The compelling story of a male doctor and a female police officer caught up in a massive conspiracy that has completely upended their lives is told in the British crime drama series “Red Eye.” Just moments after arriving in the UK, Dr. Matthew Nolan, also known as Matt (Richard Armitage), is being extradited to China. Matt finds out he is being charged with murder for the death of Shen Zhào, a Chinese woman, as soon as he is brought in for questioning. He only ever met her once, and even though he spent some time with her, he left her as soon as he realized he was in trouble—and he was stabbed in the process.
In the eerie tale that sets the scene, Matt establishes his innocence by working with police officer Hana Li to unearth a network of falsehoods. Peter A. Dowling’s ITV series explores a conspiracy that exposes a somber truth about contemporary international relations. Although the majority of the series centers on Matt and Hana’s quest to identify the source of all the turmoil, it also presents the harsh realities of the modern political landscape. BEWARE OF SPOILERS.
Red Eye Recap
Dr. Matthew Nolan’s world is turned upside down when he returns to the UK after speaking at the World Pacific Medicine conference in Beijing, China. The moment he begins his journey towards immigration, he is requested to produce his passport and led for interrogation. Therefore, he comes to learn that a dead body of a young Chinese girl, Shen Zhào, has been discovered in his car in Beijing, China. Nolan protests that he did not commit the crime, but he is nervous when he understands that he is being extradited to China. Three of his friends have also been requested to go back to the foreign land. Their return has been called for so that they can give evidence against Matt since they are the only ones who had contact with Zhào.
Therefore, a police officer by the name of Hana Li has been commissioned to return Matt to China. The reason she is being sent with Matt is not work abilities. Rather, it’s cultural identity because Hana is an American of Asian origin. Because of this, her superior informs her that the chief wishes Hana to be included in the exchange so that there will be no misunderstandings culturally. Hana states categorically that she was born in Hong Kong and has no wish to visit China. It is only later that we discover why she did not want to go there, and it had something to do with something that occurred when she was a child with her mother. Yet she agrees to do the assignment and boards the airplane with Matt. However, things don’t take long before they go south on the airplane as, one by one, all Matt’s friends start dying in not-so-natural circumstances. As events start getting out of hand in the flight, Hana discovers an unexpected friend in the shape of MI5 Director-General Madeline Delaney, who attempts to assist the detective by delving deeper into this case and unearthing surprising facts about individuals she has worked with before. But Madeline is not alone on that and is also being assisted by the London CIA chief of staff, Mike Maxwell, who, besides, is having an affair with her. In another place, Hana’s sister, Jess Li, a journalist who has an urge to make a name, feels that she might be able to report some big news if Hana assists in collecting the information. Jess and Hana are somewhat complex when it comes to their relationship. Jess once needed Hana’s assistance for a story, and after Hana did not provide her with what she needed, Jess lost the story. Despite Hana dismissing helping her repeatedly, Jess refuses to let this one pass and attempts to find Matt’s case. As she delves into her investigation, she discovers that the case is not merely about the death of Shen Zhào; it is about a huge conspiracy led by the best brains of British intelligence.
Throughout six episodes, Matt, Hana, Jess, and Madeline discover plenty of surprising facts and how the CIA is attempting to risk the relationship between the two nations. With Matt’s every friend passing away one after the other and Zhào being employed by the chief of World Pacific Medicine, the disintegration of this information makes the case all the more challenging for them to crack. Although all the clues lead towards Matt’s innocence, it becomes significantly important for him and Hana to catch the offender. In the last episode, the twosome, aided by MI5 Director-General Madeline Delaney, acquire the Nano SIM card placed by Zhào after stabbing inside the bar. The moment they learn about what is on the SIM card, they come to know that the CIA intended to sabotage the nuclear agreement between the UK and China, which would have been beneficial to them. Red Eye Conclusion: Who Murdered Shen Zhào? Is Matt Guilty? Despite many players in this murder game, there is just one individual who is responsible for the cold-blooded killing of Shen Zhào. First, it is shown that Zhào was killed in Matt’s car when he crashed it. In turn, he abandoned her to die. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Zhào’s death is a part of a massive international conspiracy. In the final episode of ‘Red Eye’ season 1, viewers are taken back to the night of Shen Zhào’s death in Beijing, China. After the conference, the duo made its way to a nightclub and enjoyed some time together. Initially, everything went smoothly, and Nolan enjoyed the night with Zhào. After consuming a couple of drinks, Matt became aware that something was amiss and he was getting a bit dizzy. He did not waste much time leaving the club and fleeing in his vehicle. However, during the process, he was stabbed, which made it hard for him to escape from the situation. As he departed, Zhào got out of the club and entered what appeared to be an alley. Subsequently, what is seen is that the Chinese authorities discovered her dead body inside Matt’s car.
