Queen Sono season 1, episode 3 recap – “The Devil’s Toys”

This recap of Netflix Series Queen Sono season 1, episode 3, “The Devil’s Toys” contains significant spoilers.

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• Read the recap of the previous episode (2)
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Queen Sono Season 1, Episode 3, “The Devil’s Toys” is a satisfying middle episode of the series. It begins in Harare. Shandu stops a church proceeding. It’s strange as he walks around the church with his mouth covered doing a Bane-like speech. He threatens Pastor Wanda and asks the man to strip himself of his belongings and asks him to tell the truth to the church. Shandu gives the church all their money back which they just submitted in that session. As they leave the church, Shandu’s men are surrounded by Superior Solution who appears to kill all his men while Shandu escapes. However, the ambush was all an act between the terrorist group and Superior Solutions.

Ekaterina and Shandu are putting their plans in motion in Episode 3 and it was impressively put together.

SOG brief Queen Sono on the upcoming African Security Summit. They want intel on Ekaterina and Malunga. At the summit, Ekaterina is using propaganda, showing images of her organization taking down Watu Wema — she talks of a different Africa.

Queen Sono interviews Ekaterina, pretending to be a journalist, and asks about Elton Davenport. Ekaterina claims weapons were stolen from Superior Solutions to Watu Wema and then Sono asks about her father. Queen Sono loses her concentration though, giving the wrong name away of the outlet she’s reporting from, and Ekaterina suspects that she is not a journalist.

Episode 3, “The Devil’s Toys” proves that Queen Sono is reckless sometimes.

Our leading character then interviews former President Marogo and asks about Safiya Sono which takes him by surprise; she presses further and asks about the SOG. Marogo tells Sono she does not want to know about the SOG — he believes it was banished a long time ago. Queen Sono asks if the SOG could have been a factor in Safiya’s death; Marogo hints they could have been a factor.

As we approach the ending to an enticing chapter, Queen Sono then bumps into Shandu, who she has had a romantic past with — it’s been 5 years since they last met. Shandu now acts like he is high up at Superior Solutions, so Sono has no idea that he heads the new terrorist group. Queen Sono reports back to SOG about how Shandu, an ex-SOG operative, is high up at Superior Solutions. Miri and Dr. Sid are fuming at Sono for the lack of information she got from Shandu.

I find Miri and Dr. Sid to be very reactionary to SOG’s objectives — especially when it is clear that Queen Sono gets most of the intel delivered for them.

Ekaterina is fuming near the end of “The Devil’s Toys” that the President canceled a meeting with her; she also learns that the journalist is really a spy, but Shandu says she is just a journalist, clearly worried of the consequences if Ekaterina finds out the truth.

Queen Sono Season 1, Episode 3, “The Devil’s Toys” closes with Ekaterina’s team finding Queen Sono’s location — they clear out the restaurant Sono is in. Ekaterina challenges Sono to a fight. Sono is taken aback by Ekaterina’s abilities as they trade blows. Ekaterina overpowers Sono, so she escapes.

A great ending.

Additional Notes

• Ekaterina is accused of being a neo-colonialist at the Security Summit. The woman who questioned her is then kidnapped.
• Fred wants Dr. Sid to help find his sister Marie but he also is looking for revenge on Adam Boswinga who killed his father. He approaches him with a gun and asks where his sister is. He doesn’t go through with killing Adam.
• Queen Sono bumps into Nova and Nova asks why she’s at a Security Summit. They have coffee late to catch up. Nova confirms she’s not into social norms. She’s worried that Queen yo-yos in and out of Willam’s life.
• Dr. Sid sends Sizwe to keep an eye on Queen Sono. She tells Dr. Sid to stop following her.