The penultimate episode of The Night Manager Season 2 delivers what we've been waiting for: Jonathan Pine and Richard Roper, face to face, neither man willing to blink first. Episode 5 is a chess match disguised as a thriller, with multiple players making moves that will determine the finale's outcome.
Let's break down everything that happened—and everyone who got burned.
Pine's Cover Is Blown
The episode opens with Roper speaking to Mayra, confirming what we suspected: Roper knows Matthew Ellis is really Jonathan Pine—the man who destroyed him in Season 1.
"Find his people in the UK," Roper orders. The hunt is on.
What makes this work is the lack of surprise. Roper is smarter than to be fooled twice. He's known for a while. He's been watching Pine work his way into the operation, curious to see how deep the betrayal goes. Now he's ready to spring his trap.
Pine, Roxy, and Tavo on the Run
Pine escaped Teddy's clutches after Alejandro's murder, and he's not alone. Roxy (Camila Morrone) and Octavio (Tavo) are with him—both now wanted, both burning bridges they can never rebuild.
The three fugitives head to Roxy's childhood home, a few hours outside the city. It's a difficult homecoming: Roxy's father was murdered when she was a child, and returning means confronting ghosts she's spent years avoiding.
These quieter scenes between escapes give the episode its emotional weight. Pine isn't just a spy—he's pulled innocent people into his war. Whatever happens next, their lives are destroyed.
The Restaurant Confrontation
The episode's centerpiece: Pine arranges a face-to-face meeting with Roper at a restaurant. Both men use false identities. Both know who they're really talking to.
Roper's Offer: $50 million to walk away. Forget the mission. Forget the network. Take the money and disappear.
Pine's Counter: Surrender. Expose everything. Face justice for what you've done.
Neither man accepts. They part ways at an impasse, each knowing the other won't stop. It's civilized and terrifying—two men discussing mass murder over coffee.
Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie are magnetic together. Their scenes have the energy of old friends who've become mortal enemies, each respecting the other enough to hate them completely.
Teddy's Betrayal
Pine's manipulation of Teddy pays off. By exposing how expendable Teddy is to Roper, Pine triggers the son's revolt against the father.
Teddy searches Roper's desk and finds the evidence: documents proving Roper has been using him, photographs of Danny (Roper's legitimate son in the UK), and confirmation that Teddy was never meant to inherit the empire—just run it until he wasn't needed.
Teddy sends Pine details about an upcoming weapons flight, including photos of the aircraft. Without openly declaring allegiance, he's chosen a side.
This is the tragedy of Teddy Dos Santos: he built an empire for a father who sees him as disposable. His betrayal isn't justice—it's heartbreak weaponized.
Basil's Sacrifice
Back in England, Mayra holds Basil in a safehouse. Her questions are simple: Who is Alex Goodwin? Where is Jonathan Pine?
Basil refuses to talk. Even under torture—beaten, bloodied, clearly suffering—he won't give up Pine.
"I know about the plan in Colombia," Basil admits, trying to satisfy his interrogators. "But I don't know Jonathan Pine."
It's a lie. Mayra knows it's a lie. She sends her team back in to finish him.
Basil's death is the episode's most devastating moment. He was never a spy. He was just a decent man who helped the wrong person. And his loyalty cost him everything.
Roxana's Shocking Choice
The episode ends with a twist that reframes everything: Roxana surrenders herself to Roper.
She offers Pine in exchange for... what? Safety? Money? We don't know yet. But when Roper threatens to kill her if she's playing games, Roxana responds calmly: "Well, now I know his name."
She didn't even know Pine's real name until Roper said it. She's been with Pine for days without knowing who he really is. And now she's selling him out.
Is this survival instinct? A deeper plan? The episode doesn't answer. It just cuts to black, leaving us to wonder whether Pine's most trusted ally just became his greatest threat.
Episode Verdict
Grade: A
Episode 5 delivers everything a penultimate episode should: confrontations we've been waiting for, betrayals that reshape the board, and a cliffhanger that makes the finale appointment television.
- The Pine/Roper restaurant scene (pure tension)
- Basil's refusal to break
- Teddy choosing to destroy his father
- Roxana's final line: "Well, now I know his name."
What Works: The pacing. This episode takes its time, letting conversations breathe before the violence erupts. It's confident storytelling.
Setting Up the Finale: Pine's cover is blown. Teddy is a wild card. Roxana may have betrayed him. Basil is dead. Angela is in danger. And Roper is waiting.
Season Finale: Episode 6 airs Sunday, February 1 on Prime Video.
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