Season 3 Theory Reveals Season 2’s Biggest Twist Was a Lie
Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Diplomat season 2.The Diplomat season 2 concludes with a major plot twist that is bound to influence the storyline of the political drama’s upcoming season. However, the question remains: was the finale’s most shocking moment merely a deception? The Wylers’ tenure in London has led to significant upheavals by the end of The Diplomat season 2, with the ambassadorial couple unintentionally stirring a hornet’s nest since their arrival in the UK. Given the conspiracy they have uncovered, the narrative for The Diplomat season 3 promises to be the most intense yet.
Once again, the storyline is propelled by Keri Russell’s portrayal of Kate Wyler, with The Diplomat season 2 resuming the narrative right where the previous season left off. While this latest installment of the Netflix series resolves some lingering questions from the inaugural episodes released in 2023, The Diplomat season 2 also brings forth fresh mysteries and challenges for Kate and Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) to confront. Fortunately, they do not appear to be ready to surrender, and they may have just covertly enlisted one of the key players in the story to assist them from the shadows.
The Unexpected Offscreen Death of President Rayburn: Could He Still Be Alive?
Hal’s Report of the President’s Death in The Diplomat Season 2 Finale Remains Unseen
In a pivotal moment, Hal is tasked with informing the Secretary of State that the conspiracy to attack the HMS Courageous was orchestrated by Allison Janney’s Vice President Grace Penn. Going a step further, Sewell’s character delivers this shocking news directly to the President. Michael McKean’s President Rayburn is portrayed as being so stunned by the revelation that he supposedly suffers a heart attack in The Diplomat season 2, episode 6, titled “Dreadnought.” However, this pivotal event remains unseen onscreen. The episode merely shows the beginning of Rayburn’s video call with Hal, leaving the audience without concrete evidence of his demise.
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Admittedly, the prospect of McKean’s character passing away has been alluded to since season 1, particularly with references to an ongoing heart condition mentioned in The Diplomat season 1, episode 3, titled “Lambs in the Dark.” Therefore, while it is plausible that Hal’s shocking news regarding the Vice President could have triggered Rayburn’s heart attack, the absence of the actual moment casts doubt on whether it genuinely occurred. This subtle foreshadowing of the President’s potential cause of death in “Lambs in the Dark” could simply be a clever ruse to mislead the audience even more.
Could President Rayburn’s “Death” in The Diplomat Season 2 Be a Strategic Move Against Grace Penn?
Grace Penn’s Admission of Guilt Regarding the Attack on the HMS Courageous Was Only to Kate
It is evident that Miguel Ganon (Miguel Sandoval) harbors significant animosity toward Hal Wyler, likely due to Ganon’s awareness of Hal’s ambition to usurp his position. However, Hal’s decision to bypass Ganon and communicate directly with the President regarding Grace Penn implies that he has ulterior motives beyond mere professional rivalry. Hal’s account to Kate about Rayburn’s fate appears authentic, but it is entirely within Hal’s extensive skill set to craft such a convincing narrative in the pursuit of gathering critical intelligence.
”
Kate, I did something. I thought it would be better, because what if Ganon made it all about Ganon? I didn’t talk to Ganon, I talked to the President. Kate, he got…He got really upset. He died, Katie. The President is dead. Grace Penn is President
.” – Hal Wyler at the end of “Dreadnought.”
Rayburn seemed to hold a significant level of respect for Hal, making it plausible to think that he would consent to such an elaborate ruse in response to the alarming news about Grace Penn. Elevating Janney’s character to the role of US President would not only place her in a powerful position but also enable her to execute her agendas more effectively. From this new vantage point, she could more efficiently cover her tracks related to her involvement with Roman Lenkov, Margeret Roylin, and the attack on the HMS Courageous.
There’s also the matter of the short period of time between Hal speaking to Rayburn and then Hal seeming absolutely sure McKean’s character was dead.
If such a scenario were to play out, Hal and Rayburn would likely have devised a strategy to monitor Penn’s actions, enabling them to gather solid evidence of her guilt rather than relying on an unrecorded conversation between Grace and Kate. Additionally, the brief interval between Hal’s conversation with Rayburn and his subsequent certainty about the President’s death raises further questions. This situation could indicate that the entire event was staged, providing a clever narrative twist rather than reflecting reality.
