Henry Mack’s Struggles

Henry Mack isn’t the easiest person to care for. He has these long stretches where he just sinks into deep depression, becoming entirely shut off from others. His addiction makes reliability a foreign concept, and, understandably, he tends to be deceitful. There’s a lot of unresolved rage stemming from a tense upbringing and repeated public shaming, which pushes him into fits of wrath. He always tries, I think, to be a better person, but somehow, he misses the mark. His main desire seems to be to gain others’ appreciation, yet, ironically, his efforts only push people further away, revealing their own lack of kindness.

But I can’t help but feel he shouldn’t be held responsible for an international financial plot he didn’t initiate. What do you think?

For the most part, he couldn’t prevent this situation. It seems he was actually chosen to be the scapegoat in case Whit Halberstrom, the mastermind behind the operation, ever needed one. The elaborate letter he received from Whit in the last episode only confirmed how both Henry and the world are viewed through Whit’s lens. Henry remarked that the next time they meet, “It’s like being in a room with a reptile.”

I think Henry might have sealed his fate when he lashed out at Yasmin. He seriously underestimates how much she’s endured regarding his betrayals, disappearances, and financial mismanagement—like losing it all in stocks! There was this moment where he erupted, and she just went quiet, responding with, “Yes, Henry, of course Henry, you’re right Henry.” That kind of silence seems like a response from someone who’s been through a lot of emotional turmoil. The whole night, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling, unable to catch a wink of sleep.

However, Yasmin isn’t the same vulnerable girl tormented by her corrupt father. She has become a cunning player, a survivor, and, above all, a shameless liar. If she can be the one to send Tender crashing down, she could seamlessly exit without tarnishing her reputation. Unfortunately, Henry would be left amidst the wreckage.

In this chaos, Yasmin masterminds a completely falsified government scandal, framing Lisa Dern, a kind-hearted Labor Party official opposing Tender, for a nonexistent cover-up involving a nonexistent memo. This whole scheme is meant to protect Labor Minister Jenny Bevan. They hint that Yasmin’s connection to the scandal points back to her friendship with Henry.

Jenny balks at the plan. She meets Yasmin, Lord Norton, and a zealous right-wing tabloid editor, Kevin Rule, but quickly leaves, frightened by their readiness to print blatant lies. Instead, Yasmin uses Harper’s ties with a dynamic editor, Burgess, to circulate the story anyway. Both Harper and Burgess are sharp, yet they might just fall for Yasmin’s deception. Perhaps it’s because they got what they desired: an easy target in Tender.

The scandal does its job—Lisa resigns following orders from an unknown Labor Prime Minister, and Tender stocks plummet. Yasmin quits without a word to Henry, who discovers Whit’s phone left behind in his office. It seems everyone abandoned ship, leaving Henry with nothing.

This position is perilous for him. First, Ferdinand—linked to Tender and its Russian backers—shows up at their hotel room, revealing he was part of the plot to eliminate Dicker. They make it clear that fleeing is not an option for Whit, emphasizing that he’s at the mercy of his financier. Tender still holds value for them, given the sensitive personal data it possesses, making Henry a potential threat to himself.

Then there’s that chilling phone call where Yasmin and Lord Norton justifies their actions regarding Henry. They knew he couldn’t recover from such humiliation. “He has never faced any consequences,” Yasmin laments, but it feels like they confuse him being accused with responsibility for his mistakes. They dissect Henry’s character and family history, seemingly planning to eliminate him.

I mean, I kind of sympathize with Yasmin here. When she reached out to Jenny about a job, the politician scoffed at her audacity. It’s like she strolled in, expecting acceptance from someone whose leader has publicly derided her aspirations. “You abandoned him when he needed you most,” Jenny tells Yasmin with fierce disdain. You could almost feel the impact that statement had on her.

So, in classic Yasmin fashion, when things seem bleak, she turns back to Harper. Their chat reveals the unhealthy dynamics fueling their bond. Harper confesses she enjoys wielding power at Yasmin’s expense, which, in all honesty, makes sense since she stands to gain if Tender crashes. They express mutual envy: Yasmin covets Harper’s smarts, while Harper longs for Yasmin’s looks and privileged connections. Their rivalry holds complexities, both feeling inferior to the other for different reasons.

Most crucially, they dive into Yasmin’s struggles. Why does she constantly feel the need to take charge, to, as Harper puts it, “dominate”? Growing up in a vulnerable situation, Yasmin laughs through tears but can’t tolerate living that way again.

The two head out to a club, getting caught up in the moment, dancing wildly to Daft Punk’s “Veridis Quo.” There are so many great musical moments throughout this episode—it’s impressive, honestly. They end the night leaning against each other on the sidewalk, smoking in the soft light of morning.

“You have no idea how good I feel right now,” Harper says to Yasmin.

“We’ll be here forever,” Yasmin replies, “even if we never will.”

Come closing time, we’ll see if that sentiment holds true about their lives and each other.