Citadel Season 1 Episode 6 Recap

Secrets In Night Need Early Rains – The episode opens in a hospital in Serbia 30 years ago. Young Mason (Audie Rick) sits alone.

Oregon, 6 Months Later – Young Mason is in bed when his grandmother (Deborah Hedwall) urges him to get up. Mason admits to missing his father. She claims his mother is traveling before suggesting focusing only on things he can change. He watches a show about rebirth. The show jumps forward to Mason Kane/Kyle Conroy (Richard Madden) explaining why he became a Citadel spy.

Morocco, Present Day – Kyle, Nadia Sinh/Charlotte Vernon (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), and Carter Spence (Osy Ikhile) are being taken to an aircraft hangar near Fez. British Ambassador to the United States Dahlia Archer (Lesley Manville) warns their daughter will be killed if they try anything. Mason demands to see their daughter. A Manticore agent shows them a video of Asha (Serafina Tarafdar). Nadia has flashbacks of her daughter as an infant.

Upon arrival, Dahlia briefs them on their next mission. They, along with Davik Silje (Roland Moller), will board a jet and fly over the Pacific Ocean. The Russian submarine’s computer system must be hacked to force it to the surface. Davik and Kyle will collect the nuclear cores from the Dead Hand Missiles and deliver them to Christoph (Laetitia Eido) in Valencia. Reminding Dahlia that Asha is her daughter, Nadia demands to take part in the mission. After saying the Red Cell Mission has Mason’s credentials, Carter explains how he disobeyed orders by installing his biolock. Only Mason can access the Russian submarine. Kyle asks what is a Red Cell Mission.

Red Cell Mission, 8 Years Ago – Grace (Nikki Amuka-Bird) announces Operation Bright Wall was authorized for Red Cell. Citadel’s target is the Russian Dead Hand automated nuclear submarine. The Red Cell Mission involves the installation of a Citadel backdoor security lock that will provide access for all agents. Mason suggests bringing Nadia back for the mission if she isn’t happy with him. She informs him of Duke’s (Leo Woodall) responsibility to avoid radar detection by maintaining a 5,000-feet altitude. Holding up a device, Carter explains the installation process. Mason demands to know where Nadia is in return for completing the mission.

Morocco, Present Day – Nadia, Carter, and Kyle board a jet to execute the Red Cell Mission.

Red Cell Mission, 8 Years Ago – Jumping out of a jet, Mason sets out to find the Russian Dead Hand submarine in the Pacific. He installs the device as instructed. Carter announces biometrics has been locked in when Mason goes offline. After bypassing the system to install his own biolock, Mason claims a frequency glitch contributed to his being offline.

North Pacific Ocean, Present Day – Locating the Russian Dead Hand submarine, Carter attempts to hack the firewall. While Nadia adjusts Kyle’s suit, he asks why she felt he didn’t deserve to know about their daughter. She suggests focusing on the mission when Davik agrees with her. Kyle jumps first followed by Davik. Carter overrides the submarine navigation. Nadia warns he is descending too quickly. An Emergency Surface Initiated notification pops up as the submarine surfaces. Carter orders him to deploy his parachute. Kyle crashes into the submarine when Nadia tells him to launch his tether line. Landing perfectly, Davik holds out his hand. Accepting his hand, Kyle ascends to the top of the submarine. Once Kyle activates the hatch, Davik releases his parachute but the tether line stops him from flying away. Davik cuts the tether line, sending Kyle flying into the submarine.

Nadia tells Carter that she is going down. Several Manticore agents try to stop before she shoots them, including the pilot. Inside the submarine, Davik puts in his earbud to hear Dahlia’s instructions. He asks if she really thought there wouldn’t be payback for killing Anders Silje (Roland Moller). He calls off the five Manticore compounds where the Dead Hand Missiles are stored. He demands a “seat at the table” in exchange for the five Dead Hand Missiles. Hanging by his parachute straps, Kyle is out cold until Carter yells his name. He warns him of Davik initiating the Dead Head sequence. As Kyle sets out to retrieve the cores, Dahlia tells Davik there will be no negotiation. After claiming Manticore hacked the steering mechanism, she threatens to send the sub into the Mariana Trench to stop him from releasing the nuclear warheads. While Kyle holds Davik at gunpoint, Nadia knocks him out with a fire extinguisher.

Carter warns Nadia that the computer system cannot be hacked because an override has been initiated. He says it can only be stopped by retrieving the cores but not before her body temperature is 106 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the system from locking the warheads in place. She starts removing the cores when Davik comes through. He and Kyle get into a physical altercation. Nadia struggles to complete the removal. Carter urges Kyle to utilize his skills because backstop doesn’t always erase them. Kyle has a brief flashback of being a child and Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) says his body remembers even though his mind might not. Nadia removes the last core. Carter orders Kyle to “fight back.” Utilizing his skills, Kyle kills Davik before helping Nadia bring her body temperature down to normal. Russian bombers are approaching quickly. They are rescued.

