Designated Survivor: Is Aaron Shore the mole?
By Ryan Mekkes
In Designated Survivor Season 2, Andrea Frost becomes the main suspect behind the hacks threatening to terminate Tom Kirkman’s presidency. But what if she is being framed and Aaron Shore is actually the one setting these things into motion with a hacker?
I just don’t think Andrea Frost is carrying out any of these hacks on Designated Survivor. It’s a fun little plot-twist, and yes, she may be one of the only people outside of Tom Kirkman’s staff who could both know about his secrets and be able to carry out the hacks all by herself, but it seems to me that she is being framed by the real hacker.
I believe that we’ll soon find out that someone inside of Kirkman’s inner circle is, indeed, leaking the information to a hacker, who is, in turn, digging up anything he/she can and putting it online.
And who is the mole? I’m thinking it’s Aaron Shore. Here’s why.
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My suspicions started at the end of Season 1, Episode 3 when Aaron Shore met with a woman to get a file on Tom Kirkman. Everything about the encounter — the dialog, the music, and even the body language of the actors, seemed to paint a picture of an early conspiracy involving Aaron Shore.
Here’s how that encounter played out:
“He’s an interesting guy, your boss,” the woman said to Aaron, referring to Tom Kirkman. “I have what you asked for,” she then said, handing him a file with Tom Kirkman’s name on it. He then asked, “Anything good?” to which she replied, “depends whose side you’re on.”
If that’s not shady, I don’t know what is. And I get it, he’s the chief of staff — he could have just been doing his due diligence on a guy who had just become the president. But that’s just not the impression I got.
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A lot has happened since then, as the show’s writers always seem to want us sort of on edge with Aaron Shore, maybe as a diversion of sorts. But maybe, just maybe, Aaron is finally putting a plot into motion.
He’s also heading up the investigation to find the hacker, in a way. And even though he said he was cleared of any wrong-doing, he, as the national security advisor, has more power than anyone to tip things in his own favor.
In addition to this, he was wary of Damian Rennett helping Hannah Wells to find the hacker. “… I’m just reminding you not to give him too much rope,” he told her, referring to the amount of trust and freedom she was giving Damian to find leads.
And though yes, Damian would be a legitimate person of interest with the whole investigation, I find it interesting that Aaron was particularly concerned with keeping him contained during Damien’s and Hannah Wells’ attempts to find the hacker.
Next: Is Designated Survivor clearing the way for an Independent Party president?
So what do you think? Am I on to something? Or am I falling for another “Aaron Shore is a bad guy” illusion? We just might find out in the next episode.
Designated Survivor Season 2, Episode 19 airs on ABC on April 25, 2018.