The story begins with a botched "snatch and grab" mission in the Sahara Desert. An American soldier is kidnapped, and a covert CIA team is decimated.

Season 3 is praised for moving the spy genre away from the "War on Terror" in the Middle East (dominant in the 2000s) to the "New Cold War" in Africa. It addresses the scramble for African resources (specifically rare earth minerals) by global superpowers.

A mature, geopolitical pivot that sacrifices character continuity for a more expansive and cynical look at the military-industrial complex.

Focused on Max Easton (played by Mark Strong), a retired MI6 field agent forced back into service to avenge the death of his son.

A CIA black site, 2029. A man is being interrogated about a dead president. He keeps repeating: “You’re asking who killed him. You should be asking who killed the truth.” Cut to: Harry Clarke waking in a Tangier safe house, hands trembling. A voice on a burner phone: “They’re rebooting the Seven Pillars. You’re the only one left who remembers the original sin.”