Rather than relying on a compelling plot, Obliterated, the Netflix action-drama, ensured viewers remained entertained with its fast-paced sequences, humorous situations, and eccentric characters. The series followed an elite task force assigned the responsibility of apprehending criminals.
Despite finding themselves entangled in chaotic and often absurd predicaments, the team consistently managed to come out on top. But did this special unit complete its mission and prevent disaster?
Celebrations turn into a desperate race against time (Photo: Obliterated/Counterbalance Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television)Ava Winter’s Task and the Unexpected Turn of Events
Right from the start of Obliterated, Ava Winters, Chad McKnight, Trunk, Maya Lerner, Angela Gomez, Paul Yung, and the highly skilled bomb expert Hagerty were deployed to recover a portable nuclear device from a terrorist named Ivan Koslov.
Each member of the unit was a top-tier soldier, which justified their selection for such a delicate operation. Having encountered similar high-stakes missions in the past, they knew how to remain composed under pressure.
They successfully captured Ivan Koslov and secured the nuclear weapon without any visible mishaps, appearing to be in full control of the situation. However, what they believed to be a triumph was, in reality, a deceptive scheme orchestrated by Ivan.
Celebrating at their base, the team indulged in various vices, only for Ava to receive an alarming call from her superior, CIA Director James Langdon. He broke the news that the nuclear bomb in their possession was a counterfeit, while the real one remained unaccounted for.
Ivan had outwitted them, and Langdon demanded that they act swiftly to locate the missing bomb. What Langdon was unaware of, however, was that every single team member was either drunk or high on drugs, making them ill-prepared to resume their duties.
With time running out and the nuclear bomb set to detonate in mere hours, Ava had no choice but to pull herself together and refocus on the mission.
Ivan Koslov’s Hidden Agenda and Quest for Revenge
Driven by vengeance, Ivan Koslov had a deep-rooted grudge against the United States due to the death of his father in an American airstrike. He planned to mislead amateur buyers by selling them a fake bomb while reserving the real one for a more influential criminal organization.
The strategy allowed him to double his profits, and everything was going smoothly until he was apprehended. Meanwhile, his right-hand man, Vladislav Litvin, contacted Maddox, the mercenary who was set to purchase the nuclear device, informing him that the plan had changed.
However, he deliberately withheld the fact that Ivan had been captured by the CIA. While Ava and her squad attempted to extract information from Ivan, they encountered resistance. As a former KGB operative, he was well-versed in handling intense interrogations and refused to divulge any details.
However, their hopes for a breakthrough arose when they captured a member of the amateur gang. Ava realized that provoking him might yield the information they needed.
Using a recorded confession from Ivan, where he mocked the amateur buyers for falling for his deception, she managed to trigger the captive into revealing that he had installed a tracker in Vladislav Litvin’s car.
This development could have led them to their next target, but before they could act, Ivan exploited a moment of carelessness by the officers, gained access to the holding cell, and killed the captive.
Fortunately, Maya Lerner’s expertise helped them unlock the captive’s phone, allowing them to trace Vladislav Litvin’s location.
How Maddox Came Into Possession of the Nuclear Weapon
Wade Maddox had vanished from public records for over a decade, with no trace of his activities since the 1990s, when he had been at the helm of his private military enterprise.
Now, he had resurfaced, regaining control, and word on the street suggested that detonating a nuclear bomb in Las Vegas was only the beginning of his larger, more sinister plans.
He met with Vladislav Litvin to proceed with the scheduled transaction, but Litvin hesitated, realizing that Maddox would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
Meanwhile, Ava and her squad discovered a young woman named Lana at Ivan’s residence and decided to keep her close, suspecting she might possess valuable information that could aid their mission.
Tracking Vladislav Litvin through the installed device, Ava’s team ensured he remained in sight. However, Maddox’s operatives unexpectedly intercepted Litvin, kidnapping him because they were determined to secure the bomb, regardless of Ivan’s capture.
As the situation intensified, Lana’s memory proved useful when she recalled a warehouse Ivan had once taken her to, suggesting it might be where Maddox and Litvin were now heading. The mercenaries managed to escape, abducting Trunk and Lana in the process.
When Ava’s team attempted pursuit, an unexpected disaster struck—Paul, who was piloting their helicopter, suffered a drug-induced episode mid-flight.
The situation spiraled into chaos, and the helicopter crashed. Paul, who had never experimented with psychedelics before, struggled to cope with the overwhelming effects, amplifying his anxiety over his daughter’s well-being.
Meanwhile, Trunk endured relentless torture at the hands of Maddox’s men, nearing his breaking point. Simultaneously, a betrayal played out within Litvin’s ranks. Some of his men turned against him, enticed by Maddox’s lucrative offer.
Litvin, determined to keep the nuclear weapon away from Maddox, refused to cooperate, but money proved to be a stronger motivator for his men. Recognizing an opportunity, Ava emerged from hiding, proposing an alternative deal—immunity and financial compensation in exchange for the bomb.
However, before negotiations could progress, Litvin executed one of his men, triggering an all-out shootout. In the ensuing chaos, Litvin was killed, Maddox escaped with the nuclear weapon, and his whereabouts became unknown.
Who Eliminated Maddox and His Crew?
Maddox operated from a pawn shop called Good Luck, confident that his mission was on track and nothing would go awry. His confidence, however, was misplaced. By the time Ava and her team managed to pinpoint his location, they arrived only to find that every individual present had been wiped out.
The shocking twist came when it was revealed that the orchestrator of the attack was none other than Lana, the seemingly innocent girl who had fooled everyone. Her real identity was Anastasia Koslov—Ivan’s younger sister.
Right from the beginning, she had embedded herself within Ava’s team, using the opportunity to eliminate Maddox while securing leverage over the authorities. With the nuclear weapon now in her possession, she made her demands clear: unless her brother was released, the bomb would remain under her control.
Did Ava’s Team Succeed in Stopping Anastasia?
Authorities decided to relieve Ava’s team of the case, believing they had mishandled their responsibilities. The operation was transferred to FBI Special Agent Ferguson, who formulated a plan to neutralize Anastasia.
However, recognizing the threat she posed, he opted for a different strategy—agreeing to Ivan’s release in exchange for the nuclear weapon.
Outwitted by the enemy, out of time to fix it (Photo: Obliterated/Counterbalance Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television)On the scheduled day of the exchange, Anastasia devised a chaotic distraction by dropping a box of cash from a chopper, creating a frenzy that allowed her to attempt an escape with her brother and the bomb. Ferguson assumed she would use underground tunnels to flee, but his miscalculation cost him dearly.
During the confrontation, both Ivan and Ferguson were killed, while Anastasia managed to slip away with the bomb. The chase led Ava, McKnight, and their team to a hotel named Citadel, where they prepared for their final confrontation.
Realizing they might not make it out alive, the team took a moment to acknowledge their emotions. Ava admitted to McKnight that her feelings for him were genuine, while Paul expressed regret over his shortcomings as a father.
The battle at Citadel was intense, with the team successfully eliminating every Russian operative. Anastasia, anticipating hesitation at the final moment, had concealed the nuclear bomb within a casino slot machine.
Just as Paul was about to take the bomb in his helicopter to sacrifice himself for millions of lives, Hagerty arrived dramatically on a camel, completely unaware of the chaos that had been revealed in his absence.
Acting in his characteristic manner, he defused the bomb with seconds to spare. With disaster averted, Ava and her team realized they had been given another shot at life—one they wouldn’t take for granted. Though duty might call them again in the future, they had earned their moment of victory.
