In the season finale, “Paean to The People,” we find that Carrie is playing decoy for the Russians, Saul is racing Simone to the airport to get her out of Russia, President Keane has been temporarily removed from office, and acting President Warner has a huge decision to make. In the opening moments, Saul is trying to get his “diplomatic” team out of Russia, including Simone, who now has fake documents identifying her as Carrie, and Carrie, as we saw at the end of last week’s episode, is playing decoy, having the Russians, including Yevgeny, chase her around Moscow.
She needs to keep up the chase until she gets word that Saul and team have departed.
Saul makes it out with some unexpected help
As Carrie is continuing to lead the Russians astray, Saul and team have been stopped at the entry to the airport and are being prevented from continuing. Carrie tells Max, back at the command center, that she cannot keep up the chase much longer and she is now cornered behind a locked door, with Yevgeny in route.
Saul places a call to now President Warner, who is with traitor Senator Paley. Saul says he needs to get released immediately and needs Warner to pressure the Russian ambassador to make it happen.
Warner asks if Saul’s mission is a success. Saul is confused by the question but answers in the affirmative. Saul is not happy when Warner tells him that he will get back with him.
Senator Paley seemingly convinces President Warner to disown the operation and tell the Russian ambassador that Saul is not on a diplomatic mission. In one of the best scenes of the season, President Warner has the ambassador and Paley together and tells the ambassador that Saul is on a diplomatic mission and to release them immediately, or he will remove diplomatic immunity from all Russians at the embassy in DC and detain them all, starting with the ambassador. He then tells a stunned Senator Paley to "get the **** out his White House."
The threat works and Saul, with the team, including Simone, take off for safety just as Yevgeny captures Carrie.
She is taken to a secret Russian holding facility and Yevgeny, of course, is not happy. He has done his research on Carrie and knows she needs psychiatric meds which he threatens to withhold unless she tapes a statement telling the world that the entire Simone story is false. She of course refuses but is scared for her future.
President Keane is back
Back in the United States, Simone testifies to Congress about the Russian interference and Keane is now reinstated as President. She wants to impose harsh sanctions against the Russians. Vice President Warner agrees but counsels to make it a bi-partisan effort to unify the country behind the common enemy. Keane says that she will take it under advisement.
President Keane visits Saul’s team and thanks them for their work, and she next spends time at her veteran son’s grave. Her demeanor changes after the visit and she schedules a time to address the still divided country. Half the country is behind her and the other half believes she is an untruthful dictatorial leader.
During her address, she shocks everyone, including her own chief of staff, with an unscripted plea for unity and finding common ground. She wants us to stop fighting each other, which is exactly what the Russians are working to get us to do and work to strengthen our democracy before it is too late. She also states that she knows that she is a divisive figure, and she announces her resignation.
Vice President Warner, whom she now knows is a loyal patriot to the country, will assume the presidency.
On the Carrie front, Saul has been working behind the scenes to get a deal for the Russians to release her. After much negotiation and seven months have passed, Saul exchanges some top Russian operatives in custody for Carrie. As the season ends, Carrie walks towards Saul, terrified, disoriented, and then looks at him as if she has no idea who he is. Will she ever be normal again? Has she now been turned like Brody was in the original season? We will have to wait until next season to find out!