Pratik Handore
Episode 4 of Paramount+’s ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ sees Joe juggling several challenges while monitoring Joe in her quest to nab suspected terrorists related to Aaliyah Amrohi. In the episode, Joe gets distracted when her squad’s involvement in a botched mission is exposed while she also receives some devastating news about her daughter. As a result, Joe gets distracted and almost loses her mark. How Joe’s situation impacts Cruz and her mission, and whether Cruz loses her cover forms the ending of ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ episode 4! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Special Ops Lioness Episode 4 Recap
The fourth episode, titled ‘The Choice of Failure,’ opens in Long Island as Cruz Manuelos accompanies Aaliyah Amrohi and her friends to the beach. While Cruz parties with Aaliyah at the beach, Joe and her squad closely watch their mark. Meanwhile, Two Cups tells Joe about the extraction mission they ran for CIA agent Kyle, which resulted in seven people dying. The incident was reported by a national news channel, gathering unwanted attention and action against the officers involved. As a result, Joe becomes enraged at Kyle, but the latter promises to protect Joe’s team from any actions by their superiors.
Meanwhile, Cruz grows close to Aaliyah and tries to learn personal information about her new friend and the latter’s family life. Aaliyah reveals that she does not want to get married. However, her family has arranged her marriage to Ehsan, and she cannot go against them. As a result, Aaliyah finds solace in the fact that Ehsan is kind, unlike the fiancés of some of her other friends. On the other hand, Bobby, who is present at the beach to monitor Joe, interacts with Kamal when the latter tries to hit on her. Therefore, Joe and her squad are forced to maintain their distance and continue running surveillance on their mark from a yacht.
Elsewhere, Joe’s teenage daughter, Kate, travels in a car driven by one of her friends. The car ends up in an accident because of the driver’s negligence, and the girls are quickly transported to a hospital. Kate is brought to her father’s hospital, where Neal learns of the situation. After examining Kate, who is shocked and traumatized by the accident, Neal informs Joe, who promises to return home by morning. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Meade and Byron Westfield interrogate Kyle about the extraction mission and force him to reveal the team he used.
Kyle admits to using the Lioness QRF team and lands the group in trouble. However, Kyle reveals his mark can help them catch five high-level terrorist targets, which lets him off the hook. Kaitlyn calls Joe and sets up a meeting to discuss her team’s involvement in the Texas incident. Elsewhere, Neal learns that Kate will have to undergo a risky surgery, and the doctors reveal she is pregnant. However, there is little chance of the fetus surviving. Neal also breaks the news of Kate’s pregnancy to Joe, adding to the latter’s woes. Meanwhile, Cruz earns more of Aaliyah’s trust, and the entourage heads to a club in New York for a night of partying. However, things quickly go south, leading to Joe losing sight of Cruz.
Special Ops Lioness Episode 4 Ending: Does Joe Lose Cruz? Is Cruz Compromised?
The episode’s final act sees Joe following Cruz into the club since the squad does not have surveillance inside, and Bobby has already been spotted by one of the bogeys. As a result, Joe enters the club but gets hit on by a man. After Joe turns down the man, he tries to flirt with Cruz. The man impresses Cruz with his polite and gentlemanly behavior. However, a fight breaks out in the club while Joe is speaking on the phone. As a result, Aaliyah and her entourage are forced to flee the scene.
On the other hand, the man spikes Cruz and drags her into the woods, trying to take advantage of her situation. Consequently, Joe loses sight of her mark and is forced to track down Cruz. Ultimately, Joe succeeds in finding Cruz and arrives moments before the man can rape her. Joe saves Cruz from a dire fate, and the mark is retrieved. However, Cruz gets separated from Aaliyah and her group, posing trouble for the mission.
Meanwhile, Kaitlyn arrives at the safe house and sees Cruz’s condition. She believes Cruz is not up to the task and could jeopardize the mission. Moreover, she has lost contact with her target, making it difficult for Joe to continue her operation. However, Joe convinces Kaitlyn that Cruz has succeeded in getting close to Aaliyah when the latter calls to check up on Cruz.
Moreover, Cruz divulges that Aaliyah wants the wedding to take place in UAE, where the CIA and the Lioness squad can provide backup to her. Many high-ranking targets related to Aaliyah’s family will be present at the wedding, opening the door for Joe’s mission to yield results. However, for now, Joe must contend with her family situation as she flies home. Moreover, the CIA could take strict action against Joe’s team for helping Kyle with the extraction mission, and these distractions could hamper Cruz’s mission.
Read More: Special Ops Lioness Episode 3 Recap and Ending, Explained