Although Matt claimed innocence, he didn’t have enough evidence to vindicate himself for not having murdered Zhào. As noted above, Zhào’s untimely death occurred because of a larger international conspiracy, and it was uncovered when Madeline Delaney was attempting to assist Hana on board the plane. Madeline learns about Operation Blindside that MI6 has been employing for a number of years. But when Madeline finds out that one of her co-workers, John Tennant (Jonathan Aris), had knowledge about the secret operation, she requests an explanation regarding that. Thus, Operation Blindside is being called a “delivery service.” Yet, in this case, British people are the ones that are being delivered. In a sense, they are being branded as the “unwitting accomplices of democracy,” assisting the UK in getting what they desire. Astonishingly, the individuals who have been selected for this operation do not even realize what is going on. Broadly speaking, these individuals are being utilized for spycraft outside the country. Interestingly, the whole operation was being conducted by taking the cover of World Pacific Medicine, and Zhào possessed some crucial information that she wished to provide to MI6. While Madeline was shocked by this ginormous piece of information, someone close to her already possessed such knowledge and was also behind Zhào’s murder. Her killing was not only a wild move, but also a planned one, and the individual who ordered her killing was Mike Maxwell, the CIA operative and Madeline’s friend. Later in the series, it is revealed that Mike was aware of Operation Blindside and had a notion about Zhào bringing something big to someone at the conference. But when she went with Matt to the nightclub, Mike and his colleagues trailed the couple to the nightclub and monitored their movement.
Things go worse when Matt exits the club and Zhào attempts to escape. But Mike and one of his colleagues trailed her and inquired about the package that she was supposed to deliver. When he finds out that Zhào doesn’t possess what he requires, he instructs his colleague to kill her. Mike understood that she was revealing some confidential details regarding the US attempting to sabotage the nuclear agreement between the UK and China. Hence, he wanted to prevent her and locate Matt, who might have had the package. Eventually, he sews a plan together to bribe the local police and put Zhào’s body in Nolan’s car. Since Zhào was the daughter of someone very influential in the Chinese government, the doctor would not be able to come into the UK and would be extradited to China, providing Mike with an opportunity to apprehend him first and obtain that package.
What was in the SIM Card Zhào Gave Matt?
When making efforts to defend himself in the murder case against Shen Zhào, Matt comes to understand that it was all because of that single evening he spent with the victim at the club. First, he believed that one of the bouncers had stabbed him, but it was found out that Zhào had stabbed her and placed a Nano SIM Card in his body. The SIM card contained two copies of the same piece of computer code. The initial code found by the British intelligence was developed by an MIT alumnus, whereas the second code was intentionally changed to make it look like China was conspiring to seize a nuclear installation in the UK and create a disaster. It was the CIA that made the changes in the code because they did not wish the nuclear agreement between China and the UK to proceed. According to the agreement, China would be manufacturing nuclear reactors in the UK, and the CIA did not wish this to proceed. Therefore, the US agency attempted to spoil their relationship and bring an end to the agreement.
