'Prison Break' season 5 air date, spoilers: Penultimate episode promises to be a tearjerker

Breaking out of prison is hard enough without having to break out of a country, too. But with brothers Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) and Michael (Wentworth Miller) at the forefront of the fray, anything is possible. After all, this is definitely not their first rodeo.

However, since all of their previous attempts to break out of prison ended in a casualty or two, can the same thing be expected when "Prison Break" returns for its nine-episode fifth season? The rumor mill has been rife with speculations of a major character possibly biting the dust all in the name of breaking Michael out. And who better to suspect with a self-sacrificing mindset than Michael's big brother, Lincoln.

Another possibility is that the much anticipated Scofield family reunion may be cut short by Sara's (Sarah Wayne Callies) death, although speculations as to how and why do not seem as viable as those regarding Lincoln, who is expected to mastermind this season's big breakout.

Rumors about a potentially tragic turn in the "Prison Break" season 5 narrative was sparked by a tweet posted by one of the writers of FOX's crime-thriller series on their official Twitter account, wherein it was hinted that a particular scene in the eighth episode could bring both fans and writers to tears.

What will happen in the crucial penultimate episode? Will Lincoln, or Sara, or any one of the other major characters really meet their end? Or could the writers be referring to a totally different event, one that causes tears of happiness instead of grief?

There have been reports that the fifth season of "Prison Break" is based on Homer's classic, "The Odyssey," which is about a husband and a father's precarious journey back home to his wife and son. It's no mere coincidence that like Odysseus, Michael has also been long presumed dead, with only his wife still blindly hoping for his return.

But Sara is already married to another man, and having Michael back could potentially just complicate things. Will she choose to get back together with Michael, or will she choose to stay with her newfound love? And could Sara's decision ultimately cause the mass weeping that the writers have hinted on?

"Prison Break" season 5 is expected to air early next year, taking the Thursday 9 p.m. EST time slot in FOX's midseason schedule.