‘Lionesse’ Season 2 Episode 2 Recap

We begin this episode with Kaitlyn and Joe meeting with the US Army. There is a lot of animosity in the room. Throughout the series, the two hold complete contempt for any officer below them. Joe is also angry because the Army is proposing some new candidates for the Lioness program – which is her operation. “I pick the asset, I pick the coverage, I build the damn plan and I run it!” she shouts. “Me!” So Kaitlyn gives Joe three days to find his next lioness. “Everybody’s looking at this,” she says. Is everyone watching our secret plan? It’s not good.

Lioness season 2 is a trojan horse.

Joe returns home to find his daughter running a lemonade stand. She also sells her drawings, which a random couple buys in bulk. They ask his daughter to help them hang the drawings in their van – and yes, alarms are going off in Joe’s head. Joe runs towards the vehicle with his gun drawn, but she finds that the pair are completely harmless. To her surprise, they actually hang up the drawings. The scary music fooled me! Poor Joe just can’t catch a break.

Joe’s older daughter mentions that she saw her on TV saving the congresswoman. Then she asks a question that I raised during almost every episode last season: “Why, out of all the jobs in the world, did you choose this one?” Season 1 convinced the audience that Joe’s only choice in life was to dedicate himself to an eternity cosplaying as James Bond without any of the fun that comes with being James Bond. Without the Lioness program, or the CIA in general, the world would descend into chaos. Or, as Joe describes it, America would cease to exist.

Her grandfather immigrated to the United States and joined the Army just three days after Pearl Harbor, telling her father at the time, “I just learned to speak English; I’m not going to learn German or Japanese.” Joe is the same as his grandfather, “Why do I do that? So you don’t need to learn Russian or Chinese.” Bottom Line: This is the home we have and I will protect it no matter what. It fits in perfectly with Sheridan’s policy. Very happy Yellowstone, we fight for what we build more than where we built it. But it sure helps if that home looks like Yellowstone.

Joe (Saldaña) can’t catch a break.

Next, Joe’s husband brings us back on track. He reminds her that “gunfights on the border end up on the evening news.” So she reunites with her team. Yes, that means Taylor Sheridan is back. He delivers Kyle (Thad Luckinbill), the moronic muscle man who ruins every operation they run across the border. Unfortunately, Sheridan immediately leaves to “shoot some pirates off an oil tanker.” As much as I want that spin-off series, it’s time to sort out a game plan.

Kyle reminds the gang that all of this is happening because China is Mexico’s largest exporter of oil on the open market. There is no evidence yet of Chinese involvement, but I’m sure Sheridan will find out. First, Joe’s team must make contact with the leader of the Los Tigres cartel, Alvaro Carrillo. Alvaro’s brother, Pablo, is an immigration attorney in Dallas. His niece, Josephina (Genesis Rodriguez), is a helicopter pilot and an Army captain who did four tours in Afghanistan. Kyle suggests they make Josephina their next lioness.

If you remember from just 20 minutes ago, Joe hates it when other people suggest lionesses to her. She too really doesn’t like Kyle. But she considers this plan without screaming. Josephina already has one in as a member of the Carrillo family. The cartel is not our main target either. Joe still believes that a Chinese agent is hiding in Mexico and that the Carrillos are working with them. The mysterious person is our true target. I’m not exactly sure what killing him does, but that’s the plan. “And you thought World War III started in Eastern Europe?” one of Joe’s team members jokes. “No, no, no, everyone. This is Mexico.”

Unfortunately, Joe is not our next Iron Man.

Josephina is currently on duty in Iraq. So if the gang wants her in the Lioness program, they’re going to have to find a way to publicly and dishonestly dismiss her. It shouldn’t be too difficult. In another meeting with Secretary of State Morgan Freeman, Westfield informs the council that Josephina has accumulated 822 confirmed kills. Sir, she is the most decorated player on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. She has all the legendary skins.

The CIA plans to use Josephina as a Trojan horse. She can fly Joe’s team undercover so they can pull the punch when she gets them inside. The whole operation just has to take place on Mexican soil, because everything on the American side is national news. According to Lioness logic, national news about US-sanctioned violence in Mexico is a “declaration of war” that angers NATO and allows China to invade Taiwan. Forget the fact that her team’s operation in the last episode made the news. It only counts if it happens in America.

But why would Josephina agree to this plan? As far as I can see, there is little reason for the US to get involved in anything across the border if it threatens WW3. But Morgan Freeman can help clear this up for us. “It’s easy to forget why we’re having this conversation,” he states. She reminds us that a congresswoman was kidnapped on American soil “at the behest of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” Again, this has yet to be proven, but they must have some evidence that we haven’t seen yet. “Do it,” he orders. “Don’t get caught.”

Readers, meet your next lioness.

So Joe’s team goes to Iraq. Her car is hit by a mine on the road like Tony Stark’s did Iron Manbut she’s not about to make herself a giant metal supersuit. I wouldn’t hate it, but it isn’t Lioness. Help arrives in the form of an assault helicopter, piloted by Josephina. She exits the plane and yells at Joe because three American soldiers died. Joe simply continues his tirade against any officer ranked lower than her. “I am the highest ranking officer anywhere I go!” she screams. “And this base damn well better start acting like it!”

Later, Joe meets Josephina again. She repeatedly asks her if she loves her country, but the army captain refuses to answer with a straight yes or no. “I’ve met lots of women who entered the program,” says Josephina. “You know what I’ve never met? I’ve never met a woman who came out.” I quite like this portrayal of Joe as The Grim Reaper in Lioness. Making a contract with her is like signing a deal with the devil. You trade your soul to “save the country” even though you are never recognized for your actions.

But Joe continues the verbal assault and continues to question whether Josephina loves her country. It’s an interesting parallel to the conversation Joe shares with his daughter at the beginning of the episode. I had read her grandfather’s words as the need to protect your home more than the fact that it was America. He had just arrived in the country. It sounded like he was just tired of running. It’s a strange ending. Once Josephina swears “Yes,” we officially have our next lioness.