Homeland - State of Independence Season 2 Episode 3 Recap

“State of Independence” opens with Saul attempting to depart from Beirut and return home. He is detained by the Lebanese airport officials, who have targeted him because of his Jewish name. They go through his diplomatic case and warn him not to return to Lebanon. This scene is incongruous with the rest of the episode, though it could have far-reaching consequences; the CIA may need to return to Beirut at some point. Alternately, the scene may just have been a reminder of the real-life tensions that exist in that part of the world.

Meanwhile, Carrie stays up all night writing her statement regarding the overseas operation to kill Abu Nazir. It is clear that she is far more invested in CIA operations than is healthy for her. Her father reminds her that her “great mood” is really the manic aspect of her disorder pushing her. The next day, Danny picks up Carrie’s report and promises to let her know about the departmental debriefing. Carrie is excited and hopeful that she has earned a second chance with the CIA.

Jessica is cleaning up around the kitchen when she finds Brody’s speech for that night’s fundraiser. She is taken aback by what it reveals. Brody has written that he expected to die in captivity and that his family would move on without him. He has never confided any of this in Jessica, and she appreciates his candor while being confused as to why he would choose to discuss those feelings in a public speech. Of course, the audience knows that the speech is a lie, that he spent much of his captivity safely under the care and tutelage of Nazir. He always knew that he would return home to complete his terrorist mission. Jessica, believing that she has finally broken down the last remaining barrier between herself and her husband, attempts to reconnect with him but is interrupted when Dana comes home from school early.

Brody gets a phone call from the journalist who previously admitted to being a terrorist ally. The CIA is close to figuring out who made the bomb that Brody failed to detonate. Brody must move the bomb maker to a safe house that day. He will have to rush in order to be back in time for Jessica’s fundraiser, which will be attended by numerous government officials, including the Vice President. Brody’s absence would arouse suspicion.

Carrie becomes anxious as the time of the debriefing approaches and Danny has not contacted her yet. She decides to go to Langley regardless, and finds that the meeting has already begun without her. David commends her for a job well done but deliberately keeps her out of the meeting. He straightforwardly asks Carrie if she thought the CIA would reinstate her. She denies it, and David nearly believes her.

Jessica is preparing for her fundraiser and becomes increasingly frustrated when Brody’s excuses sound dishonest. He claims that he has to attend a union function, but he is really driving out to Gettysburg to retrieve the bomb maker. They are delayed by a flat tire, after which the bomb maker attempts to escape. He is paranoid and does not trust Brody. He does not want to leave his family behind, but the success of the terrorist plot depends on tying up this loose end. Brody cannot let him go. Brody chases the bomb maker, who falls in the woods and is impaled by an old animal trap. He begs to be taken to a hospital, but Brody cannot risk the possible exposure. He kills the bomb maker and buries him in the woods.

While Brody is behaving in this decidedly non-Congressional manner, Jessica is having a shimmering moment at the fundraiser. She wins over her audience with a speech about how hard it is for military families to reconnect emotionally after they are physically reunited. Afterward, she confesses to Mike that she does not trust Brody. Brody arrives home and implicitly accuses Mike and Jessica of continuing their relationship. Jessica can tell that Brody is lying about why he missed the fundraiser, and she threatens to divorce him if he keeps hiding things from her.

Carrie leaves her sister’s house and says goodbye to her father. She goes back to her own apartment and gets dressed to go out. She becomes overwhelmed by the certainty that she will never be allowed back into the CIA and consumes pills and wine in a moment of desperation. She lies down and prepares to die but snaps out of it in time to expel the pills. Saul comes to visit her, and she admits that she is unsure of what her new direction in life should be. He shows her the video of Brody’s would-be dying declaration, and she finally learns that she was right about him all along.