It took us two episodes to get here, but now we can say with absolute certainty that it was Harold Harper who shot Faraz Hamzad in the secret cave with the revolver. Strangely enough, this wasn’t even the biggest reveal of “X.†Oh, no, this week’s twist is that Dan Chase’s dream came true. In the most nightmarish way possible, that is. Emily hasn’t turned out like her biological father, Faraz Hamzad. Instead, she’s inherited all of Chase’s deadly skills, proving herself to be a stone-cold killer just like dear old dad.
Now that Emily has reunited with her two American dads, having spent the past month getting to know her Afghan family, the question is, where does that leave our main characters? Judging from the episode’s explosive conclusion, that’s a ginormous shrug emoji. But it’s not all bad — at least Taliban bad guy Omar is dead.
The episode opens with yet another super-awkward family reunion: Emily racing into the secret cave where Chase and Harper hid from the Taliban in the first episode and where Hamzad entered at the end of the second. Hamzad now lies wounded at the hands of Harper’s gun. (Harper thought Hamzad was going to shoot Chase, so fair enough.) How these people kept their emotions in check is nothing short of incredible (yay, intelligence training, I guess). This is the first time Emily and Chase have seen each other in God knows how long — remember, she couldn’t even attend her own mother’s funeral! — so they lock into a tight embrace. But you can’t deny the weirdness: Harper is still calling her “Angela,†Emily has yet to address the fact that Chase spent her entire life lying to her, and, oh, yeah, her biological dad is lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest. One thing is for sure, though: Emily isn’t taking the easy way out and jumping onto a military chopper back to the United States. She’s staying until Hamzad receives medical attention, despite his pleas that she go with her adoptive fathers.
But she needs her American dads’ help to do this. While Chase abides, it’s a little harder for Harper to accept that Emily has developed an affection for a man he’s only known as an enemy of the U.S., not as a three-dimensional human being. As they make their way back down the mountain, Chase offers a nugget of wisdom: Now is not the time to alienate Emily, a woman still knee-deep in unraveling her family history. Abandoning Hamzad to save their own necks? Yeah, that would’ve guaranteed Emily would never speak to either of them again. The Old Man is wisely doubling down on these touching scenes between Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow since both actors barely appeared together last season.
Chase may understand where Emily is coming from, but the fear he’s carried ever since he helped Belour escape Afghanistan with toddler Parwana remains at the forefront of his mind: He’s petrified his daughter’s reestablished relationship with Hamzad will somehow usurp the love Emily has for him.
Back in the village, the standoff from last week’s episode continues between Omar (who reaches such cartoonish levels of villainy in “X†that it’s impossible to take him seriously) and Khadija. I firmly believe that Khadija has enough grit to hold Omar off herself, but why do that when her son (Amir Malaklou) can swoop in on a helicopter with a large bag of cash and an American-accented English? In one of The Old Man’s signature monologues, Khadija’s son (sorry, I didn’t catch his name) tells Omar he’s in over his head, and no matter what he may have heard, Faraz Hamzad is still a powerful name in Kabul. Whether it’s this guy’s confidence, the money, or both, it works. Omar and his soldiers leave, and Khadija directs a barrage of questions toward her son. Much to my gratitude, because I’m still confused over this part of the plot.
So according to this new character, the Hamzad family is in deep shit, but not because of the Taliban: Morgan Bote is majorly pissed they abducted Emily/Parwana, and in retaliation, he’s frozen all of the Hamzad family’s assets. (Reminder that Morgan Bote is the OG “Old Manâ€; director of the FBI and surrogate father to both Dan Chase and Harold Harper.)
Unfortunately, Omar and his men don’t leave the village outskirts immediately, allowing Omar to work his creepy charms on Farouk — the little boy Emily befriended in last week’s episode. Farouk’s mother, Faruza, starts running toward her son in a panic, as Omar pries information about Emily out of the boy. Farouk is no fool, and he awesomely smacks Omar before taking off. But all the poor kid gets for his courage is his mother murdered in cold blood.
