Homeland - Season 2 - Episode 2 - Recap - Beirut is Back

Here's the recap of Homeland Season 2 Episode 2: "Beirut is Back":

“Beirut is Back”, and back with a vengeance it is! This week’s episode begins in Beirut where Carrie meets her informant, Fatima, at services. Fatima shares that her husband is scheduled to meet with Abu Nazir the following day and she wants to seek refuge in the United States. She remembers a reward for finding Nazir was offered years back, and wants the $5 million and a plane ticket to the US. Carrie promises that to her and then heads back to fill Saul in on everything she has learned.

When she returns to Saul and the safe house, Carrie is scolded for not following the orders given. She explains the urgency of the situation and Saul questions Carrie’s judgment and wants to set up another meeting with Fatima as a result. When Saul and Carrie call David to fill him in on the new developments, David asks Saul if the source is reliable and Saul does NOT stand up for Carrie (Nobody really can rely on Carrie at this point, since she has pretty much gone off the deep end from what they can see). Later, Carrie can overhear Saul speaking to David about not ever feeling it was right for Carrie to assist them in such an unstable situation. Carrie then begins to have a breakdown, which Saul helps to console (this is the first time we see "Crazy Carrie" surface since the first season).

Carrie begins to share her feelings on her whole “illness.” She tells Saul that she is really twisted and messed up about being wrong about Brody. It has caused her to now second guess ALL of her thoughts.

Back in the US, Jessica Brody has been asked to co-organize a fundraiser for wounded soldiers with the Vice President’s wife. They would love to have Brody as the guest speaker as well, so it is Jessica’s job to make that happen. At the same time, Nicholas Brody is approached by Vice President Walden to help him convince the Secretary of Defense that a drone strike on Iran is imminent.

Walden and Brody walk together to the situation room

While talking with David Estes, Saul calls the operation in and they go ahead with the plan to get Nazir.

Brody’s friend, Mike, comes to meet with him to let him know that he is questioning Walker’s motives, whereabouts and actions. Brody agrees to make some calls about it and look into the situation a bit more.  Brody then meets with VP Walden, who arrives late due to the current operation in Beirut. Brody follows Walden into the situation room, where head officials of the US government are watching footage of the operation about to take place in Beirut.

As Brody is filled in on what is happening, everyone is watching to see if they are going to nab Nazir. When the mission becomes too risky to make it out safely, David changes the directions from capture to kill: Abu Nazir. When Brody realizes what this can mean for him,  he realizes he HAS to do something quick. As Nazir steps out of the truck to meet Fatima’s husband, the chief Hezbollah officer, Brody sends Nazir a text that reads “May 1.”  The message is enough of a signal to Nazir that he is not safe, so he jumps back in the car, without being hurt, and takes off (not before Fatima’s husband and Nazir’s chief commander are taken out along with a few hostiles).

After the operation attempt fails, Saul and Carrie go to Fatima’s to pick her up and Carrie insists on checking out the apartment for more information. Hostiles on the ground become angry and begin bashing in the car while Carrie is upstairs collecting intel. They get Fatima in the truck safely, but Carrie is chased by hostiles through the complex. She bashes one on the head with a brick and escapes safely.

Hostiles chase after Carrie after she collected more intel on Nazir

Nicholas Brody meets with, Roya, the news reporter in an empyty parking lot and she thanks him from Nazir for tipping him off.

Brody: “I’ve done my role”

Roya: “He needs you.”

Brody heads to a bar to meet some old platoon friends and the drunken one questions Brody on the whole sniper situation, when Walker misses three shots after NEVER missing one before. Mike comes to Brody’s defense after Brody tells them all that Walker, “…isn’t who you think he is.”

Brody comes home to find Dana chatting with Finn Walden on the computer. She has realized that she made a mistake about him at school. “Well, it happens”- Brody

Carrie is sent home to stay with Maggie, her sister, as Saul continues gathering ANY information he can from the intel Carrie took from Fatima’s apartment. They aren’t able to come up with anything more than a list of names and addresses. As Saul is packing things up, he finds a memory card inside the bag. Saul plays the movie that Brody taped prior to trying to assassinate Vice President Walden and other government officials.

The episode ends with Saul watching the video and sitting speechless. Was Carrie right all along about Brody? What does this mean for Brody’s future? More importantly, what is the significance behind May 1st for Nazir and Brody? Only time will tell...