As this episode of World on Fire begins, Captain Briggs (Jonathan Harden) tells the men on the Tobruk Perimeter to expect an attack at any time. Harry Chase (Jonah Hauer-King) and his men are tasked with bolstering Australian defenses. All positions must be held so there can be no withdrawal. Rajib (Ahad Raza Mir) and his team will lay a tactical minefield to draw in the tanks for artillery to strike. He says the enemy is already familiar with the tank trap so standard defense formation may be more advisable. Captain Briggs refuses to change the orders.

When Stan (Blake Harrison) asks how they’re going to stop a Panzer division, Harry says they’re going to let them in. He goes over the details of the plan and explains that their job is to take out the German infantry. Harry is adamant that they’ll hold the line at all costs. He tells George (Forrest Bothwell) that they’ll fight to the last man. James (Mark Bonnar) goes over a map with Jan. Kasia (Zofia Wichlacz) walks in on them discussing military plans. James explains why it is essential for the Allies to hold Tobruk. Rajib’s men tell him that his silence insults them. David (Gregg Sulkin) pulls himself across the ground until he sees a boy standing above him.

A man comes back and gives David an injection. Henriette (Eugenie Derouand) notices that she is being watched by soldiers. Then, she leads two men to safety. Marga (Miriam Schiweck) attends a speech calling her and other women Mothers of the Thousand Year Reich. She grabs her stomach as if she is pregnant. Marga ends up collapsing to the floor. While working, Harry and the others hear a gunshot nearby. An Australian soldier comes over and laughs that they’re shooting at seagulls. Kasia meets a man who asks if she knows Irena Lewandowska. She is tasked with following Irena and reporting anything suspicious.

Once Kasia leaves, she runs into James who talks to her about a bland smile. James tells her to keep hold of herself because he feels Robina knows something is afoot. Henriette takes care of David who has an infected wound and a dislocated shoulder. David thanks her for popping his shoulder back into place. Robina (Lesley Manville) questions what Kasia is doing when she sees her with a dog. Robina wants her to take the dog to the pound, but Kasia claims she got it to cheer Jan up. Robina agrees to let him keep the dog although it isn’t allowed inside.

Kasia tells Jan that she’ll take Wilk for a walk because he needs to settle. Jan tags alone as Kasia tries to keep an eye on Irena. Jan unleashes the dog causing it to run after Irena’s dog. When they catch up with Irena, they learn that she is Polish. Irena shows them the mushrooms she found. She offers to cook them a real Polish dinner. Irena tells them where she lives. Jan seems upset that Kasia won’t let him go to dinner with her. Henriette checks on David and gives him something to eat. She tells him that she learned English from a friend. Kasia visits Irena with Wilk.

Irena asks her how she ended up there. She asks about her parents as well. When Kasia says she shouldn’t have come, Irena admits she struggles when she remembers those times too. Kasia learns that she is from Warsaw although she doesn’t remember it anymore. She tells Irena that they killed her mother for nothing. Irena says the only good Nazi is a dead Nazi. When Marga speaks to the doctor, she says she is feeling better. She has a bleed and it isn’t the first time according to Frau Oberin. Marga is asked about genetic defects in the family that could cause a miscarriage. She says no. Once the doctor inspects her, he prescribes bed rest for the duration of her pregnancy.

Marga tells the other girls that she has to rest because she is carrying a very special child. When her partner, Greiser, enters, she tells him that she was just overwhelmed and there is nothing to worry about. Marga would like to know the name of her father’s child, but he is forbidden from telling her. She suspects he cares about her. He tells her not to be foolish because the flowers are for the child. Robina struggles to get help with the baby only for Kasia and Jan to rush out the door. Joyce (Grace Chilton) confesses that she is worried because she hasn’t had a letter in weeks.

Later, they go to the theater and watch the news about the war. George begins freaking out so Harry and the others try to calm him. Rajib soon learns that the tanks aren’t falling for their trap. They destroy the outpost so they’re not getting the coordinates. Harry runs over to see if he can send the coordinates. Once the tank is hit, Harry rushes over to help a fallen comrade. Stan asks Harry what the heck he was thinking when he has a kid. Henriette is grabbed by a woman who wants to know who she is. She tells Henriette that British airmen are hiding in the woods and French people are helping them. She warns Henriette what the Nazis will do if they find out they’re helping the enemy.

Rajib talks to his men about how they’re equal and the Germans are their enemies. Robina accuses Kasia of using the dog as an excuse not to have to care for her stepdaughter. Kasia explains why she can’t be a mother to Vera. James hears Kasia telling Robina that this is her mess. He asks Joyce what he could do to change her mind about babysitting because he wants to take Robina out for a picnic lunch. James ends up paying her a pound to babysit before he takes Robina outside for a picnic. James admits that there is no woman he admires more than her.

Rajib tells another soldier that he has been married for ten years. He says they always believed the English would reward their loyal service, but their service does not merit a salute. German soldiers show up at Henriette’s door to ask about her husband. She claims he was taken prisoner in Germany somewhere. Once he is alone with her, he tells her not to cry because he isn’t going to hurt her. The soldier says he can make her life easier, but she doesn’t have to answer now. Kasia returns to the boss and says she doesn’t think Irena is a spy. He doesn’t seem to believe her.

Henriette releases David after getting rid of the soldier. She’ll get him some morphine, but they have to leave tonight as soon as it is dark. She refuses to leave him behind. Kasia keeps an eye on Irena from a distance. Kasia sneaks over and finds hidden papers. It includes blueprints. Briggs tells Rajib that the minefield wasn’t successful so it’ll be re-laid in standard defense formation. Rajib reminds him that he has neglected to salute him. He thinks his men would gladly obey if Briggs would salute him. Harry salutes him before Briggs does as well. Rajib agrees to relay the minefield in standard defense formation.

Kasia tells James what she found out about Irena and how she thought she was her friend. Robina watches them through the window. Marga is told to get back into bed. Although she says she’ll go mad, she is told the baby is what matters now. The vehicle hiding Henriette and David is stopped by German soldiers. They remain quiet while the soldiers take some of the driver’s stuff. Eventually, they reach their destination. Harry and the others believe they might hold Tobruk if they keep snapping at the Germans. Stan tells Harry to stop playing the hero because it is stupid. Harry says he felt ridiculous in the hospital around men who lost their eyes and those who will never walk again.

He mentions seeing Lois who is in Egypt. Kasia tells Robina she was hoping to have tea with a friend. She has made Robina a cake and hopes it’ll serve as an apology for what she said. Robina realizes she is the friend being invited to tea. She asks Jan to go play so she can speak frankly. Robina tells Kasia that she saw her with James earlier before reminding her that she is still married to her son. Kasia insists it was nothing like that, but she won’t explain what was going on. Kasia says she doesn’t have to worry about anything like that. Jan asks Robina if she loves James. A plane begins shooting at Harry, but he manages to avoid being shot.

 

World On Fire Review

This episode of World on Fire was okay although many viewers probably aren’t going to be blown away by the series in general. The season has been overloaded with different storylines with some of them being more interesting than others. Marga’s story has been a tad more interesting to me in general. There is also a possibility that Kasia’s relationship with Robina could become a highlight at some point.

It has been difficult to care about anything else because I haven’t been able to genuinely connect with any of the characters. There doesn’t seem to be any legitimate reason to worry about the characters even though they’re on the verge of being blown to pieces by Nazis. For World on Fire to be more compelling to me personally, I need that connection to the characters.

Otherwise, it is just going to be a good time killer that will never reach an emotional high. The episode scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of World on Fire can be found on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising on Reel Mockery here.