After gaining significant attention on Netflix, the series Operação Lioness, originally titled Special Ops: Lioness, has captivated a new audience that now faces a bittersweet conclusion to its first season. Created by Taylor Sheridan, known for his work on Yellowstone, the Paramount+ original wraps up its inaugural year in an intense, emotional manner while critically examining the behind-the-scenes of the silent war waged by special forces.
At the heart of the plot is Cruz Manuelos, a marine who infiltrates the life of Aaliyah Amrohi, the daughter of a notorious terrorist, to eliminate a threat that the U.S. government believes is crucial. However, the price paid for this mission extends far beyond the battlefield.
The central dilemma of Operação Lioness revolves around whether Cruz can fulfill her mission: to get close to Aaliyah, earn her trust—and eventually her heart—only to kill her father. Complications arise when the two become emotionally involved, creating a devastating internal conflict for Cruz. The facade crumbles when Aaliyah's fiancé, Ehsan, discovers Cruz's true identity, leading to a violent confrontation in which Cruz kills both Ehsan and Asmar Amrohi, Aaliyah's father. This moment is brutal, swift, and, above all, silent—there's no celebration, only an overwhelming sense of inevitable loss. The woman Cruz loved becomes a collateral victim of a mission she did not choose but swore to complete.
Upon escaping, Cruz returns to the Lioness team’s boat and violently confronts Joe, her commander, blaming her for transforming into someone she no longer recognizes. This emotional outburst illustrates how the once strong, idealistic soldier has become a shadow of herself. The mission may have been completed, but it came at the cost of her very soul.
Meanwhile, Joe faces her own crises at home. Her daughter, Kate, suffers a car accident, causing Joe to break down in her husband Neil's arms. This moment is one of the most humanizing of the season, as Joe admits the exhaustion she feels, despite the coldness her position demands. However, this reconnection with her family is short-lived, as Joe remains active in the Lioness program for the second season, perpetuating the conflict between duty and motherhood.
The finale also reveals that not everyone wanted Asmar dead. Despite being a wanted terrorist, he was a key player in the oil industry and had political influence that the U.S. government preferred to keep in check. Following his death, Joe and Byron's superiors are furious, fearing a collapse in relations with the Middle East. This detail exposes one of the series' sharpest critiques: the way soldiers and agents are used as disposable pawns in geopolitical games that intertwine economic and diplomatic interests. Cruz and Joe sacrifice everything for a mission, while politicians care more about oil than human lives.
In the final act, Cruz makes it clear that she is done with the Lioness program. She can no longer live with what she has become—a killing machine that, even after completing her mission, feels the world remains unchanged. She tells Joe that by killing Asmar, she has only fueled a future generation of hatred, a legacy of vengeance that Aaliyah may pass on to her future children. This reflection makes the conclusion even more bitter. The mission was a "success," but it left scars on everyone involved. Joe loses the trust of her team, Cruz loses her love and identity, and the world continues to turn, indifferent to the trauma behind the scenes.
More than just a series about espionage and military action, Operação Lioness portrays the moral complexities involved in these secret missions. The first season ends by reinforcing that often victory does not come with celebration. Instead, it is enveloped in mourning, regret, and doubt. Cruz represents the dilemma of the modern soldier: trained to protect but used to manipulate. Joe embodies the woman torn between the sacrifices of professional life and personal life—losing something in both cases. The ending does not deliver easy resolutions; rather, it leaves a provocative question: is it worth winning a war if it means losing yourself?
With the first season now trending on Netflix, many are rushing to Paramount+ to catch the continuation. In the second season, Cruz returns—albeit reluctantly—to help train a new recruit, Captain Josie Carrillo. Meanwhile, Joe remains in charge of the operation, facing new dilemmas and even more dangerous threats. If the first season was about identity and sacrifice, the second promises to delve into legacy and consequences. And Operação Lioness has already made it clear: in this secret war, every step comes at a price.
