Upamanyu Biswas
For a number of episodes, ‘The Agency’ has been teasing conflict on a variety of levels for its central characters. However, in episode 5, tensions begin to flare and head towards boiling point as secret identities begin to unravel. Owen gets an opportunity to enter the field and find something in the Coyote case, which seems to be threadbare at the moment. Unfortunately, a mishap leaves him in a bit of a difficult situation. Sami and Martian’s relationship teeters on a precarious edge as Osman continues to pester and hound the two. Meanwhile, Daniela’s assignment to get closer to Reza takes an unforeseen conclusion, showcasing how challenging the post of an Agency operative is in reality as compared to practice. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Owen Bungles His Mission But Finds a Valuable Lead
The episode begins with Martian having another counseling session with Dr. Blake, where they discuss the value of covers, particularly concerning his alter ego, Paul Lewis. Martian uses a windshield analogy to highlight the importance of covers while the scene intercuts between the interrogation room and Osman investigating Paul Lewis’ background. Meanwhile, at the London Station, pressure is mounting on the team regarding the Coyote case. A message is sent on the burner phone that Martian used to contact Mikhail in the previous episode. With the exchange providing a new spark, Bosko and Henry send Owen on a trip to Minsk, Belarus, to check out Coyote’s apartment and find out what he can from it.
Upon arriving, Owen makes a cursory check through Coyote’s apartment, eventually learning that a cat still lives in the place. Eventually, the cat’s owner makes herself known by arriving in the apartment and revealing that she has been living there since Piotr (Coyote) is no longer around. As he was her boss, she felt inclined to stay there, especially after a fight she had with her boyfriend. Owen and Eva end up sleeping together that night. The following day, Owen learns from the London Station that Coyote has been leaking information about the Agency to whoever has him. As such, it is no longer safe for him to stay in the apartment. He is also warned to avoid any unauthorized person and remain locked inside the apartment until the “dry cleaners” arrive.
After noticing the word “Valhalla” scribbled on the steamed bathroom mirror, Owen immediately starts suspecting that Eva might be a rogue agent of some kind. He locks her up inside a cupboard and waits for the rescue. When they do, Eva is taken in as an accomplice of Coyote under charges of terrorism. However, by this point, it becomes evident that she is nothing more than an unwitting civilian. Back at the London base, Owen confesses his mix-up and panicked decision-making that led to a debacle. However, he also reveals that Coyote had been going to a psychiatrist before he went missing. Martian pinpoints this as a significant discovery despite admonishing Owen for his “sloppy” work on the task.
Daniela’s Resolve is Tested in an Unorthodox Manner
After refusing the creepy sexual advances of Reza in the earlier episode, Daniel is called into his office to discuss what happened during the car ride. Clearly, Reza is uncomfortable and wishes to be secure in the knowledge that Daniela won’t be pushing any complaints against him to the institute’s higher-ups. She assures him that she won’t but comes out of the meeting feeling virtually unscathed and somewhat dominant. Unfortunately, this sense of accomplishment is quickly taken away when a mysterious van pulls over next to her on the street and whisks her away. She wakes up tied to a chair and is interrogated by a hard-edged man who tells her that Reza is an intelligence operative working for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The man begins torturing Daniela, asking her why she is spying on Reza and who she is working for. The torture assignment goes on for a while, with Daniela nearly breaking in one scenario where she asks the obvious question on everyone’s mind, “Has no one come for me?” However, she quickly picks up her rebellious attitude and bounces away all the queries posed to her by her tormentor. The whole operation is revealed to be a ploy undertaken by Naomi and Martian to test Daniela’s skills of perseverance under torture. Martian awards the young woman a “B+,” and she is released by her captor, whose name is Edward. The two strike an unexpected cord, especially considering how many times he had punched her during the punishment exercise. They eventually end up having sex.
Martian Lays Out a Trap as Osman’s Interference Ramps Up
While Martian and Sami’s relationship may be alive, episode 5 shows it becoming increasingly complicated as outside forces dictate their actions constantly. As Martian’s loyalties lie primarily with the CIA, the jeopardy of his identity and work being exposed are at a high risk, which becomes of grave concern to him as Osman begins finding every possible lead he can on the mysterious figure of Paul Lewis. Martian tries to reinforce his identity as Paul Lewis by constructing a falsehood around his daily tasks, mannerisms, and skills, as Osman has him tailed. This turns into a game of cat and mouse, with Martian committing to his Paul Lewis identity by embracing his alter ego’s lack of physical skills. As such, he allows himself to be mugged by his pursuer, who makes away with his jacket.
At the same time, the protagonist also tries to connect the dots as to why Sami is in London and why she is so secretive about her real purpose. With help from a friend, James Richardson, Martian learns that a Chinese billionaire named Eric Zheng Huang is helping China gain a footing in African politics by negotiating a deal with the Sudanese government, which is where Sami is involved. He finally realizes that Sami’s reasons for being in London have nothing to do with him, but his presence might still jeopardize her safety moving forward. As such, he decides to commit to the trap he is setting down for Osman and all the others watching him to discern the truth behind his two identities. However, it might be too late for that.
In the final section, Osman manages to find a chink in Martian’s armor after discovering that he never lodged a police complaint for being mugged on the street. Additionally, he manages to procure an ID of Poppy, Martian’s daughter, which could be of significant value to him as he tries to gain leverage over the mysterious Paul Lewis, which might have catastrophic consequences for the protagonist. In the end, Osman contacts a Chinese agent to “get rid” of someone, not revealing whether he is talking about Martian or Poppy. However, it could mean bad things for either of them. It will be fascinating to see how he wriggles out of his seemingly desperate situation as both professional and personal worlds collide.
