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Nina is reconnected with her past in exchange for her freedom, Philip and Elizabeth witness a man being burned alive, and Martha comes closer to the truth about Clark in this latest episode, “Divestment.”
A lot of little things happened in this eighth episode of the season but two major things also happened, so we’ll get the piddly B-plots out of the way before we talk about burning people alive and Martha, alright comrades?
1. Remember the scientist Philip captured way back when? The one who was crying about being sent back to Russia? Yeah, well, apparently his progress at the Soviet Centre is subpar and the Motherland isn’t so sure whether it’s because his work is so difficult or if he’s purposefully stalling, which is where Nina comes in. The government is asking her to “get inside his head” in exchange for her freedom, which is their way of saying, “Fuck him and see what’s up.” But details are never discussed — like what if he really is hitting a wall in scientific research? — and it’s not completely clear whether she can trust these people. They did reduce her sentence a bit after she got her roommate to talk, though, so we shall see. But the worst part is that she has to work for that old guy she helped get arrested back when she was double-crossing the embassy.
2. Stan flies out to Chicago for his friend’s memorial, but Sandra doesn’t accompany him.
3. Kimberly has also been M.I.A. This is the second episode she’s been out of the picture, but apparently Philip is still working her because Elizabeth brought it up to Gabriel.
4. Paige does some research on Gregory (on a microfiche!) and doesn’t approve of the fact that he was a drug dealer. Later, her and Elizabeth have a real talk about the grey area of being a bad person.
5. Oleg’s daddy is pissed he hasn’t come back to Russia yet. But Akrady has Oleg’s back, and it’s kind of cute.
6. Agent Gaad loses a fight with the mail robot.
7. Elizabeth asks Philip about his son, then asks Gabriel about what he can do to help bring him “home.” Though it’s unclear if home means Russia or the US.
8. And before we move on to the nitty gritty, let us just point out that Keri Russell should probably take this wig home with her at the end of the season. It’s too perfect.
And now, for the most brutal killing we’ve seen yet. Reuben Ncgobo, the South African anti-apartheid activist who helped Philip and Elizabeth kidnap Eugene Venter and poor Todd, shows the Jennings how it’s done by burning Venter alive with the help of a tire — oh, you know, to suffocate him while his flesh burned around him.
Yiiiiiiikes, right? Even Elizabeth looked like she might gag.
And last but not least: Martha. Poor Martha has to sit through the most in-depth questioning about pens from the prodding Walter Taffet, who, by the way, holds Clark’s position. After Martha is basically cleared (for now) and Taffet leans in closer to try and pin the bug on Agent Aderholt, Martha waits at home for Clark, who has some serious ‘splaining to do.
Martha surprises us all by asking all of the vaguest questions through tears — “Who are you, Clark? Why are you lying to me? What have I done?” — when it’s clear that she knows. She doesn’t know the details, but she knows, and Clark is having a tough time covering his ass, answering with even vaguer statements. “I didn’t want to fall in love with you, but I did,” he says. “I’m the man you married, who loves you more than you will ever know.” At the end of the episode, however, it’s completely obvious he knows she knows he knows and suddenly, it’s become “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.”
What’s next for Martha and Clark? Will Martha spill the beans to Taffet? Will she turn? Will Clark kill her? Martha is going to have to make a tough choice before the Jennings have to make one for her. Only five episodes left!
More recaps, comrades:
Episode One, “EST Men”
Episode Two, “Baggage”
Episode Three, “Open House”
Episode Four, “Dimebag”
Episode Five, “Salang Pass”
Episode Six, “Born Again”
Episode Seven, “Walter Taffet”
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Photos: FX/Tumblr
