Summary
“Part Five” includes some truly exceptional battle sequences and ends with a painfully heartbreaking scene. Audiences are finally given some emotional payoffs, a chance to mourn the crewmen’s deaths, and it leads to the best episode from the series so far.
The tension and the action only escalate further in “Part Five” of Masters of the Air. The Apple TV+ series delivers its greatest installment yet in Season 1 with Episode 5, as the remaining crewmen go back into battle after losing even more of their colleagues. It’s a heartbreaking and intense episode that makes the most of its straightforward plotting and slowly building character development, concluding with a powerful ending that will pull on your heartstrings.
Masters of the Air Season 1 Episode 5 Recap
“Part Five” starts by confirming Crosby’s fate, the navigator didn’t die during the last mission and is back at the 100th Bomb Group’s base having survived that horrifying ordeal. Crosby returns with Douglass and Blakely. They somehow got back to base when many others perished.
They are debriefed immediately. Crosby admits that he saw Gale’s plane being hit and then going down. They are saddened to have lost their heroic leader, who they believed was invincible after 21 successful missions. The survivors are given a hero’s welcome. The squadron is reunited, but there is no time to celebrate, another mission is announced. The gang is shocked by how soon this next mission is. Crosby is promoted to group navigator after his impressive performances.
Why are the 100th Bomb Group worried about their latest mission?
At the next briefing, the team is told about their latest mission. They will be targeting the railroad yards close to a city center. The crewmen worry that they might kill civilians during the bombing raid. They are told that because of this, accuracy is paramount. It’s a short flight and only 17 planes are available for the mission. They expect another tricky and costly fight.
Afterward, the crew discusses the unfairness of it all. They have been embarking on missions almost daily and are struggling to keep afloat with such a dwindling squadron. Bucky overhears them talking about the civilian casualties. He reminds them that this is war. Obviously, he just wants his revenge for Gale’s death though.
Bubbles congratulates Crosby on his new promotion as the gang leaves for their next mission. They are flying in new planes and are apprehensive about these new vehicles’ capabilities. Crosby nervously waits back at base, praying that his friends safely return home.
They are told about four aborts early on due to mechanical failures. That means that there are only 13 planes left in the squadron. It’s a terrifying statistic, but they make it to the coast unharmed. The enemy attacks straight away though and one of the Bloody Hundredth’s planes is hit instantly.
Bucky’s plane is also hit. They are then attacked by hundreds of ensuing enemy planes. A shootout commences. It’s a brutal battle. Countless crew members are killed or injured in the air attack. Planes are going down left, right, and center, and they are still a minute away from their target.
What happens to Bucky during his revenge mission?
As they near the target, Bucky’s plane’s engines cut out. He is down to one last engine now. They will not be returning home at this rate. Bucky drops all of the plane’s bombs and prepares the crew for their exit. All of the crewmen parachute out of the plane at the last minute, into enemy territory. Bucky lands in a field and hides right away.
Meanwhile, the other planes drop their bombs on the target successfully. They begin their escape mission but are hit by flak and then enemy attackers. More planes are lost in the battle. Rosenthal seems to be the only plane left. They are terribly outnumbered.
How does Masters of the Air Season 1 Episode 5 end?
Back at base, the rest of the squadron nervously waits for the survivors to return. They are informed that no one has made it home though. Only Rosenthal’s plane makes it back in one piece. At the debriefing, they talk about the chaos of the mission. An almost empty interrogation room adds a haunting quality to the scene. There are no logs of any other planes to talk of. Nobody knows what has happened to the rest of the unit.
Who dies in “Part Five?”
Crosby is heartbroken to find out that Bubbles has died. He heads over to Bubbles’ quarters and reads the letter Bubbles had written to Crosby’s wife when he thought that Crosby had died. It’s an emotional final scene as Crosby breaks down in tears, crying. He has lost his best friend and blames himself for the death, because of his promotion.
What did you think of Masters of the Air Season 1 Episode 5? Comment below.
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