The Recruit: ‘Brutal’ ending to Noah Centineo’s new series leaves viewers speechless

Inga Parkel
·2 min read

Noah Centineo’s latest Netflix series, The Recruit, has viewers completely stunned.

The comedy-drama stars Centineo as Owen, a rookie CIA lawyer, who becomes dangerously entangled in a game of international politics.

After the recent release of its eight-episode debut season on 16 December, viewers are already begging for a second season, given the finale’s “brutal” cliffhanger.

“Everyone needs to watch The Recruit on Netflix craziest ending ever,” one Tweeted, with a second adding that it left them with “no words”.

“Holy f***, the ending of The Recruit HOLY F*** F***... I need season two now!” a third wrote.

A fourth found the ending “brutal”, and it left another “shocked”.

Warning, major spoilers to follow!

The episodes preceding the finale show Owen’s first two weeks on the job thrown into chaos after he discovers a letter from former CIA asset Max (Laura Haddock), threatening to expose the agency if they don’t exonerate her.

As Owen becomes entangled in a dangerous game of international politics, he finds it increasingly difficult to know who to trust.

He eventually rounds out his two weeks on a trip to Switzerland and Eastern Europe, involved in a mission to reinstate Max as an agency asset stationed in Belarus.

However, when Max meets with the Russian mob, they find out that she’s back working with the CIA and open gunfire on her. But, in the end, Owen saves her after he shoots the mob members dead.

Scarred by the traumatic events, Owen makes the decision to quit the CIA, choosing instead to reunite with his ex-girlfriend Hannah (Fivel Stewart) in Prague.

Just as Owen’s on his way to meet with Hannah, he’s suddenly kidnapped by a woman he had met earlier at a bar.

She brings him to an unknown location, where she’s also holding Max captive. Eventually, Max sees the woman’s face and recognises her as her daughter Karolina (Maddie Hasson).

Max had previously told Owen about her daughter, the only person she’d ever loved and who she thought was dead.

Karolina then shoots Max, leaving her fate ambiguous and Owen still in captivity.

Netflix has yet to announce whether or not the series will be renewed, but if it is, season one’s cliffhangers have set it up for an extremely different second season.

The Recruit is available to stream on Netflix.