Superagent Jack Bauer, played by Canadian Kiefer Sutherland.

Jack Bauer is dead!

Well, sort of.

After saving the world for the umpteenth time, Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) faked his own death last night in the gripping fourth-season finale of 24.

As they say on the show, the following took place between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.:

Jack Bauer (who now has officially made more saves than Johnny Bower) had to rescue his CTU pal Tony from the clutches of Mandy, the raven-haired terror chick played by fellow Canuck Mia Kirshner.

Working her cellphone, Mandy tried to use Tony's CTU squeeze Michele as an escape wedge, daring her to divert the CTU forces. Mandy, who watches the show, knew that Tony stood up for Michele last season. She owes the dude.

Instead, Michele put a million people in the path of an incoming nuclear-missile attack ahead of her Tone Tone. Women!

No matter. After packing some heat (and replenishing her lipstick), Mandy tried to fake Bauer out with the old double-in-the-rain-walking-to-the-exploding-Jag trick. Bauer saw through it and, after 10 more minutes of plot, got Mandy to give up her boss in exchange for complete past and present immunity (not even Homolka got a deal that ridiculous).

Jack then jumps a chopper and flies after the evil boss dude, who he finds parked in his own helicopter on the roof of a garage. After some gunplay, Jack leaps out of the chopper and chases the guy on foot. More gunplay, the guy goes to leap to his death, Jack catches him over a ledge, the guy pulls a knife and cuts Jack's hand, the guy falls to his death.

Oops. Bauer and the White House (holding their breath at the end of a cellphone throughout the finale) figure they're screwed. The bad guy was their last link to a deadly nuclear missile heading to a major American city. Now what?

Turns out the bad guy left the flight path on his somewhat smashed Blackberry back in the chopper. It's fed into CTU and -- boom! -- up comes the flight path. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for Sam at Future Shop to tap into my old hard drive.

Anyway, the missile is minutes from Los Angeles. A couple of jets are sent up and they shoot it down. End of nuclear threat. How lame was that!

Still, there's one more typical 24 twist: The Chinese want Bauer, who they have learned was in on the death of their murdered consulate general (they watch the show, too). Despite former U.S. president David Palmer's strong objections, weasel prez Logan is ready to give Bauer up. A shifty security underling suggests another option to Logan: Kill Bauer before the Chinese can imprison him and squeeze him for more national security no-nos.

The White House chief of staff, who looks like Dick Cheney, overhears the plot to murder Bauer and tells Palmer. Palmer tells Bauer. Bauer hatches one last plan.

The Secret Service pitbull arrives at CTU to collar Bauer (and kill him), but he escaped. There's a shootout in the CTU basement (how come that place looks like a giant boiler room?). Bauer is found face up in a pool of blood with no pulse. The Secret Service dude grins and leaves.

Tony and Michele stick a needle in Bauer who springs back to life. They provide him with some fake I.D. and drop him off in L.A. where he walks off into the morning sun. Since the show has been renewed for two more seasons (returning next January), Jack will be back.

Last we hear he's headed for the border. Wait -- he's already crossed! He's in the streets of Toronto shooting a movie! If you see the dude, do not let him bum any smokes. Run for cover!!!