Overwatch

Season 1, Episode 4

## Image Gallery

**Overwatch** is the fourth episode of the first season of USA Network's *Shooter*. It aired on December 6, 2016, at 10/9c.

## Summary

In a flashback to their time serving in Afghanistan, Bob Lee and Isaac clash with opposing ideologies. Nadine investigates the Ukrainian connection, putting herself on the conspirators' radar.

## Plot

In a small town in Afghanistan, Bob Lee and Donny are performing reconnaissance from the upper floor of a building. Isaac watches from a command post outside the town. Bob Lee spots a suspicious figure in a window 320 yards away as hostile forces approach the building they're in, and Isaac commands them to abort. Bob Lee tells Donny they're staying and removes the radio from his ear.

Hostile forces breach the building, where Donny waits and is able to engage them. As an American convoy comes into view, Bob Lee sees the tip of a rocket launcher from the suspicious window. He shoots it, causing an explosion that kills the hostiles on that floor, and moves to the hall to assist Donny with the intruders. They make their way out.

Back at their barracks, Bob Lee and Donny celebrate their victory with their comrades. Isaac arrives, and Bob Lee tells him that they lost radio contact with him during the gunfight. He asks who is responsible for not keeping radio maintenance, and Bob Lee says it's his fault. Isaac gives him the job of cleaning the whole team's radios that night for his negligence.

In the present, Nadine is approached at her desk by Payne, who is using the alias Matt Simms, regarding Voydian. She asks to speak to him, but he tells her that he was murdered by the Russian SVR in Crimea. She asks if he had any connection to Bob Lee, but he tells her that he hasn't seen any evidence of a connection. He proposes that if she can give him proof that they are connected, he will give her any Homeland intel that backs her up.

In Afghanistan, Bob Lee is performing radio maintenance when approached by Isaac, who discusses the incident earlier that day and tells him that, because of his insistence to stay, they know Bob Lee is there, and that his bounty is getting higher. He tells Bob Lee that he needs to see the big picture, and that it's easier to replace "some truck driver" than the top Marine sniper.

At Bob Lee's "funeral," Julie gives him a heartfelt eulogy to an audience of eight. Afterward, Susan comforts her and they leave. As Julie, Anna, and Jim approach the door, they find that the press is still swarming them, even at a funeral. Jim and Perkins go outside and attempt to quell the crowd. Isaac and Meachum watch from a van nearby, where Meachum says that Mrs. Fenn is a loose end and needs to be killed. Isaac disagrees, and Meachum tells him that if he won't do it, he'll have Payne do it.

In Afghanistan, Isaac briefs his subordinates on the whereabouts of Taliban commander Mullah Abdul, who is hiding in Musa Qala. In the last week, Abdul had beheaded several U.N. doctors, making him a high-priority target. Isaac orders forces to surround the village the following morning as he and Rahim attempt to convince the elders to cooperate, and sends both Bob Lee and Donny in ahead of the others later that night. They are receiving help from the CIA on this operation, headed by their liaison, Hugh Meachum. Later, Isaac approaches Meachum, who asks him about Bob Lee and advises him to keep an eye on him. Isaac tells him that Bob Lee will take Abdul down, but Meachum says that he wants to take Abdul alive in an unofficial and secret capacity in order to interrogate him, an action containing many violations of conduct. Isaac refuses to go against his orders, but Meachum insists that he do what's best for their ultimate goals.

Isaac enters the barracks and tells Bob Lee and Donny that their position has been changed to one that severely restricts their field of vision in the village. Bob Lee is suspicious about the suddenness of it, which is unlike him. He discusses the changes with Isaac in private and correctly guesses that Meachum is attempting to subvert him from killing Abdul in order to take him alive. Isaac tells him to see the big picture, and that one of the responsibilities of doing such is knowing when to shut up.

Isaac arrives outside Susan's house and questions her regarding Bob Lee's arrival, asking why she didn't call the police. She admits to believing someone set him up, and tells him that she has known for a while that someone would be sent to kill her. He sincerely expresses the regret that it's him that's doing it and tells her that if it wasn't, it would be someone else instead. He begs her to run so he doesn't have to do it, but she refuses and embraces her fate. He puts on a pair of gloves and asks if she needs a moment to pray.

Nadine and Payne comb through the articles and photos from the cabin, and she proposes that the Russians gained from the Ukrainian president's death, and that Bob Lee didn't expose anyone in order to keep his family safe. He asks how Bob Lee is connected to Voydian, and she asks him to make the connection and tell her why Homeland needed him. He tells her that they were preparing to extradite him to Moscow, and she asks if it had anything to do with Graznyole. Payne tries to leave, and she tells him that she knows he's CIA. He says that Graznyole is not part of what she's looking for answers to, and urges her not to discuss their conversation with anyone.

