Vigil Plot Summary
After the success of BBC’s Vigil Season 1, the show is back with Season 2, continuing the story of DCI Silva and her mind-bending cases and adventures. The series maintains its satirical approach to the current political landscape and shows how governments can prioritize their political agendas over the well-being of their citizens, even their soldiers.
Season 2 opens in the fictional Middle Eastern country of Wudyan, where we see Anthony Chapman fleeing the country with his daughter, Sabi, for unknown reasons. Before this, Chapman revealed to Eliza Russell (his junior) that he must return to Britain to get treatment for liver cancer he had been diagnosed with during his recent visit to Dubai. He also hands Eliza the command of the R-Pas Squadron and entrusts her to be a good leader.
What happened at Dundair?
Dundair has been selected as the testing ground for newly developed R-PAS drone technology. The Scottish Military facility, under the supervision of Air Vice Marshal Marcus Grainger, is fully prepared for the testing. At the same time, a couple of members of the R-Pas squadron led by Eliza Russell are operating the RPAS (Remote Piloted Air System) in Wudyan as part of the testing process.
The test initially goes well, with the drones successfully hitting the dummy targets. The radar system also detects a person standing near the fence, which concerns Grainger and the Wudyan nationals present at the facility. Unfortunately, the drones malfunction and end up killing seven soldiers.
Colin Dixon is unable to control the Alpha RPAS, and it eventually has to be neutralized. Colin Dixon is immediately detained and court-martialled. Colin vehemently denies any involvement in the massacre and insists he was trying his best to avert the disaster, but no one believes him. Since the massacre took place on Scottish soil, DCI Silva is trusted to crack the case.
What does Silva find?
As soon as Silva and Longacre learn of the tragic incident at Dundair, they quickly take charge and begin investigating. They try to get in touch with Chapman, but before they can find him, Chapman is murdered by a gun-for-hire named Sutherland. Fortunately, Silva is able to save Sabi, Chapman’s daughter.
DCI Silva soon learns that there was a civilian outside the fence while the R-Pas weapon testing was taking place. The civilian is revealed to be Firas Zaman, a journalist who was associated with the alleged terrorist group called Jabhat Al Huriya. Further investigation reveals that someone had actually stolen one of the RPAS controllers that controlled the Alpha RPAS, leading to the killing of the seven army personnel.
Sabi becomes the prime suspect once it is found that it was she who stole the RPAS console. Moreover, Sabi also stabs Callum Barker, whom she believes had groomed her to steal the R-Pas console. When Silva interrogates Callum, he maintains his silence and refuses to tell what he knows. Callum also denies being in cahoots with Jabhat Al Huriya.
As the investigation progresses, Silva revisits Barker, who finally admits that he was disturbed but had nothing to do with the Dundair massacre. Further investigation reveals that both Sabi and Barker are innocent and have no involvement in the attack. The investigation comes full circle, leaving Silva and her team back where they started, with no clear leads on how to proceed.
DCI Silva speeds up the investigation and finds that Captain Sam Kader has been frequently visiting Barker. She initially suspects this might provide a clue to the case, but she soon learns that Sam Kader and Callum Barker are in a homosexual relationship. This is why Callum has been hiding an extra phone, so he could talk to Kader not Jabhat Al Huriya.
Silva interrogates Kader, who, like Callum, denies knowing anything about the missing console and Jabhat Al Huriya. However, Kader does mention Chapman’s name, saying that their old boss knew about their relationship and had been pressuring them to end it.
Is Jabat Al Huriya behind the Dundair attack?
As the season comes to a close, it becomes clear that the attack at Dundair was not a malfunction error but part of a larger conspiracy. Throughout the season, we are fed that Jabat Al Huriya is the perpetrator, but it becomes clear by the end that they had nothing to do with the attack. The journalist who was present on the scene was just taking pictures to expose the real face of the Wudyan government, which is buying weapons to suppress the people of Wudyan.
Instead, it is revealed that Wes played a role in the conspiracy, though he was more of a pawn than a mastermind. Wes acted under the influence of his superiors, who were the true masterminds behind the attack. Silva is determined to know the names of these masterminds, but Wes refuses to reveal them, and once again, the investigation comes to a standstill. It appears that the higher-ups have covered their tracks well, making it difficult to prove their involvement. Silva offers Wes a deal that if he helps her, she will ensure that he gets a reduced sentence.
Wes agrees, but they still need more evidence to build a strong case against him. While Wes is being transferred to Scotland, he is shot and killed by Eliza, who insists that she has killed Wes in self-defense, but Silva is convinced Eliza has killed Ramsely to hide her own involvement. Once again, Silva pulls some strings and finds incriminating evidence against both Eliza and Marcus Grainger.
In reality, Grainger has planned the Dundair, so the British Government has no choice but to send troops to Wudyan to exterminate Jabhat Al Huriya. Grainger is also the one who lured Sabi into stealing the R-Pas console. As for Eliza, she is more of a pawn.
Eliza and Grainger are arrested, and Silva insists on prosecuting them in an open court to expose their actions to the public. However, due to concerns about potential public unrest, the decision is made to try them in a closed court. Both Eliza and Grainger are charged with crimes and terrorism related to the attack, and they are ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment.