The Ending Of The Night Agent Season 1 Explained
Netflix has had no shortage of original crime or spy thrillers, but it has been missing a series that sticks. Luckily, "The Night Agent" found instant popularity, opening on the platform in the top spot with over 168 million hours viewed. Based on the novel by Matthew Quirk, the series follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) as he begins to work with the White House as a Night Action telephone operator. Things quickly escalate, with Peter at the eye of the storm in a conspiracy that involves the US government. Also starring Hong Chau, D.B. Woodside, and Luciane Buchanan, the web of who is good or evil isn't fully revealed until the season finale.
Already confirmed for a follow-up season by Netflix, there are still plenty of questions that have been left unanswered. As an original series that hasn't been hit by the platform's supposed renewal curse, the new case that Peter will be left to face is as unpredictable as its Season 1 story. If you've just binged the show but feel a bit confused about how things played out, here's the ending of "The Night Agent" Season 1 explained.
Zadar's life is miraculously saved
Conspiracies drive the heart of the action in "The Night Agent," with suspected terrorist Omar Zadar constantly in the line of fire. He's a man with a target on his back as the leader of PIF (People's Independent Front), having been linked to the conspiracy that took place at the White House. Zadar's name and interview appear on the hard drive held by Rose's uncle and aunt, which sets him up for disaster in the season finale. Though an initial attempt to eliminate Zadar happens earlier on in the series, it's the second assassination attempt that sets Sutherland up to discover what's going on.
Miraculously, Zadar ends the season finale alive. Since Zadar was such an integral piece of the puzzle in Season 1, he is likely to appear in Season 2. President Travers needs assurance that everything will work out, and while Wick and Refield's efforts were unsuccessful this time, that won't always be the case. However, considering the conspiracies Zadar is now tied to, it's unlikely that Peter, Rose, and Arrington can continue to be his allies.
Death, destruction, and betrayal
The characters in "The Night Agent" are constantly at risk. Innocent deaths such as Peter's partner Cisco prove that life-threatening danger is always on the cards for those that want to swoop in and save the day. After his death at the hands of Ellen, Cisco is later avenged when Rose saves Peter from a similar fate. The lines between good and evil are so blurred by this point that they overlap with one another, prompting viewers to ask who's really doing the right thing.
Though it doesn't result in any deaths, the final reveal of Diane's true character speaks volumes. Straddling the line between being Peter's boss and his friend, she shows that she can be just as callous and manipulative as the men around her. At the end of the day, Peter is merely her contingency plan and the potential shift in his orders highlights how he is being positioned to take the fall.
Given his father's reputation as a traitor, it's unsurprising that Peter ultimately feels betrayed by Diane.
The bomb plot is finally discovered
It takes until the closing moments of the Season 1 finale of "The Night Agent" for the details of the next bomb plot to finally be exposed. The tables turn on Diane, who is forced to sneak Peter and Rose into Camp David at gunpoint. Not only is Omar Zadar the main target, but the plans also involve taking out President Travers. However, Diane ends up fatally wounded while Almora dies, and Travers only receives a warning through a cybersecurity crackdown. So why does it take so long for the plans to be foiled?
Simply put, the conspiracy is much larger than originally anticipated. In hindsight, viewers are only just beginning to see the details of PIF and plans surrounding the White House. While safety is still mostly presumed by the time the finale ends, there are a few key indicators for what could happen in Season 2. Most importantly, Chelsea proves integral to foiling the final bomb plot, ushering Vice President Redfield and Maddie to safety just at the right time.
This means that Chelsea may have a bigger part to play in Season 2, although Redfield perhaps isn't as trustworthy as he may have seemed — after all, he's already shown a willingness to do anything for Maddie.
Peter and the theme of fatherhood
Even before viewers get to the season finale, it's clear that dysfunctional relationships with fathers are a key theme that underpins "The Night Agent." After all, the final episode is titled "Fathers," reinforcing their importance from the outset.
Almost as soon as we see Peter begin his work with the FBI, his personal connection to the job becomes clear. Peter's father was an agent accused of betraying the US government, which has an unavoidable influence on Peter's career. He spends much of his adult life defending his father's actions, a narrative thread that sets Peter up as a character who needs to right his own wrongs. However, both Maddie and Chelsea push back against their father figures, who they view as more monstrous.
Given the nature of Night Action's work — and how much is at stake for both the US government and the suspected terrorists — the theme of damaged paternal relationships could feed into the bigger context of power dynamics. Both sides see themselves as acting in the best interest of all while striving for dominance, two very paternal traits. Ultimately, the characters who push back against the mold come out looking the best. Unfortunately, Peter is still trapped by his past as the show heads into Season 2.
President Travers is scared into safety
Though the US government has been calling the shots since the beginning of "The Night Agent," President Travers feels a little more slippery. It's often difficult to empathize with how narcissistic Travers can be, as seen when she knowingly sets Peter up to be used as the FBI's pawn. However, once the final bomb plot is foiled, Travers realizes just how much of a target she is.
After boarding a plane to safety, Peter holds a gun to her head, claiming that there is another bomb onboard. It's a strange moment — Peter professes his "love for his country" yet finally holds some kind of power over Travers. Of course, Peter is right, and his actions lead to Travers being saved again.
It's possible that the only way Peter could have had the upper hand — not to mention any say over his own future — was if control was forcibly removed from President Travers. Luckily for him, the immediate danger works in his favor, and Travers buys into Peter's sense of patriotism. Travers tells Peter to name his price, leading to the mysterious job that's on the table as viewers head into Season 2.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, though, Travers has both an ulterior motive and more information to use against Peter, and she reveals the truth about his father as the episode draws to a close.
The second attack causes waves
Bomb plot after bomb plot is revealed throughout "The Night Agent," yet few expected the surprise explosion waiting on the plane. Peter takes a crazed turn while holding a gun to President Travers' head, borderline threatening to assassinate her to try and get across the threat to security. It's a particularly intriguing look at FBI and government agents' patriotism, which Peter uses as a reason to be taken seriously, as the plane's security team isn't exactly responsive to protecting the president. It ultimately proves that even when the Night Action team thinks they have it all figured out, they don't know the half of it.
Most importantly, the surprise attack is a turning point for Peter's character. Once looked down upon as someone who had to pay for his father's sins or even a figure who could be easily weaponized by the enemy, saving the president sets him up to be received as a public hero. Still, he wants to keep a low profile, determined to save his name from appearing in national media outlets.
This decision allows Peter the freedom to learn more about his father, as he finally has some political currency he can use against President Travers.
Redfield has the biggest shock of all
While the plane explosion is a dramatic moment for both Peter and President Travers, Vice President Redfield arguably is in for the biggest surprise. His relationship with his daughter Maddie has been rocky from the beginning, as Maddie makes it known that she believes her dad is a monster. Once President Travers is confirmed to be safe, Redfield is shocked to learn that both of his daughters have survived. He also comes face to face with Chelsea — the person responsible for his daughters' safety.
This moment links back to the overriding theme of fatherhood in "The Night Agent." When all is said and done, the family bonds are still there, possibly proving that political agendas can be left at the door when it comes to emotions.
Still, Redfield's surprise could be interpreted in more than one way. He could also see Maddie's obvious disdain for his motives as a hindrance moving forward. Regardless, Redfield's relationship with his daughters is something we're likely to see expanded in Season 2, as Maddie seems to hold more power to affect change than she realizes.
Rose is definitely a romantic interest
In some ways, it's almost refreshing that "The Night Agent" is largely devoid of romantic relationships, but Rose's connection to Peter is finally made clear in Episode 10. While her cybersecurity skills are exceptional and imperative to the action in the season finale, Rose isn't given a lot of opportunities to shine in Season 1. She's mostly involved because of her aunt and uncle, who are Night Action agents caught up in the conspiracies relating to the White House thanks to a hard drive found in their possession. When she's with Peter, she can stand on her own two feet. Saving him from being killed by Ellen proves Rose's worth while demonstrating the strength of their connection.
