The Freelancer, Neeraj Pandey’s latest venture into the extraction thriller genre, is out for everyone to watch and enjoy. Part one of the show has four episodes that discuss in detail the work of a mercenary. The same man is on a mission to extract the daughter of a friend from an ISIS-controlled territory. The wheel has been set in motion, but only time will tell how quickly the woman will be recused. Part one ended on a brilliant cliffhanger and set the tone for the upcoming three episodes. The makers have done a brilliant job so far of presenting the story tightly.
Spoilers Ahead
The Freelancer Part 1 ends with Aliya heading to Raqqa with her husband Mohsin, brother-in-law Khalid, and his wife Asar. Unbeknownst to her, her brother-in-law and his wife were going to commit a suicide bombing inside a crowded market in Raqqa to make a statement on behalf of the terrorist outfit they represent. Mohsin was more than happy to see his family become martyrs, but Aliya, for the first time, understood the magnitude of this visit and the catastrophic event she had just witnessed.
Aliya has not been rescued yet, but Avinash is hatching an elaborate plan to make sure she comes back to India safely. Avinash is trying to cut a deal with the CIA in the hope of receiving some aid from them. The CIA is interested in capturing the pilot, Mohsin’s brother Sameer, rather than rescuing Aliya, who is providing crucial information to them about their movements. A montage of what could happen in Part 2 is seen as an epilogue in the last episode. Here is what we could expect in The Freelancer Part 2.
The CIA Morocco desk will either be forced to stand down on the rescue operation or they will back out of the plan to capture Sameer, the pilot, most likely due to some political changes in the country. We are also guessing IB might have some role to play in requesting the CIA back away from this mission. Technically, this operation is not assigned by IB or R&AW, and it is not Avinash’s job to rescue an Indian national. This is where the hypocrisy of the Indian intelligence agencies comes across. They refused to help Inayat in his time of need. The man had to sacrifice himself to get the attention of the concerned authorities. IB officer Raghavendra Setu, who is investigating Inayat’s death, will challenge Avinash to succeed in his mission. The petty rivalry might get slightly exaggerated for cinematic purposes.
Avinash will gather his team, and using every bit of information from Dr. Arif Khan, he will attempt to infiltrate an ISIS-controlled area with his group of mercenaries. This is the only way to get Aliya out. Since the ISIS sleeper cell is informed about Avinash’s presence in the region, they will most likely attempt to neutralize him and his operation. Avinash Kamath’s entire mission will make him the hero. As a mercenary, he was used to execute ruthless missions that were carried out without any questions asked. In this case, Avinash will start asking about politics, which was something he did not concern himself with at the beginning of the show.
Aliya’s intention to escape will be discovered by Mohsin and his family. She will try to persuade Nabeela, her British national friend, to accompany her on the rescue mission. Mohsin will end up keeping his wife hostage and continuing to abuse her until there is no power or intent left in her to escape. By the end of the show, there could be another suicide bombing carried out by ISIS terrorists. This will trigger the CIA to get involved and bomb the ISIS-controlled areas. Mohsin and his radicalized family will most likely be killed in these bombing raids that will be carried out by the US Army.
Farhat Khalla will have a bigger role to play in the upcoming episodes. Her arrest might raise eyebrows in Syria, but it is something that has been a long time coming. She is most likely to get arrested in the season finale episode. Dr. Arif Khan will have a bigger role in the second part as well, and hopefully, his actual profession will be revealed. The last three episodes will also be about learning the truth behind Inayat Khan’s death. Hopefully, he didn’t give up his life in vain. Inayat probably wanted to get Avinash’s attention with his death. His plan seems to have worked because Avinash jumped into action to save Aliya from forced confinement. There will also be a conclusion to Mrunal’s arc. The relationship she shares with Avinash is intriguing. We wonder if her dementia-like condition is connected to the death of their child.
Aliya, on the other hand, will finally be rescued by Avinash and his team, but the road to safety will be difficult and chaotic. There will be a trail that could follow his team. Avinash and his mercenaries will eliminate all of them. As shown in the epilogue montage, Aliya will be manhandled by the women of the Al Khansa brigade to forcefully bring her back. This will be the first time she tries to kill someone.
As the series ends, Aliya will go through PTSD spells regarding the ordeal she faced. It will not be easy for her to get over the trauma. The series could have a tragic ending as well. Avinash, who will be considered a hero by the end of the show, will most likely lose his life trying to make sure Aliya heads home alive. His sacrifice will not be amplified because he was never a part of the armed forces. Keeping in mind the realistic nature of the show, we hope to see a decent conclusion. Hopefully, the makers will not treat the protagonist as a macho hero who becomes a one-man army standing up against the terrorists to save Aliya. The Freelancer could also end on a happy note. Avinash will get his happily ever after with Mrunal in Morocco. The conclusion will be too idealistic if Avinash quits being a mercenary. His identity is that of a man who is involved in the world of espionage and extraction. Dr. Arif Khan will most likely assign him the next job as soon as Aliya is sent back home.
