I thought that was quite clearly part of some dominance game. If they can make him spend the next 48 hours trying to come up with every Tom, Dick and Harry he’d ever even spoken to, they’d know he was entirely under their power.
Of course, Oleg knows this too, and he’s not going to play this game.
These sorts of power plays are what the whole Russian story line is about: different groups with different objectives, none of whom are quite sure who the biggest dog is. They all have some power, but no one really knows who has the most power.
“Requesting” to name every one he brushed up against in the U.S. is not just an empty power game though, it’s a trap he can’t get himself out of; even if Oleg did oblige and write a list, there’s bound to be someone inconsequential he would have forgotten – the old man at the corner store where he bought his cigarettes, say. And the shadowy men on his case could then use that against him - “Why did you not put down this man you bought your cigarettes from? Why are you trying to keep that a secret?? WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO HIDE??” They wouldn’t even have to prove anything, it would be enough that Oleg didn’t (by their estimation) abide by the letter of their request that they could label him an insurrectionist.
Oleg really ought to get his own spin-off series about his exploits in the waning days of the Soviet empire. I like the character and his storyline, but it is essentially a separate narrative at this point.
Thinking back, what exactly did they pin on Martha? I was thinking maybe, when Gorbachov kicks in, she could eventually go back, as part of a deal or with a new ID. Perhaps tell her parents she was in a witness protection programme or something.
Were there “real” Marthas? Americans who spied for the Soviets, made it to Russia, and what happened to them in the Gorbachev period, or when Yeltsin came to power?
Well, this is Martha we’re talking about, not thinking things through is pretty much her defining characteristic.
But it’s clear she’s not happy with what the Soviets have done for her, and that she thinks they played her for a fool, so we really shouldn’t expect a lot of rational decision making on her part.
It clearly beats jail. And Martha knows that - she’s not thinking jail would be better.
That said, it’s definitely a step down.
Admittedly, they filmed it with the “Russia filter” on, so everything looks duller and dingier and starker than in the US locations. But Martha’s old home was a pretty nice home. It wasn’t big, but it was cozy & comfortable. This is not. It’s an apartment so small with walls so thin, she has to play the radio loud to block out the neighbors. She’s done the best she can, but it isn’t very much.
She also used to have friends, or at least colleagues. And the people in her office trusted and respected her. Her entire social circle is now two people - her Russian tutor & the guy who gets her stuff. Her Russian isn’t really good enough to go out and make friends…and even if it were, it wouldn’t be easy for her. We’ve seen what’s going on with Oleg. Having an American friend isn’t safe and very few people would be willing to risk what talking to her would mean for them. She’s alone.
And just look at her hair - this was a woman who took pride in her appearance. She dressed nicely (for someone with her salary). She used to wear “fun” earrings & shoes. Now, she doesn’t have a wardrobe. She can’t even get decent shampoo.
They took her life from her. While they’re treating her pretty well given the circumstances, there are a lot of circumstances.
And her place is probably pretty nice compared to what most citizens of Moscow had at the time. Her best bet would be to somehow get to the US Embassy and see if she can get some kind of deal. Maybe only three years in a Club Fed prison in exchange for lots of information on how the KGB is operating in the US and helping them to get Clark/Philip. Of course, it would be near impossible for her to accomplish that. Maybe she and Oleg could offer a package deal if they were to find each other.
On a new subject, P and E had to have been pretty impressed with Tuan for realizing that he was under surveillance and aborting his plan. I believe him. It would be easy enough for them to verify the Leukemia story.
Hajario wrote: “Her best bet would be to somehow get to the US Embassy and see if she can get some kind of deal. Maybe only three years in a Club Fed prison in exchange for lots of information on how the KGB is operating in the US and helping them to get Clark/Philip.”
Not bloody likely. She’s undoubtedly being watched as “buyer’s remorse” is probably pretty common in this scenario.
Martha only has one choice if she wants any chance at a decent life down the road.
She should go straight to the US Embassy in Moscow, fess up, and try to cut a deal.
Remember, she has information. Could she take down Russian ops in the US? No…but she knows who is involved in DC. No names, but she sure can give them descriptions of the people she was dealing with. She’s seen Phillip out of costume…she knows who Gabriel is, and I think she’s at least seen Elizabeth’s face.
She can also relay what information Phillip/Clark was interested in.
In short, she knows things. It may not be the whole ballgame, but it’s enough to keep the FBI/CIA interested.
I know it might be a longshot…but it’s her ONLY shot right now. It’s the only bargaining chip she has…she should use it.
There’s no way. Don’t forget, the conspiracy she was involved with involved multiple people getting killed. Stan’s partner, the IT guy, and there may be others so I’m not thinking of. Plus, the value of the intel she gave the KGB was far higher than anything she can provide in return.
I also just think that you guys, and Americans in general, are too fussy about Soviet life. In her position, she can go see some of the greatest actors and dancers and musicians and hockey players in the world. She can go to stellar art museums and eat delicious food in nice restaurants (caviar, even) and if she is willing to, let her hair down with people who know how to make social vodka drinking fun and merry. Not only is she in better shape than a prisoner, she’s better off than many tens of millions of poor people in the U.S., without having to work long hours taking care of other people’s children or cleaning their houses.
I was there in 1990 (Kiev, Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk–the first Westerners allowed there since the Cold War began, supposedly–and Leningrad), and I didn’t think it was bad at all. The high rise buildings looked like shit in the common areas (like something out of The Wire), and it was bizarre to find 20-story inner-city style towers just plopped in the middle of a forest. But then inside they were nicely furnished and decorated. The homecooked food was delicious, the vodka was flowing (they used something of thick consistency, halfway between strawberry jam and juice, to wash it down and it worked really well), and I had an awesome time.
The main complaints I heard from other young people (and they were definitely bitter about it, comically from my perspective) is that they couldn’t afford to buy Levis and other fashionable Western clothes. I pointed out that there was plenty of perfectly good clothing in the stores, to be had for a song. They scoffed, “sure–if you don’t want anyone to talk to you”. Sigh. :smack:
A good friend of mine was a scientist who went to the Soviet Union in around 1987. We had all heard about how Levis were like gold there so he stuffed his suitcase with them. He couldn’t find any takers.
I think all of those things are cut off to her - especially the “letting her hair down with people…” part.
If you said that about Oleg, I’d agree with you. He has absolutely all of those things available to him (or at least he did 3 episodes ago). Martha doesn’t.
I’d say that Martha’s best shot is learning as much Russian as she can as quickly as she can and then seeing if they can give her a job somewhere like Estonia - or at least Leningrad.