As the season finale wraps up, we see Peter saying his goodbyes to Rose before boarding a plane to find out what the US government has in store for him next. Here, the pair is confirmed to be an item, as their romantic connection is somewhat hazy as Season 1 progresses. Their parting is a heartwarming note to leave on, setting up Season 2 to explore the ups and downs of their relationship even further.
Will Wick and Redfield strike again?
Even though much of "The Night Agent" holds its drama at the top of the governmental food chain, the links to outside military members run far and deep. Throughout Season 1, viewers are led to believe that the buck stops with Colin, the soldier (and identical twin brother of Matteo) behind the Metro bombing. However, the season finale reveals that the partnership between Redfield and Wick has been pulling the strings, as the pair have been ordering hits on those they see as a threat. Peter foils their plans, but with such a strong coup forming under President Travers' nose, there's no telling how far the danger actually goes.
It would perhaps be too obvious for Wick and Redfield to team up in the same form in Season 2. Their dynamics and thinking have at least been somewhat discovered by Peter, meaning they would need to drastically rethink their approach. Perhaps more members of the US government will be revealed as defectors, giving more strength to Redfield's agenda. Beyond that, could Peter's supposed job offer actually be a plot to recruit him to the other side — especially now that he knows his father was doing the same thing?
Rose's family almost hits on the truth
While Rose is a central character in "The Night Agent," her light fades in comparison to her aunt and uncle, Emily and Henry, who are killed when they get too close to discovering the truth about the Metro bombing and Vice President Redfield's involvement. Until they are bumped off by Dale and Ellen, the pair are arguably the biggest threat to both sides, given how much they know. Their deaths leave Rose in a precarious position and serve as a symbol of how ruthless both sides truly are.
Given their importance to the overall narrative, it's strange that Emily and Henry are only really referred to as background characters. Sometimes not even referred to by name, Rose's aunt and uncle are somehow still secondary parts of her journey even though their influence on the story is at times more important than what Rose achieves on her own. However, room for confusion comes with room for interpretation, and Emily and Henry's involvement could run deeper than first thought. If nothing else, their deaths set Rose up for a journey of self-reflection and possible fight against what she believes to be right and wrong.
Opportunity takes the place of vengeance
Untimely deaths, secret plots, and epic explosions are all part of the action in "The Night Agent." Still, by the time the series wraps up, a feeling of hope is palpable. In the closing moments of Season 1, Peter watches his father admit to everything he believed was true after requesting the information from President Travers. After he learns his father was killed by an assassin before completing his duties, Peter realizes that there's a job that remains to be finished. Peter says goodbye to Rose and boards a plane to find out what is in store for him next.
Peter has the world at his feet at the end of "The Night Agent." Theoretically, this plane ride could take him to greater things, giving him the sense of mental and emotional freedom that he's been lacking. Moving forward and doing his job without the guilt of his father's unfairly tarnished legacy hanging over him could make for an interesting new narrative, especially now that he is grounded by his relationship with Rose.
Though "The Night Agent" is never going to be a journey without drama, there's certainly plenty of opportunity for Peter to evolve as a character in Season 2.
What can we expect from The Night Agent Season 2?
Season 2 of "The Night Agent" has already been confirmed by Netflix, and while no details have currently been revealed, the ending of Season 1 has left us plenty of clues for where the story might head next. Most important, Peter is going to find out what awaits him when his plane hits the ground. Now that the mysteries surrounding his father have been put to bed, will it be a case of "out of sight, out of mind" as he moves on? His relationship with Rose will almost certainly take new importance, and Rose's own story has room to grow now that she's out of the shadow of her aunt and uncle.
At the same time, others involved in the conspiracy have a lot to answer for. President Travers has seemingly come around to Peter, but her personal safety isn't guaranteed. Redfield and Wick leave Season 1 with their tail between their legs, although Redfield may have had a change of heart after Maddie's life is put at risk. The pair's relationship could largely inform the narrative for Season 2, alongside how Redfield and Wick might continue to work together. Finally, Omar Zadar remains at large, which means he will likely continue to be a target to bring down in the new series.