Marvel's Agent Carter S1E5 - "The Iron Ceiling" Recap

Russia, 1937. There's a facility in which many young girls are handcuffed to their beds when they sleep. It's the training facility for all the little Black Widows. It's a dream of Dottie's, in which she was made to kill a young girl she had been friends with. After waking up, she trains in her room before meeting with Peggy. Peggy is somewhat distracted, still thinking about Jarvis and how cross she is with him. Dottie then swipes Peggy's key from her bag after "accidentally" knocking her bag over.

Jarvis approaches Peggy to try to apologise again, saying he had tried to make Howard tell her the truth. Peggy is still angry with Howard and Jarvis says that despite all of Howard's flaws he is still a good man. Jarvis says they need her help again, reminding her that all her male co-workers don't respect her, and Peggy simply replies that she will make him.

Peggy heads into work and learns that they have received an encoded message through Demidov's typewriter and everyone is trying to decode it. Peggy is able to decode it and determines that it is speaking about a purchase and giving coordinates. It's a message from Leviathan. Stark will apparently be selling weapons to Leviathan at a Soviet military complex. A team will be headed to Russia and Peggy insists on getting to come because she is the only one skilled enough to crack the code. Thompson, the sexist condescending pig, tries to say that she's not good enough to go. Dooley doesn't exactly want to send her but she's just too skilled to turn down, especially when she enlists the help of the Howling Commandos, whose reputation proceeds them.

Sousa accidentally sees Peggy in the locker room when she's changing and notices some distinct markings on her upper-right shoulder/back. He wishes her well and then she's off with Sousa and the rest of the team to Russia. Once the team lands on the ground, they meet the Howling Commandos and some of them don't exactly hide their enthusiasm at being alongside such legends.

Back at the SSR, Sousa re-examines the photos of the mysterious not-blonde and finds the same markings as Peggy had on her shoulder. He now knows that Peggy is the one who had apparently interfered with the SSR's investigation.

The Howling Commandos and the SSR team all sit around the fire and share war stories. Sousa shares some sob story about murdering Japanese soldiers that's supposed to make us feel more sympathetic towards him (I think?) but really, I'm just trying to not grind my teeth at him for being such a skeez. They later reach the complex and find that young girls are being trained there to infiltrate the US as sleeper agents. Unfortunately, it's a trap. One girl even kills the Commando Junior Juniper.

Dottie uses Peggie's key to sneak into her apartment and finds the photos of Stark's weapons in SSR custody. She also finds the photo of pre-serum Steve Rogers. She then checks herself out in the mirror, dons a British accent, says, "Hello, I'm Peggy Carter," then sniffs Peggy's lipstick before sneaking out and making sure the apartment is locked as she leaves.

Back at the complex, the team is attacked by Soviet soldiers. Thompson freezes up, but Peggy saves his ass and everyone else's really because she's Peggy Freaking Carter. She's able to get everyone out, including the imprisoned psychiatrist Dr. Ivchenko, with the help of Dugan's explosive tactics.

Back on the plane, Peggy tries to assure Thompson that everyone freezes up sometimes. He admits that the Japanese men he killed on Okinawa were carrying the white flag to surrender but he didn't know that until it was too late and now he's wracked with guilt, blah blah blah, and he buried the flag to hide his mistake. Well. If I'd have wanted to watch media content about white soldiers murdering Okinawans, I'd have just watched the news but okay, Agent Carter writers. Thanks for that one.

Finally, Dottie is shown to be handcuffing herself to her bed before going to sleep.

Dooley commends Peggy on a job well done when she returns to the office from the mission. Thompson tries to get Sousa to come out for a drink, which he politely declines. He then invites Peggy to come out with the team, and she accepts.

Marvel's Agent Carter airs on Tuesdays on ABC at 9PM.