Question about the finale of The Americans

Submitted by mhks t3_102o50n in television

I saw on another thread people talking about the Americans and, like that poster, my wife and I just finished it. We had a debate - are Phil and Elizabeth screwed now, or not? Let me explain my side: the whole point of their final mission was to get the message to the right people in govt. so they knew there were efforts within the KGB to undermine the talks and backstab Gorby. Everything hinged on their message and they repeatedly said if the message didn't get through, all those opposing the opposition were in a world of shit. Claudia says as much when she confronts Elizabeth.

While the talks were a success, the message never got through. The KGB folks weren't exposed so would still be in power. That's why Arkady picked them up - he was in with the opposition, and so anyone else picking them up was a threat. Outside of the people in the KGB loyal to Gorby, Elizabeth and Phil were traitors - and those were 'powerful people' in the KGB. Consequently, now Phil and Elizabeth were essentially personal non grata in the USSR, and possibly at risk of assassination.

My wife thinks that because the talks were successful, Phil and Elizabeth will still be treated as heroes because they weren't ever caught. They would go on to have jobs within the organization. That they couldn't have easily gotten into the USSR unless the KGB were okay with it means their defense of Gorby wasn't going to ultimately hurt them.

Thoughts?

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Gaius_Octavius_ t1_j2vqwvq wrote

I think they would have initially been greeted as returning hero’s but over time got caught up in the power struggle between the hardliners and reformers and forced out eventually.

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CarbonPrevails t1_j2ubyy0 wrote

Philip and Elizabeth are very smart and adaptable. They’d be fine no matter what.

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jogoso2014 t1_j2urmo5 wrote

My impression was the KGB was equally divided in their loyalties which helped protect them.

Clearly the groundswell of support for Gorbachev’s plan would have provided some insulation.

Otherwise it would have been easier to simply kill Gorbachev.

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TheFamilyJulezzz t1_j2ultdp wrote

I commented on the previous post that I thought that was a flaw in the finale. Nobody crosses the KGB and lives. They dead. (it's still my favorite show, though)

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Ophelia_1603 t1_j2ylk5j wrote

I agree with your wife. >!It would be a liability to bring the two of them into the USSR at that point from the point of view of the traitors. It would be easier to do away with them while they are undercover than bring them in. Arkady bringing them in means he has channels to get him to the "good guys". I don't think they will be openly celebrated as heroes, but will be appreciated for the complexities of their service and what they were able to pull off. My issue is - will they be happy? Are they even soviets at all at this point?!<

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mhks OP t1_j2zlbxa wrote

That was the other part of our discussion. We figured they are only a few years away from the wall falling and the USSR dissolving, but it's not like that eliminated past issues and they can just travel to the US. I think the big issue will be the kids. How do they get in touch with the kids? If they even can, is there any way to do a meeting in a neutral third country? Would the kids even want that?

Phil I think takes it harder and really grows to hate his time there, as well as not knowing what is happening to the kids. I think Elizabeth, being more zealous, likely dislikes it, but is committed to the cause of creating a new Russia so she survives just fine.

I really liked the ending. Flawless? No. Good? Yup.

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Ophelia_1603 t1_j2zpp3b wrote

I agree. I imagine they will meet up in the early 2000s. I would love to see what comes of it.

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RusevReigns t1_j2uhgcl wrote

If I remember correctly they get out of the KGB commitment way too "easy" in a way that's just bad writing. Elizabeth gets out by telling Claudia they're out and Claudia basically just has to accept it. There is no climactic escape from the KGB who are trying take out their assets that know too much.

This show got overrated by critics in the post Mad Men pre Succession period who were trying to find their next canon drama, and talked themselves into it and the Leftovers. The show is not really polished enough to feel like a great prestige drama but not really going all in on pulp entertainment value either.

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