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

[jae]

I love what you said about Philip and agree with it wholeheartedly! I do think, though, that he doesn't see another way out for them long-term, so it's still percolating in the back of his mind. I wouldn't be surprised if we find him bringing it up again sometime, if certain things start heating up again--though almost certainly with a bit more nuance.

As for Elizabeth, I'm a little bit worried about what will happen for her ideologically in 1989/90/91, but to be honest, I think at that particular point she'll have more existential concerns than ideological ones, at least for a while (I recommend not thinking too hard about that--it's heartbreaking). Plus, that's the time when everybody from her part of the world will be wrestling with those kinds of ideological issues--which doesn't mean that it's easy, of course, it certainly wasn't easy for the real-life people who lived it--but at least they're all in good company, you know? If she has to actually defect, though--sacrifice principle for pragmatism, and do it as sort of a lone wolf--I think it will just shatter her. I can imagine her getting to a point where she felt it was necessary, but I can't imagine her getting to a point where she felt like it was right, and she would have an awfully hard time forgiving herself.

As for Nina, I think she was absolutely willing to do it, but for her it was a cost-benefit analysis, and the benefits had to outweigh the costs in order to make it worth it. The way she vascillated on the issue over the course of the season had entirely to do with the way her perception of those benefits and those costs changed over time. As of the season one finale, she's clearly picked a side, but the jury is out on whether that's a permanent, principled choice or a pragmatic one (I go back and forth on how I perceive that from her).

I had never thought about the possibility that the Martha storyline might end that way, but oh god, for her sake I sure hope it doesn't. Because Philip doesn't love her, like, at all, and isn't worth that sort of sacrifice.

-J

[soupytwist]

I definitely agree Philip hasn't put that thought away forever! I mean, we the audience know things are going to get dicey, so it would be weird if it didn't crop up again for him, especially as he clearly doesn't have the kind of attachment to KGB work which would stop him from taking it seriously on other grounds.

Oh, ELIZABETH. Gah. And yeah, I think you're totally right and all those concerns are so wrapped up together for her that she's going to have a really tough time, even assuming the less awful options. Because yeah, she would probably find it easier if she could talk to any of the other people going through a massive shakeup of their whole world at the same time, but she's clearly always held herself to a higher standard, and probably would see it all as at least partly her personal failure, and gaaah.

I think Nina was pragmatism, but there was definitely an element of it that seemed more than that - but to me, the elements of it that weren't look more to me like "this dude has treated me badly and not shown himself worthy of my trust, so I am going to be a bit more wary of aligning myself with him or his side, especially when that will take me away from my life as I have currently known it" than more abstract principles. I hope we get lots more time with Nina, cause she's great, and as you say, it's not nearly as clear as it is with Philip.

Seriously, Martha just makes me so sad!

[treonb]

As for Nina, I think she was absolutely willing to do it, but for her it was a cost-benefit analysis

You think for Philip it wasn't a cost-benefit analysis? He's not in the same situation as Nina, who was actively pressured by the Americans, but I think he did consider defecting for simple pragmatic reasons. And in the pilot he had the perfect opportunity too.

[jae]

I didn't mean to imply that! I definitely think Philip is a pragmatist (and deep down, probably always has been), so for him it certainly would have been that too.

-J

[quantumreality]

Honestly? I think Philip had three or six million good reasons to defect. With that kind of money you can live the kind of life even only Americans can dream of.

[treonb]

There are more important things, like family.

[jae]

That was clearly part of it, but not all of it.

-J