‘Homeland’ recap: Covert operation takes tragic turn

A naive asset unwittingly helps the CIA’s Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) close in on a terrorist plotting against Americans. But the covert operation ultimately backfires with tragic consequences on “From A to B and Back Again,” Episode 406 of Showtime’s “Homeland.”

Initially the op goes according to plan when Aayan Ibrahim (Suraj Sharma) mistakenly believes his new “girlfriend” Carrie was abducted by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. This ruse sends terrified Aayan running to the hideout of his uncle, Taliban leader Haissam Haqqani (Numan Acar).

“All I thought about was you,” Aayan says to Carrie when he calls after a long bus ride. “I need you to know that I love you and I can’t wait to see you again!”

Poor Aayan thinks Carrie is a journalist who arranged for his asylum in England and admission to medical school. The young man has no idea he’s being played for a patsy by the CIA’s Islamabad station chief.

Through drone surveillance, Carrie tracks Aayan to a mountainous area near Haqqani’s training camp. That’s where the operation takes a brutal twist.

Carrie is poised to launch a 50-pound warhead at the terrorists, thus callously discarding Aayan as collateral damage. But suddenly Haqqani reveals a hostage to the drone’s camera. It’s former CIA Director Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), who was kidnapped by an ISI faction in cahoots with the Taliban.

“There’s a drone overhead right now sent to kill me,” Haqqani tells his startled nephew. “You’ve put me in a terrible place.”

Haqqani punishes this unintentional betrayal by firing a bullet into Aayan’s brain, causing Carrie to gasp in shock as she watches the live video feed.

“Take the shot,” Carrie hysterically orders the drone pilot.

“Are you out of your mind?” yells black ops specialist Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend), stunned that Carrie would sacrifice her father-like mentor to bomb the terrorists. “That is Saul down there!”

After Carrie stomps out of the command center in a manic rage, the terrorists drive off in three directions. Which vehicle should the drone pursue? Peter fumbles for an answer as Haqqani and his men disappear, leaving Aayan’s lifeless body in the dirt.

Carrie’s devious seduction of Aayan ignited Peter’s jealousy because he’s secretly in love with his blonde boss.

Also upset about Aayan’s treatment is CIA analyst Fara Sharazi (Nazanin Boniadi), who uncovered the ISI/Taliban conspiracy designed to convince America that Haqqani died in a recent airstrike along with 40 civilians.

Carrie criticizes Fara’s attitude before dispatching her to remove evidence from the safe house where Aayan took refuge.

“Think you could work a Hefty bag in service of our country so this whole operation doesn’t go bust?” Carrie asks sarcastically.

“There wouldn’t be an operation if it wasn’t for me,” Fara responds indignantly. “Don’t treat me like I’m the enemy!”

As Fara walks to the safe house she’s tailed by Dennis Boyd (Mark Moses), a reluctant “mole” for the ISI. Dennis stole state secrets from his wife, Martha (Laila Robins), the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan. Now he’s being blackmailed by Tasneem Qureshi (Nimrat Kaur), a high-ranking ISI agent.

Dennis informs Tasneem that Carrie has an infant daughter, Franny. He also points out that Carrie takes heavy-duty meds to control a psychiatric disorder.

“I’d say that the new station chief is at least bipolar, possibly beyond that,” Dennis remarks. Then he offers even greater revelations: photos of Aayan and his forged travel document retrieved from the safe house.

Tasneem, who’s as smart and tenacious as Carrie, quickly realizes the CIA has exposed the Haqqani-is-dead-so-stop-searching conspiracy.

And she knows the terrorist is once again on America’s most-wanted list.