Episode 1 of "Citadel: Diana" thrusts us into a gripping narrative, opening with our protagonist, Diana, executing a target with cold precision before turning the gun's deadly gaze upon her own arm, a shocking act that leaves no room for doubt. As she flees the scene, her car's engine roaring into the distance, the stage is set for a revelatory journey.
It's Milano, 2030, a city where the shadows of the omnipresent Manticore network loom large, their grip felt across various territories worldwide. Yet, amidst this dystopian landscape, resistance flickers, ignited by protests against the imposition of safe zones and the controversial proposal to emulate the "American Model" in firearm regulation. Opinions on these matters are as divided as the city's streets.
Diana and Luca embark on their next covert mission, their targets being fellow Manticore agents tasked with infiltrating a sister agency. The clock ticks towards their 4 PM rendezvous, a rendezvous that plunges them into silence—all communication lines severed until further notice. A stern warning echoes in their ears: observe, but do not engage, do not fire a single shot.
Their mission entwines with the intricate web of Zani Enterprises, a clandestine weapons manufacturer helmed by Ettore and Edo Zani. Their ingenuity knows no bounds, crafting firearms that morph into innocuous objects, deceiving even the most vigilant security measures. But their ambitions are thwarted at a clandestine meeting with representatives from Germany and France—Cecile and Wolfgang, respectively. The air is thick with discontent as the Zanis (and Manticore Italia by proxy) discover they've been sidelined, their influence curtailed for another three years, devoid of a voice in decision-making.
Outside, intrigue simmers as Cecile propositions Edo, a bold move to stage a coup, fusing their territories and agencies into a single, formidable entity. It's a risky game, one that threatens to shatter the fragile balance Edo has painstakingly constructed in Italy. The solution, she proposes, lies in a union of marriage, a bond that would solidify their power and reshape Manticore into a beast of their own making. Edo is left to ponder the weight of her words, the future of his empire hanging in the balance.
Luca and Diana embark on a perilous journey to Switzerland, hot on the trail of a clandestine rendezvous in the picturesque town of Lugano. As they infiltrate the scene, ears pricked for any whisper of the secret exchange, the French and German agents' conversation drips with enigmatic references to an "Apple," a cryptic euphemism for a lethal weapon. Just as the exchange of contraband commences, Diana, driven by an impulsive fury, draws her pistol and, without hesitation, dispatches the French operative in a chilling display of violence. The German agent, however, manages to evade the bullet storm, slipping through the cracks of the failed transaction.
Diana's reckless abandon in revealing her cover and firing in broad daylight is nothing short of astonishing, yet she emerges unscathed. Seizing half of the ominous "apple" from the table where blood now stains the deal, she commandeers a car, dragging Luca along for the tumultuous ride, a reluctant accomplice in her wake.
As we rewind to the episode's inception, tensions between Luca and Diana boil over into a violent confrontation, culminating in Diana's callous execution of her own partner. Unfazed, she marches back to headquarters, where a web of deceit awaits.
Under interrogation's glare, Diana not only navigates the lie detector's unblinking eye with ease but also orchestrates a cunning reversal, pinning the blame squarely on Luca, painting herself as the victim of his supposed aggression. She cunningly weaves in the fabric of Luca's alleged infidelity, further muddying the waters of truth.
Diana's relentless pursuit stems from a deep-seated obsession—uncovering the truth behind her parents' tragic plane crash in the treacherous Alps, a mystery that haunts her every waking moment.
Her quest for Rainer, the fugitive German agent, takes a harrowing turn when dizziness overtakes her, and she collapses, her body's betrayal leading her to the hospital's confines. There, a somber diagnosis is revealed—Ménière's disease, a relentless inner ear affliction that whispers of vertigo and the dizzying abyss it can plunge one into, a malady as unforgiving as the secrets Diana harbors within.
As he stirs from slumber, her sister, Sara, stands vigilantly by, her presence a testament to their frayed bond, woven from the intricate tapestry of past disputes and familial clashes. With Iceland looming as her sanctuary, a sanctuary amidst the dwindling havens and omnipresent scrutiny, Sara extends an invitation for Diana to join her in exile. Yet, Diana's heart is set on vengeance, a quest that fuels her refusal, determined to see her current mission through to its bitter end.
The Zani family's dynamics mirror Diana's own familial strife, with Edo torn between allegiance to his kin and the lure of striking a deal with Cecile. In this intricate dance of loyalty and betrayal, Diana relentlessly pursues Rainer, the German fugitive who narrowly escaped the disastrous deal in Lugano. Demanding a hefty price tag of twenty million for the elusive Apple, Rainer concedes to a rendezvous the very next dawn.
As Diana retraces her steps towards home, the present intertwines with vivid flashbacks from a decade ago, painting a poignant contrast. A cryptic phone call lures her into a rooftop encounter with an enigmatic figure—Gabriele. He, a Citadel operative, unveils a chilling truth: the assassination of Diana's parents was no random act, but a calculated strike, labeled merely as "collateral damage." Zani Manufacturing, he whispers, stands at the helm of this conspiracy, urging Diana to embark on a quest for justice, to bring the perpetrators to account.
Now, in the present tense, Diana boldly confronts Edu Zani at his doorstep, armed with knowledge of the French component of a weapon and the Zanis' secretive plot to revive Manticore Italy. Her words carry a weighty intention—a dialogue that threatens to unravel the intricate web of deceit and forge a new path for reckoning.
