The Agency episode 2 depicts the fraught nature of covert work and the long-lasting psychological impact. Dr. Blake (Harriet Sansom Harris) arrives from Langley to assess Martian (Michael Fassbender), while her skills are also used in the field as a different operation proves challenging.
The London CIA field office still hasn’t located Coyote (Alex Reznik), a deep-cover operative who was arrested in Minsk and has vanished from custody. The concern is that Coyote’s cover is blown, which puts other assets and operations at risk, particularly in Ukraine. There is a race against the clock to assess danger levels. In addition, Martian starts questioning the motives of the woman he loves.
Read on for our full recap of The Agency episode 2 (and catch up with our The Agency episode 1 recap.)
Mission abort?
Henry’s brother-in-law Charlie (Edward Holcroft) is a doctor working at a makeshift hospital in Ukraine. We also know he is working undercover in a top-secret capacity — Henry doesn’t know the specifics. Charlie receives a shipment of medical supplies and an update that operation Felix is “amber;” their cover is not blown at the moment — but he should be on standby.
Back in London, Martian continues to enjoy his hotel room rendezvous with Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith). Before Sami departs, she reminds Martian the last thing they said to each other was, “You and me, forever.” Is Martian about to risk it all for love? The following morning, Martian gifts the two operatives tailing him with coffee and pastries — and the bugs he has already found.
At the office, Blair (Ambreen Razia), Owen (John Magaro) and Martian continue to analyze the Coyote situation, reviewing how the missing operative’s sources are reacting to this fluid situation. Three sources (like Charlie) are on standby and a fourth “sounded spooked.” Martian thinks the fourth should be exfiltrated as they can use him.
An exfiltration will be worth the $100,000 price tag. The spy business is expensive, and Henry has to barter for every dollar from station chief Bosko (Richard Geere). If Coyote is a double agent, then anyone Coyote previously recruited might be working against the US.
Next steps
Henry notes he is concerned Martian has “post-mission disorder.” So Dr. Blake, who is on hand to evaluate mental health across the department, meets with him. Martian shows the doctor the video of the spiraling fourth source, Alexei (Marcin Zarzeczny), asking Dr. Blake to assess Alexei’s panic level.
It’s determined they must do something immediately. Dr. Blake will accompany Martian to intercept Alexei. Unfortunately, Alexei is at the airport and bought a ticket to JFK. The destination makes it clear that Alexei has been working for the Americans.
Meanwhile, Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon) continues to prepare for covert life, saying goodbye to friends and giving over her real passport to be shredded. A trip to Israel in 2018 needs to be wiped from any airport security footage, which the CIA is more than capable of doing.
The wooden duck
Because Alexei jumped the gun, the handlers canceled his original plane ticket and told him to fly to Poland under the guise of visiting his sick brother. Martian and Dr. Blake meet Alexei’s brother and ask him to check himself into a hospital, which will support Alexei’s cover story. When Alexei arrives in Gdansk, he is taken by men against his will.
Even before Alexei’s “enhanced interrogation,” he is a sweating, screaming mess. If Alexei is a double, it will prove that Coyote is also. Martian and Henry respond to the live video, saying the team should “let him cook.”
Dr. Blake looks sickened by the whole endeavor and confused by Martian calling it a wooden duck. “Squeeze a wooden duck; it doesn’t quack,” he explains. “If this guy works for the Russians, as soon as he’s had enough, he’ll quack,” explains Martian. If he does quack (aka talk), it means “we’re f***ed.”
Martian feeds commands to the agents in the Russian container, and Alexei starts to quack, spilling details about working for the Russians and Americans. As a truck driver, this includes supplying medical items like Charlie’s delivery at the start of the episode. Despite the information being little more than hearsay, JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) wants to use this intel to get their men to safety. Charlie receives the emergency abort signal, leaving the hospital with two allies.
Russian soldiers block the way out of the town, but the three operatives shoot through the blockade. It is three versus dozens, but they are all experienced, as the two other men are Ukrainian special forces and Charlie is a Delta Force operator. Despite being outgunned, Charlie surprises the Russians, and the trio triumphs.
It’s revealed that Alexei isn’t in Russia but is being questioned in London; Martian puts on a ski mask and joins the interrogation, asking Alexei to identify people in his network. Martian confirms Alexei is not working against them, as the names Martian chooses are from War & Peace. They can’t confirm whether Coyote is a double agent.
Survival
Naomi (Katherine Waterston) informs Danny her mission entails identifying nuclear engineers at the University of Tehran; Danny needs to get hired by Professor Mortazevi for a research job at the Institute of Geophysics. Naomi warns Danny about the cost of doing this work; “surviving totally alone, forever.” Danny is all in and has made her first steps toward getting the research job.
Helpful analyst Simon (Bilal Hasna) has done a background check on Sami for Martian, and everything appears above board. Martian wants to surprise Sami at the academic conference. However, while Sami is registered, Martian learns she hasn’t attended any lectures.
In what appears to be a flashforward, Martian says to an unseen person he could’ve gone to Henry to say, “I f***ed up.” Instead, he listened to the small voice saying, “I can do this. I can do anything.” It’s concerning that Martian is in a hospital bed, revealing this error in judgment. Who is Martian admitting this to, and what is Sami hiding?
New episodes of The Agency premiere Fridays on Paramount Plus and Sundays on Showtime.