Summary
In a slower episode than usual, The Old Man nonetheless delivers some intriguing dialogue and two significant character deaths.
The Old Man feels different in Season 2; at this point, that’s undeniable. But in Episode 4 is starts to feel a bit more like its Season 1 self, at least in part because two of the leading trio head back Stateside, and a couple of the first season’s more interesting supporting players make comebacks. “XI” isn’t the most pacey or explosive episode the show has delivered, but it nonetheless claims the lives of two pretty significant characters and introduces a new villain, which isn’t bad going for 40 minutes.
The knock-on effects of those demises is sure to complicate things on both a plot and character level, which is saying a lot since everyone is presently dealing with complex internal feelings and external predicaments. There’s a fair bit to unpack here, so let’s get on with it.
Parting Ways
Early in the episode, there’s a choice to be made. Harper can’t hold the exfiltration chopper for much longer, but Parwana — I’m just calling her by her birth name now, since that’s what she’s going by — has to decide, like a member of The Clash, if she should stay or she should go.
Arguments for leaving are obvious — she’d be back in the U.S., back with her dads, back to the (relative) safety and security of the West. The arguments for staying are a bit more complicated. With the economic sanctions imposed on Hamzad by Morgan Bote, it’s only a short matter of time before the Taliban raze the place. She would be abandoning her father and her other relatives; the innocent women and children in the village.
So, Parwana decides to stay. But she has a request of Chase and Harper. She wants them to convince Bote to lift the sanctions and give Hamzad some power back in the region. And she knows they’ll do it, since it’s her who’s asking.
Homecoming
Bote isn’t especially happy to see either of his surrogate sons. They’re not thrilled to see him, either, having spent the entirety of the rickety flight over bickering about whether to persuade or simply torture him into doing what they want. But they’re thrown for a loop when they arrive for two reasons. One is that Bote hints at a much larger story unfolding around them that they have no knowledge of. The second is that Chase’s sort-of girlfriend, Zoe, is there, along with Dave and Carol the dogs.
What Bote rather loosely tries to explain is the value of the Meshbahar mineral deposit. This isn’t just important in the obvious financial ways that everybody understands, but will also seemingly influence a lot of trade and technological development in the near future. It’s imperative that the West control it, which is a problem since someone else is trying to steal ownership of it from under the U.S.’s nose — Suleyman Pavlovich, the shady Russian Chase went to see in one episode of the first season.
For some reason, the only person who can successfully negotiate with Hamzad’s lawyer and prevent Pavlovich from getting access to the deposit is Zoe. But Zoe thinks Bote should find a way to help Chase and Harper with what they’re asking, which is essentially some kind of temporary measure to get the people of Hamzad’s village out of harm’s way before the Taliban roll in.
Pictured: Amy Brenneman as Zoe McDonald. CR: Chuck Hodes/FX.
RIP Faraz Hamzad
Back in Afghanistan, Parwana is dealing with another dilemma. Tarik wants her to return to the U.S. with him, and Hamzad would like her to as well. Tarik’s whole deal is getting everyone out of the village and to a better life in the West where the Taliban aren’t in control. However, he has reliably faced resistance to this viewpoint from his own family and others, who are tied to their land and their culture. He thinks that Parwana, who has experienced the safety and security of America, is best positioned to persuade everyone to relocate.
This debate is halted, though, when Khadija arrives with some sad news — Hamzad has died from his injuries. All the key figures in the village know it was Harper who shot him, but nobody is blaming Parwana for it. Their official story is that Hamzad was shot by a Taliban soldier while defending his daughter, and they’re sticking to it.
But Parwana is left in the same predicament. Does she leave with Tarik, or remain behind in the village come what may? We don’t find out in The Old Man Season 2, Episode 4.
RIP Morgan Bote
The second big death of “XI” is that of Morgan Bote. Just when it seems like he’s considering helping Harper and Chase after all, Russian assassins burst in and kill him. Luckily, Chase is able to sic Dave and Carol on the surviving gunman, saving Zoe’s life, but with Bote dead, they’re going to have to come up with another solution to help Parwana and the village.
The episode comes to a close with a brief Pavlovich sighting, who is marvelling at the photograph of Bote’s corpse that his assassin sent to him. However, Chase and Harper are the real targets, and the Russian is quite adamant that, at this stage, they can’t afford any loose ends.
It looks like Chase, Harper, and Zoe are going back on the run. But at least they’ve got the dogs back.
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