There were several large plot threads left unresolved on screen from the second season, most notably the characters of Max and his colleague Alexander Trepkos, two men who were the driving force behind the day's events, as well as President Palmer's assassination attempt. The sudden shift from a nuclear to biological threat also foreshadows the third season, which initially centers on the threat of an engineered virus being set loose on the general public. Viewers were forced to wait until the third season to see whether Palmer survived the attack.

The nuclear weapon situation is resolved without massive loss of life, but President Palmer collapses after being attacked with a biological weapon, presumably in an assassination attempt. Like the first season, the second ends with a surprise twist.

The President does relieve his Chief of Staff, Mike Novick, who did not support David until the eleventh hour. The seven cabinet members and Vice President James Prescott tender their resignations (Palmer does not accept them), and Palmer then tells his staff that he believes that the strictest evidence of hostile intent is required before waging war. The strikes are called off and Palmer is reinstated as President after the proof is produced, thanks largely to his ex-wife Sherry Palmer (who risks her life). Jack, Michelle and Tony race to find the evidence that the recording is a forgery, and they eventually discover that a group of European & American businessmen fabricated it in order to wage war with the Middle East so that they could benefit from rocketing oil prices that would result. The Vice-President then orders military strikes against the three countries to continue. Several members of his Cabinet then vote to relieve Palmer of his position under Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, believing his hesitation to be a sign of indecision and weakness. However, Palmer is reluctant to order military action against them until he has absolute proof that the recording is genuine. A recorded conversation between a terrorist involved with the bomb and high-ranking officials of three Middle Eastern countries (which are never specified) is used to implicate those countries in the plot. After the bomb is disposed of safely, the story focuses on the United States' retaliation against the people responsible for constructing it. The first fifteen hours deal with finding and disposing of the nuclear bomb.

24 season 2 episode 16