With Homeland steering towards the season finale, the CIA learn of a new terrorist attack from Abu Nazir and an unsuspecting Peter Quinn does the unthinkable.

‘Two Hats’ premiered over on Showtime last night and what have we learnt? Brody is still dispersing his lies across the CIA and Abu Nazir’s clan, Mike and Jess rekindle their intense relationship, Saul is onto Peter, and, the Vice President learns of a terrorist attack. This doesn’t sound too dissimilar to what we already know, but the progression of the plot is well and truly nearing its conclusion. We finally have a decisive plot, with Abu Nazir planning a terrorist attack at the Vice President’s impending event.

There were however a few surprises within the episode to the delight of the fans. We are beginning to learn more of Peter as each episode goes by, and became the focal character in last night’s episode. Peter’s definitely the one to watch now. Having disappeared for ‘only 30 minutes’ in a secret meeting, Virgil and Max were onto him, and quick. Peter jumps on a bus without realising he’s being tailed by Max. Peter jumps off the bus, has a slight change of attire, crosses the road and jumps onto another bus. It’s all just a bit too suspicious. Max is onto him. He follows the bus, and quickly snaps a photo of a meeting with a man sitting in front of him on the bus. We learn it’s a man named Dara Dahl. A middle eastern looking man, but Saul knows him from an operation over in the Middle East, and Saul isn’t too happy with him. We’ll pick up on Peter a little later on.

Meanwhile, Brody is still up to his games. Brody’s most significant scene comes in the form of meeting back up with Carrie and the CIA. He’s grilled about where on earth he went with Nazir. Brody plays Carrie. He only leaks the most insignificant information, and twists and tangles his way out of the interview doing his best to avoid suspicion. Brody is well ahead of the CIA intelligence, just as mirrored with Abu Nazir. Brody knows a lot more than each of them know about each other. It’s all a game to Brody, but it still keeps us guessing. And for the millionth time we ask ourselves, ‘tell us what side you are on!’

Brody’s family are moved into a D.C safe house. Mike accompanies the Brody family, and once again is there as the father figure that Chris and Dana desperately need. Tensions are still high with Dana and her attitude towards her Dad, Brody. Dana confides in Mike, “I wish he’d never come back from that stupid war…and it keeps getting worse” exacerbates Dana. Jess looks upon Mike, and he calms down and speaks about how Brody is a great guy, earning definite points in Jess’s eyes. But this is only the beginning. Romance, is of course in the air between Jess and Mike and it doesn’t take long for it to bloom. Jess slips out of the master bedroom whilst Chris and Dana are asleep beside her and pays Mike a visit, whom she demanded stay in the guest room after he insists he’ll sleep in the living room. Jess slowly enters, and her eyes meet Mike’s. She unveils herself, lifting her blouse and joins Mike in the bed, before they passionately make love.

Brody is unaware of all this, but that doesn’t bother him. He’s still after Carrie, and after last week’s episode, there’s one small moment between the pair of them. After Brody’s mini-interrogation, he’s left in the interview room with Carrie. “They [CIA] don’t believe me…” Brody tells Carrie. Carrie responds with moving within his grasp. “Do you believe me…because that’s all I care about…” are Brody’s next words, as they stare deeply into each other’s eyes. Saul, watches on the surveillance screens listening in on the audio, and with his wistful thinking ponders over Carrie’s actions.

As the plot develops from Brody’s interrogation Brody allows the CIA in on the impending attack on the Vice President. During the interview Brody says Nazir wants to broadcast the assassination of the Vice President live on air to the world, but it’s Brody’s job to ensure that Roya is the only journalist covering the debate. The Vice President agrees in a meeting with David and Brody, as David spins the idea that with Roya working for Nazir, they can take out the men responsible for the attack and get closer to capturing Nazir. What does this mean for Brody, though? Is he diverting attention away from Nazir, or is he working with the CIA?

Brody’s intelligence leads Carrie in an unmarked CIA van to track Roya’s saloon car. Roya pulls up at a Hamburger restaurant, and carefully watches her back as she walks in to meet her camera crew for the upcoming media event. As she takes an order for breakfast, Carrie continually spies like a hawk for any suspicious vehicles. Carrie spots a blue SUV, described to her by Brody and with CIA operatives positioned, they watch and wait. David asks, “Is Nazir inside?” Carrie can’t quite tell. Nazir’s ammunitions experts step out of the SUV, Carrie recalls over the radio. A tall, dark, lean build of a man, with three other men but Carrie insists that one man is still inside the vehicle, hoping it to be Nazir. They open up a nearby van, containing the camera crews batteries and switch them with their own ‘batteries’ which are merely the bombs to be used in the attack. Carrie calls it. The operatives move in, and the snipers take down the terrorists. Roya is in shock. But do they have Nazir?

Carrie jumps out of the van and runs towards the SUV, which has tried to make a swift exit out of the Hamburger restaurant. The SUV slams into one of the CIA cars and makes an elaborate flip, landing on its side. Carrie runs up to the SUV and finds a man laid out on his back. It isn’t Nazir. And Carrie panics. No Anne Hathaway ‘Carrie’ moment though, sadly.

The scene is inter-cut with Peter driving a car, and parking up on a driveway. Where is he? Out steps Brody from inside the house. Peter reaches inside his jacket pocket and has a silenced pistol. He’s there to take out Brody! We didn’t see that coming. Brody opens the car door, and sits in the back passenger seat. Peter lifts the pistol, with his finger wrapped around the trigger. Starts to squeeze, but just at the last moment a voice comes through on his earpiece, “Stand down Peter.” It’s David. Of all people. It’s David. And we now have an even more mind blowing plot line to Homeland. Why David? Why did Peter meet Dara Dahl? Who is Dara Dahl?

All these questions and more will hopefully be answered in this coming Sunday’s episode of Homeland over on Showtime at 10PM ET/PT. Check out next week’s trailer for ‘Broken Hearts’ below.