Mary watches a news broadcast discussing the FBI's confirmation of Bob Lee Swagger's death, and Anna changes the channel and tells her not to listen to what they have to say about him. She says she knows that he's not really dead, and Julie asks her to go to their room. When they are alone, Anna tells Julie that it's not right for Mary to believe her dad is alive, and Julie tells her that he is, and that he faked his death. She asks if Jim should know, and she refuses to let him.

Bob Lee and Donny move into their assigned position outside Musa Qala. Isaac and Rahim move out. In the present, Isaac digs Susan's grave in the woods and has vivid memories of killing her. He receives a phone call from Meachum and tells him that he'll be away for the next few days before burying Susan.

In Afghanistan, Meachum and Perkins hold down the command post while Isaac is en route to Musa Qala. Rahim asks if the village elders are ready to receive them, and Bob Lee tells Isaac that he and Donny cannot do their job from their current position. The convoy enters the village and the elders meet Isaac and Rahim outside. On Rahim's mark, Isaac and the other Marines are taken hostage, and Bob Lee requests a quick reaction force as they have no shot, which is declined by Meachum. Rahim tells a Taliban soldier the ordered location of Bob Lee and Donny, who blows up the building with a rocket launcher. Isaac is attacked by Rahim, who has turned on them in order to claim the bounty on Bob Lee's head. He has Isaac brought to Abdul, who is having Isaac's execution recorded. Abdul chants for several seconds before raising his machete. As he does, he is shot in the head by Bob Lee, who has migrated from his post, against his orders. The other Taliban are killed as well, and Isaac takes Rahim at gunpoint. Bob Lee requests for Isaac to move out of his way so he can take Rahim, but he is ordered to stand down. Isaac turns his back to Rahim as he speaks, allowing Rahim to lunge at him with a knife. Bob Lee kills him before he can reach Isaac. Meachum leaves the command post in anger.

Isaac approaches Meachum afterward, who tells him that he failed his leadership test, and that winning means lying to protect a higher good at the cost of his soldiers' praise. He offers to bring Isaac to the "big boy table" before leaving.

In the present, Isaac arrives at his house and sits down as his wife comes to greet him. She kisses him, then notices the scratch on his neck sustained from Susan. He tells her it's nothing. Nadine meets Payne at a coffee shop to discuss Graznyole, and he tells her that Voydian was protecting the interests of a mining company based there; the company was responsible for a mine disaster that resulted in poisoned water and hundreds of deaths, and Voydian killed to keep others quiet about it, which is why Russia wanted him back. She detects that part of the story is not true and that he's attempting to throw her off the trail, and he threatens to destroy her credibility. She leaves the shop, but is dazed and soon unable to move due to the drugged coffee. Payne shows up and takes her home.

She awakens on her couch, where Payne has her restrained. He tells her that he wrote her suicide note and begins giving her an IV of alcohol, but Bob Lee shows up behind him, she headbutts him Payne into his hold and they fight. Bob Lee gets the upper hand, but Payne stabs him in the back with a pencil and goes for a knife in the kitchen, where Bob Lee regains the advantage. Nadine escapes her restraints, but is still too drugged to move quickly. She hits the floor and goes for Payne's gun as he busts a bottle over Bob Lee's head and stabs him in the front of the same shoulder with a shard of glass. With Bob Lee on the ground, Payne stomps the broken pencil further into him, then uses the IV tube to strangle him. Nadine raises the gun to him, but he runs away before she can shoot, leaving them both behind.

A short time later, Bob Lee and Nadine sit in her ruined living room. He tells her that his name is Jack Payne, and she tells him that he said his name was Simms and that he's CIA. He says that he's been watching over her since he faked his death, and that he wants to partner with her. She reluctantly agrees.

In Afghanistan, Isaac and Bob Lee enjoy a peaceful morning. Bob Lee tells him that he's not sorry for ignoring the orders that resulted in Isaac's survival, and Isaac instead congratulates him on a successful operation. He says that Rahim will be commended posthumously as a hero, rather than being seen as a traitor. They speak as friends rather than a commander and subordinate.

## Deaths

* At least 20 Taliban soldiers (flashback)
* Dimitri Voydian
* Susan Fenn
* Mullah Abdul (flashback)
* Rahim (flashback)

## Trivia

* This episode shows that Isaac Johnson is fluent in Mandarin.

 **Season 3** | "Backroads" • "Red Meat" • "Sins of the Father" • "The Importance of Service" • "A Call to Arms" • "Lines Crossed" • "Swing Vote" •"The Red Badge" • "Alpha Dog" • "Orientation Day" • "Family Fire" • "Patron Saint" • "Red Light"