A Cosmonaut Dies, a Traitor is Unmasked — Star City Episode 3 Ending Explained

Apple TV+’s gripping Cold War thriller Star City just delivered its most gut-wrenching hour yet. Episode 3, titled “Bad Dancer”, raises the stakes in devastating fashion — a cosmonaut loses his life in space, and the identity of the Soviet program’s American mole is finally revealed. If you’re still processing everything, here’s a clear breakdown.

Star City Episode 3 Show : Overview

Star City is a spinoff of Apple TV+’s acclaimed For All Mankind, reimagining the space race entirely from the Soviet Union’s perspective.

Did Arseni Die? — Episode 3 Ending Explained

Yes — and it’s heartbreaking. The ground team intercepts a bizarre, high-frequency signal emitting from the spacecraft. Lyudmilla orders a system reboot despite the Chief Designer’s concerns, fearing American sabotage. The reboot stops the transmission but destroys the ship’s autonomous landing sequence, causing the habitat module to deploy early.

The Luna 17 mission was extremely risky, because none of the cosmonauts were allowed to wear a spacesuit so they could fit inside the lander, which meant that if there was even the slightest error, they would die.

Anguished, the Chief Designer orders Arseni to manually depressurize the hab so they may detach it. Arseni docks Sasha safely, but the vacuum of space kills him instantly. Arseni’s quick thinking ensures Sasha is able to dock, but he loses his own life in the process — and the mole, Valya, is now not only responsible for leaking intelligence but also the death of a cosmonaut.

Who Is the American Mole?

Valya isn’t who many would have suspected of being the mole, and yet it makes sense. It means there are some rough times coming for him and the team. One man has already died, which means the hunt for the leak will only intensify.

Tanya goes looking for Valya and finds him talking with some woman. His conversation reveals that he was the mole who planted the transceiver. He tells her that he’s done. She says the broadcast failed an hour ago, and you are far from done. Reel Mockery

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