Mullen's initial arrests draw blowback from the public - especially TV pundit Evan Green. Alex faces pressure to investigate her father. A shock to the financial system increases scrutiny on Mullen's commission. Valerie investigates Proteus. Roger must make a difficult choice.
Mullen is capable of keeping up with the high-stakes and fast-paced nature of the Zero Day investigation. That's the assessment Valerie makes on her first day returning to work for him. Things are awkward considering their history. That informs dynamics. Yet the drama insists on being forward-looking. It serves no one to linger over the past. It's better to live in the moment and conclude whether or not Mullen is accurately leading this investigation. He made a big public declaration. And now, everyone blames him for turning Americans against one another. He amplifies the situation further by arresting anyone who has ever been associated with the Reapers. He signs the warrants himself. He doesn't need to convince a judge. He has been given this immense power. Carl constantly suggests enhanced interrogation techniques to obtain information. Meanwhile, Mullen is just as capable of getting people to talk. He was a skilled prosecutor. He maintains those abilities. He forges a connection. And then, he threatens the ringleader's loved ones. That intimidation is all it takes to advance the investigation. Everything pivots when a connection is inferred between the Reapers and Evan Green. For a moment, Mullen believes he is having a conversation with the conspiracy theorist through the television. It's all a battle of wills. Evan is teasing Mullen into taking action. Mullen does precisely that. He arrests Evan in the middle of the night. He signs off on a raid to bring him in. It's a power trip. It's meant to convey how Mullen remains in charge. He's threatening. But it's also easy to doubt considering the ways he is being deceived. He can't trust his own memories. He's only as reliable as the information presented to him. Right now, too many people have their own motives that cloud every detail of this case. It's hard to get to the truth when so many want to have a say in the process. That's the complicated nature of this job.
Roger presents the damning evidence. He feels he has no other choice but to do so. He is being blackmailed by Robert Lyndon. Roger has all the best intentions in working alongside the former President. Outside of that relationship though, he has done many shady things to maintain relevance in business. He compromised himself. And now, he's paying for all of it. He doesn't get to be a neutral arbiter amongst powerful people. His advice can't be trusted. Mullen believes in him. He assigns him the task of figuring out if Anna died on Zero Day. The audience experienced that moment. Her vehicle collided with an incoming train. It was a massive explosion. The fact that she continues to be present infers something else was going on. Mullen is desperate for clues that link back to whatever is going on in his personal life. He's at the center of this grand conspiracy. Those instincts are right several times. Proteus was a government program that was shut down when Mullen was in office. Reports suggest it hasn't been started again. No one knows why Mullen is bringing it up now. Valerie has an open dialogue with Director Lasch. She remains in the dark. She doesn't have a firm grasp on all that is happening despite being Mullen's Chief of Staff. In fact, Roger is the one who opens his boss' journel to see all the crazy thoughts that lurk within. Mullen fears he is being poisoned through his daily medication. He keeps hearing the same song play over and over again. He doesn't know where it is coming from. He looks for clues. He receives no answers. His internal struggle carries major consequences. He conducts himself with honor. Yet everyone is shocked when he takes the action against Evan. That shows him crossing a line. One where he delights in this new authority. He doesn't have to testify before Congress. He can stonewall them. Meanwhile, Roger and Alex are too distracted by one another to express their concerns about his behavior.
Mullen is an honorable man whose morals will stand even in the darkest moments. That reputation has withstood everything he has endured. Meanwhile, Roger is a bad man pretending to be decent. These qualities have been given to these characters through dialogue. But now, they are tested when the truth actually comes out. Roger hacked Alex's phones. He caused personal scandal all in pursuit of reigniting their relationship. It worked. They plan on running away to Costa Rico should the world continue to deteriorate. It's an aspirational goal. One that frees them from the pressures that conform them to this life. They could escape. That's not feasible. Roger is beholden to people who won't let him go. He sees the connection between how Lyndon was communicating on the yacht and what was discovered at the Reapers' compound. The one person who has leverage over him is tied to the Zero Day attack. Lyndon has tried to influence the investigation every step of the way. Mullen was given incriminating evidence about Evan by Lyndon. He trusts Roger completely. That trust has been manipulated. He cared for Roger like a son. And now, he shares the same fate as Nick. Mullen was devastated upon seeing his son's body. The crime scene suggests Roger died the same way. The viewer knows better. Roger confessed his sins to Alex. He was doing so with complete clarity as to what would happen to him. He refused to comply. He was killed. That's a significant way in which the commission has been targeted. The powerful exert their influence to control the outcome. It's not the political figures who have always been ascribed those titles. The President and the Speaker of the House are limited in what they can do. Meanwhile, the billionaires have the resources to get what they want. They demand respect while also belittling those who would devote their lives to service. Mullen has contempt for those people. Right now, they are determining the path of the investigation.
Lyndon has a connection to shape Mullen's thinking. He doesn't need Roger's assistance to know people have started to question Mullen's mental capabilities. That disinformation has been weaponized online. Kidder's algorithm is pushing it heavily. She is outraged someone would turn down her offer to help. She made the demand in public. She didn't seek an honest conversation with people who could make it happen. She wants the public's attention. She uses her words to convince others to take action. She's just as dangerous as Evan. However, he is the one currently being held and deprived of his rights. Carl has frequently offered enhanced interrogation as a tool to get information. Those tactics produce unreliable results. And yet, Mullen signs off on their use. He does so after passing an evaluation of his health. Valerie worries he's the victim of a sophisticated neurological weapon. One that leaves no trace of its impact. The victim suffers from the symptoms associated with a traumatic brain injury. That provides Mullen with a more sensible option for what is happening to him. His memory lapses and auditory hallucinations line up with that influence. He purposefully chooses to withhold details in order to prove himself healthy. Moreover, "Who Killed Bambi" is given greater resonance as the song that was playing when Mullen saw Nick's body. That lingers as one of the most pivotal moments of his life. He remains stuck in that grief. Instead of confronting it, he bears down on the pressures of this job. The American public are more scared than ever. A bank was the victim of a cyber attack. Mullen believes he must deliver results. Ultimately, the FBI finds the criminals and handle it without his influence whatsoever. Mullen has to find the truth. He's been tasked with that responsibility. He led everyone astray and corrupted their morals in the process. He can't walk back from that. Evan is victimized in a way that showcases the horrors that come in pursuit of liberty.
