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The Sympathizer episode 5, titled All for One, was aired on HBO on May 12, 2024. This episode depicts the Captain recovering from an accident as his relationships with others are explored and tested.
As per HBO, the synopsis for the episode reads:
"After a lengthy stint at the hospital, the Captain discovers that the General has started recruiting for a secret military operation."
Episode 4, Give Us Some Good Lines, ended with Robert Downey Jr.'s Nicos Damianos detonating planned explosives on the set of his film, The Hamlet. The Captain is injured during the accident, and episode 5 picks up with him recovering in the hospital.
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For the unversed, The Sympathizer follows the story of a Vietnamese refugee, simply called the Captain, who is actually a double agent working for both sides in the Vietnamese civil war. After escaping to the USA, he continues working as a mole for the communists back home.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Sympathizer episode 5.
The Sympathizer episode 5: The Captain attempts to make amends
Episode 5 of The Sympathizer begins with the Captain getting injured in the explosion. He suffers a severe head injury and second-degree burns as he is rushed to the hospital. While he is barely conscious, a swarm of memories from his past arise. With Bon by his bedside, the Captain slowly recovers over a span of a few months.
For his injury, the Captain receives $15,000 in compensation from Nicos along with an apology. He asks the filmmaker to retain all the Vietnamese lines in the Hamlet movie, but Nicos says it is out of his control. While he would try to grant the Captain's wishes, the editing process could take things on a different path. He says:
"I’ll try, honestly. But I can’t predict the journey. Editing isn’t about clarifying the story. It’s about rhythm. S*x. Better yet, jazz."
In order to make amends, the Captain attempts to hand over the settlement money to the Major's widow. He had killed the Major in a previous episode and feels guilty for the crime.
However, his widow refuses the money and suggests the Captain give his funds to a new restaurant owned by the General’s wife. She also believes that the General is plotting a secret operation, but everyone else views the man as a delusional fraud.
What happens at the end of The Sympathizer episode 5?
The Captain runs into Sonny, his former rival, at the restaurant. Later, when he goes to visit Sophia Mori, he learns that the two are seeing each other. The three have an awkward conversation before the Captain starts attacking Sonny for his politics.
He accuses Sonny of abandoning his homeland and not helping their cause. However, Ms. Mori comes to her lover's defense and the Captain realizes the futility of such comparisons.
He also learns that Lana has become a cabaret performer at a nightclub called 'FantASIA,' operating under the name of Que Linh. Even though they engage in some flirtation, he is jealous when he learns that she is still dating Jamie Johnson and turns down a dinner invitation with the couple.
Meanwhile, the Captain has an imagined conversation with his friend, Man, whom he hasn't seen or talked to for a long time. All the conversations he has had with Man since coming to America have been in his head. Man's absence makes the Captain worried that his friend has abandoned him. He tells the illusionary Man:
"I should be home. What is my mission here? What am I doing in this pathetic, defeatist fantasy? Nothing I’ve done here has made any difference."
Lana appears and asks him if he needs a shoulder to cry on. However, before the Captain can respond, Bon interrupts to summon the Captain on the General's orders. When he arrives at the training grounds, the Captain is shocked to find Bon leading the troops. The General is planning a secret military operation while Bon is secretly training around fifty men to form a new private army.
It remains to be seen whether the General's secret mission will be a success.
The Sympathizer is currently available to stream on Max. New episodes are released on a weekly basis on HBO, with the upcoming episode 6 scheduled to air on May 19, 2024.
