Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 ending explained: What is the Lioness' new mission?

Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 dropped on Paramount+ on December 1, bringing back the favorite Lioness, Joe McNamara, on the job. Throughout season 2, the team has been after the Mexican cartel Los Tigres, allegedly controlled by Chinese intelligence. They have worked with different government agencies, including the DEA, and recruited the cartel leader's niece, Captain Josephina, as an asset.

The last few episodes of the espionage thriller have been particularly dangerous for the Lioness team. They discovered hundreds of trafficked children during a warehouse raid in episode 4 and witnessed a suicide bomber blow up those children at the Mexican border in episode 5. Joe was gravely injured from the explosion, forcing the team to operate without her in episode 6 as all their missions started imploding.

With Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 being the penultimate episode, tension has risen for the team. However, everyone is back on duty, including Joe, and the Lioness has a new mission—to show both Iran and China that they aren't the only ones with open borders. The team is going back to Iraq as the strike team.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 sees the Lioness team shift to a different mission

In Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7, the Lioness team is shifting their mission. The strike team is heading back to Iraq with plans to strike Iran to make a statement. During the mission brief, Joe was confused about the mission. She thought it was still related to the explosion, or suicide bombing, that occurred at the Mexican border at the end of season 2 episode 5.

Joe hears the new mission in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 (Image via Paramount+)

In a way, the Lioness' new mission is still related to the Mexican cartel and what happened at the border. Byron reminded Joe of what she told him, that the suicide bomber appeared to be Iranian, while they deduced that the other traffickers were Chinese. When Joe expressed her confusion about the mission and why they were going to Iraq, Byron replied:

"The mission is to show Iran and China that we [the US] aren't the only nation with an open border."

They discussed strike options besides using a drone. Among different options, they theorized about using a helicopter for the strike mission, and Joe mentioned she had a pilot who could get the job done.

For this mission, the strike team's targets are nuclear engineers being transferred from Turkey to Iran. However, there's a caveat, Byron said that the strike has to happen on Iranian soil. This means that even if the Lioness team could get the perfect opportunity to strike while in Iraq, they would have to wait until the assets were in Iran to proceed with the mission, complicating logistics.

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Joe is back on the mission in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 but in a different role

Joe and Kaitlyn in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 (Image via Paramount+)

Joe is back on the mission in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7, but she is going to be taking it easy for a while. Just out of surgery, Joe was advised by her doctor to rest. Neal, still shaken from Joe's phone call in the previous episode, was also trying to act as her doctor and keeping her from doing strenuous things, like walking the stairs. However, Joe didn't want to slow down, especially after what she saw during the explosion at the Mexican border.

While she was back on the job, Kaitlyn told her at the hospital that she would be at the desk, not in the field like before. Byron had other reminders for her as well. When they discussed logistics for the mission in Iraq, they needed a tactical team, and Joe wanted it to be her. She wanted to take control of the mission, but Byron told her that she could only "observe and advise." She wouldn't be allowed to leave the base either.

After the briefing, Kaitlyn offered Joe some parting words. She told her to know her assets and limits and to not become a liability.

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Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 sees Cruz and Josephina's budding relationship

Elsewhere in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7, there's a budding romance within the Lioness team—Josephina and her shadow, Cruz. After the chaos at the Carrillo house, Cruz brought Josie to her home, where they talked about Josie's father. Josie soon noticed Cruz giving her heated looks, and while Cruz felt embarrassed when the other woman found her out, Josie told her that it was okay.

Cruz and Josie in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 (Image via Paramount+)

They recalled some traumatic experiences from their lives, including being physically abused. The two were feeling emotional, if not numb, about the things that happened. Josie told Cruz that hooking up could probably help them feel something, even just for a moment. But as they were about to kiss, the rest of the Lionesses team arrived at Cruz's house.

The following morning, Josie and Cruz shared their first kiss, but as things were heating up, Cruz received a notification that they had 30 minutes to get suited and booted for their next mission.

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Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7 teases Josephina taking the lead in the mission

While talking logistics during the new mission's briefing in Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7, Joe had a perfect idea. She stated that she had a pilot on the team that could carry out the mission. While Byron had second thoughts, Joe reminded them about Josephina—the operative they pushed to have on her team.

Josie joins Lioness for a new mission in Iraq (Image via Paramount+)

Now, Joe said they could finally use Josie for her training as a helicopter pilot. So far, Josie has only shown her piloting skills once in the series, during the warehouse raid in season 2 episode 4.

While the team prepared to board a plane for Iraq, Josie asked Joe if she was part of the mission. Jo replied:

"You are THE part [of the mission]. You get to save the day."

Everyone will find out how well Josie can fly in their next mission.

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Catch Special Ops: Lioness season 2 episode 7, now streaming on Paramount+.