Jack Ryan season 4 episode 2 recap: the truth behind the Cartel, the Triad and the CIA
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The action has now begun for Jack Ryan season 4, with the first episode of the final season of this spy thriller show introducing a Mexican drug cartel, a Burmese Triad and a conspiracy within the CIA itself. If you missed it here's our Jack Ryan season 4 episode 1 recap, and you're going to need it, because episode 2 is packed.
This second episode of the hit Prime Video thriller ties together all these factions, introduces quite a few returning faces, and really sets up the big new main character in the form of Michael Peña's Domingo Chavez.
But a lot of information is thrown at you in just an hour, and it's very possible (or even likely) that you'll have missed some small tidbit that'll prove very important later in the show. So this Jack Ryan season 4 episode 2 recap will give you all the important details from the show — not all presented in order though, as to make things clear we've presented each storyline together and not spread out like they are in the show.
If you still haven't watched the show, we also have a guide on how to watch Jack Ryan season 4 which you can use.
*Spoilers for Jack Ryan season 4 episode 2 follow*
Fah's back in Myanmar
After his disastrous trip to Mexico in the first episode, Chao Fah (Louis Ozawa) is back in Myanmar. He confronts Tin Tun, who we briefly met in the previous episode, blaming the man for the failure of the operation.
The woman Fah sent a mysterious text to in the first episode turns out to be his wife, Kyi, who's glad he's alive. He also brings a present to his daughter Bennu, but also tricks her into believing her trip to the airport from the prior episode was just a dream.
To solidify this alibi, Fah goes to the child's doctor, and threatens him into backing up this story. After this confrontation, Fah receives a call, and the man tells this mystery caller that he's going to contact Thomas Miller (John Schwab).
A mission to Pluto
In Langley, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) briefly returns to his old team, but it's just to get Patrick Kinghoffer to search the CIA's records for information on the Pluto mission (no, not into space, a mysterious CIA operation). They find lots of files on Chavez, who's linked not just to Pluto but to the eight other mystery missions Ryan canceled in the last episode.
In his car, Ryan finds a note arranging a meeting, and the man goes along to find Chavez, who provides a huge amount of information that'll likely be important later. Let's break it down to make it simple. Deep breath:
Chavez is in fact a CIA operative, not a member of the Cartel.
Mr. Walters, from the Nigerian scene of the first episode, was Chavez's handler for lots of missions.
The Silver Lotus Triad controls someone in Washington.
That person in Washington is controlling the Mexican Cartel.
The Triad in Myanmar is using the Mexican Cartel for something "worse than drugs".
Chao Fah Sein is the head of operations at the Triad, but he's actually a mole who provided all the above information to Chavez, and is looking to get out. Presumably, that's what his trip to Mexico and the text to his wife were really all about.
Chavez promised Fah the safety of his family in exchange for the name of this man in Washington: Thomas Miller, previous Director for the CIA.
Miller has his fingerprints all over the Pluto documents, showing he's directly involved.
Lots of returning faces
We finally see Thomas Miller himself, drinking alone at a bar, when James Greer (Wendell Pierce) approaches him and orders a beer. Greer tries to question him on Pluto for Ryan, but Miller doesn't give anything away.
Ryan calls Mike November (Michael Kelly) who's having an episode in some public baths. Ryan tells November that he needs his help, enlisting him for yet another mission.
Phones are getting lots of action in this episode; Miller calls Bill Tuttle (Michael McElhatton) in his first appearance this season, to inform him that Greer and Ryan are looking into Pluto. Tuttle says he only wants to be contacted if it's official, though.
Ryan's girlfriend Cathy Mueller (Abbie Cornish) delivers a keynote speech as mentioned before, and afterward sets up lunch with Zeyara Lemos (Zuleikha Robinson) as her foundation is interested in Mueller's work.
We also witness a meeting between Ryan, CIA Director Wright (Betty Gabriel) and the President of the US about what Ryan learned — they discuss the likelihood of Convergence, which is when a terrorist cell and drug cartel combine to create an operation with both means and motive, which could be very dangerous for smuggling weapons, bombs and people into the States.
After the meeting, the President tells Wright to travel to Lagos to make peace after the events of the first episode. Wright calls Adebayo Osoji (Okieriete Onaodowan) who we met in the first episode to invite him along.
The life and times of Thomas Miller
Thomas Miller goes to his office, and looks at his banking app - he writes down the digits to get a code, and then calls Fah. Fah blames Miller for the Mexican trip going awry, as the money didn't reach the right bank account, and we find out that the police attack (and bribery fail) is because of Ryan shutting down Pluto.
Chavez is in the room during this call, and announces himself at a dramatic point. He takes Miller's code and implies that the squad of soldiers he was with during the first episode was all killed. He tells Miller to contact Ryan and come clean. However, Miller also contacts Tuttle again, this time in an official capacity.
Miller contacts Ryan about a meeting, but when they rendezvous he begs Ryan to resume funding Pluto, while Ryan demands information on the conspiracy while Greer listens in. Neither man gets want they want, and when Miller flees, Chavez calls Ryan to say it's time to play by his rules.
However when Miller gets home it's Tuttle who finds him - he knocks him out, ties him up, plies him with pills and alcohol, unties him and injects him with something, before fleeing.
Chavez arrives in time to see him die, and when Ryan and Greer show up, Chavez remarks that, with Miller out the way, he's going to be the next target.
