Margo Madison has had one of the most interesting character arcs of anyone in For All Mankind, and despite ending up in prison, she seems to have landed on her feet. In the earliest seasons of For All Mankind, Margo was desperate to earn the recognition and respect of her colleagues, but due to her connection to Wernher von Braun, she ended up as kind of a pariah. Eventually, she was able to climb out from under Braun’s shadow, and she managed to ascend the ladder to the point of becoming the director of the Johnson Space Center.

On her way to the top, Margo got entangled in some unsavory business with the Russians. Due to her affection for Sergei Nikulov, Margo ended up being an unwitting spy for the Russians, before they eventually coerced her and forced her to assist in their plans more directly, or see the man she grew to care deeply about be killed in front of her. Of course, she chose the life of her friend and partner and became an active participant in this political agenda.

Then, when her betrayal was discovered, Margo called upon the Russians to give her refuge and protect her from punishment in the US. Of course, this backfired in some ways, and she ultimately wound up in an American prison cell, but still, things could be worse.

Why Margo Is In Prison During For All Mankind Season 5

In For All Mankind season 4, Margo is seen working with the Russian space program, which leads to her returning to the US with diplomatic immunity. Initially, she doesn’t need to answer for her crimes, and she is able to reunite with her former friend and mentee, Aleida Rosales. After a difficult reunion, Aleida eventually sees the sincerity and pain that Margo suffered through in order to help others, which ultimately put her into a dangerous and awful situation, and the two begin working together to help their allies on Mars.

After pulling off the heist of a massive meteor, redirecting its course from heading towards the Moon to orbiting Mars, Aleida could have been in huge trouble with the US government. Instead, Margo stepped in and claimed sole responsibility for their actions and was swiftly sent to a US prison. This is where she is in For All Mankind season 5, episode 1. And despite being in prison, Margo is enjoying a better quality of life than she did while she lived in her previous residence.

Margo Madison Previously Lived As A Refugee In Russia

As noted above, Margo fled to Russia to become a refugee there. Having betrayed her country, Margo would have ended up in a federal prison, or worse, facing the death penalty for treason. Unfortunately for her, her fate was much worse upon arriving in Russia. Margo was promised she would get a chance to work with the Russian Space Program, which would mean continuing to devote herself to the only thing she had ever loved unreservedly. But instead, she was kept in the dark, spied on, and repeatedly told to wait for any update.

When the updates eventually did come, it was due to a change in power in the country, which led to Margo being imprisoned without trial or explanation. There, she was beaten and tortured, and things continued to get worse. When Margo was freed from captivity, Irina Morozova developed a close relationship with her in order to use her skills and insider knowledge to her advantage.

The Prison System In The US Is Still More Comfortable Than Her Life In Russia

Even while at her most comfortable in Russia, walking daily, speaking to locals, and enjoying freshly baked goods while also getting to work at Roscosmos, Margo was always being watched. As it turned out, Irinia Morozova was formerly a leader in the KGB and the handler of Margo’s romantic flame, Sergei Nikulov. Irina was also responsible for having Sergei murdered in cold blood, and she treated Margo like a tool to be used when convenient and stowed away quietly when not.

If given the choice, it seems as though Margo’s life in a US prison still beats out her life in Russia. Margo is afforded the opportunity to meet with friends like Aleida during visiting hours; she doesn’t live in fear of the government sneaking into her home in the night and torturing her, and she is far away from monsters like Irina Morozova. Yes, it isn’t perfect, but it’s more of a life than she had before in For All Mankind.

Release Date

2019 – 2027-00-00

Network

Apple TV

Showrunner

Ronald D. Moore

Directors

Sergio Mimica-Gezzan, Andrew Stanton, Meera Menon, Dan Liu, Allen Coulter, Craig Zisk, Dennie Gordon, John Dahl, Lukas Ettlin, Wendey Stanzler, Seth Gordon, Sylvain White, Michael Morris, Maja Vrvilo, Sarah Boyd

Writers

Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, Ben Nedivi, Bradley Thompson, David Weddle, Nichole Beattie, Joe Menosky