Pratik Handore
Paramount+’s ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ heads to an explosive and high-stakes finale, with the penultimate episode bringing Joe and her team one step closer to completing their deadly mission. The seventh episode of the action-thriller series follows Joe (Zoe Saldaña), a station chief of the CIA’s Lioness program, as she must find a way to get Cruz back on track after the latter crosses her limits and forms an emotional connection with her mark. As a result, the Lioness squad’s mission is on the verge of being compromised. The ending of ‘Special Ops: Lioness’ episode 7 leaves viewers wondering about Cruz’s fate and the mission’s status. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Special Ops: Lioness Episode 7 Recap
The seventh episode, titled ‘Wish the Fight Away,’ opens with Joe and Kaitlyn Meade working on establishing a base of operations in Mallorca, Spain, after learning that Aaliyah Amrohi’s wedding will take place in the city. On the other hand, CIA Deputy Director Byron Westfield works on getting clearances for the Lioness QRF squad, especially after Secretary of State Edwin Mullins took over monitoring the team’s mission. Joe moves her team out of the Hamptons and prepares them for the mission’s final stage in Spain.
Meanwhile, Joe tasks Kyle with keeping tabs on her asset, Cruz Manuelos. In the Hamptons, Cruz and Aaliyah leave their mansion and travel to New York after learning of the latter’s wedding. They check into a hotel while discussing the wedding plans. After Cruz and Aaliyah reach their suite, they celebrate the news with champagne. However, when Aaliyah kisses Cruz, the latter becomes uncomfortable, and the room service interrupts the women. Later. Cruz and Aaliyah finally act on the sexual tension between them and sleep together.
Elsewhere, Joe’s squad, led by Bobby, reunites with her at the base in Williamsburg, Virginia. After getting a status update from Bobby, Joe receives a phone call from Kyle. Kyle tells Joe about Cruz’s sexual interaction with Aaliyah. He suspects Cruz of being compromised and expresses his concerns about Cruz’s feelings for Aaliyah. At the same time, Joe receives a text message from Cruz, who is confused and guilty of crossing her limits and getting too close to her mark. Joe reaches out to Cruz and decides to travel to New York to rectify the situation.
Cruz prepares to leave the hotel room the next morning, but Aaliyah confronts her. Cruz asks for some time to process her feelings but argues they do not have a future together. As a result, Cruz leaves the hotel room and finds Kyle, who takes her to a secure suite. At the suite, Joe visits Cruz, and they discuss the situation. Cruz wants to be extracted and thinks of abandoning the mission since her feelings for Aaliyah cloud her judgment and compromise the mission. However, Joe pressures Cruz and encourages her to continue the mission.
Joe argues that the mission is far too important, irrespective of whether Cruz has real feelings for Aaliyah. Joe explains that if they succeed in killing Aaliyah’s father, they will destroy the financing of most terrorist groups in the Middle East. Thus, Joe convinces Cruz to return to Aaliyah, but the latter remains conflicted, especially since she is tasked with killing Aaliyah’s father at the wedding. Later, Joe arrives home in time to receive her daughter, Kate, when she returns from the hospital.
Joe tells Kate about her upcoming mission, which will take her away from her family for a week. While Kate wants her mother to stay, she understands after learning the mission’s importance to national security. Joe breaks down in front of Neal as she has to leave her daughter in a difficult situation and prioritize work. However, Joe explains that this will be her final field mission, and she will be taking a desk job after completing it. Thus, Joe leaves her family and joins Kaitlyn and the Lioness QRF squad for the final stages of their mission, which takes them to Mallorca, Spain.
Special Ops: Lioness Episode 7 Ending: Does Cruz Resume the Mission?
In the episode, Cruz is torn between her duty and developing feelings for Aaliyah. However, Joe’s words seemingly help Cruz regain clarity, and she realizes the gravity of the situation. Despite treating Cruz like a disposable asset, Joe speaks with Cruz like a real human and successfully sends her back to the field. In the episode’s final act, Joe and the Lioness squad head to Spain, having prepared for their mission – to kill Aaliyah’s father, Asmar Ali Amrohi, a billionaire with suspected terrorist ties. However, the mission’s success hinges upon Cruz pulling herself together and operating in the same capacity as a Marine.
Ultimately, Cruz returns to Aaliyah, and they finally talk about their feelings. Cruz helps Aaliyah realize they do not have a future together. Aaliyah is resigned to her fate and accepts she must forget about Cruz. However, Aaliyah requests Cruz to attend her wedding as the latter is her only friend. Cruz agrees to attend the wedding, putting her in direct contact with the target. As a result, Cruz seems to have gotten past the fleeting romance and is dedicated to completing her mission. The episode ends with Joe and Kaitlyn flying to Spain with Cruz and giving her the final motivational push by showing her footage of war atrocities in the Middle East. However, Cruz appears even more unsettled by the propaganda videos, and her feelings for Aaliyah could overpower her sense of duty, jeopardizing the entire mission.
Read More: Special Ops Lioness Episode 6 Recap and Ending, Explained
