In episode 4 of "The Sympathizer," the Captain crosses paths with filmmaker Niko Damianos, discussing his upcoming movie based on the Vietnam War. The Captain vehemently advocates for greater agency and portrayal of the Vietnamese people in the film, but these concerns seem mere trifles to Niko, who is consumed by his grandiose vision and lacks a profound interest in such matters.
However, after imagining a conversation with Man, urging him to uphold the representation of the Vietnamese, the Captain ultimately decides to join the shoot as a Vietnamese consultant, striving to maintain authenticity. Seventeen weeks later, in the scenic Napa Valley, he unexpectedly discovers Lana, the daughter of a general, hiding in his car trunk. Unable to abandon her on the highway, he reluctantly brings her along.
Upon arriving at the filming location, they are greeted by the jubilant presence of a popular idol, much to Lana's delight. As the opening day festivities draw to a close, the production designer escorts the Captain to the elaborate set, which boasts imported plants and animals to evoke the spirit of Vietnam. The Captain is pleasantly surprised and nostalgic as he surveys the scene.
As they progress to the graveyard set, the Captain reveals that his mother passed away while he was in America, and he requests that her name be inscribed on one of the gravestones. The shooting finally commences, but it soon comes to a halt when a Chinese extra refuses to speak Vietnamese. Since authenticity is paramount to Niko, he orders the search for Vietnamese extras, and the Captain summons a group of Vietnamese refugees.
As the filming resumes, the Captain cheekily inserts anti-American dialogues for the Vietnamese characters. In another scene, the extras refuse to portray Viet Cong soldiers, and their incoherent dialogue baffles everyone. However, Niko remains unfazed, prioritizing their acting abilities over linguistic authenticity.
Soon, we discover that Bon has gracefully joined the filming, relishing the opportunity to die in a variety of creative ways on the silver screen. With Bon's addition, Lana also joins in, adding depth to the extra scenes. Meanwhile, Lana and Jamie's bond grows stronger with each passing moment.
Later, Captain visits Niko to discuss the dialogue for the Vietnamese characters in the torture sequence. The scene calls for the Viet Cong to inflict pain on an Asian-American character, but Niko remains unmoved. As Captain departs, he stumbles upon the actor portraying the Asian-American character, hungry and preparing for his role.
Later, when they review the torture scene, Captain's mind is transported back to a painful memory - the woman comrade who suffered under the hands of the CIA and Vietnamese counter-intelligence.
That evening, a spark of inspiration ignites within Niko, leading him to conceive a new scene - a rape scene that bears the name of Captain's mother and is eerily inspired by real-life events. Captain confronts Niko, enraged by this revelation, but Niko stands firm in his decision to include the scene. In the heat of their argument, Niko makes a rash decision - he fires Captain.
Now, the Captain's nerves were on edge regarding one of the method actors portraying Captain Shamus in the upcoming film. This particular actor, slightly unhinged and renowned for blurring the lines between reality and performance, had Captain's hackles raised. His fears were exacerbated when the Asian-American actor casually mentioned an incident where Captain Shamus had punched his co-star, breaking his nose, "just to evoke a genuine reaction from his scene partner."
The Captain was petrified that this method actor might actually rape Lana on camera. Therefore, during the rape scene, as the tension began to mount, the Captain gave a subtle cue to the other actor to intervene and rescue Lana's character. Niko, enraged by this unexpected turn of events, lost his temper, and the two actors engaged in a fierce altercation, smashing noses and ruining the scene beyond repair.
Later, as the Captain paid his respects at his mother's faux grave, Niko's altered ending scene unfolded, and the entire village and film set were bombed. Sitting in the re-education camp, the Captain recounted these harrowing memories. He found his time in America deeply repulsive and couldn't help but hum their revolutionary songs whenever an American pop tune played, a stark contrast to the horrors he had witnessed.
