The Agency episode 9 ending explained: What does Osman want from Martian? Is Operation Felix revived?

The Agency episode 9, titled The Rubicon, premiered on Paramount+ on January 17, 2025, and aired on Showtime on January 19, 2025. As the penultimate episode of the season, it delves deeper into the chaos surrounding Martian and his team's high-stakes missions.

Osman wants Martian to hand over the names of Ethiopian recruits in exchange for Samia’s life, a demand that Martian cannot fulfil without breaching protocol. At the same time, Operation Felix is revived to rescue Coyote, but the mission risks failure as conflicting priorities arise.

The Agency episode 9 begins with Osman sending a cryptic text to Martian, accusing him of causing Sami’s death. Sami, held captive in a Sudanese black-site prison, becomes a pawn in Osman’s demands for sensitive CIA intel.

Martian devises a daring plan to repurpose Operation Felix, which originally targeted Russian Comrade Minister Chekov, into a rescue mission for Coyote.

Operation Felix is revived out of necessity, as Martian uses it to address two critical objectives. Originally a kill mission, Felix is adapted into a rescue operation after Martian blackmails Leo, a disgruntled aide to Volchok, into setting up the handoff of Coyote at a Ukrainian clinic.

This clinic is a strategic location tied to Felix operatives who are already undercover there. While the operatives initially hesitate, they reluctantly agree to the revised mission, creating tension between their original assassination orders and the urgent need to save Coyote.

The Agency episode 9 sets the stage for a gripping finale, exposing the fragile balance between personal emotions and professional duty in the high-stakes world of espionage.

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Osman demands classified CIA Intel from Martian

At the end of The Agency episode 9, Osman sends a message to Martian, blaming him for Sami’s death after Martian fails to act. Sami, who was meant to return to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the end of episode 8, is now being held captive by Osman.

Her capture follows Martian’s failed attempt to turn her into a CIA operative. Osman contacts "Paul Lewis," using a phone stored at the CIA. Martian cleverly extracts the SIM card from the phone to meet Osman near London Bridge.

There, Osman issues an ultimatum to "Paul" face-to-face. Tensions escalate, and Martian nearly kills Osman in a fit of rage.

Osman demands classified CIA intelligence, specifically the names of Ethiopian recruits Martian worked with. He promises to release Samia in exchange, but complying would mean Martian breaches critical protocol.

Osman shares a video of Samia chained in a prison cell, possibly in a Sudanese black-site prison. Martian, suspecting Osman may be bluffing, hesitates to act.

Revival of Operation Felix

In The Agency episode 9, Martian faces an impossible situation that forces him to revive Operation Felix, a top-secret CIA mission originally designed to assassinate Russian Comrade Minister Chekov.

This operation was spearheaded by a team consisting of one American, Henry’s brother-in-law, and two Ukrainian Special Forces operatives.

However, in light of new developments, Martian reconfigures the mission into a high-stakes rescue operation to save Coyote, who is being transported by General Volchok.

Martian’s strategy begins with manipulating Leo, one of Volchok’s trusted aides. Leo harbours resentment toward Volchok after years of being overlooked for promotions and recognition.

Leveraging this, Martian blackmails Leo into betraying Volchok by setting up the Coyote handoff location at a Ukrainian clinic.

Conveniently, this clinic is part of Chekov’s planned itinerary for a public photo opportunity, making it a high-profile but controllable setting.

Unbeknownst to Volchok, Felix operatives have been stationed undercover at the clinic, waiting for their chance to strike. Martian plans to use these operatives to execute the rescue mission. However, the original kill order on Chekov complicates the situation.

The Ukrainian operatives, deeply committed to their original mission, face a moral and strategic dilemma. They must choose between abandoning their assassination objective or risking the success of Coyote’s extraction.

Martian’s "crystal ball" plan hinges on perfect timing and the operatives’ ability to adapt. He coordinates the mission despite resistance from his superiors, particularly Henry and Bosko, who doubt the feasibility of repurposing Felix.

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Stream The Agency episode 9, The Rubicon, on Amazon Prime.