There is a reason why the CIA has decided to scrap the agreement, and that reason is that the US would like to strike a deal with the UK. As the US does not have good relations with China, it would not like to see the UK hosting a Chinese nuclear facility in the UK. In addition, the code had been designed such that anybody would have been able to access those nuclear reactors if they possessed this type of program, i.e., anybody could get a nuclear reactor into their possession and cause destruction. By modifying the code, the US intended that it should appear as if China had prepared a cyberattack on the British so that the trust between both nations could be sabotaged. The underlying message was apparent, and the US was aware that the UK possessing a China-supported nuclear facility was risky for its country. Aside from the politics, the nuclear code was altered to ensure that the nuclear facility would be exposed to external risk. It wasn’t merely a sense of being reckless in these actions; it was a deliberate plan to create global disruptions, and Mike was well aware of that.
Does Mike Get Caught? How?
Mike took a long time to get caught, but he was arrested for his criminal conduct and the vicious murders of Shen Zhào, Sir George Chapman, and all Matt’s friends on the plane. For the majority of the series, Mike plays it safe by keeping Madeline and the British authorities happy. He wants Madeline to think that he is her trusted friend and shares with her everything that matters. But he has ulterior motives and wishes to ensure that his nation doesn’t lose out anything in the Anglo-China nuclear agreement. In the second last episode, when Madeline discovers that one of her colleagues, John Tennant (Jonathan Aris), has attempted to eliminate her from the case, she decides to contact Mike for some help. Further, she takes Hana’s sister, Jess Li, who has been attempting to get involved in the case as a journalist, so that she can be under safe custody. On the contrary, Madeline is aware that Matt and Hana are coming back to the UK. Therefore, she receives them at the airport and they all proceed to the US Embassy located in London.
Upon arrival at the US Embassy, the team feels rescued now and among their own, but something occurs that alters the whole picture. In a conversation with Mike, the Director-General of MI5 understands that the head of station at CIA wishes to know about Nano SIM Card even when Madeline never informed him that Zhào provided Matt with a SIM card. This makes Madeline doubtful, and she thinks that Mike has been playing a game with her to find out everything and murder all the people involved. He only confirms her right when he attempts to drug Hana, Nolan, and Jess so that he may acquire that crucial package from them. Nonetheless, his strategy fails when Matt identifies one of the officers who come to serve them coffee as a known face during the World Pacific Conference. As a result, he requests Hana and Jess not to consume the coffee, believing it to be drugged. Therefore, when Mike’s crew members arrive to visit them, the three have the advantage of surprise that enables them to take the officers off guard and attack them. Hana, Matt, Madeline, and Jess escape from Mike’s territory after blowing up the SIM card. However, Jess later discloses that the destroyed chip was a normal SIM card substituted for the Nano SIM card the CIA Agent is interested in. After uploading the SIM card contents to her team members, Madeline weaves a plan to arrest Mike. Therefore, they scatter and let Mike locate Matt and Hana. However, it’s simple for Mike to locate them since he has access to all the CCTV cameras in the area. The CIA agent finally locates them and requests them to surrender. At the same time, Madeline is at the scene too, and when Mike turns around to face her, Hana grabs her gun. Just as she tries to use it, Mike fires. Nevertheless, Nolan bravely stands in front of the detective and gets shot in the chest in her place. Nevertheless, Mike is convinced that he can escape his actions since the British authorities would never arrest him. However, he is unaware that he is at the Chinese Embassy. Eventually, the Chinese soldiers subdue him and arrest him for Shen Zhào’s murder.
Does Matt Die?
Towards the end of the last episode of ‘Red Eye’ season 1, Mike fires at Hana, but Matt steps in between and saves her. Once Mike is arrested, Hana attempts to speak with Matt and encourages him to stay alive. Nevertheless, his situation seems hopeless, and despite surviving everything in the course of six episodes, it seems Matt has breathed his last. Luckily, he does not die but is rescued by physicians. Matt’s choice to risk his life and rescue Hana from Mike’s bullet appears to be the culmination of all that the two characters experienced together.