Citadel US Headquarters, 8 Years Ago – Grace demands to know what he did to keep Citadel from having operational control. He admits to installing a secondary protocol interrupt that only permits him to access it. He offers it in exchange for Nadia’s whereabouts. She claims Nadia is in Berlin before suggesting he seek help.

30 Miles Away From Valencia, Present Day – Carter sets up coordinates in preparation for reaching Valencia. Dahlia informs Christoph of their arrival with the cores. Christoph says once they have the cores, it will be time to initiate the final phase. A Manticore agent arrives with an agitated Asha. Carter alerts of the agent holding Ashe being within his range. Kyle hands the cores over to Christoph. Dahlia orders her to validate that the cores are in the bag before releasing Asha. A test determines the cores are encrypted. Christoph threatens to kill Asha if he doesn’t unlock them. Nadia orders Carter to kill the agent holding Asha. Kyle catches her while Nadia keeps the Manticore agents from interfering. Christoph flees. Nadia and Asha embrace.

London, 8 Years Ago – Mason meets Bernard. They discuss his daughter, Valeria (Grainne Good). Giving him photos of baby Asha, Bernard tells him that Nadia and their daughter are in Spain. Mason asks if she left Citadel to have their daughter. Bernard gives him a round-trip ticket to Spain. Mason asks if he expects him to plead with her to be part of the baby’s life. Bernard suggests doing whatever it takes.

Present Day – Asha asks where is Nana. Nadia assures her that she will find him. Dahlia blows up her home before Manticore arrives to kill her.

Citadel US Headquarters – Nadia watches as Kyle embraces Hendrix Conroy (Caoilinn Springall). As he and Abby Conroy (Ashleigh Cummings) kiss, Carter questions how she is his wife. Kyle introduces his family to them. Carter gives him his activation vial. Abby demands to know why Kyle wants to bring Mason back. He tells her it is necessary to find out who he is. She reminds him of his being Kyle Conroy. He assures her that nothing with change him being her husband and Hendrix’s father. Carter reactivates his memory at the age of five. He remembers everything.

8 Years Ago – When Mason meets Dahlia, she says he looks like “him.” He asks if she would help him find Nadia. She asks if he is in love with her. He claims they are married. She promises to locate her before explaining how Thomas died next to her. Rolling up her sleeve, she says they grafted her skin but the terrible memories are still there. He asks why she never returned home. She admits to coming out of it as a different woman. He asks if he is still her son. She questions why he chose to become someone else. She claims Citadel blew up the building with three air missiles. She says a communications report revealed Citadel alerted NATO of its intent to launch air strikes on a Serbian terrorist compound. Citadel based its air strike on the wrong coordinates that claimed the lives of 157 UN employees and their families. He assures her that Citadel wouldn’t do it. She suggests he help her expose Citadel’s secrets. Dahlia orders the deaths of all Citadel agents and their families.

Nadia watches as Kyle and Abby embrace. The episode ends.

 

Citadel Season 1 Finale Review

Mason was sent to install a Citadel biolock on Russia’s Dead Hand Missiles. The biolock would limit access to the nuclear cores to Citadel. Desperate to find Nadia, he installs his own biolock to force Grace to give up her location. Grace refuses to comply. Eight years later, Dahlia finds herself needing Kyle to unlock the Dead Hand Missiles to retrieve the nuclear cores for a future launch. She abducts his and Nadia’s daughter, Asha to force him to go along with it.

While Kyle has no memory of Mason, he still possesses his skills. He applies Mason’s skills to complete the Red Cell Mission. Nadia steps in to retrieve the nuclear cores after Kyle fails to shoot Davik. He eventually utilizes Mason’s skills to kill Davik. Nadia, Carter, and Kyle deliver the nuclear cores to Christoph who discovers they’re encrypted. Carter kills the Manticore agent holding Asha hostage while Nadia keeps Christoph from intervening. Christoph flees but the show didn’t reveal what happened to the nuclear cores.

Kyle meets Abby and Hendrix at the former Citadel headquarters in the United States. Carter gives Kyle Mason’s memory vial. After the vial is injected into his neck, he remembers all the way back to the age of five when he lived with his grandmother. Mason is a Citadel agent when he visits his mother, Dahlia who tells him about Citadel killing his father during a botched missile strike that claimed the lives of 157 victims. She asks him to bring Citadel’s corruption to the surface. She orders Manticore agents to kill Citadel agents and their spies.

The best episode of the season. The Red Cell Mission was an improvement from previous Citadel missions. Mason’s betrayal became apparent when Nadia revealed the real reason why she left Citadel. A connection to Dahlia was to be expected but her being his mother was quite surprising.

It is questionable what will happen with Kyle and Abby, now that he has recovered Mason’s memories. She still has no idea of her true identity and connection to Citadel. There is only one person who could possibly come close to stopping him and Dahlia from reaching their end goal. It is doubtful, this person would be willing to take up their cause. Until the next season! The finale deserves a 6.5. Get more Citadel recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link. Learn more about our onsite advertising by contacting our customer support.