As twilight descends upon Chevening House, marking the commencement of Episode 6 of The Diplomat, a ripple of consternation washes over the gathering, sparked by Kate's abrupt suggestion of resorting to aerial bombardments. The mere mention of invoking the royal prerogative and the subsequent notification to the defense secretary only stirs the pot further. Kate, seeking to quell Austin's misgivings, reveals her true intentions—to mollify the agitated Prime Minister, nothing more.
Retiring to their chambers, Kate confronts Hal with doubts about her own actions, lamenting her inexperience. Hal, ever the solace, assures her that advocating for a Russian bombing wasn't the first nor the final straw in their arsenal. With a glass of alcohol in hand, Kate contemplates drowning her sorrows, her appetite forsaken. Hal gently guides her to the kitchen's warmth, where they indulge in a tart and other delectables, seeking solace amidst the chaos.
Their tranquil respite is briefly disrupted by an encounter with Trowbridge, armed with a trio of wine bottles. Seizing the moment, Trowbridge commends Kate's strategic prowess, contrasting it sharply with the incompetence he perceives in his own staff. His distrust of the team, including Austin Dennison, whom he accuses of scheming against him, echoes through the conversation. Drawing parallels to World War II, he passionately argues for a preemptive strike against Russia, fearing a swift repetition of Germany's march to London post-Poland's invasion.
Kate, her voice laced with caution, warns against the brink of nuclear conflict that bombing Russia might precipitate. She urges Trowbridge to explore alternatives that steer clear of war's destructive path.
Back in their quarters, the Wylers, joined by Austin and Stuart, embark on an all-night vigil, seeking a bloodless solution to appease the Prime Minister. Stuart ventures to Eidra, seeking insights into Russia's machinations. Eidra reveals that Russian submarines have been prowling Britain's shores, hinting that Moscow might be aware of London's suspicions regarding its involvement in the explosion.
Dawn breaks as Kate presents Austin with a meticulously crafted strategy, urging him to present it to Trowbridge. Initially hesitant, Austin succumbs to Kate's persuasive charms. Their audience with the Prime Minister, over breakfast, unfolds with Austin outlining his plan, only to be met with rejection. Instead, the PM fixes his sights on a precise target—the Aleppo-Raqqa-Hama triangle, where he envisions unleashing his retaliation.
Kate instinctively discerned that Trowbridge had butchered the name's pronunciation and it was evident that he hadn't been the one to propose the meeting's venue. Hal, with a mischievous glint in his eye, confessed to Kate that he had been "playing the part of a dutiful spouse," yet he couldn't help but "eavesdrop on every whisper." He orchestrated a garden rendezvous between Kate and Cecilia, where the latter unveiled the reason behind the Prime Minister's presence in their midst. Margaret Roylin, Trowbridge's erstwhile confidante, resided nearby, and Cecilia hinted that their former mentor might still be in cahoots with her. She further disclosed a stunning revelation: her brother, Austin, could very well have been the Prime Minister himself, until Margaret's calculated salvo of articles in the Daily Mail, exposing an illicit prescription scandal, brought him crashing down.
In a fit of adrenaline-fueled excitement, Kate's mind momentarily deserted the task of greeting Ganon at the airport, instead entrusting the duty to Hal. At Margaret's doorstep, Kate confronted her, who, without flinching, acknowledged her role in choosing the location but pivoted the conversation to the United Kingdom's tumultuous political landscape. Margaret posited that the bombing might serve as a catalyst, knitting together the frayed threads of the nation's warring factions.
Back at Chevening House, a tense vigil awaited Kate's return. Trowbridge, Ganon, and their comrades paced anxiously, while Hal and Austin engaged in a heated discourse about the merits of targeting the Lenkov group, the notorious faction behind the string of explosions. Austin, unwavering in his stance, argued that "self-defense stands as the sole legitimate pillar for a British strike." Hal probed deeper, seeking a hypothetical scenario where Britain could justifiably defend herself while involving the Lenkov group. Austin then drew upon the example of Libya, where the Lenkov group waged a relentless war, prompting repeated pleas for aid from the beleaguered nation.
As the conversation unfolded, a damning truth emerged: Margaret's mind had conceived this plan, and the Prime Minister, swayed by her arguments, had given it his blessing. The stage was now set for a game of political intrigue and high-stakes decisions that would reverberate throughout the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Eidra's discontent with the proposed strategy lingered, her voice laced with uncertainty as she voiced her concerns about the vague intelligence surrounding the perpetrators of the Russian explosions. Trowbridge, however, embraced the plan wholeheartedly, standing in stark contrast to Ganon's resolute opposition. Kate and Hal, perplexed by Ganon's rejection of what seemed like an ironclad plan, delved deeper into the mystery.
Hal tasked Stuart with uncovering Ganon's unexpected detour during his journey from Washington D.C., and the revelation of a stop in South Carolina sparked suspicion like wildfire. Kate and Hal's deduction: Ganon harbored no desire for the mission's success, secretly plotting against the US President's will, his ambition for the presidency simmering beneath the surface.
Elsewhere, Stuart and Eidra's conversation turned intimate as they grappled with the decision to bring their relationship into the open light. Hal's subtle yet astute observation, coupled with Stuart's inadvertent confirmation, had left them with little choice but to confront the truth head-on.
As the episode drew to a close, Ganon received a momentous call from the President, granting approval to Kate's bold plan and authorizing a march into Libya. In a separate exchange, Cecilia, chatting with Stuart, likened Kate to a "lustful tornado," a force of nature fueled by both her unwavering dedication to her work and an unspecified, yet palpable, passion that lingered in the air. Her words, though enigmatic, painted a vivid portrait of Kate's intricate dynamics.
The final scene etched an ominous portrait, with Kate, Austin, and Hal frozen in a single, foreboding frame, watched over by Stuart and Cecilia, their gazes filled with a mix of anticipation and unease.