Their destinies bring them together for something greater, and although at first Hana merely needs to turn Matt over to the Chinese authorities, their relationship develops into something very special. Conversely, the doctor’s act of saving Hana says a lot about human relationships and loyalty. The two characters go through a lot during the almost 11 hours of travel within that plane and learn a lot about one another. But it is the common trauma and confrontation with betrayals that cause a change in their relationship, and they realize that they can trust one another. This implies the physician’s action to leap in front of the bullet to protect Hana is not impulsive, and this further means that he may have tried to do everything to protect Shen Zhào also. If he knew Zhào was at risk, he could have sacrificed his life to protect the little Chinese girl. What Became of Hana’s Mother The conclusion of ‘Red Eye’ Season 1 brought closure to nearly all the plotlines, with fulfilling conclusions for many of the narrative threads. One such plotline discussed throughout the series is of Hana’s mother, who passed away at a young age. It is later revealed by the detective that her mother was a lecturer and was arrested for instigating anti-communist opposition among her students. Once she learned this, the Chinese government arrested her, and Hana never saw her mother after that. Further, she also disclosed that her mother passed away in the police custody, but she never came to learn what really happened to her. Subsequent to working on the case along with Madeline, Matt informs her about
what happened to Hana’s mother.
Therefore, Madeline assists Hana in obtaining her mother’s file in order to learn the truth regarding her death. The detective shows her father the file, but he doesn’t want to read it because he doesn’t wish to recollect the atrocities that had befallen his wife. He has come to terms with whatever transpired with her. Nevertheless, Hana makes him understand why he needs to know the truth, bringing him the closure he needs regarding his wife’s demise. Hana’s father finally opens the file and reads what happened. One of the pages has a signed affidavit from Hana’s mother stating that she did cause anti-communist dissent among her students and won’t desist. Additionally, she gave her own life in order to defend her family and loved ones. Not only does Hana’s widowed father receive the closure that he never thought he was going to get, but the scene serves as a stepping stone towards an intimate relationship between him and his daughter as well.
Who is the Killer on the Plane?
A whole lot of people died in the first season of ‘Red Eye,’ and the majority of the deaths were of individuals who had contact with Shen Zhào. However, things take a different turn when the flight carrying Matt to China begins to experience sudden deaths. While Matt is being deported back to China, he provides the names of four individuals who spoke to or met Zhào at the World Pacific Medicine convention. Consequently, those four researchers – Dr Kate Ward, Dr. Steven and Amber Hurst, and Dr. Chris Peele – were instructed to remain on the flight that took them back to the UK. When they inquire as to why they are being detained, they explain that they will be returned to the UK to give evidence against one of their own in China. But Chris leaves, and others remain to cooperate with the authorities and give evidence in the case of Matt.
The plane is airborne and the tension mounts as all Matt’s friends on board are killed one after another. The murderer attempts to stage the first two deaths as accidents, but it is Dr. Ward’s death that leaves Hana and Matt with a realization that someone killed all three of them. Other than Hana and Matt, there’s one individual who has been aware of everything that has been occurring in the plane, and that is Air Marshall Zhang. He is still a major player in the investigation and thinks Matt may be responsible for the murders. In a sense, his suspicions are not wrong. Matt did have motive to kill and likely did not want any of his friends to provide testimony, but things are not quite as simple as that. When they attempt to find out all the atrocities that have occurred on the plane, Officer Zhang and Hana head into the lower part of the cockpit to investigate who has been responsible for those murders. However, Hana is confronted with a gruesome reality when she spots a figure in a green sweatshirt emerging from the dark interiors of the cargo bay. But that’s not the most shocking thing about it. Within the subsequent minutes, she discovers Zhang to be part of the whole plot. They were able to disable the threats. Meanwhile in the UK, the intelligence section discovers that Zhang’s actual name is Jia Yung, a Chinese former military personnel. The hooded operative who had killed Matt’s friends onboard the plane, however, is Troy Hanks, a former Delta Force sergeant. They both have also been freelancers and got associated with this case due to Mike. With the reveal of all the killers and criminals, ‘Red Eye’ ended by connecting all the dots and revealing the web of deception left by Mike. Read More: Opus Ending Explained: Is the TV Show Host a Levelist
