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"We've been talking about whether it's time for us to end our tour here." ― Elizabeth to Claudia

The World Council of Churches is the twelfth episode of Season Five of The Americans on FX, and the sixty-fourth episode overall.

Synopsis[]

As Philip and Elizabeth grapple with a momentous decision, Tuan takes matters into his own hands in the Morozov operation. Back in Russia, Oleg's investigation collides with the realities of the Soviet system.

Plot[]

Outside the Reed Street Church, Pastor Tim tells Paige that he's accepted a job with the World Council of Churches in Argentina. Paige thanks him for everything he and Alice have done for her. At home, Paige tells her parents and is relieved she won't have to keep the relationship with Tim up. She throws her cross in the trash but Elizabeth fishes it out and and puts it back around her neck, telling her she has to wear it until Tim is gone. Oleg is again questioned by Major Kuznetsov and Captain Staponov who ask a lot of questions about Tatiana. Admitting he slept with her, Oleg lies that he knew nothing about her operations with Directorate S. They tell him about Stan capturing William Crandall which he denies knowledge of.



S05E12-Oleg and Major K
I just know what we worked on together.
Stan and Agent Aderholt expect to meet with Sofia, but are surprised when she brings Gennadi too. She announces they're getting married and Gennadi gives them a signed picture of the 1976 Soviet hockey team. They're distressed to hear that Gennadi knows what Sofia is doing with them and he offers them his services. Philip and Elizabeth meet with Claudia and tell her that Pastor Tim accepted the job. They also say they're considering returning to Russia. Claudia says The Center will start preparations and recommends they don't tell Henry until they're in Russia. At the OBKhSS, Oleg is upset when he learns from Colonel Anatoli, that Ekaterina has been arrested. Indicating she cooperated and is trying to feed people, the Colonel leaves the decision to the prosecutor. Learning Dmitri will receive 13-15 years in jail, Oleg pleds for Ekaterina to be released.



World Council Churches Episode Gennadi Sofia
We are all on the same side.
While posing as "Dee" and visiting Evgheniya, Elizabeth sees Pasha return home from school, beaten up. Later, Elizabeth tells Tuan they need to rethink their approach to getting the Morozovs to return to Russia. Alexei won't take them back home, and Evgheniya isn't strong enough to return without him. At the FBI, Stan and Aderholt tell Agent Wolfe about Gennadi's offer which they think is a trap. Wolfe advises that they continue and see what happens. At home, Oleg asks his mother, Yelena what it was like in the prison camp. She relates that she slept with the camp doctor to survive. Although Igor was proud that Oleg worked for the KGB, she can't forget it was them that sent her to the camp.



World Council Churches Episode Yelena Burova
A doctor there, he liked me.
The Jennings meet with Pastor Tim and give him a compass as a going away present. They ask his advice, if they could ever take their children back to Russia. Saying the transition at their present ages would be very difficult, he points out that in a few years, they'll be adults and then Paige and Henry would decide for themselves. However, he doesn't know what they should do. Arriving home, they're surprised by Henry and Chris who've made dinner for them in gratitude for letting Henry go to St. Edward's. Paige tells her parents that it's great they're letting Henry go but can sense that something is amiss. She asks what's wrong but they say everything is fine.



World Council Churches Episode Henry Chris
You've been really cool about it.
In Russia, Mischa is working at a power plant and is told by his supervisor that he has a visitor. He meets his uncle, Philip's older brother, Pyotr. The next morning, Paige tells her parents she slept through the night for the first time in months. She learns that their identities came from dead people and that Elizabeth's maiden name was Korman. At the OBKhSS, Colonel Anatoli informs Oleg and Ruslan that he spoke to the prosecutor, who agreed to release Ekaterina. He says they wanted to arrest Formina's boss, but were told not to by his superior, General Nikonov, who received the order from the Central Committee. Oleg visits Ekaterina's store and watching her work, he smiles.



