The third episode of ‘Slow Horses’ picks up in the midst of a series of problems that began in the previous two episodes of the darkly humorous spy thriller. River Cartwright is concerned about his colleague, Sid Baker, who is still barely alive despite an unexpected attack on two Slough House staff. The mysterious kidnapping of Hassan Ahmed remains unexplained, but it appears that a larger plot is at work. With a very violent ending, ‘Slow Horses’ episode 3 is the most exciting chapter yet, so let’s dig in and learn all about it. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

Recap of Slow Horses Episode 3

The episode begins with Min and Louisa in a pub, following the unfolding news of Hassan Ahmed’s kidnapping. They assume their employer, Jackson Lamb, may have additional information about the crime and sneak back into Slough House to try to hack into his mail. An intruder in the office surprises the two, and he is killed in the ensuing scuffle. When Jackson arrives on the scene, he immediately recognizes the deceased intruder as Jed Moody, an MI5 agent, much to the amazement of everyone there.

Jackson learns through a covert meeting with MI5 second desk chief Diana Taverner that the MI5 may be engaged in the kidnapping as part of a larger conspiracy. Jed’s death, on the other hand, poses a concern since it threatens to expose Diana’s unofficial plan, which Jackson refers to as a “false flag operation.” Jackson is entrusted with traveling to the kidnappers’ hideout to help release Hassan and “hush up” the whole thing in exchange for immunity for his Slough House underlings.

Simultaneously, disgraced right-wing journalist Robert Hobden arrives at the home of politician Peter Judd, warning him of a potential media scandal if Hassan is slain by nationalists. The politician is annoyed by Robert’s presence and tells him to go, but he also appears concerned when the former mentions that the MI5 may be engaged in the operation.

Why is Moe killed in Slow Horses Episode 3? Who is the assassin?

Meanwhile, Hassan remains at the hideout, attempting to flee without his kidnappers, the self-titled Sons of Albion, discovering his whereabouts. He almost escapes, but he makes too much commotion and is apprehended. While the kidnappers are tying Hassan up, Jackson arrives at the hideout with River, Min, and Louisa to rescue the captive. However, when Curly becomes suspicious and pulls up an ax, things among the kidnappers take a violent turn.

When Jackson and his colleagues get at the hideout, they are astounded to see that the entrance is unlocked. Inside, they discover a perplexing scene of violence. Blood is splattered everywhere, and the MI5 agents are even more perplexed to find one of the kidnappers, Moe, decapitated, with no sign of the other kidnappers or Hassan.

As a result, a long-awaited murder occurs, but the victim is unexpected. Curly, the least experienced of the kidnappers, appears to harbor a grudge against Moe, who claims to be a former marine and is usually belligerent. Curly looks to be skeptical of Moe near the end of the episode when he tries to dissuade Curly from hurting Hassan. Because the kidnappers have not sought a ransom, it is evident that their ultimate purpose is to kill Hassan, which calls Moe’s actions into question.

Curly appears to behead Moe partially out of suspicion and partly out of rage in the end. The more intriguing aspect of this story is Diana’s revelation that one of the kidnappers is an undercover MI5 operative. As a result, Curly may have unintentionally located the agent and killed him, jeopardizing the entire MI5 mission.

What exactly is Diana Taverner’s plan? Is she responsible for Hassan’s kidnapping?

Diana Taverner, the chief of personnel at MI5, also appears as a twisted character in episode 3 when a hazardous plot is revealed during her covert meeting with Jackson. She appears to have masterminded Hassan Ahmed’s kidnapping for a variety of objectives, the first of which is to destabilize the country’s fanatical right-wing movement. Diana aims to sway public view against nationalists by flooding the news with headlines about a nationalist group threatening to behead a student, which is why Hobden and Peter, a right-wing journalist and a nationalist politician, are concerned.

Diana even chooses the target of the kidnapping, indicating that Hassan is not being kidnapped for his stand-up comedy routine. She discloses that the young man is the nephew of a Pakistani intelligence agent named Mahmud Gul. Diana feels that by rescuing Hassan, she will be able to strengthen ties with Pakistani intelligence and obtain vital information from them. As a result, it appears that Diana, the chief of the MI5’s second desk, is to blame for Hassan’s kidnapping.