Aahana Swrup
The stakes continue to rise in ‘The Day of the Jackal’ with episode 9, which finds both the assassin and the agent after him on the last straws of their respective missions. As the launch day of River nears, Jackal only has a couple of days left to assassinate UDC or face the consequences of a failed assignment. However, the upheaval of his personal life looms on the horizon as Nuria inches closer to the truth about her husband’s vocation. Meanwhile, Bianca is left frustrated and desperate as forces out of her control push her further and further away from seeing the crucial investigation through. Naturally, this pushes both characters into reckless corners that will dictate the trajectory of their stories. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Bianca’s Investigation Comes to an Abrupt Halt
After Bianca learns about Jackal’s possible connection to Alexander Duggan, she feels closer than ever to having the assassin in her clutches. Over the past few days, the MI6 Agent has given everything to the investigation. She has numerous people’s deaths on her conscience while her marriage steadily falls apart under the pressure of her job. For the same reason, she is desperate to find a concrete lead on Jackal/Duggan. Initially, this leads her to a military Captain, Baldwin, who refuses to give up any information on Duggan or his spotter, Gary Cobbs. His lack of cooperation compels Bianca to believe she must be on the right path.
Nevertheless, things come to a screeching halt shortly afterward. Bianca’s boss, Isabel, informs the agent that the department is shutting down its investigation into the Jackal. Too many resources have already been wasted on an investigation that is bearing no arrests or leads. Therefore—for reasons outside of even Isabel’s control—the higher-ups have decided to dump the case. Naturally, this becomes a huge issue for Bianca, who isn’t sure she can let go of the case without seeing it to fruition. Simply put, the agent has given too much of herself to leave the investigation unfinished. She needs to catch that Jackal so that she can have something to show for the difficult choices she has made.
Still, despite Bianca’s protests, the case’s end seems inevitable. However, unbeknownst to her, clandestine collaborations are at play. As it turns out, Jackal’s American employer—Tim Winthorp—is allied with Jeremy Whitelock, The Foreign Secretary. Not to mention, there’s likely a mole inside the MI6, who might be someone higher up on the ladder. Consequently, it’s fair to assume corrupt dealings are involved in the Agency’s decision to stop pursuing the Jackal. Nonetheless, it doesn’t change Bianca’s dedication to get to the bottom of the case. Therefore, she continues looking into news about sniper shootings in a last-ditch attempt to keep tabs on her target. Fortunately enough, a seemingly impossible assassination in Spain ends up catching her eye.
Jackal and Nuria Have a Long-Awaited Conversation
Although Jackal returns home, it’s a much different place than the one he left behind days ago. Nuria has finally caught up to the charade of her husband, whom she knows as Charles. She isn’t willing to accept any more lies and fabled tales. This time, she wants the truth from her husband. Naturally, the confrontation between the couple remains heated as Jackal is forced to reveal that he’s a gun-for-hire who kills people for money. Despite the impossibility of the situation, Nuria is willing to find a way to work around it—likely due to their toddling son. Jackal’s promises of leaving this work behind after one final job might also be encouraging if only one can trust his word.
Eventually, Nuria’s brother, Alvaro, unwittingly creates the perfect scenario that brings the spouses closer together. Alvaro has had dubious intentions ever since he found out the truth about his brother-in-law. He wants to use his money and isn’t above subtly threatening Nuria with a blown cover to get what he wants. Worse yet, he has gotten himself involved with Jimmy Tejero, a dangerous gangster. As a result, Nuria is left distraught, opening up the space for Jackal to extend a comforting shoulder, which inevitably pulls her closer to him. Ultimately, Jackal takes care of the issue—by snipping Tejero while he waits on him for lunch at a restaurant.
UDC Goes Out For a Fateful Swim
As the clock ticks by, the window for UDC’s assassination grows smaller and smaller. By now, it’s evident that Jackal intends to finish his assignment at any cost. Whether this is because of the lucrative pot waiting for him at the end of the rainbow or the possible threat of his employer is anybody’s guess. Either way, the assassin is ready to orchestrate one of the most important kills of his career. With a plan set in place, Jackal rents out a boat under the guise of “fishing.” Since the boat belongs to a local and is well outside of the safety perimeter set up by UDC’s security intel, they’re content with leaving him be.
Consequently, Jackal is able to find a vantage point where he can set up his equipment—Norman’s craftful sniper. Afterward, he relies upon UDC’s known love for routine to put the rest of his plan into action. The entrepreneur always goes out for a morning swim as a part of his daily ritual. Even though he’s reluctant to do so, his partner convinces him to stick with his routine on the most important day of his life. Therefore, hours before River launches, UDC goes out for a swim near his villa.
Unfortunately for him, this puts him directly in range of Jackal’s shot. Although some complications arise—including security drones and such—the assassin doesn’t bend under pressure. Likewise, UDC tries to fight for his life by swimming below the ocean’s surface to get back to the safety of the shore. Even so, Jackal finds the perfect opportunity when he inevitably comes up for air. Thus, the assassin finally finishes his assignment with UDC’s death. Still, he has a bigger problem now as the security detail immediately sends out boats after the lone vessel in the area. Now, the only thing that remains to be seen is whether Jackal can outrun his pursuers or not.
Read More: The Day of The Jackal Episode 8 Recap: A Glimpse Into The Assasin’s Past
