a number of characters tracking the destroyed cities.

In the episode "A.K.A.", it was stated that there were 25 explosive devices. Twenty-four cities are identified as being attacked, however it is also known that Columbus, Ohio ("The Day Before"), New York City ("Long Live the Mayor") and St Louis, Missouri ("The Day Before") were targeted. It is not known if the error lies with the initial number of explosive devices, or incorrect knowledge of the characters on the show.

The attacked cities are listed below, along with the episodes in which the references to the city are made.

Sources:

Some facts stated on the show contradict other evidence:

Cities with unconfirmed status

Some cities were assumed to have been attacked in early episodes, but have been absent from later episodes. It is unknown if there are production and continuity issues, or simply a result of the poor communication facilities in the Jericho universe.

Cities that reportedly survived

The counter-attack

In "Reconstruction", Allied States television and Chavez confirm the rumor from "Semper Fidelis" that Iran and North Korea were completely annihilated with nuclear weapons as a counter-attack for the destruction of the U.S. cities. While the Allied States' official position is that Iran and North Korea were behind the attacks, Chavez shares Hawkins' suspicion that the terrorists were purely domestic and that Iran and North Korea were scapegoats.

Regional capitals

Jericho
Sacramento
Cheyenne
San Antonio
Montgomery
Rome
Columbus
● Jericho
● Federal capitals

In the episode "Black Jack", the following cities were marked on a map made available at Black Jack Fairgrounds.[1]

In the season finale episode "Why We Fight", it is stated there are three United States federal governments. Colonel Hoffman appears to be taking orders from a government based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, led by Senator Tomarchio, mentioned as leading one of the factions in "Black Jack"; this becomes the Allied States of America. Holdouts are described as "a bloc in the east (coast)" and Texas. The second season opener "Reconstruction" confirms that Sacramento and the rest of the Western USA have joined up with Cheyenne's ASA, while Montgomery, Rome, and the rest of the eastern USA have rallied behind Columbus, leaving Texas as the only significant holdout. The "Blue Line" is a United Nations buffer zone along the Mississippi River, keeping the peace between Cheyenne and Columbus.

The ASA's flag shows 13 vertical stripes, representing the 13 founding colonies as before, but signifying that the new government is taking a "new direction"; and 21 stars, one for each State west of the Mississippi excluding Texas, Hawaii and Alaska. (Texas is independent; the status of Alaska and Hawaii is not known.)

Rogue River, Kansas

Rogue River is the county seat of the fictional Fillmore County, and is located roughly 90 miles east of Jericho. It is a mid-sized city with a county hospital. FEMA evacuated the city after nearby Lawrence, Kansas, was targeted during a nuclear attack. The city is deserted, and all the living people are evacuated to a tent city.

New Bern, Kansas

New Bern is a city near Jericho. The town manager is Phil Constantino, who is also the sheriff. New Bern's land is mostly clay, so its citizens have no way of growing crops. After the attacks, New Bern asks for ten percent of Jericho's spring crop, along with salt, in exchange for ten wind turbines. Ten Jericho men are taken to New Bern to help make the turbines, a gesture interpreted by Jericho's mayor, Gray Anderson, as a passive hostage-taking as collateral for Jericho's fulfilling its part of the deal.

When all but one (Eric Green), plus a citizen present in New Bern previously (Heather Lisinski), of the Jericho citizens suddenly return from New Bern with the generators, Jake Green and Robert Hawkins, go to New Bern to look for the missing people. There they discover that New Bern's leaders are planning a military-style attack on Jericho, having converted their factory into a munitions plant. Many buildings in the town, including the city hall, were heavily damaged by the Ravenwood paramilitary group, an attack residents blame on Jericho's having successfully repelled Ravenwood some time earlier. Residents have been told that Jericho is hoarding supplies.

Hostilities between New Bern and Jericho increase after New Bern attacks Jericho with mortars in an attempt to annex several of Jericho's outlying farms. The situation escalates, and in the season finale, New Bern launches a full assault on Jericho.

At the start of season 2, the Cheyenne Government stops the skirmish and forces a cease-fire. After Major Beck determines that New Bern was the instigator of the skirmish, the town of New Bern remains in lockdown with curfews and extensive military checkpoints. Gunmen from New Bern enter Jericho on numerous occasions, almost gunning down a Jericho citizen in broad daylight.

Heather is appointed as liaison between Jericho and New Bern in an effort to further promote peace and reconciliation.

References