“Time Renders Us Enemies,” the fifth episode of Citadel, opens in the present with Carter Spence (Osy Ikhile) warning Mason Kane (Richard Madden) that Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) cannot be trusted.
The narrative moves to a flashback in Athens nine years ago where Mason and Nadia, posing as a married couple on a mission, share a pivotal moment: Mason presents Nadia with an engagement ring. Despite the romance, tension underlies their relationship, given the unresolved issue of Celeste (Abby Conroy played by Ashleigh Cummings).
In the present, Bernard Orlick (Stanley Tucci) uses Abby to convince Anders Silje (Roland Møller) to release him. Dahlia Archer (Lesley Manville), however, shoots Anders and admits that her motives are born out of a desire to prevent others from losing loved ones, as she did.
Flashing back to nine years ago, Nadia receives a message revealing the truth about Celeste’s backstop. Confronting Mason, she discovers that he was aware of the deception and had, in fact, erased Celeste’s memories from the system. After a heated argument, Nadia ends their relationship, stating she can’t love Mason.
Meeting with Rahi Gambhir, Nadia reveals that she’s planning to abandon the Citadel. He gives her air tickets to Valencia, cautioning her to be careful.
In the current timeline, Carter discloses his knowledge of Nadia’s meeting with Rahi Gambhir before the fall of Citadel. Meanwhile, Dahlia forces Bernard to give up the password to the Citadel nukes, threatening to kill his family.
As the threats grow imminent, Joe (Moira Kelly) in Wyoming recognizes the danger and prepares her group to evacuate.
Want to catch up with the episode 4 recap of Citadel – “Tell Her Everything”
The storyline heats up with Dahlia instructing Davik Silje (also Roland Møller) to track down Mason and Nadia while Dahlia continues her conversation with a woman named Christophe. This mysterious woman implies that the other families hold a high opinion of Dahlia and approve of her actions.
Meanwhile, the tension between Nadia, Carter, and Mason continues to rise. When confronted about her connections to Valencia and the terrorist Rahi Gambhir, Nadia reveals a deeply personal secret: she has a child, a daughter she hasn’t seen since infancy.
Flashbacks to nine years earlier show Nadia discussing her pregnancy with Rahi. It becomes clear that Nadia was deeply concerned about Mason’s trustworthiness and chose to keep her pregnancy a secret from him.
Back in the present, this revelation strikes Mason hard. He learns for the first time that he is a father to Nadia’s daughter.
In Washington DC, Dahlia meets with Christophe and shares that despite obtaining the codes, they need Mason’s fingerprint to activate the nuclear weapons. This information reveals the depth of Dahlia’s plan and the danger that Mason and his newfound daughter are in.
An unexpected revelation comes as Nadia admits that Rahi Gambhir is not just any terrorist – he’s her father.
Back in the past, Grace (Nikki Amuka-Bird) contacts Nadia for a mission in Italy. Before leaving, Nadia bids farewell to her young daughter, Asha, by gifting her a small golden bracelet.
Fast forwarding to the present, Mason, Nadia, and Carter find themselves surrounded by a convoy of cars. A mysterious man hands Mason an earpiece, through which he hears Dahlia’s voice. Dahlia reveals her leverage – she has taken his daughter captive. Displaying the golden bracelet that Nadia had once gifted to her daughter, the man confirms Dahlia’s claim.
Mason is presented with a horrifying choice – to save his daughter, he must cooperate with Dahlia in activating the nuclear weapons, thereby endangering the entire world. This cliffhanger ending intensifies the suspense for the following episodes of Citadel.
