The Agencies Lose Their Agents

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Mother and Vader’s effort to use the Smiths as expendable rivals destroys their own operational control and leaves the couple free to negotiate a new life.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Parallel Orders Issued Parallel Orders Issued from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Parallel Orders Issued Separate briefings Mother sends John after Benjamin Danz, while Vader gives Jane the same target.

Parallel Orders Issued from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Parallel Orders Issued Separate briefings Mother sends John after Benjamin Danz, while Vader gives Jane the same target.

Parallel Orders Issued Separate briefings Mother sends John after Benjamin Danz, while Vader gives Jane the same target. Each employer presents the assignment as urgent and fails to disclose the other agent’s role. A controlled collision The separate orders create a situation in which the Smiths can identify one another as threats. Their organizations treat the marriage as an obstacle to be exploited rather than a bond to respect.

The Cleanup Directive The Cleanup Directive from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Cleanup Directive No witness allowed Vader orders Jane to eliminate the rival within forty-eight hours and warns that no witnesses can remain.

The Cleanup Directive from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Cleanup Directive No witness allowed Vader orders Jane to eliminate the rival within forty-eight hours and warns that no witnesses can remain.

The Cleanup Directive No witness allowed Vader orders Jane to eliminate the rival within forty-eight hours and warns that no witnesses can remain. The policy makes institutional secrecy more important than the agent’s personal life. A parallel danger John’s employer also treats the mission as a matter of organizational survival. Both Smiths are being moved toward a lethal outcome without being told the full rationale.

Danz Exposes the Setup Danz Exposes the Setup from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Danz Exposes the Setup A decoy’s account Danz says that he is bait, placed in the operation to bring the Smiths into the same location.

Danz Exposes the Setup from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". Danz Exposes the Setup A decoy’s account Danz says that he is bait, placed in the operation to bring the Smiths into the same location.

Danz Exposes the Setup A decoy’s account Danz says that he is bait, placed in the operation to bring the Smiths into the same location. The agencies know that the pair are married and expect them to attack each other. Authority exposed The revelation turns the employers from distant superiors into the direct source of the crisis. The couple no longer has reason to trust either organization’s version of events.

The Helicopter Encirclement The Helicopter Encirclement from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Helicopter Encirclement The transmitter reports them A miniature device in Danz’s belt buckle has already broadcast the motel’s location.

The Helicopter Encirclement from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Helicopter Encirclement The transmitter reports them A miniature device in Danz’s belt buckle has already broadcast the motel’s location.

The Helicopter Encirclement The transmitter reports them A miniature device in Danz’s belt buckle has already broadcast the motel’s location. Six helicopters approach as the Smiths realize that the agencies can locate them. A necessary alliance The couple abandons separate escape plans and leaves together. The threat makes their practical dependence clear before their emotional trust is fully restored.

The Final Losses The Final Losses from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Final Losses An organization emptied The Smiths defeat the large force sent to stop them, leaving Mother and Vader without the agents they committed to the…

The Final Losses from "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". The Final Losses An organization emptied The Smiths defeat the large force sent to stop them, leaving Mother and Vader without the agents they committed to the…

The Final Losses An organization emptied The Smiths defeat the large force sent to stop them, leaving Mother and Vader without the agents they committed to the pursuit. Their strategy has cost the organizations their immediate command over the situation. New bargaining power Jane recognizes that both agencies may need experienced freelancers. The couple’s survival gives them leverage to negotiate rather than return to obedience.

Before the desert operation

After the desert mission fails

At the roadside motel

Immediately after the motel confession

After the Home-Made battle