By: Mariah Thomas
In the chaos of a montage of big news stories, Joe (Zoe Saldaña) has an intense workout in her garage before slipping away to the peace of her shower. Her husband, Neal (Dave Annable), slips in to join her only to discover the water is freezing cold. She claims it is to reduce inflammation and the two share a sweet moment before she heads out to get ready. Kate (Hannah Love Lanier) and Charlie (Celestina Harris) have breakfast before school and we see the McNamara family in the most normal state we have before the show. It is clear Joe has found a new, healthy balance to have a lessened work load and family life.
Kaitlyn (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, Errol (Martin Donovan), are the perfect juxtaposition for Joe and her husband. While Joe and Neal share a home cooked breakfast in their kitchen with their kids, Kaitlyn and Errol discuss work in their outlandish backyard over a served breakfast on fancy china. Joe and Kaitlyn exchange a phone call as Joe heads into the office. She scoffs at a car swerving before realizing it is a diversion. She is hit from behind and the swerving car pulls up in front of her to mace and kidnap Joe. Thankfully Kaitlyn was still on the phone and immediately called in reinforcements.
We jump back to six months earlier as Westfield (Michael Kelly) enters the CIA building for a meeting with Kaitlyn. They further discuss the possibility of a double agent. We then cut to Joe faking a jog in a public park as other members of the team monitor her. She sneaks off to a secluded area to speak with the potential Russian double agent. Joe is skeptical of why she would want to help the U.S in such a big way with the information she’s providing. Joe points out doing what they’re asking only benefits Russia, not America. She plays her cards right and gets Joe to agree to further consider. She gives her a number to contact that will only be good for a week. Joe continues her fake jog to a car waiting for her driven by Bobby (Jill Wagner) and Two Cups (James Jordan).
In Ukraine, the Army gears up for a potential shoot out. Hundreds of drones fly overhead an alleged abandoned field and ground bombs are triggered. This sets the Army to proceed with their shots and try to run closer. Cruz (Laysla De Oliveira) and Josephine (Genesis Rodriguez) are part of a small group of soldiers that make it through the exploding field to a hideout. Underground there is a protected surveillance room. Cruz and Josephine meet up with the rest of their team to get more intel on the current Russian crisis. The main person they were monitoring came in lighter than expected (without a big team), so this leaves them suspicious of what is planned. The team is given the rundown of where they will be placed for this takedown. Bobby, Two Cups and the rest of the team aren’t happy to learn they are placed to be separated from Joe. They typically work as a full team to protect each other. The other team points out how the Lioness team works like amateurs and are not properly trained. They want the CIA to infiltrate via Joe to meet the target. The team doesn’t like the choice to be separated. However, the Army allows Cruz to shadow Joe since she is the most technically trained as a soldier before joining the Lioness team.
When being moved to another room, the team further vent out their frustrations from only being tasked to bring Joe into the country. They are now forbidden to know more. Kyle (Thad Luckinbill) has heavily worked with them in the past, so attempts to explain why this isn’t personal. They have entered a war field that is more intense than anything they’ve ever seen. He says they may miss the fight tomorrow, but there will still be plenty of work for them to help with once they capture their target.
Joe and Cruz are woken up to the loud new team gearing up for their mission. Being the only women they proceed without reaction to not be undermined. The new team gears up and sets out into the trenches with Cruz and Joe as the drones continue to fly overhead. Joe gives Cruz a quick piece of advice before they head out realizing how dangerous this new level of the mission is. They run into the dusty field with the drones flying ahead to distract the other side. The Russian soldiers are soon attacked by the U.S Army’s dogs and they enter their camp. They quickly move to the next barrier and listen for more gunfire. In a small humorous moment in this intense scene, Cruz is very happy to use a machine gun and says she could get used to using one of those. The attacking dogs are sent to the next phase of moving in to capture their target. They enter what seems to be the final barrier as the dogs guide them through a cave. The dogs attack other soldiers as the U.S team moves through silently. They choose which one to keep alive and they kill the other men in the bunker. Now the team prepares to return to their base with the kidnapped target. Despite bombs, they run quickly. The team narrowly makes it safely back. They immediately plan to evacuate before the other side can retaliate.
The team goes to debrief with Joe on the chaos of this new mission but she quickly shuts down the conversation by saying “not here.” Joe keeps to her word and returns home when she can. She checks in on Neal to give him a kiss as he sleeps in bed before heading back downstairs for a drink. She is interrupted by someone knocking on the door. She of course is fully alert and concerned as she grabs her gun before opening. A man introduces him as “state police” and refuses to give her further information she knows is legally needed. When she closes the door, the man kicks it open and she immediately shoots him and the other man who ran. She instantly calls the CIA to send the FBI to her house as this means her worst fear has come true, her cover is blown and her family is in danger.