'Covert Affairs' bosses discuss the traitor reveal and the new Big Bad

This post contains plot details of the Covert Affairs midseason finale, “Sensitive Euro Man,” which aired on Aug. 26.

Was Annie right to trust McQuaid? Who was behind the Chicago bombing? Creators Matt Corman and Chris Ord talk to EW about season five’s midseason finale and what to expect when the show returns.

EW: Caitlyn (Perrey Reeves) was setting McQuaid (Nic Bishop) up to take the fall and ultimately ended up shooting him. He survives?

Corman: He wasn’t killed. He’s in a state of medical duress.

Ord: If anything, his situation provides a lot of motivation for Annie going forward out of this episode.

So Aleksandre Belenko (Shawn Doyle), the Georgian diplomat that shot and killed Caitlyn, was behind the Chicago bombings?

Corman: That’s a fair assumption.

Ord: There’s an intentional end there where you see Annie staring daggers at Belenko on the screen [in McQuaid’s hospital room]. In many ways, this episode was not only a finale to our summer season, but was intended to Belenko as a character who we will definitely be seeing a lot of later.

Belenko tells whoever he’s on the phone with at the end that the target was missed. What can you tease about the target’s identity?

Corman: Who the target really was will come as a great surprise and an amazing big twist in the life of our show. So in the back six episodes [of season five], the onion will be peeled back.

Ord: Just when you thought there was no more onion, there is more onion. [Laughs]

Corman: And then there’s a candy center in there. [Laughs]

Belenko mentions Istanbul on that call as well. The show is headed there, then?

Corman: Yes. We went to Istanbul. There’s gonna be a guest star in that who fans really like. And then it looks like we’re going to Argentina.

Ord: For the last two [episodes].

With McQuaid’s company presumably taking a hit after this incident, where does that leave Arthur? And Annie?`

Corman: You’re right to say that it’s all in a great state of flux, particularly for Annie. A lot of the back six episodes will be about her finding her place and deciding what she wants out of her life as a person and as a spy. But a lot of transition is gonna happen going forward because of what you saw happen to McQuaid Security.

We should probably talk about the Annie-McQuaid sex scene that they took time out to have. I guess he really needed it. How do you think fans will feel about them finally getting together?

Ord: We felt in many ways they both needed it. We hope fans like it. We love McQuaid as a character. Nic Bishop’s doing just a phenomenal job. So hopefully the fans will be excited about it. We know that there’s a lot of Walkerson shippers out there, and that’s always something that’s playing in our minds as well. But hopefully in the moment, it feels right. And to us, it certainly felt right. We’ll see where the relationship goes going forward.

We also saw that Calder (Hill Harper) is going to use escort Sydney (Nazneen Contractor) to help with the Russian intel problem.

Ord: Calder and Sydney’s relationship will certainly deepen as a result of making her operational. I don’t think I’m teasing too much saying that.

What can you say about what Auggie (Christopher Gorham) will be up to in the back six?

Corman: The back six episodes heavily involve Auggie in a way that our show hasn’t done, ever. It’s that fundamental to Auggie’s story. It will be a real fun ride.

That was both incredibly exciting and incredibly vague.

Corman: I don’t want to give it away. But if you’re a fan of Auggie, you should definitely tune in and watch these back six episodes, because you’ll be riveted.