In ‘Hijack’ episode 5, streaming on Apple TV+, the show reaches the fifth hour of KA29’s hijack. Earlier, it showed Sam Nelson managing to communicate a message to his wife. She informed these details to her partner Daniel, who traced the location of Lewis’s mother and decided to move ahead with the investigation. Meanwhile, the situation inside the plane remained tense due to Lewis’s deteriorating health. Now the fifth episode explores Sam’s attempts at convincing the hijackers to land the plane. The teams on the ground manage to find more details about who is behind the hijacking.
*Spoilers Ahead*
Hijack Episode 5 “Less Than an Hour” Recap:
Stuart & Lewis’ Relationship
In the plane, Stuart (Neil Maskell) walks back to check on Lewis’s (Jack McMullen) situation. He finds it troubling and so, questions the doctor about it. David (Marcus Garvey), who is already terrified, says that Lewis is stable now. Before going back to his seat, Sam (Idris Elba) overhears a dialogue between Stuart and Lewis. Lewis says that he called Mum. Since he did not specify it as ‘my mother,’ Sam figures he and Stuart are brothers. Back on his seat, he sketches out a flag with colored pencils. Hugo (Harry Michell) and Leesha (Antonia Salib) help him realize that it is either an Italian or a Hungarian flag (when held upside down). Hearing that, Sam thinks they can end the hijack.
On the flight, Sam decides to act as per his intuition about Stuart and Lewis. He walks back and places some doubt in Stuart’s mind about Lewis’s health. Sam says that David must have said Lewis is fine because of his stress and fear. He also points out his realization that Stuart and Lewis are brothers. Sam makes Stuart fear that his brother will die within an hour if he is not provided with the necessary treatment. While Stuart walks back to Lewis, Sam tells Deevia (Zora Bishop) to send a message to David. Because of that, David informs Stuart that Lewis might die in less than an hour.
The Situation on the Ground
Back on the ground, the situation remains just as tense. Hijack episode 4 ended with the home secretary Neil (Neil Stuke) receiving an envelope that had ‘Demands’ written on it. He calls Louise (Hattie Marahan) and informs her about it. While heading to the Collingwood House, he gets his associate to ID the man who handed him the envelope. Zahra (Archie Panjabi) guides her colleagues to focus on finding details about the hijackers from their friends and family. She tells Daniel (Max Beesley), along with her associate, to meet Lewis’s mother at her house. The home secretary soon arrives at the office and reads out the letter. The letter states the reason for the hijack. They mention that Edgar Janssen and John Bailey-brown were wrongfully convicted and ask the authorities to correct that mistake by the time the plane lands in London. While Neil calls the hijackers ‘terrorists’, Louise notes that they are rather an organized crime unit and should be referred to in the same way. Before taking any steps to work on their demands, Neil insists that they should confirm the evidence and prove that they are serious about their claims.
In Dubai, Senil and Neela’s neighbor sends her son to check on their neighbors. The criminals who were masquerading as cleaning professionals in this house lie to this kid and make him go back. Later, the kid’s mother notices the two men in blue suits driving away through their van. The Feds soon arrive there and break into Neela’s house. They look around and eventually stumble upon the dead bodies lying in the bathroom. Back in London, Kai (Jude Cudjoe) goes to his father’s house. He was meaning to give his dad a surprise when he arrived in London.
The Attempt to Land
On the flight, Stuart starts contemplating making an emergency landing to save his brother’s life. Jamie (Aimee Kelly) opposes it since it goes against the plan they were told to follow. Stuart tries to convince her by reminding her of their relationship. But Jamie refuses to budge on her decision. Robin (Ben Miles) overhears their dialogue and advises communication with the ground before landing the plane. While they are busy discussing the logistics of it, Sam walks back to Anna (Kaisa Hammarlund) to talk about his plan. He asks her to communicate the threat to the Budapest officials by speaking in Hungarian, even if they can speak in English. He hopes it will give them a chance to get the message out without any suspicions.
