Who Is Nichka In The Recruit Season 2? Max’s Daughter’s Backstory & Plan Explained

Nichka is a key yet mysterious character in The Recruit season 2 who goes by several aliases and plays multiple sides of the main conflict. Played by Maddie Hasson, Nichka was first introduced in The Recruit season 1 as the seemingly innocent Marta. Owen meets Marta at a bar in Geneva in The Recruit season 1, episode 7, where she quickly makes an advance on him, claiming she's traveling from her home country of Iceland. Owen suspects that Marta is working undercover, only hitting on him to extract "kompromat". While this accusation sends Marta running, Owen ends up being correct.

Marta is a cover name for Nichka, who plays a major role in the cliffhanger season 1 finale of The Recruit. After spying on Max and Owen in the final two episodes of The Recruit season 1, Nichka reveals herself to Owen as a member of the Russian mafia. The most shocking part, however, is Nichka's claim that Max was her mother. This would make her Max's daughter Karolina, who she believed to be dead. This means that Marta, Karolina, and Nichka are all the same person. As portrayed throughout season 2, Nichka is her most well-known and truest identity.

Why Nichka Killed Her Own Mother In The Recruit Season 1

The Recruit Season 2 Doesn't Offer A Clear Explanation

Even though Nichka was not advertised in The Recruit season 2 trailer, she becomes an integral part of it after killing her mother in season 1. Unfortunately, The Recruit season 2 doesn't shed much light on the backstory between Max and Nichka. That said, it's established in season 1 that, as a member of the Russian mafia, Nichka pushed the Council to kill Max. Her motive remains unclear, however, because Nichka only finds out her mom was a CIA asset in the opening scene of season 2. Previously, she disowned her given name and embraced a new identity without Max.

After Nichka takes part in the gunfight and nearly kills Owen, she and the Russian mafia abduct him and Max and hold them hostage in an obscure basement, which season 2 reveals to be in Ostrava, Czech Republic. This is where Max identifies Nichka as her daughter, only to be shot and killed by her instantly. Max's last words to Karolina were "My angel", which she spoke in Russian. Nichka is emotionless after Max's death and never explains to Owen why she killed her mother. The best estimate is that there were longstanding irrecoverable personal or ideological issues between them.

Why The Agency Doesn’t Kill Or Arrest Nichka In The Recruit Season 2

They Wanted To Use Her As A Valuable Asset Like Max

After Dawn reluctantly saves Owen from getting killed by Nichka in the opening scenes of The Recruit season 2, the CIA takes her as a prisoner but does not formally arrest her. Based on Owen's suggestion to Lester, the CIA instead plans to employ Nichka as an asset, just like they did with Max. In this way, Nichka unexpectedly follows in her mother's footsteps while facing virtually no repercussions or inquiries as to why she killed Max. CIA Director Alton West immediately approves Lester's suggestion to turn Nichka into an asset, an offer that Nichka is essentially forced to accept.

Nichka is revealed to be much too dangerous and untrustworthy to have been sent back into the field. For someone let off the hook so easily by the CIA, Nichka makes out with a series of big paydays throughout season 2, a good portion of which are CIA dollars. Owen seemingly forgets that Nichka killed Max without hesitating, which makes his trust in her during the season 2 finale arguably shortsighted and her betrayal obvious. The CIA knew she would provide valuable intel, which she does for Owen's new graymailer situation, but foolishly gave her too long of a leash.

What Nichka’s Goals In The Recruit Season 2 Are

She Is Focused On Making Money For Most Of Season 2

At the beginning of The Recruit season 2, all Nichka has to be concerned about is regaining her freedom. Owen informs her that as an asset, she will be paid depending on the value of her intel. If she refuses, the CIA will hand her over to Russia's SVR and/or FSB and reveal that she's been compromised, which would destroy Nichka's life and credibility. Nichka returns to her Russian apartment and is met by assassins. She takes care of them and anxiously awaits her first payday, which arrives once she discovers the Yakuza kidnapped Jang Kyun's wife, Nan Hee.

Nichka's true motivations are revealed after proving herself valuable to the CIA, earning their trust only to squander it for an even bigger payday from the FSB. After confirming where the Yakuza are holding Nan Hee hostage, Nichka starts to work behind the scenes, hiring some Russian Coast Guard officers to sabotage Owen's plan to rescue her. She also tips off the FSB, promising to hand them both Owen and Jang Kyun for a large sum. Nichka's primary motivation throughout The Recruit season 2 is to make as much money as possible, serving no allegiance to any country or agency.

Why Nichka Betrays Owen At The End Of The Recruit Season 2

She Planned To Turn Him & Jang Kyun Over To The FSB For A Small Fortune

Nichka follows the money throughout The Recruit season 2 even as circumstances begin to change. After the shootout on the Yakuza boat, Lester ups the ante on Nichka's fee and tells her to find Owen. Nichka appears to be leading Owen back to Lester, which would have earned her another nice payday, only to betray Owen in the final act. Even with Lester's increased payment, the money that the FSB was offering was likely greater than what the CIA had on the table. Nichka could have also been motivated to reaffirm her status in Russia, which betraying Owen would accomplish.

While Nichka is a rogue agent in The Recruit season 2, accepting CIA assignments with little to no choice, her loyalties belong to Russia. Part of Owen's charming naivete is that he wants to be friends with everyone, which is a hilarious concept for a CIA lawyer-turned-operative. He started to believe that Nichka could actually be trusted, which was an enormous lapse of judgment that nearly cost him his life. Ultimately, Nichka finds herself in an even worse situation at the end of The Recruit season 2 in the hands of the FSB after failing to deliver on her promise.