mcnabb

I agree as who knows what Paige will do now, as the irony is that Henry will probably live a more stable life because he never knew about his parents. I saw a lot of reviewers take shots at Paige saying she is the dumbest character in the history of TV, and I still think that people forget she is 21 years old and we're all stupid at that age. Yes, going back to DC was dumb at end of the show, but I remember the things I did in my 20's and a lot of them I second guess now (some I really second guess). And the fact that her parents were spies makes her even more of a headcase.

bralph

Paige's circumstances are really interesting, because she really has no one to turn to since Claudia is gone. Of course, she didn't know that at the time she got off the train. She has no family, no real friends, and no way to reach to anyone on the Russia side. I suppose all they told Stan is that Paige has known about her parents for a couple of years, so it's possible that she gets mostly left alone after being questioned, but she will be under surveillance for the rest of her life. Also, with her going to Claudia's, is that because Claudia was the only person left she felt she could trust, or because Paige wanted to continue the work (episode is called Start)? That doesn't seem possible without Claudia (or other handler) around to coordinate with though.

mcnabb

I think Claudia went back to Russia (I'm pretty sure she said that to Elizabeth after their last conversation), so she figured she could hide out there in an empty apartment for a time. Claudia was never suspected by the FBI, so that is a great place to hang out as it would never be watched. I still think she probably got in touch with Henry somehow, and then moved out West.

mphtrilogy

Garage scene was $$$$

Stayed true right through the end. Tension in the little details, this show did it better than any other.

Great use of the tunes and I did jump when I saw Paige on the platform.

I was hoping/or expecting a quick future jump, but that wouldn't be the show's style.

I think Paige was conflicted on Henry, she didn't want him to be all alone, and could not even get on the phone with him. She'll figure out a way to get back into his life.

I think I will re-watch that Garage scene when it show sup on Amazon Prime.

TheDude

To add to my last post, I'm not surprised that the Jennings' didn't want to bring Henry with him. The final conversation they had with him @ the phone booth was especially poignant since you knew it was the last conversation they would probably have with him - ever.

Great points about Paige. She and Henry have each other, and that's it. I suspect she won't be too bothered by the authorities at this point, because she was never a real suspect (she never came up in any of the sketches that were done, just Philip & Elizabeth). And, when the priest was being questioned in the finale, Paige never came up then, either. Even when she was helping her mother "work", Elizabeth did her best to shield her to a great extent.

The scene when Paige went to the abandoned apartment (where she had visited with Claudia) was fantastic. It just illustrated how Claudia had moved on & that Paige was alone.

I don't see Paige getting involved in the spy-game ever again. I agree about her being under surveillance for the rest of her life, and so it would be too risky for anyone to try to contact her. Plus, by late '87 (when the finale takes place), "The center" is already having internal problems - as has been alluded to in this season. So, I don't see them being too concerned with Paige at that point - she was never much of an asset to them, anyway.

Timber

I'm fairly certain Paige knew that Claudia flew the coup. I imagine during the road trip her parents would have told her what happened. If the FBI is monitoring Henry you'd think they'd be onto Paige as well as soon as she applies for a job someplace. Even if she digs up her old ID it's not like she had bunch in her back pocket like Philip and Elizabeth. So where does her money come from? Hell now that I think about it how did she even get back to DC from the Canadian border? If the show had shown her at any point being capable of fending for herself I might have a better time buying it but for the last couple of seasons she's been dependent on her mom. Maybe she makes her way to Brazil(?) to be with the Pastor as he's really the only family that she's known.

BearFan

Yeah, the only way Paige was ever going to be an asset to them was going to college and getting a public service job where she could pass along information. It was pretty clear being a field agent was not in her future. Though to be fair, there is no way just her Mom could give her all the same training she got.

When they fled, they had stacks of cash. Maybe they gave her some in case they were separated and she used that to get back to D.C. ... in those days $100 would have been more than enough to at least make it back there?

Decker

As others have said, going back to DC wasn't stupid for her. She's not wanted. She's not suspected as an accomplice. Nobody knows that she aided them in any way and if she has had enough training to lie (and I bet she has), she should be fine after a few rounds of questioning. It would be far stupider for her to flee to parts unknown with little money and no contacts. She's a 21 year old college student.

It's the fact that the decision to get off the train and the hell away from her monster parents was so sudden and unexpected that made it felt like a bad or stupid idea -- it really wasn't at all.

