Apple TV+’s fourth season of For All Mankind wrapped up with “Perestroika,” a thrilling episode that tied up loose ends across various storylines in a satisfying way. The intense fight for control over the iridium-rich Goldilocks asteroid involved key players.
They are Dev Ayesa (Edi Gathegi), Ed Baldwin (Joel Kinnaman), Samantha Massey (Tyner Rushing), and Miles Dale (Toby Kebbell). Meanwhile, back on Earth, Commander Danielle Poole (Krys Marshall), Margo Madison (Wrenn Schmidt), and Aleida Rosales (Coral Peña) led the collective efforts of the United States, Russia, and North Korea.
From deception to triumph, Team Mars secures its destiny (Photo: For All Mankind/Tall Ship Productions and Sony Pictures Television)Every character had a role in the high-stakes battle, which played out like a strategic chess match. As events played out, Aleida had the heartbreaking task of delivering devastating news to Margo about her dear friend Sergei Nikulov (Piotr Adamczyk).
The season reached its climax with an unexpected reunion that brought the show full circle to a gripping conclusion.
Who Gains Control of the Coveted Goldilocks Asteroid?
The discovery of an asteroid rich in iridium during Episode 5, “Goldilocks,” set off a fierce contest for ownership. At first, all parties agreed to redirect it towards Earth to improve conditions for billions of people.
However, tensions grew as Dev and Ed made a bold decision to seize control of the asteroid and divert it towards Mars, securing the future of both the Mars program and the Happy Valley research facility.
They allied with disillusioned technicians, including Miles, Samantha, and North Korean defector Lee Jung-Gil (C.S. Lee), to execute an intricate plan aimed at keeping Goldilocks from reaching Earth’s orbit.
As part of their strategy, a decoy Operations Command center was set up, while Samantha was sent on a critical mission with the Ranger crew to manually adjust the shuttle thrusters. This adjustment would make it impossible for “Team Earth” to redirect the asteroid back home.
She found herself in a physical struggle with Palmer James (Myk Watford), Poole’s lieutenant, but managed to hold him off long enough to complete the task. The final sequence, which jumps to the year 2012, confirms that “Team Mars” succeeded in their mission.
Dev stands at the edge of an enormous crater on Mars, looking out at a flourishing Happy Valley, now thriving thanks to Goldilocks. With Helios, under Dev and Ed’s leadership, emerging victorious in the battle for the asteroid, Mars sees an unprecedented period of growth.
Meanwhile, Danielle returns to Earth, where she is welcomed by her newborn grandchild after enduring a gunshot wound during a fight at Happy Valley—a wound that Ed himself helped treat.
Margo and Aleida’s Fate in the Final Episode
The last three episodes saw Margo reconnecting with her protégé, Aleida, and rekindling her relationship with Russian colleague and love interest Sergei upon her return to Houston. However, tragedy struck at the end of the second-to-last episode when Sergei was assassinated by a KGB agent.
Margo, unaware of this, instructs Aleida to warn him to leave town for his safety. When Aleida arrives at his rundown motel, the concierge claims Sergei took his own life, but she immediately recognizes it as murder and is left devastated.
A reunion, a revelation, and a season finale that changes everything (Photo: For All Mankind/Tall Ship Productions and Sony Pictures Television)After composing herself, she heads back to the Molly Cobb Space Center, burdened with the heartbreaking responsibility of informing Margo. Upon hearing the news, Margo immediately confronts her superior, Irina Morozova (Svetlana Efremova), but Irina denies any involvement and urges her to maintain her composure.
This marks a turning point for Margo, as she decides she will no longer serve Russia’s interests and instead chooses to support keeping Goldilocks in Mars’ orbit. When their plan is exposed, Aleida attempts to take the blame, but Margo refuses to let her and accepts full responsibility.
She is arrested by the FBI and likely faces deportation to Russia. Before being taken away, she and Aleida share a final embrace. Meanwhile, back in Moscow, Irina returns to her office to find KGB agents rifling through her belongings before the door closes behind her.
Her fate remains uncertain, but given the circumstances, it does not bode well. Crossing a ruthless authoritarian regime while handling matters of such magnitude is rarely forgiven.
For All Mankind Ends the Season Where It All Began
While much of the focus remained on the Goldilocks conflict, an earlier promise made by Ilya Breshov (Dimiter D. Marinov) to Lee Jung-Gil resurfaced in the season’s final moments.
At the start of the season, Ilya pledged to arrange for Lee Jung-Gil’s wife to be brought to Mars if he cooperated in keeping his smuggling activities a secret. What initially seemed like an impossible promise turned into reality in one of the last scenes.
A woman emerges from behind some stacked cargo pallets, and it is revealed to be Lee Jung-Gil’s wife. The two embrace in an emotional reunion—one of the rare heartfelt moments in a season filled with betrayal, violence, and greed.
Bringing the once-isolated astronaut back together with his wife adds a poetic touch to the season’s ending, bringing everything full circle.
