Episode 1 of Man on Fire begins with a CIA mission led by John Creasy, a decorated war veteran turned private contractor. However, his team is ambushed and killed in Mexico City. John escapes but suffers from severe PTSD, turning to alcohol and pills. Four years later, we see him sleeping with a bag on his head, like the ones his team were put in before they were killed. He attempts suicide but survives.
An old colleague, Rayburn, convinces him to join his private security firm and flies him down to Rio de Janeiro, where he lives with his wife, two sons, and teen daughter, Poe. Poe is going through her rebellious phase and "hates" her dad. Rayburn's latest assignment is to prevent a potential terrorist attack before the local election. President Carmo has been building luxury condos instead of helping the poor, and the terrorists may target these sites. Prado Soares, head of security, doesn't trust the withdrawn Creasy and tests him by asking him to strip a Glock and by jumping him. Creasy fails but Rayburn insists on hiring him, believing in him.
Poe mistakes Creasy's hesitation as annoyance at Rayburn and relates to it. However, Creasy reminds her that Rayburn loves her and would sing her lullabies via the phone no matter where he was in the world. That night, a cop notices some truckers loading something under an overpass. A biker with a tinted helmet simply kills him.
Rayburn tries to bid Poe goodnight and rightly figures that she is upset by his uprooting their life in the USA and leaving her friends behind. He gives her a lucky penny he found at Carmo's construction site and insists all he wants is his family by his side.
John is busy drinking at a beach party, and the fireworks give him PTSD. Melo, Rayburn's taxi service driver, picks him up and ends up lending an ear when he worries about letting down Rayburn.
He darted down an abandoned alley upon spotting a church, only to be confronted by two men attempting to rob him. It wasn't until Melo tried to intervene that he took the situation seriously, with the two assailants taking her as their hostage. Creasy nearly lost control, but Melo managed to stop him in time.
As everyone fell asleep, Poe set out for a house party. However, she was not in the mood and soon dozed off. When she awoke, she realized she had just 15 minutes before Rayburn noticed her absence. She snatched her friend Liam's bike and raced home.
Near the intersection, the truck from earlier and the biker caused her to fall. Frustrated, she finally arrived at the complex where her father spotted her from the lobby. He was teasing her when suddenly, the building exploded, killing him, his wife, and their two sons. Both Poe and John were left in shock.
Soares briefed Creasy that FRP, an extremist organization, had taken responsibility. Poe was the sole witness but refused to speak to them. John praised her for using her statement as leverage and negotiated on her behalf, demanding security and plane tickets to take her to her grandmother. John would remain behind to ensure Rayburn received justice. President Carmo agreed, but Soares remained skeptical.
Osmar, the trucker from earlier, was given files on Poe and John, with instructions to "fix things soon." They didn't consider John a threat. As they were taken to a safehouse, Poe tried to hold John's hand but he didn't react. That night, masked and alone, John effortlessly put together a Glock.
