Episode 2 of "Whiskey on the Rocks" kicks off with Swedish Prime Minister Fälldin meticulously attending to his flock, his brow furrowed with concern for their well-being. As the lamb he's roasting for breakfast slowly achieves the perfect juiciness and tenderness, he decides to take a brief moment to return a pending call. It is during this lull that he receives the urgent news, prompting him to hastily convene a high-stakes gathering of Swedish officials.
Within the hushed confines of the meeting, one official casually remarks about the Soviet vessel, suggesting, "Perhaps they took a wrong turn; perfection is a myth, after all." However, this flippant observation doesn't sit well with the military commander, whose frustration at being restrained from immediate action is palpable. The Swedish president, too, declines to engage in negotiations with either U.S. President Reagan or Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev.
Meanwhile, Reagan reaches out to Brezhnev. Sensing the escalating tensions, the translators, in a tacit act of diplomacy for world peace, agree to tone down the leaders' harsh rebukes and curses into more palatable language. Yet, despite their diligent efforts, the negotiations remain fruitless, culminating in a drunken Brezhnev ordering an attack. In response, the Soviet navy advances towards Sweden, while NATO scrambles its fighter jets, and Swedish troop mass near the conflict zone.
Caught in the whirlwind of this unfolding chaos, the two brothers find themselves grappling with regret over alerting the government, lamenting that their actions have led to a situation that is now "far too tumultuous."
Concurrently, a commander, bypassing the formal hierarchy, directly engages with Fälldin, imparting the gravity of the situation and the impending arrival of his superior, Commander-in-Chief Lagercrantz, at their base. Fälldin issues a stern directive: to hold their ground and refrain from resorting to aggression.
However, an unexpected twist unfolds as Lagercrantz's true intentions come to light—a humorous revelation that he is more consumed with avenging the Bolshevik-perpetrated murder of his grandparents than safeguarding the nation. Upon Lagercrantz's arrival at the base, he is astounded to discover that the prime minister has banned any offensive behavior.
Tensions escalate to a fever pitch as Soviet vessels close in on the stranded Whiskey-class submarine, leaving it increasingly vulnerable. In response, the Swedes assert their presence with a nearby submarine, but this is met with a dismissive sneer from the Soviets, who utter, "What audacious brigands." Ultimately, the Swedes employ a skip frequency tactic, successfully halting the Soviet advance amidst fears of igniting a full-scale war.
The episode concludes with Brezhnev's furious scream echoing into the void, as he orders the submarine's captain to "suffer eternal damnation in hell."
