WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Agency episode 7.
Episode 7 of the Paramount+ political thriller seriesThe Agency"Hard Landing" finds Osman closing in on Martian’s true identity, which ends up bringing him closer to Samia. Created for American television by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Edge of Tomorrow,Ford v Ferrari),The Agencyis an adaptation of the 2015 critically acclaimed French thriller seriesThe Bureaucreated by Eric Rochant. Michael Fassbender leads thecast ofThe Agencyalongside Jeffrey Wright, Richard Gere, Katherine Waterson, John Magaro, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, and Jodie Turner-Smith.
DuringThe Agencyepisode 1 “The Bends” and episode 2"Wooden Duck," Fassbender’s “Paul Lewis” gets pulled out of a six-year undercover mission to help locate a missing Belarusian CIA operative named Coyote.The Agencyepisode 3 “Hawk from a Handsaw"followed three undercover “Felix” operatives trying to escape Russian-occupied Ukraine. Martian meets a KGB operative named Mikhail inThe Agencyepisode 4 “Quarterback Blitz"who helps the CIA find their missing “bike” inThe Agencyepisode 5 “Rat Trap”.The Agencyepisode 6dives deeper into the CIA’s hunt for Agent Coyote whileepisode 7 brings Samia into the fold in a last-resort move by Martian.
Martian’s Plan To Recruit Samia To The CIA Explained
He’s likely using it as a cover so they can run off together
After Osman discovers Martian’s daughter Poppy and has his men search his hotel room as “Paul Lewis” in the previous episode ofThe Agency, the reality starts to sink in on Martian that he cannot get out of this predicament alone. Up until the very last scene inThe Agencyepisode 7,Samia believed that Paul was just a teacher and an aspiring author. She is stunned to see Paul in an office of the university she had gotten a Visa from to live in London in the first place.
Martian lures Samia into the private meeting that the CIA framed as a threat to Samia’s Visa status in London. Even though Osman is catching onto “Paul” in episodes 6 and 7, he does not anticipate that the academic email is fraudulent, which is how Martian and Samia are able to meet face to face at the end of The Agency episode 7. Paul discussed with Naomi and Henry before the operation that his mission was to recruit Samia, when reallyhe may be plotting to run away with her and leave The Agency behind for good.
Why Martian Forced Alexei To Face Valhalla Leader General Volchok
Alexei was the fastest way to gain access to Volchok, who has Coyote
Alexei becomes of use to Martian once again after his loyalty to the CIA was brutally tested in episode 2. After learning about General Volchok’s plan to turn Agent Coyote over to the Russian government from General Novikov inThe Agencyepisode 6,Martian realizes his best card to play is Alexei in order to get close to Volchok. Alexei returns to Belarus where he is picked up by Valhalla soldiers, which is a mercenary group run by Volchok. Alexei makes up a story that makes him appear useful, claiming that his company ripped Volchok off for $300,000.
Volchok tests Alexei by having his bodyguard hold a gun to his back, noting that Alexei didn’t pee himself like other men in his position have. Volchok wonders where Alexei got such courage and grows suspicious of him. His bodyguard gathers some intel on him which comes back clean. However,Volchok sees Alexei for what he really is – bait from the Americans who have come knocking for Coyote. If Volchok does expose Alexei, he will almost certainly wind up dead, or perhaps he will use Alexei to feed the CIA false intel.
How Danny Uses Edward To Win The Tehran Scholarship
Edward uses direct methods of intimidation to free up the space
All of the heat on Martian inThe Agencyepisode 7 has left Danny to rely on his own resources, which happens to be fellow operative, Edward. Danny learns that the teacher’s pet was offered the scholarship that she needed to earn to advance her mission. Her main objective was to gain access to a prestigious institute in Tehran to uncover intel on nuclear weapons and capabilities in Iran. Fearing that she is on the brink of failure,she asks Edward to help intimidate the student by pretending to threaten his family. Edward’s help opened the door for Danny to win the scholarship.
What Naomi Finds In Martian’s Video Archives
Martian wants to spend his life with Samia
The CIA psychologist Dr. Blake quickly picks up on Naomi’s possible romantic interest in Martian and basically tells her through her facial expressions that she thinks Naomi is protecting him. This prompts Naomi to stay late at the London headquarters to scrub through her baseline checks with Martian while he is out in the field in Ethiopia. Clearly, she knows more about Martian than anyone else in that office and has subtly carried a closer connection to him that would lean into more of a friendship than “professional proximity.”
Naomi finds video footage of Martian sayingif he could be with Samia after his mission was over, then he would do it. This could be taken as evidence to support the claim that Martian is not actually trying to recruit Samia to the CIA but rather is plotting to make a break for it with her.
Did Volchok Expose Alexei’s Cover?
He suspects Alexei was sent by the Americans
At the end ofThe Agencyepisode 7, Volchok seems to realize that Alexei is not who he says he is and was sent to him by the Americans.Martian likely knew Volchok would see through Alexei’s claimsthat he was only trying to let him know he was getting scammed, meaning that Martian could have set Alexei up to make contact. While it would be surprising if the CIA threw one of their own under the bus in this way, Martian basically blackmails Alexei into returning to Belarus and meeting with Volchok. Volchok discovering Alexei is working for the Americans could have been the plan all along.
What’s Next For Martian & Samia In The Agency
Samia discovers that Paul Lewis does not exist
There was initial suspicion in the early episodes ofThe Agencythat Samia was also a secret agent working for an intelligence agency, similar to Osman. At this point in the series, that theory is likely null, unless incredible acting skills are a part of Samia’s covert specialties. Samia will learn about Paul’s true identity as a CIA operative, which was the only way to save her from Osman’s grasp.
Martian, Naomi, and Henry are expected to inform Samia that they are cruising her to join The Agency, which at face value sounds like it has more pitfalls for Samia than benefits. Samia may not wish to cooperate whatsoever after discovering how deep the lies go with Martian. In this case, she may become a massive liability, and even a threat, to Martian inThe Agency.
The Agency
Cast
The Agency is a 2024 espionage thriller following covert CIA agent Martian, who is recalled to London Station, disrupting his undercover life. As a former romance rekindles, Martian’s career and true identity are jeopardized, leading him into a high-stakes world of international intrigue and deception.