World Council Churches Episode Mischa uncle
I was told you're his son.
Oleg returns home and has a drink with his father, Igor, who is struggling with supply problems to upgrade a rail line. Relating in general terms what he's been investigating at the OBKhSS, Oleg points out the unchecked corruption. Igor says corruption is destroying the USSR but since almost all of the senior politicians are complicit in it, it won't change. However, Oleg knows that Igor doesn't take bribes and Igor asks if Kuznetsov's search of Oleg's room was because of the investigation. Igor offers to crush Kuznetsov, not just because Oleg is his son, but because he is good. Oleg tells him to stay out of it and that the search wasn't because of his investigation into corruption. Oleg glances at his mother cooking and goes for a walk. He stares at the skyline on the Moskva River and sighs. Pyotor takes Mischa home to eat dinner with his wife Tamara and their 8-year-old son. Pyotr says Mischa was smarter than everyone at school and if Mischa has talents like his father, he'll do fine.



World Council Churches Episode Oleg
Everyone feeds at the trough.
Driving over to see Tuan, disguised as "Brad" and "Dee", the Jennings discuss how Paige and Henry would adapt to life in Russia and they agree everyone should take Philip's Russian name. In the garage, Paige sets up the punching bag. When they arrive, Tuan tells them he's convinced Pasha to fake a suicide attempt by cutting his wrists, but in a manner that won't kill him. Tuan believes that the attempt or Pasha's death will be enough to get Evgheniya to leave Alexei and return to Russia. Appalled, they demand Tuan call Pasha to stop the attempt. He protests but there's no answer to the call. "Brad" leaves the house and starts walking briskly to the Morozov's, with "Dee" and Tuan following behind. Both beg "Brad" to turn around, knowing the man assigned to guard their house is sitting outside in his car. "Brad" reaches behind, grabs Elizabeth's hand, and keeps walking.



World Council Churches Episode Thomas
The car's there.

Notes[]

  • The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide inter-church organization founded in 1948. Its members include the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, most jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Old Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, most mainline Protestant churches (such as the Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Moravian and Reformed) and some evangelical Protestant churches (such as the Baptist and Pentecostal). The Roman Catholic Church is not a member.
  • The WCC has drawn criticism for its lengthy history of entanglement with the KGB and the politics of the former Soviet Union. In 1992, in an investigation that cited verbatim KGB reports, it was found that the Fifth Directorate was actively involved in influencing WCC policy from 1967 to 1989. For example, in the 1983 WCC General Assembly, one document described the activities of 47 KGB agents to secure the election of an "acceptable" candidate as General Secretary. Metropolitan Nikidim was a KGB agent, codenamed ADAMANT, who served as one of six WCC Presidents from 1975 until his death. His earlier intervention had resulted in the WCC making no comment on the invasion of Czechoslovakia. Appeals from suffering dissidents both from within the Russian Orthodox Church and Protestants were ignored in 1983. Metropolitan Aleksi Ridiger of Tallinn and Estonia was alleged to be a KGB agent codenamed DROZDOV, and in 1988 was awarded an honorary citation for services to the KGB by its chairman.
  • The Soviet national ice hockey team (Russian: Сборная СССР по хоккею с шайбой) won nearly every world championship and Olympic tournament between 1954 and 1991. In order to maintain "amateur" status, the team was composed of players who were officially Soviet armed forces officers, but played hockey nearly all year round. When pitted against professional hockey players (most notably those playing in the NHL), the Soviets won only one tournament, the 1981 Canada Cup.
  • "Previously on The Americans" voice: Paige.

Videos[]


Season Five
#501 "Amber Waves" #508 "Immersion"
#502 "Pests" #509 "IHOP"
#503 "The Midges" #510 "Darkroom"
#504 "What's the Matter with Kansas?" #511 "Dyatkovo"
#505 "Lotus 1-2-3" #512 "The World Council of Churches"
#506 "Crossbreed" #513 "The Soviet Division"
#507 "The Committee on Human Rights"
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