Summary
The many puzzle pieces finally fall into place in “Time Renders Us Enemies.” This cleverly sculpted plotting explains the many mysteries of the show in a realistic and satisfying fashion. It is all setting up for what looks to be an enthralling finale.
We recap the 2023 Amazon Prime Video series Citadel Season 1 Episode 5, “Time Renders Us Enemies,” which contains spoilers.
The puzzle pieces all start to fall into place in Citadel’s penultimate episode, “Time Renders Us Enemies.” Flashbacks explore why Nadia (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) left the agency to start a new life in Valencia.
While in the present, Dahlia (Lesley Manville) forces Bernard (Stanley Tucci) and the other Citadel spies into helping her with Manticore’s master plan.
Citadel Season 1 Episode 5 Recap
Starting in Athens nine years earlier, Mason and Nadia are working undercover once again. The couple is to play newlyweds Alexandra and Jonathan Hughes. But the wedding ring Mason is holding isn’t part of their fake identities; no, he wants to marry Nadia for real.
At the Citadel headquarters, Nadia is informed that Celeste has been backstopped, with her memories completely wiped. Bernard authorized this cover-up.
Nadia goes to confront Bernard right away. He admits that Mason was behind it all. Nadia feels utterly betrayed.
She meets with Mason in public and discusses this betrayal. Mason states that he was only trying to protect Nadia. He knew that she was the mole, the one who stole the Oz Key.
He put the blame onto Celeste to protect the woman he loved.
What did Nadia do with the Oz Key?
Nadia reveals that she destroyed the Oz Key. She didn’t trust that amount of power in anyone’s hands. Nadia asks Mason to reactivate Celeste, but he can’t; her memories are wiped from the system. The couple argues, and Nadia returns the wedding ring. She can’t love Mason; he cannot be trusted.
This flashback sequence ends with Nadia phoning her contact Rahi Gambhir. She’s preparing to go off-grid and plans on moving to Valencia. Nadia stipulates that Mason can never find out the truth.
Back in the present, Bernard continues to plead with Anders. He’s been held hostage by Dahlia and needs Anders’ cooperation to help him escape her mansion alive.
Bernard knows the whereabouts and the new identity of Brielle, the woman who Anders loved. She is now Abby Conroy, Mason’s wife. Anders can’t believe it.
Who kills Anders?
Bernard convinces Anders to free him, yet Dahlia is overseeing the whole betrayal firsthand. She shoots Anders in the head, killing her own colleague. Dahlia tells Bernard that one of the Citadel’s own spies turned on them and came to her; they were bitter and happily betrayed their organization.
While in Morocco, Carter explains to Mason why he cannot trust Nadia. He says that she is working for Manticore with known terrorist Rahi. Sirens ring in the black site, and the spies are forced to leave the facility.
Dahlia asks Bernard once again for the codes. He refuses until his family are threatened. Bernard reveals the codes immediately, but Dahlia tells her men to kill Bernard’s family and Mason’s in Wyoming anyway. She calls it an eye for an eye, revenge for a past event.
Next, Davik calls Dahlia. He has tracked down Mason to the Moroccan black site. Dahlia orders Davik to activate agent Yamazaki to retrieve Mason.
Davik is then ordered to head to Valencia instead. She tells the twin that his brother Anders has been shot and killed by Bernard.
Why did Nadia change her identity?
Nadia drives Carter and Mason away from the black site. They squabble about Nadia’s allegiances. Nadia is forced to admit the truth; she has a daughter in Valencia. She wanted to keep her daughter a secret, to keep her safe, so she changed her identity. That is why Nadia left the Citadel. She found out she was pregnant with Mason’s child. Nadia didn’t want Mason to know, she didn’t trust him, so she went off-grid.
Who is Rahi?
The mother confesses she hasn’t seen her daughter in 8 years. Mason contemplates this meteoric revelation. Nadia states that her daughter has been raised by Nadia’s father, Rahi. She went back into the field, to the mission in Italy, to tell Mason the truth. It was meant to be a one-off mission, but it ended with Nadia losing her memory.
Who is Asha?
Before her memories were wiped, Nadia wrote on her arm, ‘Valencia’ and ‘Asha.’ It is now revealed what the word Asha meant, the name of Nadia and Mason’s daughter.
Citadel Season 1 Episode 5 Ending Explained
Back in the present, Yamazaki and a convoy of cars surround the Citadel spies; they are dangerously outnumbered. Yamazaki puts Mason in contact with Dahlia on his immediate arrival. She speaks with Mason, stating a proposition that she has for him.
There is a submarine in the Pacific Ocean containing five nukes. She needs Mason’s help retrieving them.
To convince Mason to go through with this scheme, Dahlia has Asha, his daughter, hostage. She doesn’t tell him about the other vital piece of information, though, but Dahlia needs Mason for another purpose.
He is the only one who has the codes to launch the weapons.
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