Citadel Season 1 Episode 2 Recap

Spies Appear In Night Time

Italy 8 Years Ago – Nadia Sinh/Charlotte Vernon (Priyanka Chopra Jones) drags her injured body away from the burning train wreckage. After tying a tourniquet around her thigh, she calls Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) to warn him of the ambush. He tells her that it will be two hours before she is backstopped. She demands he not do it. She is walking through the woods when a truck approaches.  The man reaches out to assist her as she collapses.

Nadia comes through to find her arm handcuffed to the bed and her injured leg bandaged. Sitting with a rifle across his lap, Vincenzo (Ivo Nandi) says she had a bullet in her leg. She suggests he take her to the hospital. He assures her that he can handle her care as long as necessary. Throwing a glass to distract him, she rolls off the bed just in time to dodge a bullet. A struggle ensues and ends with her taking his life. As the backstop begins, she hurriedly jots down, “Go to Valencia Asha” before collapsing. She later comes through to see the message on her arm. Grabbing her passport and Bernard’s keys, she heads out the door.

Wyoming 8 Years Later – Mason Kane/Kyle Conroy (Richard Madden) informs Abby Conroy (Ashleigh Cummings) of his being a star. She reminds him of his poor memory. He says Bernard has recordings of him as Mason. She suggests they’re photoshopped. Joe (Moira Kelly) threatens to expose Bernard’s secret if he says anything to Abby. Kyle assures Abby that his only concern is keeping her and Hendrix Conroy (Caoilinn Springall) safe.

New York City – Bernard tells Mason that the Citadel X Case is stored on the top floor in the secret Manticore tech lab. He explains how he embedded his alias into the tower’s security system. Handing him a suit, he tells him to take off his wedding band. When Mason asks for more clarity, Bernard assures him that he only needs to follow his instructions.

Bernard informs Mason of Anders Silje/Davik Silje (Roland Moller) decrypting Citadel’s X Case while Davik coming to retrieve it. Mason passes through security before heading to the second floor. Bernard says four of the seven key blocks embedded into the Citadel X Case have already been disarmed. He says the fifth key block is now disarmed. Mason questions the caliber of Manicore’s capabilities because his progress has gone unnoticed. Bernard warns an agent is trailing him before saying Anders and Davik are in the tower. A security guard (Ethan Moorhouse) orders Bernard to move his van. When Mason enters the Manticore tech lab, an agent grabs him from behind. A security alarm is activated. Following Bernard’s instructions, he hits the agent in the Adam’s apple. He watches the agent collapse on the floor.

Watching live security footage, Davik doesn’t believe what he is seeing as Mason walks through the building with the X Case. Seconds later, Bernard swings by to pick him up before fleeing.

Virginia – British Ambassador to the United States Dahlia Archer (Lesley Manville) watches a news segment about a car bomb in Serbia when Davik calls to inform her of the security breach. He says the Citadel X Case was stolen. She demands to know how the CIA took it out of their hands. He tells her it was Citadel Mason Kane. She says Mason is dead. He admits to seeing him with his own eyes. She orders him to bring her Mason and the X Case.

Mason questions how he managed to take the Citadel X Case from the Manticore tech lab. Bernard tells him to place his wrist on the buckle embedded into the case. The technology identifies him as Tier-One Operator Mason Kane. Bernard tells him how to search for active Citadel agents. Davik continues to track the case. Mason suggests returning to Wyoming to figure out their next step. Bernard warns they’re not going home before informing him of his memories stored inside the case. As Mason prepares to inject the syringe into his neck, Davik shoots Bernard. The van serves out of control until it comes to a stop. Davik unloads his weapon.

With the Citadel X Case in hand, Mason seizes the opportunity to take a man’s vehicle as the police arrive on the scene. Davik checks the van to find Bernard’s lifeless body in the driver’s seat. After opening the Citadel X Case, Mason screams in frustration when the locator detects Nadia in Valencia, Spain. He leaves Abby a voicemail to inform her of it being too dangerous for him to return to Wyoming. He says a Citadel agent in Valencia is their only hope.

Valencia, Spain Fallas Festival – Mason arrives in Valencia during the Fallas Festival. Upon entering a restaurant, he bumps into Nadia who assures him that he is mistaken. When he convinces her to talk, she believes he is a police officer. He explains what happened in Italy eight years ago but none of it rings a bell. She jumps out of the way when he tosses a knife in her direction. He holds the Citadel X Case up to her wrist. She is identified as Tier-One Operator Nadia Sinh before the case unlocks to show her credentials. Firing two shots into the air, Davik others the patrons to exit the restaurant. Mason tells her to inject the syringe into her neck to regain all her memory. He admits to having memories of her for the past few months when a gunshot rings out. An agent (Quentin Lee) orders him to hand over the case. As Mason prepares to hand it over, Nadia clocks the agent over the head with a frying pan. She admits to seeing him in her dreams.

Heading toward the exit, Davik punches Mason before slinging her across the room. When Mason gets up, he shoots him in the arm. Nadia stabs him in the back. Pulling out the knife, he repeatedly hits her until Mason hits him from behind. As he punches Mason, she retrieves the injects the vial into her neck. She warns he will wish she was dead before beating him unconscious. Assisting Mason to his feet, she admits to remembering everything. She takes Davik’s gun as they exit the restaurant.

Davik informs Dahlia of Nadia and Mason being together in Valencia. She gives him until nightfall to find them when two people arrive with their hostage, Bernard. She describes her capability of convincing Citadel agents to turn as “exceptional.” The episode comes to an end.

 

Citadel Review

Nadia and Mason’s memories are backstopped to protect Citadel. Following the train derailment, she finds herself being held captive by Vincenzo. A brief struggle ends with her killing him.

Bernard convinces Mason to help him retrieve the Citadel X case from the Manticore tech lab in New York. While the mission is successful, Davik sees Mason with the case. Bernard intentionally failed to tell him that they won’t be going home because Manticore will be looking for them. Unknowingly to them, Manticore embedded a GPS tracking device in the case. When Davik shoots Bernard, Mason flees a man’s vehicle. The agent search detects Nadia in Valencia. It takes some coaxing to convince her to believe she is a Citadel spy. Tracking the X Case to the restaurant, Davik lies in wait to attack them. Mason is shot during the struggle. Nadia saves them by injecting the vial into her neck to revive her memory.

Manticore delivers an injured Bernard to Dahlia.

The missions and getting from point A to point B are far too easy. Presuming Citadel spies are the best in the world, crucial elements are being overlooked. One example is the GPS tracking device in the X Case. Bernard should have at least expected it.

The actors are at times reading their lines without conveying emotion. Some scenes feel rushed and poorly presented. Nearing halfway through the season, it’s doubtful it will get any better.

The episode deserves a 5.8. Get more Citadel recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link. Ask how our onsite advertising can help build your brand.