"the state isn't what makes the place home"

OMG, that song! Cranes!
We know now about all the atrocities, and gulags, and what not.
But those Cranes!!! And Marc Bernes? OMG he was so beloved!
I admit, I tear up every time I hear that song, and remember my childhood, (very safe and secure and happy compared to Phil's), and growing up and watching WWII movies on…

The reason was the USSR was brain dead and on life support then, if it was 1989-1990. They had to think of saving their own skins back then, so they just left him alone. They knew it was pretty much the end of it.
There is no way that would work in 1984 when the USSR is still alive, although limping and far from its…

It must have been early 1990s or very late 80s like 1989 when CCCP was basically dead and the Centre had other problems than go after that spy.
I do not see that happening in 1984 even. Just say to P&E, ok bye… no, they would not let them come back to the USSR and spread AIDS but they would just kill them here in the…

Because it can't. P & E actually MURDERED people, including FBI agents. That cannot be explained away and worked around in any way.

I did not listen to that podcast but I highly doubt there is a statute of limitations (?) on murdering innocent civilians, American citizens (real ones) and FBI agents (Amador?)
So, that spy was maybe just a clean spy, got orders from the Centre to get into some secret file cabinet, photograph some secret blueprints…

I thought of her husband's "backing her up" - two things
1) he didn't have enough time to really process what transpired in front of him, and, as many people here, her "I was drugged etc." seemed to him a valid enough cop out
2) he obviously truly loves her deeply, and he realized that both of them are going to die…

And her saying "He thinks I am wonderful" about her husband not knowing the truth about her past, I think this is an admission on her part that she knows deep down that she is no angel, she is a killer, no matter how many excuses she might have thought of to protect her sense of self against a horrible truth.

Totally agree. I am just not buying any excuses of her being drugged, raped, etc etc etc. She was conscious enough to pick up that machine gun and point it at Russians (war prisoners, her own people) and NOT her tormentors and rapists, no? At some point a conscious choice was made on her part "yes, this is what I have…

Not an excuse for Nazi collaboration, Natalie is a war criminal. For one Natalie there were five other Natalies and Ivans who chose NOT to collaborate and execute their own people, and yes, they were executed by nazis for disobeying.

Also in reply to T.R.Y. -
"She could have helped her fellow Russians but she decides not to."
What fellow Russians? The "illegal" ones who lived in the US under false identities and were spying for the USSR? They were all spies, remember? They were employed by the soviet state.
It wasn't up to Liz to second guess the…

"So a 16 year old whose family is murdered, who is raped and is forced to drink and threatened with death to force her to kill people is just selfish for wanting to preserve her own life."

Natalie is absolutely a war criminal. Her and Liz cannot be compared, it is a false equivalency. If you don't see it that way, it's your opinion. But the fact remains. Natalie is a Nazi collaborator and a war criminal.

Collaboration with Nazis was the choice Natalie made, 16-year old is no child. She is absolutely a war criminal.
Alexei betrayed his country but switching sides and working for the USSR's adversary in the cold war. No excuse can be given - oh, he is doing good things, not trying to harm. It doesn't matter, he turned…

Absolutely! Natalie betrayed her own people. She chose her own life over lives of her own people to survive. Once she fired the first shot and executed a Russian soldier/Nazi prisoner - she stopped being a victim and became a war criminal.

excuse me, Natalie was a Nazi collaborator and a war criminal. That was very much established. Killing Natalie was avenging "Russian boys" that she had killed following Nazi orders. Her excuse that she was forced to collaborate is not valid. Many others sacrificed their lives and chose to die but not collaborate by…

except for the innocent husband, but I agree with you - that sweet Natalie was a war criminal, no excuse - oh they made me, they would have killed me. when is it ever an excuse for killing anyone? she chose to save her skin by committing war crimes.

Amen! We were outta there by then. My country's independence August 24th, 1991! sucks to have barbarians as neighbors but cannot change geography :)

I know what you meant, I do.
It's fascinating to watch a petite size 4 (if that) woman kick serious ass.
but the Badlands is awesome, martial arts as ballet, women in serious heels kick ass, among other things :)