‘For All Mankind’ 4×09 Review: “Brazil”

For All Mankind 4×09 is the type of penultimate episode that sneaks up a viewer, even as we know this series is not exactly one that’s going to deliver pure filler at any point — much less do so this close to the end of a season. The mission itself, regardless of which team you’re rooting for, doesn’t really face any major snags until roughly halfway through the hour. Yes, “Brazil” does open with Ghost Ops about 48 hours and a missed discriminator swap away from failing before they’ve even had a chance to try to steal Goldilocks. But even though Massey has been on board for a month with no movement on that key part of the plan, all it takes is a single drop of liquid — right about the time viewers are being told how many communications tests have failed, no less — to resolve any potential urgency around that. 

As a result, we might find ourselves getting a bit too comfortable. Maybe even feeling like this time, all will go smoothly. But anyone who knows anything at all about this series — which, if they’re watching the end of Season 4, should be a fair amount — knows better than to actually trust that sense of security. In the first place, one poorly-concealed (as in, not at all hidden) device winds up having the potential to unravel everything. For a moment there, even, it feels like we might head down a similar path to what happened at the end of Season 2 — this time, with North Korea and the United States having the misunderstanding that raises hell in space. Instead, Lee takes care of Cho before he really even becomes a problem. Then, there’s what happens to Miles. No comment on that, other than Rumsfeld and Cheney would be proud. 

But the true power in this episode is in looking back, in remembering how short life is. Forgetting any big, ambitious projects and any action that comes in an otherwise relatively calm setup, we still have plenty of places to take a step back and think about the humanity of it all. This is, as usual, what simultaneously makes it all worth it and makes us wonder about our sanity in continuing to come back for more. Those personal moments, the reminders of how much family really matters, in For All Mankind 4×09 are so very well done. But do they really have to hurt so much?

The Commander

Speaking of things that sneak up on you and things that hurt: Danielle Poole’s vidmail. Commander Poole may be holding it together in public, pushing forward with the mission and standing up to anyone who questions her integrity or dedication.Nothing new there. But what happens when there’s no one else around. What’s left when there’s nobody to bear witness but those of us on the outside looking in? The exhaustion, the decades of loss and regrets, and the insecurities manage to catch up to her. But all is not lost. She still holds onto some kind of hope and determination for the future, even as it’s pretty obvious Dani’s more trying to convince herself than promise anything to “Zay” (Isaiah) at this point.

The whole scene is nothing if not a masterclass in how to emotionally devastate an audience, even with no one — and just about nothing — else to work with. Krys Marshall has long since been one of the best parts of this series, a strong performer even in a cast that has never had a weak link, but what she does in For All Mankind 4×09 is on a totally different level. This isn’t about the reactions that we usually love so much. Instead, what she gives us is Dani’s deep, raw emotion — something that has to come solely from somewhere internal. But the task is more than just finding and projecting emotion.

It’s Dani, struggling through pain and exhaustion to try and send home an optimistic message, with the end of this last mission nearly within her grasp. But the character fails in the cheer department, try as she might. And she makes a valiant attempt at lightness, joking about making sure her grandbaby is a big ol’ sci-fi nerd. She’s aiming for lightness, even when she’s making promises she realizes she might not be able to keep — anything can go wrong in space, after all. And, even in all these plans and jokes, she’s still completely unable to stop the tears. It’s just layers upon layers of vulnerability. A smile, reflected in the computer monitor as Dani pulls up an ultrasound image. Tears that just don’t stop once they start, and so much more. And Marshall simply delivers.

“Sorry, that…that took me by surprise. I’m just so happy,” Dani says at one point, as “just so happy” seems to be about as far away from her demeanor as it can get. But it’s obvious she is happy about what’s in store for her back home. She’s just…crushed not to be there to experience every little moment, just as she hasn’t been for so many others over the years. And we believe her, earlier in the scene, as she starts off by telling Zay he’s more important to her than any mission patch. Easily, too, we know she means it when she says she “intend[s] to be the best goddamn grandma on the planet.” But her voice trembles, and even as she laughs we know the aforementioned tears are inevitable.

Yes, we’re talking about Dani’s tears and ours here. In case anyone was new here and wondering. And no, watching this in the penultimate episode doesn’t at all make us comfortable heading into a season finale. It feels kind of like a goodbye, like it’s building to something. But we refuse to let ourselves think about what that could mean, considering how this series tends to deal with its finales.

