“Time Renders Us Enemies” had far less action, and more intrigue around the relationships of our main characters, and this is the first episode where that intrigue just works. Knowing how these people are entangled with each other helps do several things: clears the deck about some of the deceptions people have believed up until now, set up the groundwork for the perils various players will soon face, and the potential for risk, reward and failure.

Since it was shown to us so early, Anders’ willingness to betray Dahlia’s plan just to have a ghost of a chance to get Brielle/Celeste back could be seen as a hint of sacrifices to come. I did not see his failure coming so quickly, and in a way, that’s a good thing for the storytelling… why waste time on a side mission that has no bearing on the bigger picture?

Louis writes: In the fifth episode of “Citadel,” many secrets are revealed. I was glad that these were spread out during the progression of this installment, rather than serving only as a shocker ending.

The main theme remains trust. How can spies trust each other in a romance? How do you trust someone who you feel has betrayed you? Who do you trust when you can’t remember your past?

I find it interesting that so many lies that have clouded these characters’ lives for 8-9 years are slowly coming unraveled, but in ways that help the story being told and revealing the strands connecting these people and hinting at ways those connections are going to change.

The reveal that Mason proposed to Nadia and she rejected that is a curious one, but it also connects with his story about the family that abandoned him as a child… he wants that meaningful human connection again, and he’s willing to bend and twist the rules of his world and his organization in order to give himself a chance at love and a meaningful relationship to anchor his life going forward.

Will what Mason wants for his life come back to haunt all of them?

Louis writes: If Nadia and Mason’s relationship had been a normal one, not in spy world, a lie by one partner would be sufficient to end the romance. But here you have double culpability with severe consequences for the offenders. Nadia allegedly destroyed the Oz key, for which Mason should turn her in. Mason tried to hide Nadia’s involvement by wiping the memory of her friend, Celeste, and as Nadia puts it, effectively killing her. So Mason as well cannot be trusted by Citadel.

In addition, the technology to keep track of a person was not as well-developed as it is now. So Bond could engage in trysts without his superiors knowing, with the exception of the film’s ending when he often inadvertently ends up in bed with a woman as a camera pans on him and his woman-of-the-moment.

The lies we know about continue to build upon each other. Nadia has lied to everyone, but it’s not the lie most of Citadel believes. Mason lied to Nadia about Celeste, Dahlia lied to Anders’ brother Davik and to Bernard, and it’s becoming harder and harder to tell where everyone stands with the people they work with and with themselves. Seeing as how this is a show about rival spy agencies, keeping everyone on their toes — including the viewers — seems appropriate.

Louis writes: In “Citadel,” this idea of temporary involvement would have been more palatable to me, rather than what is being displayed on screen. But with Citadel’s cutting-edge spyware, the idea that they would not have been aware of even temporary trysts seems unlikely.

Another element which requires major suspension of belief is the idea that one agent, Nadia, could be so all-powerful that she could take down all of Citadel. We still are not sure if this happened, but even the implication by Carter that she did so seems very unlikely. Time will tell as this series progresses, but we only have one episode left.

I believe in our sixth and final episode, we will find out that what we’ve been led to believe about Nadia and the betrayal of Citadel will once again be turned on it’s head, and given that Season 2 has already been greenlit, I wonder if we will even find out who the mole was in this season. Or maybe there’s another misdirection waiting in the wings, and there’s more than one person who’s been working against Citadel.

I’m also curious if Celeste’s memories were truly destroyed. We haven’t seen the X-Case this episode, but there were at least 4 other vials in that case after Bernard and Kyle stole it, and we never actually see her vial being stored or destroyed by anyone.

Remember, “everything you know is a lie.”

Louis writes: Richard Madden’s acting continues to excel in the dual role of Kyle and Mason. His feelings for Nadia seem utterly believable to me, as did his scenes with Abby. I appreciated the comments Mason made to Nadia about his identity in two pivotal scenes. These provided a more complete picture of what was going on before the Italian trip.

This is one of the better episodes. I do not care for children-in-peril themes, and so this was troubling. But otherwise there was a good balance of the past and the present.

We get some bonus music in Episode 5. At the beginning of the episode “Girl From the North Country” by Rod Stewart (1974) is playing, and the closing credits run out to “Turn to Stone” by Joe Walsh (1972). I keep hoping to figure out if there’s a key or a clue in the songs, but maybe that’s just my love of puzzles causing me to look for signs where there might not be any.

Don’t miss our reviews for the other episodes in the series:
“Citadel” opens on a confusing but energetic and entertaining world of spies
“Citadel” Episode 3: “Infinite Shadows” cast doubts on everyone
“Citadel” Episode 4: “Tell Her Everything” questions all loyalties

Amazon Studios’ action thriller CITADEL is available now on Prime Video.

Twitter: @CitadelOnPrime, #CitadelOnPrime

Eight years ago, Citadel fell. The independent global spy agency—tasked to uphold the safety and security of all people—was destroyed by operatives of Manticore, a powerful syndicate manipulating the world from the shadows. With Citadel’s fall, elite agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) had their memories wiped as they narrowly escaped with their lives. They’ve remained hidden ever since, building new lives under new identities, unaware of their pasts. Until one night, when Mason is tracked down by his former Citadel colleague, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci), who desperately needs his help to prevent Manticore from establishing a new world order. Mason seeks out his former partner, Nadia, and the two spies embark on a mission that takes them around the world in an effort to stop Manticore, all while contending with a relationship built on secrets, lies, and a dangerous-yet-undying love.