Timber

I don't know. Paige isn't Henry. Stan knows she was involved. He's just going to let her walk around and get an education and a job like nothing happened? Stan believes in his heart that Henry is not involved and knows that Paige is.

Decker

Sure, but not to what extent. He also knows that he is the reason that the Jennings got away, that he kept an agent in a stake out that he knew was fruitless while they left the country and that he might be married to a Russian spy. In the scope of things, laying off Paige isn't going to be much of an issue for him.

stingermck

Stan cant do shit tho. Paige can rat him out for letting them go. Stan has enough to deal with now.

BearFan

All Stan knows is that Paige has known her parents were spies since she was 16 and she did not rat them out. I am pretty certain there is nothing provable against her as she really did not do much of anything and Mom was kind enough to kill the Navy guy who had her fake ID.

She would probably be disqualified from any kind of security clearance type job, but I do not think would go to jail even if Stan told the FBI everything he knew about her, which is not much.


Edit: and yeah, Paige has the goods on Stan for letting Mom and Dad go, which probably trumps everything I just wrote

cleaver

Every season I felt like Elizabeth was the best character on TV and Keri Russell deserved Emmy and GGs every year and she's only been nominated for one of each, and that Matthew Rhys was ok as Philip. Then this year Philip had the bigger scenes and moral dilemmas, and that speech he gave Stan really gave so much substance for his character this season in particular. Like Elizabeth and Stan are seeing their worlds and beliefs crumble and Philip is like I've been going through that since the pilot - like Philip is the only one for whom they showed reaction shots for the deteriorating relationships with his children but for Stan and Elizabeth all of a sudden whoa our sons hate us. And Stan and Elizabeth have completely betrayed their duties in the last few episodes - and they explained their choices in a reasonable way that seems plausible in for their characters - and they've been these true believers all 6 seasons but Philip has had this slow burnout throughout, the one character honest with himself and who has tried to be honest with people. Even Paige lied to Pastor Tim and Stan the last few eps; Philip told Elizabeth he told Oleg everything and copped to being a spy to Stan.

As for Paige, here's this character that has been the ultimate follower, I'm really having a tough time with her ditching everyone. She's chosen to work with this ministry and for Russian spies, she's had a massive amount of structure in her life and chosen these hard paths. The fact that she went back to Martindale's apartment, I think that indicates she knows she can't just be Paige Jennings. I guess I don't buy her leaving her parents without having a better idea of what she was doing, like I feel it would have made more sense for her to go to the DR to help the ministry than to aimlessly roam the country and occasionally see Henry or try to find Margo Martindale so she can emulate her mother who may never see her kids again.

BearFan

Those are good points, but I am not sure she was really running towards anything as much as running away from her parents and Russia.

Timber

Good point about Rhys. It really became Philip's show in season 6 after being a background character the last couple of seasons. He was the conflicted one but also the only person that in the end saw all sides and knew exactly what to say to get them out of there and I think it was all said with sincerity.

"I wish you had gone back to Est with me because then you'd know what to do in this situation." Or something along those lines.

mphtrilogy

Once the wall falls and Gorbachev takes over, Phillip and Elizabeth gain credibility in Stan's eyes, and Paige should get an easier path for him to ease up a bit on spying on her, but doubtful. He does have his own issues with Renee though.

What Paige did was totally credible, it's the only place she has known and Henry was is her true family.

Phillip will go on and discover his other son in Russia and maybe Elizabeth will get together with Martha

mcnabb

Matthew Rhys plays the passive aggressive so well on this show as he was bullshitting Stan that whole scene. I do think he did consider him his only friend and I think he really felt for Stan, but he was going to do whatever he needed to do to get out of there alive.

And then to throw in the line, "Oh by the way....Renee may be a spy...." Some people said he did out of friendship, but I think deep down he is just programmed this way from being on the job his whole life. If my life is going to suck as I have to leave everything, then you have to always think in the back of your mind if you are f**king a Russian Double Agent.

cleaver

I do not remember the last time Paige and Henry talked to each other and every time I can remember Paige is lying every sentence. Plus I'm pretty sure she hates capitalism. I buy away from parents and Russia but not toward Henry and DC. My takeaway from the last few scenes after the last montage was who wants to live here with this shitty weather, these shitty roads, checkpoints, these shitty cars, this shitty view - although that did remind me of the final scene of The Wire

which left me with the impression that this at its heart The Americans was about Russia as opposed to about 2 spies or the Jennings family.

