Summary
“Leningrad” follows the show’s usual high standards but pushes this entry into 5-star territory with a powerful and emotional payoff involving Margo and Aleida.
An asteroid worth twenty trillion dollars is hurtling through space and will soon be entering Mars’ orbit in For All Mankind Season 4’s exciting narrative. This insane setup becomes the focal point of Episode 6, “Leningrad,” as Apple TV+’s flagship series starts to hit its stride. The M-7 Conference gets underway in this installment, leading to plenty of drama, whilst on Mars, Ed goes rogue and Miles battles Ilya for black-market supremacy. Season 1 continues to develop these dramatic storylines and many others with more authentic, engaging acting and script work, putting most TV shows out there to shame.
For All Mankind Season 4 Episode 6 Recap
We start at the M-7 Conference, hosted in Leningrad. Margo is seen working in a backroom, where she can observe the day’s events in secrecy as she stays in constant communication with Irina, feeding her information and statistics. She is shocked to see Aleida at the event, representing Helios.
Eli Hobson proposes that the Americans can launch an asteroid capture mission in 8 weeks. Aleida adds that they’ll need 11 new spacecraft and 2,500 individual vehicles to make this mission possible in the long term. All that would end up costing around 2 trillion dollars to fund. Although these nations would make 20 trillion dollars on that generous investment.
After this shocking announcement, Irina meets with Eli and Aleida in private. Both Eli and Irina agree that the project will never be funded in time. Both the Soviet Union and the Americans are unwilling to pay that much upfront. Especially when they would have to wait 35 years to finally gain their reward.
What is Eli’s plan to cut costs on the capture mission?
Whilst debating the finances and logistics of this mammoth undertaking, Eli has a brainwave. What if they take the asteroid back to Earth to be mined instead of Mars? That would save time and money in the long term. Aleida and Margo believe this idea could work, but it would still involve finding many solutions to many problems. They get to work on solving the main dilemma straight away, the timing.
Irina struggles to relay all of Margo’s technical jargon during the meeting. Margo proposes that she work with Aleida in person. This would mean unmasking herself to the entire world though. Margo would be unable to hide any longer. Irina adds that she would be seen as a spy and a traitor by the world as well if she made the announcement. Margo is willing to sacrifice her anonymity to change society’s future.
Meanwhile, at Happy Valley, Danielle is overwhelmed by Helios’ plans. They have been tasked with orchestrating 25 flights in the first month alone. At the same time, Ed is confined to his quarters after his demotion. He smokes weed and prepares for his daughter’s imminent arrival.
Bored, Ed decides to crash Ilya’s illegal bar, which he seems to have known about all along. Ed orders a drink and then proceeds to get rather drunk. He even gives Ilya pointers on his business strategy. Elsewhere, Sam pitches the idea of starting a union for the maintenance workers.
Miles goes to deliver one of his black-market shipments and discovers that he has been banned from the loading area. To show Ilya means business, he sends in the muscular Petros, who strangles Miles as a warning. It looks like Ilya is willing to fight dirty to push Miles out of his own operation.
How does Miles fight back against Ilya?
In retaliation, Miles coerces the Koreans into fighting for him. He finds Lee and tells him that Ilya will not be keeping up his side of the deal. He won’t help bring Lee’s wife to Mars after all. The Koreans fight back, beating Petros badly. Miles then takes over all of Ilya’s operations, using his new allies as muscle to scare the Russian into accepting defeat. Miles has turned full villain in For All Mankind Season 4 Episode 6 and I’m all for it.
Back at the Conference, Margo agrees to work with Aleida. She surprises her old friend, turning up unannounced at her hotel room. Aleida is overcome with emotion and hugs Margo, astounded to find her old friend is still alive. She is then updated on her friend’s crazy journey from the USA to the Soviet Union.
Aleida is at first in awe of her friend, but then argues with Margo, unsure of her friend’s motives in the whole affair. Margo sold secrets to the Russians after all. Aleida is still clearly traumatized by the bombing and Margo’s sudden disappearance as well. Margo admits that she wishes she had died in the bombing, she has many regrets. Aleida refuses to work with her regardless of their past or Margo’s pitiful story.
How does For All Mankind Season 4 Episode 6 end?
Margo works her magic though and convinces Aleida to change her mind. She talks of regrets and how this mission is bigger than the both of them. They have a chance to change the future of mankind and Aleida soon agrees to work the problem, putting their indifferences to one side.
It isn’t long before Margo is all over the news. She makes a statement, announcing the reasons why she defected to the Soviet Union. It’s also announced that Margo will be leading the Soviet’s team on the asteroid capture mission and the asteroid will be going to Earth instead.
How does Ed stir up trouble at Happy Valley?
While on Mars, Ed stirs up trouble within the maintenance workers’ camp. Sam continues to pitch her union plans and Ed decides to crash this meeting. He tells the workers about some forms he was asked to sign. The forms show that Helios are changing their bonus pay structure, meaning that the workers will be screwed over again. Helios can change their contracts whenever they choose. Ed urges them to unionize or to bring down Happy Valley from the inside instead. This scene ends with all the workers chanting the word ‘strike’ in unison.
What did you think of For All Mankind Season 4 Episode 6? Comment below.
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