Dead Reckoning is the third episode of The Last Ship's first season.
USS Nathan James is in a standoff against Vrenya, a nuclear-powered battlecruiser, in Guantanamo Bay. Vrenya is crewed by renegades who broke away from the remnants of the Russian government and military to pursue their own agenda. Now Tom Chandler has to go toe-to-toe with Admiral Ruskov, a respected tactician who literally wrote the book on modern naval warfare.
This episode provides examples of:
- I Have Your Wife: Tophet's been working with the Russians because Ruskov has his wife and daughter as hostages.
- Insane Admiral: Ruskov presents his credentials very quickly, summarily executing one of his men simply to show Chandler that there is no limit to what he'll do.
- The Mole: Tophet reveals himself to have been the one informing the Russians of Nathan James' plans. He justifies his actions because he was trying to ensure the safety of his family.