Timber

God damn it I love that montage. Put a tear in my eye watching it.

rocket1312

I think what Paige did was totally understandable in a real world, logic sort of way. Of course she wouldn't want to actually go to Russia. Of course she wouldn't want to leave her brother alone. I'm just trying to better understand how her decision fits in with her character's arc. How does it for in with the big picture themes that the writers were exploring. The idea that she's always been a follower who has needed a cause but has finally grown up to the point where she realizes she needs to make her own choices, especially given that the institutions she aligned herself with had all more or less brought her nothing but trouble, makes sense to me.

I'll also add that I've always felt Matthew Rhys has been the heart of the show. I love Philip.

Raul3

Hey! Since season 1 I've stated that I love Matthew Rhys/Philip. Even my wife always says, when he's on screen: "hey there's your boyfriend" , and I just smile positively.

TheDude

There is no way that Stan is going to hassle Paige, even when he finds out she's back in the D.C. area (if she stays in D.C., that is). He is responsible for letting her & her parents go, and there is no way he can admit his suspicions (that Paige knew about her parents double-life) to his superiors/co-workers without incriminating himself. I.e., if he brings Paige in & interrogates her, she can always tell Stan's superiors what happened. Whether or not they'll believe her is arguable, but I don't see Stan wanting to take that chance. I feel that at this point, he's not harboring any ill will towards the Jennings - he wouldn't have let them go otherwise.

Also, I don't think Stan thinks that Paige knew/knows that much about what her parents were doing, so probably wouldn't bother bringing her in anyway.

Also - as has been said, at this point Stan has his hands full with trying to figure out whether or not Renee is a spy. He'll probably live the rest of his life second-guessing her actions.

Agreed. Stan caved & let them go, so we didn't see what would have happened if he had insisted they come with him. However, if he had Philip/Elizabeth would not have hesitated trying to eliminate Stan - friendship notwithstanding. There is no way they would have let him take them in without a fight. Obviously, it was easier for them to just talk their way out of the situation - which worked...however, IMHO it could easily have gone the other way.

BearFan

I think a few things with Paige

1) She might be anti-capitalism ... but I think from the stories and the movies, she realized the USSR was no panacea by any stretch. Similar to the ministry thing, it was different and had aspects that appealed to her, but then she saw the flaws

2) I think Elizabeth's lying to her got to be too much. First about what they did, but then the details "we don't kill anyone" .. "we don't use sex" ... and she learned they did use sex and they did kill people. Even after she found out the truth about the spying I think for a while she thought they were doing the right thing .. .but then at the end, realized they were not.

3) I think probably some relief, she said she wanted to do the spy thing, was not afraid of dying, but afraid of being alone. But I do not think she really wanted to do it, especially after some of the revelations about what her parents actually did.

BearFan

To add with Stan, he did get out of the counter espionage game and was somewhat dragged back into it. I am guessing now he is back out of it. When you think about it, he might be thinking that career cost him his wife, his son, his best friend, the Russian girl (forgot her name) from the early seasons, and made him pretty much alone .. until Renee .. and who knows what she is now ...

So I think in part, he has to be rethinking a lot of his choices

cleaver

I feel like Philip was at a point where the EST had helped him abandon all this baggage and loyalty and secrets he was carrying so in that moment trying to save his family he thought the best approach was complete sincerity and Stan's feelings truly mattered more to him than any directives. I strongly feel the EST training overrode his spy training in the garage and he was trying to be the best friend in that moment to Stan while saving his family. It's the same with Henry, he was thinking only of Henry's feelings and his perspective, which is hard because he grew up with nothing believing in a cause.

I was thinking they would try to subdue Stan and not kill him since he was going to be a figure in Henry's life.

He kind of made his career off the back of Oleg, gave up his career for the sake of Oleg, and now Oleg is in jail trying to protect a nuclear treaty. Plus he got Renee's foot in the door and he can't really do anything more than break it off. I'm sure he's got some regrets but I can't imagine he'd want his career back.

I forgot about when he let that girl from the early seasons go to jail and eventually die. I can't remember what she wanted from him to stay out of jail but that is a contrast to letting the Jennings go. I could see if there was another episode him going to back EST.