[spoilers] Lucas. Just Lucas.

[KitKat385]

Feel like I'm joining this party a little on the late side...but I agree that this season completely shot through our image of Lucas, then left the plot holes they'd created there. Personally, the character of John is completely unbelievable, and quite annoying since it taints Lucas's image. It's going to be a real struggle to get him back (and I don't really think there's a turning back anyway).

When they were shooting series 9, did the writers know about RA's schedule? The whole 'Did he really commit suicide...?' in the last episode leaves it open for him to come back if he has time - or at least keep us guessing throughout season 10. Because RA has Strike Back (which he may be cut from too, sadly), not to mention he has a larger role in The Hobbit movies.

The emergence of John sort of seems like a ploy to let him exit with a 'Wow...didn't see that coming', with a combination of running out of ideas. Once again, Lucas/John has woman troubles, which has become a running theme through the seasons. Not to mention I found Maya frankly annoying and very unexplained (even if I did sob my eyes out when she died...mostly because of the great acting). That's what the problem is with all the confusion surrounding Lucas: this black hole drawing everybody into his character without really explaining them or the background (but the Lucas/Ruth bits were astounding ). If he supposedly loved her this much, would he forget her so easily? And so here we get these contradictions throughout the seasons: wasn't it returning to Elizabeta that kept him through prison? (Not to mention, as has been pointed out, the fact that the Russians never found out - but I supposed you can only keep so consistent with previous seasons...? He became a spook in 1995 and was in prison by 2000ish - that enough time to completely be 'Lucas'?)

Sigh...wonder if they'll use part of season 10 to wrap some of our (innumerable) questions up?