CM
Cruz Manuelos
A highly capable Force Recon Marine recruited as the new Lioness undercover operative.
ClearStory · PARAMOUNT+ · SEASON 1 · EPISODE 3
LIONESSSeason 1
Bruise Like a Fist
The setup
Cruz joins Aaliyah and her wealthy friends at a gathering in Maryland. While she builds trust under close scrutiny, Joe lends part of the QRF to Kyle for a separate operation in Texas.
OPTIONAL REFERENCECharacters, places and useful termsContains story details. Open after watching.
QUICK REMINDER
6 peopleThe only names you need
AA
Aaliyah Amrohi
The warm but closely guarded daughter of suspected terrorist financier Asmar Ali Amrohi—and Cruz’s route to him.
JM
Joe McNamara
The CIA officer running the Lioness programme. She directs the undercover operative and the armed support team.
KM
Kyle McManus
A CIA officer and Joe’s colleague whose separate operations sometimes pull in her team.
B
Bobby
Leader of the Lioness quick reaction force, responsible for protecting and extracting Cruz.
QRF
The QRF team
Bobby, Tucker, Two Cups, Randy and Tex—the armed team watching over Cruz from a distance.
WHILE WATCHING
Recap as you go
Open a recap only after the whole named scene has finished. If unsure, wait until the episode ends.
AFTER WATCHING
Key story points
Hidden because this section reveals what happens in Season 1, Episode 3.
Content note: Gun violence, military combat, strong language, threat and distress, torture references and a vehicle crash.
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