There is no thriller twist about the season two finale of The Diplomat that leaves fans stunned. It is another political drama by Apple that follows the adventures of Kate Wyler, the US Ambassador, who is a character played by Keri Russell, and her encounters with international espionage, tensions in the diplomatic realm, and high-stakes power play. In this season, there is a complex web of politics where loyalty is constantly under test between Kate and her husband Hal. It does two things: it heightens tension to the ultimate point while also preparing for what most probably will be a sizzling third season.
The final shocking revelation
At the end of the season, we discover that Vice President Grace Penn orchestrated a terrorist attack on a British ship, the HMS Courageous. She does this to ensure that Scotland does not vote in favor of independence and, more importantly, to keep a vital submarine base in the UK. Kate and Hal discover the truth, and they are presented with an extremely difficult decision: they feel morally bound to alert their government to Vice President Penn’s nefarious activities, even though such news might cause untold political fallout.
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After this revelation, Hal acts. He leaves the safety of the ambassador’s residence in London with Eidra, the CIA station chief, to make a secure call. Originally, he intended to notify Secretary of State Ganon but had a change of heart at the last minute. Hal chose to inform President Rayburn directly instead. Hal’s decision to bypass protocol has devastating consequences that reverberate across the U.S. government.
Meanwhile, Kate has a tense conversation in a suspenseful confrontation with Grace, while walking on the lawn of Winfield House, which is the American ambassador’s residence. There Grace indirectly compels Kate not to talk about her identity as an attacker. When Grace presses her for, “I need your assurance you’re not going to tell anyone,” Kate carefully lies and tells her she won’t say anything. Her assurance is technically true: she’s not the one who plans on saying anything—the husband is planning on telling everything to the president. In that sense, this is what shows Kate’s diplomatic ways to be subtlely fine as the line between lying and truth blurs by degrees.
A Fatal Error
Hal’s phone call to the president turns into an unexpected deadly result. Though viewers see only a glimpse of the call, it is obvious that the president is shocked and disturbed by the news concerning Grace. As soon as the other party hangs up, Hal frantically rushes out of the secure call room because he realizes that something has gone wrong. As an intense phone call with Kate reaches him, he does not hide the fact from Kate that he “did something.” He confesses he called the president straight and not the Secretary of State as he thought at the moment it was just the right decision to be made straight to the top.
However, this decision is a shocking tragedy: upon hearing the news of Grace’s role in the terror attack, President Rayburn dies instantaneously. The show did not exactly explain the condition of his death—heart attack because of the bad news, or something darker? Nonetheless, the abrupt death placed Grace Penn in the seat of the presidency because she was next in line.
The Cliffhanger
As the season fades away, the weight of Hal’s actions hangs high. Kate watches in sheer shock as Secret Service guards flood into Winfield House, sensing the massive transition of power that has just changed. Grace, once a long-time friend, now is the president, with this immense power at her tips. This power shift unearths unsettling implications within it; Grace’s goals and ethics are questionable regarding the future of U.S. leadership.
This finale brilliantly raises the stakes for season three. With Kate and Hal entangled in the highest levels of political deception, their next moves could determine the future of international diplomacy. It leaves viewers wondering how Kate will confront Grace now that she’s president and whether she’ll hold her accountable. The second season of The Diplomat is not as suspenseful; it also raises many questions regarding loyalty, ethics, and the cost of political ambition.