The confession

While Dani is feeling the separation from her family more than ever in For All Mankind 4×09, Ed finally has to come clean to his own. He’s spent the entire season running from the truth, from the fear of his own mortality. But he can’t now. Because Kelly is staring him in the face, calling him out. Sure, Ed’s a terrible liar when it comes to his sudden buddy-buddy relationship with Dev. And yes, that’s what finally causes Kelly to confront him in the first place. But she has known for a very long time now that something more than even that was going on. And now, as she demands answers, we see the exact moment when Ed realizes time has run out.

“When I was younger, I wasn’t afraid of anything. Not even death. I always thought I’d go out in a blaze of glory. Gordo. He once told me about his father when he got cancer. His dad was a Marine. Tough as nails, but…towards the end…he was terrified. Weak. I just — I don’t wanna wind up like that, Kel.”

As Ed works through it all, finally sharing his fear of what’s to come as he grows older, it’s impossible not to feel for him. Impossible, too, not to think about how this isn’t something Ed can really avoid — isn’t something any of us can actually avoid. He will continue to grow older. And unless something changes about how we age, or how we’re treated when we do, all the things Ed worries about are going to happen. We know that, Ed knows that, and as Kelly sits and listens to her father’s haunted, heartbroken truth, it’s obvious she knows, too.

Joel Kinnaman does an achingly beautiful job portraying a man who’s grappling with his mortality, with the slow and creeping onset of a weakness he’s never before known. After a season where Ed has been far from his best self, bringing this sort of vulnerability and resignation to the character and making it something that can still move viewers should not have been anything at all resembling easy. And yet, it’s all too simple to feel for Ed here. And it’s even simpler still to understand that this has been the real person, underneath all that frustrating arrogance, all along.

So many little details from Kinnaman — the single tear, needing to stop in the middle of talking about building a place where maybe his grandson can live — make this scene great. But it’s when he and Cynthy Wu get to play off each other — when Ed and Kelly are able to lean on each other — that really hits hardest. When “Old Man Mars” and the brilliant scientist next to him are simply stripped down to a man and his little girl, we remember that even heroes are just people. Even a giant needs to be small sometimes, to let someone else wipe away his tears. And even someone ambitious enough to try and steal an asteroid occasionally just needs a hug that simultaneously says “I forgive you,” “I see you,” and “I’ll be here for you to hold onto as you slip away.”

The comrades

My, how things have changed in a month. Just like we always knew she would, Aleida has progressed from “I don’t know how to forgive her” to actually being the one to initiate a conversation with Margo. And of course, it’s unapologetic shit-talking about the unending irritation of working with politicians. Things aren’t…quite back to normal yet, though. Most notably, even when Aleida offers up her own home (!!!) for Margo and Sergei to meet, she’s not exactly happy about it. But even then, it’s more an admission of fact and letting a little bit of her irritation at the whole mess show than anything openly confrontational. Because let’s be real: We’ve seen Aleida do confrontational, and this ain’t it.

Ending aside — and that’s, admittedly, a pretty huge thing to put aside — For All Mankind 4×09 manages to make this particular story hurt the most in the places where it also feels most like a balm. Take, for example, the utterly adorable moment between Margo and Graciana. Wrenn Schmidt plays that moment with such delight and just the right amount of Margo…getting down on the little girl’s level, letting her in on some great secret, and giving her something special. It all feels like she’s a real, true part of the family. Like she’s the grandmother, home for a visit — which, after the loss of Aleida’s mom, she may as well be.

And, immediately after, she has a candy for Javi, too, who has this little moment of his own. As if he remembers her from when he was young, as if everything just fits. Between that and Margo’s little nod of recognition, those brief, normal moments remind us that this is her true homecoming. Not the fraught moment we all saw on the news when she went back to NASA. This. Even Aleida seems to be settled in, sharing that little grin as she watches Margo with her kids. And this is after telling Margo not to ask about her family…what? A month ago? But it’s the normalcy, and that feeling of “finally,” that are physically painful to watch. Because as Sergei later points out, once this mission is over, all of this is over. She won’t get to stay, won’t get to come back again…won’t get to see him again.

“It would be like the early Apollo-Soyuz days.” 

