The Sympathizer Episode 1 Recap and Summary Explained

The Sympathizer Episode 1: “The Sympathizer” is an American war drama spy thriller series, which is currently streaming now in HBO Max & JioCinema. In this article, we are gonna discuss the recap of the first episode. Before we start our discussion let’s have a quick knowledge of the Story of this series.

The series is based on The novel of America professor & Novelist “Viet Thanh Nguyen” of the same name. The series tells us about the lifestyle of a man known as “The Captain”, he is half-French, half-Vietnamese & moreover he is a spy.

In the first scene, we know that this series is based on the Vietnam War. At that time Vietnam divided into two are ” North Vietnam” & “South Vietnam”. For America it is known as the ” Vietnam War ” & for Vietnam, it is known as the “American War’. It was a bloody war between the North, led by the communists who defeated Vietnam’s long-time French colonizers. & the South was backed by the Americans who took over the French. This fight is happened twice, first in the battlefield & second time in memory.

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We see the main character of this series known as ” The Captain,”, who is in a Vietnamese jail. Guards ordered him to recount everything that he did. Captain referring to that guard as Comrade “. Which means it could be a misunderstanding by that guard. As the Captain must be their alliance. The captain is working for the North. What we understand about The Captain is that he is a spy, a sleeper, a spook & A man of two faces. He was cursed to see every issue from both sides & he also claimed that he was a communist agent implanted in the south so he worked for the North.

Let’s back into the past, We know the story form The Captain’s voice. It was Winter 1975, Claude asked him to meet with him in front of the cinema. CLAUDE is a fan of Charles Bronson. It’s a story of 4 months before the Fall of Saigon. So , Claude is a CIA Handler ( Claude is played by Robert Downey Jr.). He is a key figure who taught the captain of the ways of America. Claude also offered Captain the education of American Pop Culture.

They went into the cinema hall to watch the interrogation of a Woman, who had a secret list of all members of the South Secret Vietnamese police. The General in charge of the Secret Police also join them. They forced women to speak up about the List. The women said nothing just looking at the Captain.

Now, we see a lot of flashback scenes. Okay, one of them is the incident that happened 3 days earlier than the previous incident. We met close friends of the captain they are more like his own brother. It’s Bon & Man. Bon is married & has a young kid. While Captain & Man both are communists so they are planning to eliminate the secrets of the South Vietnamese Police. We understand that Bon’s father had been killed by the Viet Cong & now he is in the army.

Later Captain met with Man, who told him about the complete list of secret staff of the South Vietnamese Police. Later Captain went into the Police station as he works there. He got Intel about the position of those file lists. He understood that it was in The file in the Cabinet of the Bottom drawer. The Cabinet is in the general’s room. The Captain succeeded in taking out that file from the cabinet. After that, he Snapped all the pictures of the list & out the camera reels in the mailbox. Later that woman picked those reels. And rest you know what happened to her.

In these, we know about what happened to that Lady. It was a story of 48 hours ago. The Lady pickup the reels from the mailbox.

Later Lady caught up by the officers. As we understood this series is really a truth drama, it’s hard to believe which one is true & which one is false. Also, the truth is not properly correct. Later Captain met with Claude to interrogate & take out something that that girl had eaten up. To make it real and hide their own identity the captain also punched that lady. Later they tortured her in the theatre & asked Captain to present there. We understand that Captain is biracial and also he is biased against Vietnam & USA.

So, he is also very close to the General and his family. He works as a spy by stay with them & working for the communists under his eyes. After forcing a lot the girl said the first name of that man was ” Viêt ” & the last name is “Nam”.

The lady said soon Saigon would be bombarded & South Vietnam would fall with the help of Russian Missiles. After two months, it actually happened. They are planning to leave for America with with his family & Madame’s family & also the officials of the special police. It has nearly 58 members. During the flight, the general had a little bit argument with Claude. Claude said the Americans don’t want to waste their resources for a county that is cowardly.

But, the General said that south Vietnam does everything that Americans said, so they must get this help. Claude, Suggests the general destroy all the evidence & documents of the USA guiding South Vietnam.

General ordered the Captain to make a list of the passengers for the plain. So, he handed that secret File to Captain. So, the captain made the final list based on loyalty & ability. The general has a mutilated foot & it’s rare to show that foot to expose his Vulnerabilities. Captain requests three spots for his friend Bon, who has his wife & little child. A tough choice for Captain as he started interrogating other police officers & telling them who was going from their families into that plane. Everybody has lots of objections because everyone has a big family.

Captain enjoying Beer with Bon & Man as some of them are leaving that country. It was 2 days before the fall of Saigon . In the situation of Bombardment, people is in a very bad situation. Some are leaving & some are forbidden by emotional songs . In the middle of this, Bon have a fight with the armies as they are shouting. Captain handed over the full staff list of the secret police to Man. His last mission as a mole is completed. He asks Man to protect that woman who has compromised herself for the mission. Captain asks, Man when they gonna arrest the General’s men. Man replied, ” We’re winning, but we haven’t won yet”.

Captain said the general must be punished as he didn’t want to stop fighting if he went to America. Captain thinks that he’s going to lobby, agitate & organize for counter-revolutionary action . Man asked Captain to keep on him & report everything. But, the captain doesn’t want to go with them. He said he is living underground for three-and-a-half years, fighting and yearning for the day of the victory. so, he wants to stay here to celebrate the victory & build a new future. The man said their revolutionary plan will be failed if Captain decided to stay here. Because Man thinks only Captain is capable of this as he knows English & loves America.

So, Man wants to stay here. He wants to face the circumstances of the Bombardment. Also, he told Captain & Bon to go to America safely.

1 day before, The call of Saigon: genera & his family leaving their lovely mansion. We see the daughter of general Lan doesn’t want to come up. Lan wants to the Paris instead of America. so, Captain said,it’s safe & she gonna love it soon.

With the patriotic music, they are heading to catch-up their flight. The whole is city under curfew & destroyed badly. Generals, forbid their armies. As local people are trying to leave the nation,the armies & generals leaving the nation very easily. General handover his beautiful bike to CLAUDE.

Soon, their plane landed. In the middle of the war situation, the situation gets worse as bomb fall down near their bus. some of the people alive & tried to take that plane. Bon & this family & also the captain unable to went into the plane. They waited & somehow managed to get into it. While running amidst of chaos, Captain Bon with his wife & son called down. Bon’s wife died there & Bon became speechless. He stuck there like a statue. General & his family manage to get into the plane & the captain too.

This chaotic war scene is very pathetic and we see that’s what The Captain writing in the Jail. While writing he heard some Music. He recognised it’s Del Shannon’s “Runway” planing near of the place he is staying. By this, er remember about Claude who is talking about this music to The Captain in the Airport.

First episode of ” The Sympathizer” is currently streaming now in JioCinema ( in India) & Max ( outside India). Rest episodes of this series will come weekly.

The Sympathizer Episode 1 Recap and Summary Explained

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