The "Cicada" program is a clandestine espionage operation established by the Soviets during the Cold War. Like the periodical insects that remain underground for years before emerging in massive swarms, these agents were planted to live unremarkable lives until "activated" decades later.
Periodical Cicadas | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History "Slow Horses" Cicada(2022)
The fourth episode of the season, also titled "," serves as a turning point where the disparate plot threads begin to converge. The "Cicada" program is a clandestine espionage operation
: The plot reveals that Nikolai Katinsky, an ex-KGB agent thought to be harmless, was actually the spymaster behind the program. Narrative Analysis of "Cicada" (Season 2, Episode 4) also titled "