‘Spy/Master’ Episodes 1 & 2 Ending Explained: Why Is Victor Looking to Get Out of Romania?
Welcome to the Ending Explained for Spy/Master, a new spy thriller coming to HBO Max this week. The series debuts its first two episodes and then goes into the weekly release format. The series sees showrunners Adina Sadeanu and Kirsten Peters going into a more grounded spy story than modern audiences are used to. Most of the mainstream media concerning spies has been following the James Bond template; the spy work has basically become superhero work. Sadeanu and Peters don’t have that idea in mind and instead have gone fully realistic in their show.
The series is loosely based on a real-life story. Hence, the showrunners have a lot of material to pull from, including several historical figures who appear in the series. The acting is superb, and the direction is even more so, with every scene filled with tension and dread for what is coming. Our main character gets into a very troublesome situation, and he has to get out of it to save his and his family’s lives. Every cast member knows how to play their part, and you truly feel like you are there watching these characters get into trouble.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Episodes 1 and 2 of Spy/Master. Read at your own risk.
‘Spy/Master’ Episodes 1 & 2 Ending Explained: Why Is Victor Looking To Get Out Of Romania?
The show starts by introducing us to our main character, a man named Victor Godeanu. Victor is a high-ranking officer in charge of intelligence in Romania, which, in the timeline the show is presenting, is under the rule of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Ceausescu became the ruler of Romania for quite a long period, and the longer he stayed in power, the longer he became paranoid about losing it.
This is, of course, normal among rulers of any kind, even those who are elected by the people. However, it is stronger in those who took power by force, as they fear the same can happen to them.
We see Victor having a very normal home life. He has a young daughter named Illeana, whom he cares for a lot, even if he doesn’t show it. He is also married to a woman named Adela, but it seems their relationship has been over for quite a while. There doesn’t seem to be love there anymore.
Outside of that, Victor is quite respected at work and commands a lot of influence because Ceausescu seems to hold him in high regard. Ceausescu tells him the names of his enemies, and Victor makes them disappear. It is a thankless job, and Victor doesn’t enjoy it one bit.
However, Victor has a big secret. You see, in reality, he is not only a high-ranking member of the Romanian intelligence office, but he is also a spy, working for the KGB. This intelligence office belongs to the Soviet Union and was one of the most powerful institutions in Europe at the time. We are in the middle of the Cold War, so the war for secrets and information is rampant. Victor is a spy for the Soviet Union and has been a spy for them for 15 years. However, it seems like things are about to change big time for Victor.
Two other members of the Romanian intelligence office have been shadowing Victor for a while, and they have discovered their secret. They even have photographic evidence supporting their claim of Victor as a traitor. Victor is informed by his Soviet handler that they are on his tale and that they plan to extract him and his family to the Soviet Union. This is quite a problem, Victor knows that being extracted from the Soviet Union would ruin his daughter’s life, and he would probably end up dead, so he chooses to contact US intelligence.
Does Victor And His Family Manage To Escape Romania In Time?
Time is running out, so Victor contacts one of the country’s highest US intelligence members, Frank Jackson. Victor enters the US embassy, but when he sees a woman he knows there, he gets cold feet and escapes. However, later that day, Jackson contacts him at a secret place. There, Victor explains his intentions of defecting from Romania and hopes that Jackson can take his family to the US. This needs to be done fast because Ceausescu will find out about his betrayal soon, and Victor will die when he does.
We then see the woman Victor saw at the US embassy, and we discover she is also a spy for the German government. The Germans are now negotiating to trade people in Romania with German lineage back to Germany. Victor argues that they would be losing a lot of professionals and educated people with this trade, so Romania should be compensated for the loss of human talent. When Victor goes back to his room, the mysterious woman is there. Her name is Ingrid, and she and Victor are in an affair.
Victor and Ingrid have been in an affair for many years, but they know they cannot actually be a couple. However, they are constantly flirting, and it seems there is something real in their relationship. After seeing him in the embassy, Ingrid is suspicious of Victor, so she starts digging around to see what he has been doing lately. Meanwhile, Victor knows the reckoning is coming, and he has a conversation with his daughter, warning her that changes are coming and that she will need to learn to survive quickly in the future, especially if he is not there to take care of her.
Victor receives one last warning from his Soviet handler. Romanian intelligence seems to have pictures of one of their meetings, and it is just a matter of time before Victor’s cover is exposed. They are going to extract him fast. Ceausescu gets the pictures, and for a moment, he cannot believe that his “friend” has completely betrayed him. He demands further investigation before doing anything to Victor. However, Victor has already been in contact with Jackson, who has decided to go rogue and put him under his protection even without a proper order.
These two episodes end with Victor’s cover being blown, and he is going with Jackson to an unknown location. Victor leaves his daughter and family behind in order to save his life to fight another day.