Meanwhile, David tries to get Lewis to talk about his background. While Lewis struggles to breathe, he asks David to ‘help him.’ David cannot understand what exactly he means by that. By then, Anna walks to the cockpit and agrees to communicate with the Hungarian officials only if Robin is not next to her. Eventually, she conveys that the ‘hijack is still happening’ to the Hungarians without letting the hijackers get the hint of it. The Budapest officials get their armed forces prepared to avert any possible danger after the landing. By then, Jaden (Mohamed Elsandel) informs Terry (Jasper Britton) that other hijackers agreed to take the pilots to the cockpit. While the passengers start noticing the descent, Terry gets frustrated. Since Lewis also realizes that the flight is descending, he tells David that they should not land. On the other hand, the Hungarian officials soon accept KA29’s request for landing, after getting details about the hijack.
The Identity of Hijackers
The London authorities learn about the Cheapside firm headed by Edgar Janssen and John Bailey-Brown. These men run the tracks in drug and other illegal trades and keep it under their control. Due to their crimes, they were ordered to serve 35 years in the HMP Thorpe. Only after hearing this, Neil accepts the threat that Louise posed earlier. Soon after, FPCC calls their office to share an update about KA29. Alice (Eve Myles) informs about ‘a possible request to land the plane in Budapest’. Neil sees it as a sign that the crisis is averted and considers it a result of his genius.
Hijack Episode 5 “Less Than an Hour” Ending Explained:
Why did Terry not want the plane to land anywhere before London?
While the flight is about to land, Terry walks to the cockpit to have a word with Stuart. He emphasizes that they need to stick to their plan even if it means Lewis losing his life. In a state of panic, Terry walks back and tells David to abort the landing. Once Sam walks back, Terry notes the danger if they land the plane. If the hijackers do not stick to their plan, their families, along with the loved ones of the passengers causing trouble, will die. Eventually, he confesses that he shot Lewis’s old man as per ‘their’ request.
What happens to Lewis in the end? Does the KA29 land in Budapest?
While Deevia gets the passengers ready for the landing, Sam walks back to Stuart and asks him to abort the landing. He notes that Lewis himself told him to do so. By the time Stuart could confirm it himself, Lewis unfortunately dies. Sam brings Stuart’s attention to the pen in Lewis’ hand and says that Lewis died to save Stuart. So eventually, the flight does not land in Budapest and begins to return to its cruising altitude. After that, the London office ceases to have any contact with the KA29. They can make communication only 90 minutes after that. By that time, a London official learns about the deaths of Senil, Neela, and another Dubai official.
Does Lewis’s mother share any details about Stuart and Lewis’s plan?
Back on the ground, Daniel and his associate drive up to Lewis’s mother, Elaine’s (Ruth Sheen) house. She gets defensive when asked to share details about her sons. Daniel tries to make her understand the seriousness of Stuart and Lewis’s actions. While he asks Elaine about Lewis’s plan, she notes how dangerous ‘they’ are. She says that these people came for Peter since he crossed the line. Elaine also notes how they will kill anyone who crosses their path, including those like Daniel. While speaking about this, she gets emotional and walks away to get a tissue. Daniel naively lets her go. The associate walks back in to realize that Elaine has run away. Daniel notices Elaine outside, near the bushes, and follows her. In the end, we see Elaine walking on the road in front of a moving vehicle.
Meanwhile, two men, who had called Marsha to confirm a delivery to Sam’s address, reach Sam’s place. They wear the kind of suits that the killers in Dubai did. Kai realizes their presence and hides in a room. But by then, these two men hear a sound and walk in that direction. The episode ultimately ends on a cliffhanger, where it is unclear whether the man found Kai or not. It is also not clear as to what happened to Elaine in the middle of the road. So, it seems like she tried to end her life than bear the guilt of her family’s death. But does she die, or does someone save her life? And what ultimately happens to the passengers in KA29? We will have to wait a week to find answers to that.
