The Homeland season 4 finale lacked physical explosions, but there sure were some emotional ones.

While some may’ve wished that Homeland season 4, episode 12 would’ve been a little more action-packed like other recent episodes, the show spent a surprisingly large amount of time focused on setting up season 5.

The heroes regrouped in the United States, Haqqani stayed in the shadows, and by all accounts, it looks like the next season will be as exciting as this one.

Homeland’s season 4 finale opened with Carrie back in the United States, reflecting on the loss of her father. Dar Adal shows up at her door, and Carrie pretends like she’s not aware of what she saw last episode in Pakistan. Dar Adal is in search of Quinn, but Carrie says somewhat truthfully that she knows nothing about his whereabouts, other than that he’s in search of Haqqani.

After a quick trip to the park with Frannie, Carrie returns home to find her long lost mother has showed up in light of Frank’s death. Carrie’s pissed that Mom has re-entered their lives after 15 years of silence. “You know what this is called? Too little too late,” she tells her elder (seemingly forgetting in the moment that she hasn’t been all too present for her own daughter). A talk between Carrie and her sister later in the day finds Carrie wishing she didn’t let her mother go that quickly — but that’s Carrie! She’s not very good at thinking her actions through.

After the funeral service Carrie is greeted by another important person in her life: Quinn, who’s clearly made it back to the United States unharmed.

Carrie rides away from the memorial service with Quinn so they can catch up, and interestingly, she doesn’t mention that she saw Dar Adal with Haqqani. “He’d go ballistic if he knew,” Carrie tells Saul at Frank’s post-memorial luncheon later. Saul and Carrie have decided to keep the Dar Adal secret between themselves for now.

The night wears on, and Lockhart shows up to pay his respects. He hangs around outside with Carrie, Saul, Quinn, and a bottle of whiskey. For a moment, it feels like this gang could potentially become the new dream team, but events later in the episode suggest that may never happen.

Carrie walks Quinn out to his car at the end of the night, and if the hints from Quinn playing with Frannie weren’t strong enough, it’s clear now: They’re both feeling something for one another. They begin to make out as they stand beside Quinn’s truck, but Carrie stops the fireworks after a few moments. “I’ll just fuck it up” she tells him. “I will. I do.”

Quinn tells Carrie that he wants to get out of the CIA and stay out, “but I can’t do it on my own,” he tells her.

“I haven’t exactly been helpful,” she replies.

“But you could be […] we could get out together. Would you think about it, Carrie?”

The next day, Carrie heads off to Missouri to track down her mother to get an explanation about why she’s been gone for 15 years. At mom’s home she’s greeted by Tim — who turns out to be CARRIE’S HALF-BROTHER!

Meanwhile, Quinn returns to his old apartment and receives an invite to join a new black ops mission. He insists upon not participating.

Saul then meets with Dar Adal, who doesn’t take much time to reveal that he has the controversial video tape of Saul and Haqqani. How’d he get it? He promised Haqqani removal from the U.S. kill list in exchange for a commitment not to harbor terrorists in Afghanistan.

Saul doesn’t seem to trust Dar Adal at all, but the latter insists that the CIA wants him back as their leader. And they seem to want him back badly.

Quinn places a call to Carrie to see if she’s decided on “them” yet, but the news of her having a brother has kept her mind on other things. She says she isn’t saying no about “them” and promises they’ll talk again once she leaves Missouri.

Carrie meets her mother back at her house and learns more about her brother. He’s 15, and the father left Mom before Tim was born. Frank didn’t know about Tim’s father — or the other men Mom was sleeping with. Her numerous acts of infidelity led her to destroy their relationship.

After lashing out at her mother for a few more minutes, Carrie heads back to her motel and tries to get in touch with Quinn. When her phone calls fall on deaf ears, she calls Dar Adal — who won’t answer. It makes you wonder: Was she about to commit to Quinn?

The answer is probably a yes. Why? Her mother revealed that she didn’t divorce Frank because of his bipolar disorder — something Carrie had thought for some time. This, in turn, made Carrie realize that people with bipolar disorder don’t have to be resigned to a life alone.

Unfortunately, even if she was ready to commit to Quinn, it’s “too little too late.” He has decided to take up the black ops mission after Carrie (temporarily) turned him down. (It was only temporary, Quinn! Come back!)

Carrie heads straight to Dar Adal’s house and learns that Quinn has gone on a dark mission into Syria. She’s pissed he’s refusing to let her talk to him. Her fight seems so fierce that we have to think she did want to commit to a relationship after all.

Frustrated by this turn of events, Carrie tells Dar Adal that Saul “would spit in your face” about that deal he cut with Haqqani. “Ask him yourself,” Dar Adal replies.

Saul is sitting in the backyard, apparently pleased with what Dar Adal has done after all. Saul and Carrie stare at one another for a few moments before the latter leaves and spends a couple of minutes driving. And then, a cut to black.

The Homeland season 4 finale was one big tease. Their return to America was helpful in opening Carrie and Quinn’s minds up to a relationship, but viewers couldn’t help but feel bad for Quinn, who’s dealing with a big heaping of unrequited love. How is he dealing with it? By putting himself in danger again, just a day or two after vowing that he was done with the gig.

Episode 12 was also interesting because we learned that Dar Adal isn’t necessarily a traitor. In fact, the potential new head of the CIA — Saul — appears to be pleased with Dar Adal’s actions. It’s also clear that Haqqani will continue to be a threat heading into the new season.

What did you think of ‘Homeland’s’ season 4 finale?

Homeland season 5 premieres next year — presumably around September or October 2015.