Jack Ryan – Season 3 Episode 8 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Star on the Wall

Luka reaches Kronstadt to confront Antonov; Ryan makes his way toward the base. An American team picks him up but chances are that he will not be dropped on the ship.

Kovac, Greer, and Mike prepare to meet with Surikov. Popov’s erstwhile bodyguard takes them through the tunnels where Greer separates to meet on the other end. Surikov learns about Petrov’s betrayal and is understandably furious. He orders Petrov to call The Fearless back. Antonov and Luka meet but the latter is arrested. They meet in his cell. Antonov has never been able to forget that day in Matoska. They both accuse each other of being traitors. Luka warns him that if Alexei does not prevail, Antonov will never be redeemed.

Alexei gathers a cabinet meeting and his motion to dismiss Surikov is passed successfully after a rousing speech. After his chopper isn’t allowed to land on the USS Roosevelt, Ryan jumps into the sea and is brought on deck by the captain. He is angry with Ryan but the CIA operative who threw him in was clever. He knew the Captain would be legally obligated to pick him up once he dropped into the sea. Ryan tells the Captain about the intel they have gathered and that the move they make today with the ship is not against Russia at all. A coup will lead to hostilities in the Baltic but the Captain is not moved.

It is only when Ryan correctly guesses that the Fearless has come alone is when the Captain is inclined to hear him. Despite all the updates, the Captain knows how to handle the situation. He will engage if the Russians will, notwithstanding what Ryan told him. Greer arranges a meeting with Petrov claiming he knows about Crossbow. Alena and Mike go to meet Surikov in the Kremlin. Luka tries to manipulate Kaginsky, the guard standing his ground outside his cell. Greer offers Petrov a way out. He says that Crossbow will fail and that the US government has authorized Greer to provide him with a safe haven.

Kovac offers Surikov the recording in exchange for deescalating tensions with the US and pulling back troops from the Czech borders. He agrees to do so. Surikov plays it in the meeting with his ministers and generals. Petrov is called for. He takes Greer’s leave and goes to the war room.

When he emerges, Petrov is met with guards. He tries to shoot his way out but is shot down by security. But his cleansing does not stop there. He now wants to sort out the traitors from the patriots. The Fearless, meanwhile, as opened its missile bays. This means they will most probably attack. The Russians too are told to report to the battle stations by Antonov.

Luka is able to convince Kaginsky to let him out. But Antonov still holds sway over the soldiers. They complete the sequence to fire missiles and launch them. Roosevelt engages with “birds”. Ryan is conclusively asked by Captain Bennet to stand down as he has taken his intelligence into consideration and has decided to act.

Kaginsky pulls out a gun against Antonov, to which the Russian soldiers stationed around him do the same. Luka asks Antonov to not repeat the same mistake he did all those years ago in Matoska. They swore to protect their Motherland. The guards stand down and Antonov is arrested. Luka communicates with Roosevelt and further attacks are prevented. He also confirms that they are not at war and it is up to the US to change the status. Bennet orders them to stand down when he feels there is no further threat.

Surikov frees Greer and asks him not to reveal to anyone he was in Russia to broker peace. Mike and Greer bid Kovac farewell and head back home. Elizabeth is made the director of the CIA by the POTUS. She bestows honorary medals on Jack and Greer for their service.

Gocharaov’s monologue, addressed to Jack, plays over the montage. He feels that in their profession, there are no heroes. There are good men, who occasionally choose to do the right thing. There is a knock at his door, and from the expression on his face, it is clear it is a visitor that Gocharov has been expecting. “Do not worry, I will not make this difficult,” he calmly says to the nervous-looking man on the other side of the door. The pair leave together, and the last we see of the former Russian intelligence officer is him being led to a car.

The Episode Review

The finale of Jack Ryan felt like we were almost delivered a classic Bond film’s climax. Almost the entirety of it took place on The Fearless and Roosevelt, two enormous ships with fierce captains. Ryan and Luka both kept their promises and made sure that the inevitable could be delayed.

A well-rounded battle was fought on all fronts, really. Without any player’s active participation, the disaster in the cinematic universe could not have been avoided. Overall, it was a satisfactory resolution to the hustle all over Europe we have seen in the past few episodes.

The favourite moment in the finale came when Kaginsky stood in front of Luka, and the old horse spoke through him, redeeming his mistakes, albeit with no effect on the past. We have no idea as of now what that ending meant. Who took Luka; where did he go; what will happen to him; we have no clue. Let us hope it will be clarified in the next season!