Scarlet Minnow

**Scarlet Minnow** is the fifth episode of the first season of The Power, and the fifth episode overall. It aired on April 14, 2023.

## Synopsis

EOD is being transferred to adult women across the world. New voices are emerging – those who champion The Power as a promise of a more equitable future... and others who see it as a threat to their very existence. These opposing forces can rip apart the deepest bonds... or bring unlikely allies together.

## Plot

*This section is a detailed plot of this episode. **There are major spoilers.** Click to expand.*

Carpathia takes drastic measures on women and girl’s use of the power. The first six girls to exhibit the power in Carpathia were killed. Eventually, all but one of Tatiana’s female servants are taken away from her.

A sex trafficking ring stops taking in younger girls, wary of their powers. The news travels to Zoia Donici, who is one of many women trapped in a cell by her traffickers. When Zoia learns that girls are getting powers, she comes up with a plan.

A flashback shows Tatiana and Zoia in their childhood. Tatiana endures harsh training for the Olympics. While training one day, a finance minister named Viktor Moskalev asks her on a date. She is unable to refuse him.

In the present day, President Moskalev invites a group of scientists to their home to examine a skein from one of the girls they have killed. Tatiana sits in on the investigation of the organ to learn that three deaths have resulted from removing the new organ from girls’ bodies.

Meanwhile, Margot adapts to becoming the new face of a movement. Tunde interviews her, but when she gets into the controversial topic of Governor Dandon trying to control women’s bodies, Helen cuts the interview short.

Ever since she went public, Margot has been getting threats. An anonymous streaming persona called Urban Dox rallies up men to live up to their calling as “apex predators,” and Margot is one of his new targets. Rob catches their own son watching his videos.

Rob then gets word of research on the new organ from Carpathia. Anna wants him on a sensitive project that would use the research to create a medical suppressant for women and girls who don’t want their powers. But the research has been obtained unethically, by performing surgeries on girls without their consent.

Rob tells Margot about the research, but she already knows. He’s worried that she’s not taking the situation seriously enough. Rob is appalled by the girls’ deaths, but Margot thinks their deaths could at least mean something if they use the research for something good. Rob doesn’t think the government has anything “good” in mind, however. So, he calls his old friend Declan and tells him about the confidential documents and the government’s plans to use the research to suppress EOD.

Rob attends a party with Margot where he gets drunk and Dandon accuses Margot of having EOD. By the end of the party, Declan has leaked the research to everyone there, crediting his anonymous source as “The Scarlet Minnow.” Margot immediately realizes The Scarlet Minnow is Rob, and she worries that Declan will sell him out. Back at home, Rob claims this is all Margot’s fault. She never even asked him about his day; she hasn’t in years. She’s only concerned with her career, and is only there for the kids on autopilot. She thinks EOD can only be empowering to women and yet doesn’t see how Jos is struggling to control her own body.

Later, Margot checks in on Jos once Rob is sleeping. She apologizes for not being there for her enough. The mother and daughter smoke marijuana outside together, and Margot asks what Jos thinks about her recent decision to go public with information about EOD.
Jos tells Margot that she’s stuck in the mindset she had growing up. She thinks girls need more protection now. But in reality, getting the power means being able to live without constant fear.
Margot asks Jos to give the power to her. When Jos sends an electrical jolt to her, she understands what Jos meant. It feels incredible.

Back in Carpathia, Tatiana tries and fails to get the power from another girl. A flashback shows her engaged to Viktor, who prevents her from pursuing the Olympics because he doesn’t want his wife to be distracted. Angry that her mother won’t help her, Tatiana packs up her things and leaves her mother and sister.

Now, Tatiana finds that her only female assistant has EOD and forces her to give it to her. At the same time, Zoia and the other imprisoned women enact their plan to receive the power. The deaf girl who brings them food transfers her powers to them, and they start their own uprising, inspired by the women in Saudi Arabia.

## Cast

### Main cast

* Toni Collette as Margot Cleary-Lopez
* Auli'i Cravalho as Jos Cleary-Lopez
* John Leguizamo as Rob Lopez
* Halle Bush as Allie Montgomery
* Ria Zmitrowicz as Roxy Monke
* Eddie Marsan as Bernie Monke
* Toheeb Jimoh as Tunde Ojo
* Heather Agyepong as Ndudi
* Zrinka Cvitesic as Tatiana Moskalev

### Guest & Recurring cast

*Click to expand list.*

* Nico Hiraga as Ryan
* Josh Charles as Governor Daniel Dandon
* Mezi Atwood as Sandra
* Edwina Findley as Helen
* Daniela Vega as Sister Maria
* Emily Kuroda as Sister Veronica
* Gerrison Machado as Matty Cleary-Lopez
* Pietra Castro as Izzy Cleary-Lopez
* Gary McDonald as Big Frank
* Chris Mulkey as Mr. Montgomery †
* Elise Robertson as Mrs. Montgomery
* Sinead Matthews as Christina †
* Little Simz as Adunola
* Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Ricky Monke
* Avital Lvova as Liat Monke
* Sam Buchanan as Terry Monke
* Juliet Cowan as Barbara Monke
* Archie Rush as Darrell Monke
* Ashley De Guzman as Yuki
* Anisa Harris as Navika
* Anissa Matlock as Cat
* Ireti Doyle as Shola Ojo
* Alexandru Bindea as Viktor Moskalev
* Rob Delaney as Tom
* Alice Eve as Kristen
* Ana Ularu as Zoia Donici
* Risteard Cooper as Declan Blease

## Trivia

* "Scarlet Minnow" is the source (Rob Lopez) of the article by Declan Blease that leaked classified documents about torture of girls that have EOD.
* Matt is afraid of going to school since he experienced assaults by girls using EOD. Jos realizes she was living in constant fear of being assaulted.