Up in the mountains, Emily is slowly demonstrating that she has indeed inherited Chase’s murderous talents: She helps Chase dispatch two Taliban soldiers by preventing one of them from reaching his gun. The walkie-talkie the soldiers left behind connects their makeshift party to Omar, who offers a deal: If Hamzad turns himself in and explains the presence of three Americans to the Ministry in Kabul, then the village will remain safe. Hamzad wants to take the deal; Emily and Chase think things will end in bloodshed regardless.
Emily wants to speak to Omar directly, thinking her presence — and the truth — will defuse the situation. Omar wants to know why Hamzad kidnapped an FBI agent. But the way Emily sees it, “There is no Angela Adams anymore.†Talk about a knife straight to Harold Harper’s heart, Em! Emily’s take on the situation is her presence in Afghanistan is nothing more than a family reunion.
While we try to absorb this simultaneously idealistic and dangerous approach, we’re treated to yet another lovely male-bonding sesh between Chase and Harper as they navigate the mountainous terrain on horseback. Understandably, Harper is going through all the feels after hearing, “There is no Angela Adams anymore.†Chase reminds him that wasn’t a personal dig — and that Harper would’ve moved heaven and Earth to rescue Emily, whether her name was Angela Adams, Parwana Hamzad, or Laura Loomer. Harper, to his credit, can at least recognize that things are far more difficult for Emily, who “came halfway around the world to find answers that no one else would give her.†And that Chase was a great dad: “You raised one hell of a kid.â€
Excuse me while I burst into tears for a quick second.
Okay, I’m back. As the foursome approaches the village, Hamzad bids Emily a heart-wrenching farewell and rides down solo, preparing to martyr himself for the sake of his people. He collapses at Omar’s feet (how he hasn’t bled out by now is anybody’s guess), and Emily, who’s been watching everything play out from a safe distance demonstrates that she’s just as much a Hamzad as she is a Chase. She gallops off while Harper and Chase are busy conferring over the best landing spot for the rescue chopper.
Emily walks right into the standoff and lets Omar run his mouth. Partially for exposition (Omar totally knows who she is; he offers additional clemency if she cooperates) but also so she can silently assess the situation. She notices Faruza’s lifeless body on the ground, and as the camera zooms in on Alia Shawkat’s face, Emily realizes she can’t leave with her American dads. This is her family, and they’ll continue being slaughtered by the Taliban if she doesn’t fight back.
She introduces herself as “Parwana Hamzad,†but there’s no time to celebrate her taking custody of her Afghan name. Just as she shoves a knife deep into Omar’s neck, Dan Chase suddenly materializes and opens fire on the Taliban soldiers while Emily takes cover with Hamzad. Nothing like gun violence to give you a lump in your throat, am I right? Dan Chase has his daughter’s back no matter what, even if he’s operating a machine gun.
And hey, look! It’s the chopper coming to save the Americans during a high-budget action sequence that blows the military trucks into the air and kills a ton of background actors! Somehow, all of the main characters come out of this scene alive and safe, including, drat, Omar. As he crawls on the ground, whimpering for help, Emily doesn’t hesitate to rid her family’s village of the evil Omar represents. With a look of fury, she fires two gunshots into the back of his head, and Omar whimpers no more.
DAMN, GURL.
Her name may be Parwana Hamzad, but she is Dan Chase’s daughter.
That’s, Like, Your Opinion, Man
• I have never been this intrigued to learn more about a character who is, at this point, still just a voice on the phone. Janet McTeer’s Marion demands no financial payment for the Special Forces chopper that will ostensibly rescue Chase, Harper, and Emily. All she wants is dinner — with the very married Harper. The way John Lithgow winces at the thought just goes to show Marion has a fascinating hold on her ex-husband, and I can’t wait to see how this plays out.