‘Treadstone’ Episode 7 reveals Petra, linked to both operations and Stiletto 6, was emotionally involved with Bentley and Yuri
Spoilers ahead for 'Treadstone' episode 7 titled 'The Paradox Andropov'
'Treadstone' is a show that presents multiple plot lines from different characters' perspectives in two different timelines. One during the birth of Treadstone's parent operation called The Cicada Protocol, a KGB initiative and the second, in the present where operatives of Treadstone -- a black ops team -- are awakened to be used by the CIA in any way they deem fit.
The operation was buried, and the top operatives who had knowledge about the program were informed this is something that should never resurface. This is exactly why Ellen Becker (Michelle Forbes), one of the CIA officials in the know about the program, is shocked about the recent deaths as a result of Treadstone agents who seem to be receiving target packages from someone who understands the program really well.
So, now Treadstone operatives are mixed up with a dangerous deal between the Russians and the North Koreans that involves a nuclear missile. This missile was yet another KGB operation Stiletto Six, and the common denominator between Treadstone, The Cicada Protocol and Stiletto Six is none other Petra.
'Treadstone' Episode 7 draws a parallel between Petra's life in the past and the present. Petra (Emilia Schule) in the past did not consider John Bentley (James Irwine) just an asset that she trained to be a Cicada. During the time she trained him, the time John did not remember for a while, a relationship developed between them.
Petra was quite influenced because of this relationship and this was despite John hating her for making him a vessel that completed KGB's missions without any questions. She tried to convince him their relationship was not about manipulating him.
She explained she was sincere and to prove this, she killed many KGB agents who targetted John to try to bring him back under custody. She also informs him his friend from CIA, Agent Matheson (Oliver Walker), was still alive and convinces him she will help John find Matheson's location and rescue him. In this vein, she reveals there is someone in the KGB who she could approach to get information and that turns out to be Yuri.
In the present, Petra (Gabrielle Scharnitzky) has followed Yuri to find out what he intends to do with Stiletto Six, the nuclear missile. While Petra was busy keeping the missile safe in Russia, Yuri was busy making money and this shocks Petra.
She is surprised Yuri, the man who had always said "power comes from having a cause" is now a capitalist who is mostly concentrating on making money. Now that Yuri is selling the missile in the black market to the North Korean Colonel Shin, he is not ready to reveal his plans to Petra.
He tells her that she doesn't need to know. Considering she killed her husband Oleg for the mission, Petra is of course, unhappy about her situation. She is frustrated and bursts out, "My mission was to guard it with my life."
To this Yuri responds, "You made one emotional move too many. You spent all that time training the Cicadas, and you are the one who ended being programmed." Despite having a knife in her hand, Petra doesn't go for Yuri's life.
Considering her past actions, this is surprising. She even ends up getting pinned at gunpoint, humiliated by Yuri into leaving him alone and living her final years away from all the action.
That's when we see flashes of a young Petra with Yuri (Julian Kostov). The scenes of the two of them being intimate are contradictory to Petra's claims that she loves John. Does Petra advertently lead John to his end or is John one of her "emotional" decisions that Yuri referred to? We will have to wait and watch the upcoming episode.
The next episode of 'Treadstone' will air on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on the USA Network.