The season 2 premiere of the hit Netflix series The Diplomat opened with a shocking death that left the main characters devastated.
After a year and a half of waiting, the highly anticipated second season finally premiered last October 31. It picked up right after the events of the shocking first-season finale cliffhanger.
This article includes spoilers for The Diplomat season 2 premiere, so proceed with caution.
Who Dies in The Diplomat Season 2 Premiere?
The season 2 premiere of The Diplomat opened right after the shocking cliffhanger of the first-season finale where Hayford and Hal were caught in a car-bomb explosion.
Fortunately, Hayford and Hal survived the blast and they sustained enough injuries to recover swiftly.
However, US embassy aide Ronnie Buckhurst perished as she succumbed to the injuries after hours of surgery. British MP Merritt Grove also met his demise during the explosion.
After learning the news, Kate informed US Secretary of State Miguel Ganon and Ronnie's mother about the shocking news.
Kate and the other characters are devastated by Ronnie's death since she has become a beloved member of the team since Kate was appointed as the ambassador to the United Kingdom.
The Diplomat Showrunner Explains Ronnie's Shocking Death
In an interview, The Diplomat showrunner Deborah Cahn explained her decision to kill off Ronnie in the season 2 premiere and how it affected their exploration of Kate and Hal's marriage.
"This was the plan from the get-go. I was really committed to writing a show about a marriage that was on the rocks, and not because of infidelity. The infidelity story has been extremely well told before," she said.
"I really wanted there to be a chasm in the [Kate-Hal] relationship that came from a moral, ethical schism between the two of them, in terms of how they made decisions in the workplace."
Cahn also shared that Jess Chanliau was understanding of their decision to kill off Ronnie and they were even excited to film the devastating scene.
"Ronnie and Jess together were so optimistic and idealistic that It felt like killing an angel. Jess was kind of excited because... everybody likes the idea of being this thing that tears everyone’s heart out — and that’s what it felt like [for me]," she explained.
"My chest just collapses every time I see the scene in [the Season 2 premiere] where the paramedic says to Ronnie, ‘Does it hurt to talk?’ And Ronnie says, ‘Yeah.’ It’s just devastating. The work that Jess did was amazing. It was so intense and moving."
What do you think of Ronnie's shocking death? Let us know in the comments!
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