As the second episode of The Diplomat's third season unfolds, Hal finds himself in a predicament, speaking with Kate about the momentous revelation that he's set to become the Vice President. Despite his hesitance to fully embrace the offer, he desires her input first. Kate, however, responds with a mixture of silence and bitterness, until finally blurting out a begrudging encouragement for him to accept. She departs with a heavy heart, leaving behind an unspoken reminder of her bitter disappointment and a clear intention to keep an eye on Grace Penn.
That night, Kate returns, her arrival coinciding with the White House's preparations to welcome Hal as the new VP. A 15-person legal team awaits his vetting process, while he's expected to answer calls from the council office at any hour of the day or night. Amidst this chaos, Hal's primary concern is regaining Kate's favor, including inquiring about her role in the proceedings. He believes she deserves a more prominent position than just Second Lady, but Kate is pragmatic and knows better. She explains that he was likely chosen due to his apolitical nature and his ability to aid in foreign policy, not to mention his photogenic appearance.
Meanwhile, news of Eidra's death reaches the staff, providing a grim explanation for her overdose in the previous episode. However, this development presents a particularly sticky situation – a hostage's death in a CIA safehouse during a time of heightened tension following Trowbridge's attack.
Hal forces a video call with Billie, armed with terms for taking on the role of Vice President. He wants to clear the air after she kept the truth about the False Flag attack from Rayburn. Using this as blackmail material, Hal leverages for Kate to be given a more substantial role in the office. Billie concedes, and a role is created for Kate as the Special Envoy for Europe.
Excited by this good news, Kate shares it with Stuart, admitting that she wants him to join her in this Special Envoy position. However, the logistics are still unclear and very much up in the air, and that's not a risk Stuart is willing to take.
Next, Kate speaks to Trowbridge and reveals the bad news about Roylin's death. He and Dennison are obviously shocked, and the latter soon turns his frustrations to Kate. He's not happy that Roylin wasn't returned before the swearing-in and the manner of her death.
It doesn't help that Kate is clearly not a key member of this administration (outside of her new role, of course) and Trowbridge is pretty pissed when he hears she's leaving.
Interspersed throughout this episode, we also get flashbacks to Baghdad in 2010, where Kate worked tirelessly to mediate a difficult situation between Iraq and Iran, giving Hal a lot of guidance in the process. And let's not forget, she gave more than guidance as we see the pair starting their romantic endeavors too.
Despite the context, it is evident that Kate prioritizes her relationship over her own professional aspirations, a sentiment that resonates with the current VP situation. This is a crucial observation because, in addition to the Envoy position, Kate has another option at hand. She could choose to remain in London instead of fully embracing the role of Second Lady, but that would mean being 3000 miles away from Hal. The decision weighs heavily on her, causing a deep internal conflict over her life's direction. In the end, as she watches Hal board a plane back to America, Kate turns away from him, choosing to stay in London for the time being, her heart filled with unspoken longing and uncertainty.