So, Sergei offers her a dream of running off together, asks her to consider seeking refuge in Brazil. And even as she pushes back, there’s that sense of looking back. It’s like Margo’s remembering all the possibilities she and Sergei saw for themselves way back when. They’re…cute together. Young and naive again, complete with finding that connection through music again. It’s all so bittersweet even before the tragic end. Because, even as we dare to hope along with them, we know how this ended before. We know some fairytales actually didn’t ever have a happy ending in store.

And, with a gunshot that completely comes out of nowhere — though, really, it came out of all the places where it was always destined to emerge — the dream is shattered. “Brazil” ends. So, too, does that sense of peace and belonging…though, Margo doesn’t realize it yet.

More on For All Mankind 4×09

• “I feel good about this one.” “That’s what you said the last 20 times.” “19.” A buddy comedy. I dig it.
• We are, once again, going to praise the score and how well it creates tension.
• Choose your fighter: Terrible Liar Edition. Dev Ayesa vs. Ed Baldwin.
• “I didn’t have the chance to make things right with my dad. At least you still do.” I…they gotta stop humanizing the billionaire here. This whole interaction is good. But billionaires are still bad!
• “It is good to have family with you. As you do.” And then, we visit with Aleida and Margo. In hindsight, this was warning us that pain was to come, huh?
• “Just imagine what we could accomplish if these fucking politicians got out of our way.” Mood.
• “Their great skill is putting off decisions until absolutely necessary.” And Aleida’s little grin. Help.
• “So, you found this hooked up to the system you use to spy on us.” Translation: “Y’all have some audacity.”
• “One of my regrets…is that I never got to see you take your first steps. Or say your first words. And now, I’ll get to do that with your daughter.” OH SHE IS OVERCOME HERE. (And same.)
• “Anyway…I know you hate Star Trek, but you’d better get used to it. Because I’m gonna make sure that my grandbaby is a full-blown Trekkie. That’s right. We’re gonna watch allllll the series. All three of them. And The Twilight Zone, and The Bob Newhart Show. M*A*S*H, Columbo…” 1) This is the way. 2) If I wasn’t already crying, I’d be crying in “hi, Bob.”
• Also, like, will this universe have Moore’s BSG? That’d be, like, so meta. Or whatever. (But seriously, imagine Danielle Poole shipping Roslin and Adama…you’re welcome.)
• “I suggest Soyuz-Apollo. For the sake of convenience.” “Nyet.” They are so stupid in love even after all these years???
• Dani being impressed about Mike being CIA and taking that praise about Apollo-Soyuz and agreeing to letting him and the KGB dude get involved…I might have to say it. ACAB may, in fact, be starting to include Commander Poole.
• …I hate myself for saying that.
• But it’s…well.
• Help.
• “You used to think Dev Ayesa was the devil incarnate.” I laughed.
• Gordo mention. Knife to the gut.
• “Why didn’t you tell me all this before?” “I thought you’d think I was crazy.” “I don’t think you’re crazy…maybe a little.” I love them. So much.
• Whatever you do, don’t think about everyone we’ve known since Season 1 having these moments that feel horribly like closure — and Dani is the one that’s alone for hers — in this episode.
• Just…a lot of nods to the past, too. I have concerns about the future, is all I’m saying.
• “Nick Jennings was a friend of mine. Did you know his suit melted into his flesh? Can you imagine the unbearable pain he must’ve been going through in his final moments? Huh?” Did that feel something like watching Tracy and Gordo die? Or like seeing Karen under the rubble? Aleida standing in the remains of Margo’s office…?
• In other news, they made Miles so irritating, and he’s been with me far too little time for me to forgive that. So, uh. Pound on him or whatever. (This is a weak thing for this season, I’m saying.)
• Tag yourself. I’m the string of “what the fuck” during and immediately after the Lee/Cho fight. (Does it count as a fight if one dude gets choked to death?)
• Wrenn Schdmit’s hopeful little smile while Margo jams to her jazz album…
• Soulmates eat burgers at the same time, sort of in the same way, across town with zero coordinati—…oh, God.
• Gorgeous shot. But. Oh, God.
• WTF.
• Just when there was maybe a way out…RIP, Sergei.
• This show has never, not once, been fair — especially not late in the season.

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New episodes of For All Mankind stream weekly on Apple TV+.