24 things to know before ‘Homeland’ returns

CIA case officer Carrie Mathison bribes her way into an Iraqi prison, where one of her informants is being held. As Carrie is spotted and dragged away by guards, the informant whispers something into her ear: an American prisoner has been turned into a terrorist.

Back in Washington, DC, Director of Counterterrorism David Estes (David Harewood) announces that after a raid on an al Qaeda compound, an eight-year POW Marine Sergeant Nicholas Brody has been rescued.

Convinced that Brody is the terrorist, Carrie hires someone to help her conduct surveillance. She bugs the Brody house and watches his activities 24/7, including Brody’s sexual problems with his wife, Jessica (Morena Baccarin).

Crazy Carrie begins to stalk Brody and they begin a disastrous affair. After he passes a polygraph test, he takes Carrie on a trip out of town. She directs him to a family cabin not far from DC. The next morning, while discussing breakfast, Carrie slips up and mentions Brody’s favorite brand of tea: Yorkshire Gold. Brody asks how she knows the tea he drinks, and accuses her of spying on him. Carrie, knowing she’s been caught, elects to turn the tables; she directly accuses Brody of being an agent of al Qaeda.

Brody takes his family on a trip to Gettysburg before he embarks on his campaign for Congress. Later on, they go to a diner for lunch, and Brody excuses himself to get something at the drugstore. Brody instead heads to the back of a clothing store. Waiting there is a man who has tailored an explosive suicide vest for Brody.

Saul produces a timeline of Abu Nazir’s activity based on Carrie’s notes and puts it all up on a wall. Carrie and Saul analyze the timeline, focusing on a period of inactivity from Abu Nazir which, unbeknownst to them, coincides with the death of his son Issa.

Brody betrays Carrie to Estes, who reveals that Brody confessed to his affair with Carrie, claiming that she was spying on him and continually harassing him. Estes discovers the “timeline,” which is made up of highly classified materials that shouldn’t be in her home. Estes fires Carrie.

Brody records a videotape of himself, explaining his future actions as an attack against a domestic threat — namely Vice President Walden (Jamey Sheridan) and his advisors, whom Brody blames for the deaths of 82 children during a drone strike in Pakistan. One of them was Abu Nazir’s son, Issa.

Brody gets dressed for a summit with the Vice President, concealing his explosive vest under his Marine uniform. As lawmakers convene in front of the State Department, Brody’s fellow escaped prisoner Tom Walker (Chris Chalk) opens fire. Walden’s chief aide, Elizabeth Gaines (Linda Purl), is shot in the back and killed. As Walker continues to fire into the crowd, the surviving VIPs are rushed into a secure bunker. He finds himself in the bunker with Walden, Estes and other high-ranking officials.

Carrie tells Saul the elimination of the Vice President and the other high-value targets is the true goal of the attack. Inside the bunker, Brody attempts to detonate his explosive vest, only to find that the device has become disabled due to disconnected wires. He retreats into a bathroom stall and works on repairing the vest. Meanwhile, Carrie arrives at Brody’s house and urges Dana Brody (Morgan Saylor) to call her father and talk him out of the attack. After repairing the vest, Brody prepares to enter the bunker and carry out the attack. However, he receives a call from Dana, who tells him about Carrie’s accusations and insists that Brody tell her that he will be returning home that night. After much agonizing, Brody makes the promise and forgoes detonating the vest. When an all clear is given, Brody and the other dignitaries start to file out of the bunker.

At the beginning of season two, Vice President Walden (Jamey Sheridan) asks Brody is he would consider being his running mate when he campaigns for the Presidency. Later on, journalist Roya Hammad (Zuleikha Robinson) reveals herself to Brody as an ally of Abu Nazir. She relays an assignment: to retrieve a list of potential attack targets from a safe in Estes’ office.

Brody texts Abu Nazir (Navid Neghaban) while in a meeting with Walden to warn him about an assassination in the works. As Nazir exits his vehicle, one of his men shows him the text message as the Delta Force team prepares to open fire. Nazir ducks back into his vehicle and successfully escapes while two of his lieutenants, including Abbas Ali, are slain.

Saul finds a memory card in a hidden compartment in Abbas Ali’s satchel. He pops it into his computer and finds Brody’s prepared video confession prior to his attempted suicide bombing.

Roya tells Brody he must deliver the tailor who made his suicide vest to a safe house. He drives to Gettysburg and picks up the tailor but he escapes when Brody stops to get gas. Brody tackles him in a forest, wounding him and ultimately breaking his neck.

Brody invites Carrie to have a drink at a hotel bar. He admits he is on the outs with his wife. They discuss how Carrie is hot on the trail of Abu Nazir. Carrie is ordered back to headquarters but she goes to Brody’s hotel room, calling him a traitor and a terrorist. Brody is apprehended by CIA goons and removed. 

Carrie and fellow agent Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend) interrogate Brody. He gives up Roya Hammad, and the various al Qaeda associates he’s had contact with. Carrie tells Brody his options. He can be exposed publicly, go to trial, and face prison time, or he can use his position to help the CIA anticipate Abu Nazir’s planned attack, and nobody will have to know the truth about him.

The CIA investigates the tailor’s shop and seven men are massacred.

Brody takes Dana to the police station to report the hit-and-run accident she was involved in with the Vice President’s son, but they find Carrie waiting for them outside the police station. Carrie threatens that his deal with the CIA will be off if he does so. Dana approaches, and Brody apologetically tells her that they can’t report the accident.

A helicopter descends and picks up Brody and delivers him to a clean-shaven Abu Nazir (Navid Negahban) who is in the US.

Brody contacts Carrie, begging her to get his family into hiding. Then he reports that Nazir is planning an attack on a homecoming event hosted by Vice President Walden (Jamey Sheridan) where 300 special ops soldiers are to be reunited with their families.

Estes puts Saul on the backbench and directs Quinn to kill Brody. He almost does it. In the meantime, Roya and her TV crew are ambushed in a parking lot and she is arrested

Nazir takes Carrie hostage in an abandoned warehouse and threatens to kill her unless Brody enters Vice President Walden’s office and retrieves a serial number that corresponds to Walden’s pacemaker. He explains that he will be able to use the serial number to manipulate the pacemaker wirelessly. Brody texts the serial number to Nazir, who accelerates Walden’s heartbeat, killing him.

Abu Nazir is killed by a SWAT team. The Brodys call it quits.

Carrie and Brody attend Walden’s memorial service. They sneak away to make out in an empty room. A bomb in Brody’s car kills 300 people, including the Walden’s wife and son. Carrie drives Brody to Canada. Saul is promoted to acting director and is relieved to see Carrie is alive.