Five months have passed. Kate finally appears put together, trying to seem functional at the embassy. Eidra accompanies a motorcade approaching the building — it’s Hal, arriving unannounced. And, as always, a terrible idea. Within minutes, he catches his wife in an intimate moment with researcher Callum Ellis, the new face behind the oil project. The cruel detail? Their encounter happens on the very day of the Wylers’ wedding anniversary.

The reaction is the usual — and predictably infuriating. Instead of feeling ashamed, Kate gets defensive. Callum, ever the composed diplomat, tries to follow protocol, but the tension is unmistakable. Hal, with the look of a man who’s seen this movie before, understands immediately: Kate’s “brilliance” has once again led her into a questionable affair — this time with a lobbyist connected to Russian interests. In other words, a direct threat to national security.

And, of course, according to Kate, it’s somehow his fault — because “he chose to be vice president.” It’s hard not to sympathize with Hal. After three seasons, the protagonist’s emotional incompetence feels almost like a psychological case study.

Kate tries to justify herself, claiming that things with Dennison are over — and that he’s dating someone else now. (As if that were remotely relevant or deserving of empathy.)

While Hal reflects on the emotional wreckage of their marriage, Eidra and Stuart continue to mirror their bosses’ toxic pattern: resentment, sarcasm, and forced loyalty. But Eidra has had enough — she’s disillusioned, tired of the scraps of trust she’s given, and decides to take matters into her own hands.

With no alternative, she reaches out to Hal — and, out of formality, informs Kate first. She brings a bombshell: a Chechen colonel claims to have proof that the U.S. government was behind the attack on the British ship — the very same incident orchestrated by President Grace Penn.

Naturally, Kate interferes — and only irritates Eidra further. Amid the chaos, the Wylers are summoned for yet another public interview as the “perfect couple.” Kate tries to warn Hal about Eidra’s discovery, but he, overcome with anger and exhaustion, ignores her. A fatal mistake: they’re completely out of sync.

During a private confrontation, Hal finally admits that what Eidra uncovered is true. The new plan? Discredit the colonel before he can expose the U.S. government. The couple rushes off to meet President Penn — while Eidra blows off Stuart, who isn’t even told about the trip.

Hal remains distant, silent, and Kate, surrounded by power, seems emptier than ever. Now, with a lover and a marriage reduced to performance, whatever balance once existed begins to collapse. The Diplomat once again proves that when it comes to Kate Wyler, no personal disaster is ever too small to become an international incident.