Question of the week #9

[treonb]

In the pilot, Philip proposes that he and Elizabeth defect to the United States with their family. Nina, too, toys with the idea of defecting to escape persecution for her crimes. We never see inside their heads, though, so it's hard to know what exactly they're thinking over the course of the season.

This week's question: What do you think is going on with that--how do you think the Russian characters' (those two or any others') thoughts on defection change over time?

You can expect spoilers for the entire first season in the comments.

(There's no expiration date on these questions, so if you're reading this post months later and feel like jumping in, please do.)

Comments

[treonb]

I think that Martha is sooner or later going to be faced with a more direct choice, probably of either confessing everything to the FBI or working explicitly for the Soviets with threat of exposure hanging over her head

Wow.. the option of working for the KGB didn't occur to me! Poor, poor Martha! It would be so horrible of Philip (as if he's not horrible enough), but now I want to see her facing that choice.

[soupytwist]

It would be awful! But I was thinking about what might happen when Martha either figures it out or it looks like she's going to (which has to happen at some point), and I realised... it's either that, or she's dead. Philip might or might not have a plan for what to do in the eventuality of her figuring stuff out, but I can't think of anything that doesn't boil down to one of those options. And omg it is going to be hard to watch!

[jae]

Man. You need to write a Martha story. You really do.

-J

[soupytwist]

I would love to! But I am not sure if I am able to do that amount of research, or indeed to stop myself from just writing a wacko AU thing where Martha probably kicks Philip in the balls and then moves somewhere a long way away and has an awesome new life with a pool boy.

[jae]

*giggles* Fair enough.

-J

[soupytwist]

The pool boy also makes excellent colourful drinks with umbrellas and cherries in, FYI. :D

[jae]

You character-torturer, you! *g*

-J