Ep 6. Masquerade

State of Affairs is a political drama that follows the life of Charleston Tucker, a CIA analyst, as she navigates through her personal and professional life. In season 1 episode 6, titled Masquerade, Charleston is tasked with preventing an assassination attempt on the President of Venezuela during an upcoming UN conference.

The episode begins with Charleston being briefed on the situation at hand. She is informed that the Venezuelan President, who is known for his anti-American sentiments, has received credible threats of an assassination attempt. The CIA has identified a group of individuals who are planning to carry out the attack, but they have no specific details about their identities or their plan of action.

As Charleston begins investigating, she realizes that she needs to gain the trust of a high-ranking official in the Venezuelan government, who might have information about the assassination plot. To do so, Charleston attends a lavish masquerade ball hosted by the Venezuelan consulate in Washington D.C.

Charleston dons a beautiful gown and mask to blend in with the crowd and make her way to the official. She introduces herself as a journalist and strikes up a conversation with the official, hoping to gain his trust. She gains valuable information regarding the assassination plot, but as she tries to leave the ball, she is detained by Venezuelan security agents.

In the meantime, President Payton is dealing with a domestic crisis - a convicted terrorist has made a public statement offering to reveal the location of a cache of explosives in exchange for his release from prison. Payton and her team have to quickly assess the threat, as the terrorist's deadline for his release is quickly approaching.

Back at the ball, Charleston is being questioned by the security agents. She tries to come up with a cover story but is surprised when the official she was talking to vouches for her and gets her released. He tells her that he believes she is telling the truth about being a journalist and gives her more information about the assassination plot. Charleston is relieved and grateful to the official but knows that she has to use the information wisely to prevent the assassination.

With the new information she has gathered, Charleston and her team are able to identify the individuals planning the assassination and come up with a plan to stop them. Meanwhile, President Payton is dealing with the terrorist crisis. She ultimately decides not to negotiate with the terrorist, and instead, her team is able to locate the explosives and neutralize the threat.

As the episode concludes, Charleston and her team successfully prevent the assassination attempt on the Venezuelan President, but Charleston's close call at the masquerade ball reminds her of the danger she faces every day in her job. President Payton also reflects on the difficult decisions she has to make as leader of the country, and the toll it takes on her personal life.

State of Affairs season 1 episode 6, Masquerade, is a thrilling episode that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The storylines of both the international crisis and domestic terrorism are intertwined in a way that showcases the complexities of the job of a CIA analyst and the President of the United States. The episode also highlights the personal struggles of the characters, making them even more relatable and human. Overall, it is a must-watch for fans of political dramas.