Netflix ‘Obliterated’ Recap & Plot Explained

Netflix’s action-comedy series “Obliterated”, starring Ava Winters (Shelley Hennig) and Chad McKnight (Nick Zano), takes you on a rollercoaster ride through the streets of Las Vegas, where an elite special forces team is on a mission to track down a terrorist network intent on wreaking havoc.

The plot of this series surrounds CIA Director James Landon (Carl Lumbly) who assembles an elite team from diverse military fields. Their mission is simple: thwart a group of terrorists plotting to detonate a nuke on U.S. soil.

The mastermind behind this plot is Ivan Koslov (Costa Ronin), a Russian arms dealer seeking revenge for his family’s demise in an American airstrike.

Led by top CIA intelligence officer Ava Winters, the team’s objective is to eliminate Koslov before he auctions off the time-bound nuke to the highest bidder.

The field team is made up of Chad McKnight, Trunk, Gomez (sniper), Maya Choi (Tech), Paul Yung (pilot) and Haggerty (EOD)

Koslov intends to sell the nuke to a group of crypto billionaires. Their sinister agenda involves destabilizing the American economy in order to propel their cryptocurrency to high demand. However, the crypto billionaires are unaware that the nuke is a decoy. Koslov’s true intention is to sell both a fake and a real nuke, setting the stage for a showdown.

The team manages to successfully stop the initial deal in time, taking Koslov and the buyers into custody.

After months on the mission, the team decides to blow off steam in Las Vegas, leading to a night of excessive partying. What follows is a hilarious and chaotic sequence as the characters indulge in alcohol and ‘party drugs’ that affect their ability to carry out their mission effectively.

Soon after they realize the genuine nuke is still out there, ticking down to destruction.

Vlad Litvin (Ivan G’Vera), Koslov associate, emerges as the new player keeping the actual nuke, intending to sell it to Wade Maddox (David Costabile), an ex-military contractor.

Maddox’s motivations differ from the crypto billionaires’. While they seek financial gain, Maddox aims to exploit the nation’s cultural divide. In one episode, he collaborates with powerful figures who view the ideological war between the far right and far left as a means to dismantle America.

Their plan involves manipulating social media to blame both sides for the impending disaster, plunging the nation into civil conflict.

The narrative takes a sharp turn towards the climax when the team believes they’ve cornered Maddox, only to discover his lifeless body. The twist? The killer is none other than Lana (Alyson Gorske), initially perceived as a stereotypical “party girl” but revealed as Anastasia Koslov, Ivan’s sister.

With Lana in possession of the nuke, chaos ensues. The team, marred by repeated failures, is replaced by FBI agent Ferguson (Michael Landes).

Lana’s grand plan involves trading the nuke for her brother’s release, orchestrating a chaotic exchange on the Vegas Strip.

As more chaos unfolds, Ferguson falls victim to Lana’s wit, who escapes with the nuke. In the final episode, with Ivan dead, Lana is driven by revenge against the Americans. With less than an hour before the nuke detonates, she barricades herself in a hotel with hired guns, setting the stage for a climactic showdown.

The team’s infiltration leads to a surprising revelation: Lana doesn’t possess the bomb. A frantic search ensues, as a last-minute intervention from Haggerty (C. Thomas Howell), the bomb expert, diffuses the bomb.

Season one of ‘Obliterates’ concludes with a reflection on the character’s personal growth. Paul embraces quality time with his daughter, Mia moves past her obsession, and unexpected bonds form between Ava and Chad.

Expect mature and graphic content, lots of action sequences, and characters that defy logic out of this Netflix series.