The Diplomat Ending Explained: Who Attacked HMS Courageous?
The television series called ‘The Diplomat’ on Netflix is a political thriller that tells the story of Kate Wyler. Kate, a skilled and sharp-witted individual who has worked in some of the most politically unstable regions globally, is suddenly moved from Afghanistan to London, altering the course of her life.
She is tasked with handling the conflict between the United Kingdom and Iran, which is sold to her as an easy job requiring her to show solidarity.
However, Kate finds herself embroiled in a complex situation that could result in catastrophic consequences.
She realizes that to resolve the issue, she must identify its source and determine who triggered the crisis in the first place. She makes a startling discovery, but it may be too late to prevent the worst from occurring.
This article reveals what happens at the conclusion of ‘The Diplomat’ and how it impacts Kate. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Diplomat Plot Synopsis
The British warship, HMS Courageous, is bombed in the middle of the ocean, and Iran is suspected of being involved.
The UK government seeks retaliation and wants the United States to support them. However, there are people on both sides who are wary of escalating the situation without concrete evidence of Iran’s involvement.
Due to her expertise in such delicate situations, Kate is sent to London as an American ambassador.
Initially, Kate believes this to be a mere formality, as her country wishes to avoid getting entangled in a tense situation.
However, she soon realizes that her role is much more complex than she anticipated. She is being assessed based on her ability to work under stress and her political tactics, as she is being considered as a potential candidate for the position of Vice President.
As Kate ponders the offer, she is torn between her political aspirations and a failing marriage. Becoming Vice President would mean remaining married to Hal, a cunning diplomat who meddles in her affairs.
At first, she is more interested in divorcing him and living her life independently. However, she soon realizes the potential to make a positive impact in a position of power and change the world.
As she considers the job offer, she must also ensure that the leaders of the United States and the United Kingdom avoid making decisions that could lead to a devastating war.
The Diplomat Ending: Did Trowbridge Plot the Attack on HMS Courageous?
Tensions arise between the UK and Iran following an unprovoked attack on a British warship. While Iran appears to be the only suspect, Kate and others suspect that someone else may be using them as a scapegoat.
Kate momentarily doubts the situation when a satellite image shows an Iranian boat leaving the country’s coast and then appearing in the waters near the warship. While this may seem like enough proof to some, Kate knows that there is more to the story.
Hal attempts to shift the blame away from Iran by orchestrating events that lead to his kidnapping and an Iranian minister stating that their government had no involvement in the attack.
When the British Prime Minister, Nicol Trowbridge, refuses to consider alternative possibilities and appears determined to attack Iran, Kate and her team realize that the only way to prevent war is by uncovering the identity of the true perpetrator.
When Ambassador Hajjar reveals information about Roman Lenkov, the blame shifts to Russia. However, this theory seems unlikely as Russia is already engaged in another conflict and is unlikely to bring further trouble to its doorstep.
Kate and her team suspect that Russia may be attempting to frame Iran and ignite a conflict between the UK and Iran, with the knowledge that the US would become involved. By doing so, Russia could divert attention away from its own ongoing conflict and evade scrutiny from the international community.
After Russia denies any involvement in the attack on the HMS Courageous, Kate is initially skeptical. However, her suspicions are further raised when the Russian government unexpectedly hands over Roman Lenkov, the leader of a mercenary group with close ties to the Kremlin.
Kate finds it curious that Russia would not protect Lenkov, who could potentially implicate them in the attack. Instead, they provide Kate with an address in France and the time when Lenkov will be there.
Kate begins to question whether Russia’s motive is to distance itself from the attack or if they are truly innocent in this situation.
Kate discovers that British Prime Minister Trowbridge had hired Lenkov to orchestrate the attack on HMS Courageous. Trowbridge’s popularity has declined steeply, and he needed a crisis to establish himself as a reliable leader.
If the people saw Iran or Russia as their enemy, they wouldn’t pay as much attention to the follies of their Prime Minister. It is possible that Roylin advised Trowbridge to do this.
Despite their differences in public, she has his ear, and when she tells him to bomb Russia, he doesn’t think twice before pushing the agenda. It makes sense that he actually did it when she told him to explode their own ship so that he could hold on to his office.
According to Roylin, there is a significant political crisis in the UK due to rising discontent in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which are seeking separation from the union.
Trowbridge, whose popularity has declined sharply, needs a way to establish himself as a reliable leader. He believes that creating a crisis would bring the people of the nation together, regardless of their differences. Therefore, he hired Lenkov to orchestrate the attack on HMS Courageous.
If the people of the UK saw Iran or Russia as their enemy, they would be less likely to pay attention to the Prime Minister’s shortcomings. Roylin may have advised Trowbridge to pursue this strategy, as she has his ear despite their public differences.
Trowbridge acted on Roylin’s advice to bomb Russia without hesitation, and he may have also approved of the plan to assassinate Lenkov to keep him from revealing the truth.
Do Hal and Stuart Die?
In an effort to secure his political position, Trowbridge resorted to extreme measures without regard for the lives of his own people. Despite knowing that his actions could result in the death of British citizens, he pushed ahead with his plan. However, some members of his party were not willing to stand by and let this happen.
One such member was Merritt Grove, a Tory MP who discovered Trowbridge’s plot. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Grove knew he had to take action. He could not trust his fellow party members, as he suspected some of them may have been involved in the conspiracy. Instead, he decided to reveal the truth to an outsider, someone who could take action to stop Trowbridge’s plan from coming to fruition.
At the meeting, Grove revealed the entire plot to Hal. He told him about Lenkov, the attack on HMS Courageous, and Trowbridge’s involvement. Hal was shocked but didn’t want to believe it. He thought that Grove might have an ulterior motive for revealing this information. However, as Grove presented more evidence, Hal began to realize the truth.
Hal knew that they couldn’t let this information go public. It would cause a national crisis and tarnish the reputation of the UK. He needed to find a way to handle the situation without causing chaos. Hal called Kate and Dennison to a meeting and revealed everything to them. They were equally shocked but knew that they had to act quickly.
Together, they came up with a plan to confront Trowbridge and force him to step down. They would use the evidence provided by Grove to pressure him into resigning. Kate used her connections in the US to get support from the American government. The pressure from both sides was too much for Trowbridge to handle, and he eventually resigned.
The UK government went through a period of reform, and new leaders emerged. The incident taught them a valuable lesson about the consequences of political gamesmanship. Kate continued to serve as an ambassador, but her role in bringing down the corrupt government was not forgotten.
It’s unclear whether Hal is dead or not from the information given. The only thing we know for sure is that Grove’s car exploded, and Hal was supposed to meet with him at that time. More information would be needed to confirm Hal’s fate.
It’s likely that Trowbridge and Roylin were behind the assassination of Grove and Ronnie to cover up their involvement in the attack on HMS Courageous.
They may have feared that Grove was going to reveal the truth about the plot and ruin their careers. Therefore, they rigged Grove’s car to explode and eliminate him before he could talk.
Since Ronnie was also there, it’s likely that she was collateral damage in the attack. It’s evident that Trowbridge and Roylin were desperate to prevent anyone from uncovering their role in the attack, and they were willing to resort to extreme measures to protect themselves.
