Lioness Recap: Apocalypse Soon

As a long-time follower of the thrilling world of militant spies, I must say that Lioness has truly outdone itself this season. The show has become a mirror reflecting the tumultuous state of America in 2024, and it’s both terrifying and captivating to watch.


The lioness remains steadfast, navigating through the chaos and political unrest that characterizes the militant-spy genre (typical for such productions). Each episode showcases a blend of top-tier acting, absurd dialogue, and action sequences that are surprisingly gripping. It’s astounding how consistently these elements come together week after week to create a vivid portrayal of America’s collective anxieties in the year 2024. In this week’s crucial scene, Cruz tells Josie Carillo, “There is no winning, only the upper hand.” This statement serves as a justification for American global dominance during its decline, while simultaneously offering Josie a means of escaping the endless cold-war games.

Joe is motivated by a conflicting belief about her struggle to maintain control, symbolized by her Sisyphean post, which represents her efforts to safeguard fragments of the American dream for her family within America’s borders. Upon returning to Fort Bliss after an operation involving a child trafficking scene coded with the name “Sound of Freedom,” she swiftly switches into operational mode – delivering a stern message from headquarters to ensure that the children left behind remain so, and focusing on the main storyline. She then convenes with Kyle, Bobby, and Gutierrez to secretly plan a mission to rescue those children. Interestingly, it was discovered that Joe had placed a tracker on one of the kids, and with Gutierrez leading a DEA interception at the border, they can position themselves as “advisors” to disrupt the trafficking ring, taking decisive action against it.

In a short while, they’re airborne and heading towards the Carillo residence in Dallas, and Cruz is poised to motivate Josie to break free from the cartel once and for all. The dialogue in these scenes, defying the show-don’t-tell rule, vividly illustrates the shared pain of two damaged individuals operating within the deep state. As Josie confides her struggle with deceiving loved ones, tearing their world apart, and risking their lives, she asks Cruz if she could do it too. A knowing look from Cruz serves as a reminder of her past actions during season one. However, it’s not just this look that catches Josie’s attention but the reality that her father occupies a questionable position in society. Cruz argues that he is neither a saint nor a victim, but rather on the lawful-to-chaotic evil spectrum, leaning more towards lawful evil given his role as a cartel lawyer. Cruz emphasizes that there’s no victory to be had, only the upper hand, and that choosing not to fight is what allows warehouses to fill up with children.

She seems like Joe subtly hinting at the crucial detail towards the end – the unconvincing lie that stirs doubt even in those who claim to have witnessed everything, yet must be accepted to maintain excitement. It’s no coincidence that Joe is only revealed in the background until the climactic moments of this motivational speech, effectively illustrating the moment when Joe recognizes a potential heir.

offering her father the opportunity for protective custody, allowing him to live out the rest of his days in a “Idaho mansion-like residence.

In Dallas, Joe leaves the team and takes on a separate task to save children. Along the way, she contacts Kaitlyn to delegate control of the operation to Cruz. Speaking to Neal over the phone during their flight, she mentions that while Kaitlyn is similar to her in many ways, she’s single and childless. In essence, she expresses her feeling of autonomy: “I have my own way out.” Joe understands the precarious state of the world she’s pledged to safeguard, but she’s always held the conviction that only she could prevent its collapse… until now. However, as the child rescue mission ends in a violent explosion, it seems Joe’s future beyond the gray zone is uncertain.

In Dallas, Cruz and Josie make their way into the Carillo mansion, greeted by Josie’s mother with a brief window before dinner to strategize their next steps. Since leaving home at 18, Josie has little insight into what the upcoming hours might hold. As expected, dinner provides an inopportune moment to propose collaboration with the CIA to Pablo Carillo, let alone reveal the true reason for her discharge. Pablo Carillo appears to be a classic villain, with his views being mostly accurate but with a 10% touch of extreme and misguided fanaticism. He begins by expressing this extremist 10%, launching into a trans-panic, reactionary tirade against the progressive U.S. military, which seems unrelated to Josie’s discharge. Then, he starts to rant about the inevitable demise of empires: as people grow wealthy, they lose faith in institutions and delegate the grunt work of maintaining their empire to those desperate for opportunities outside its borders. Pablo has a clear perspective on America’s impending downfall; however, he concludes his speech with a chilling warning about the upcoming empire that will rise from the ashes of the old – sharing the same survival and dominance mindset as Josie and her new network of spies.

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2024-11-17 19:54