In the trailer for the new season of Homeland, we catch a brief glimpse of a notebook that appears to be Carrie’s. In it, she has scrawled some pretty unintelligible stuff about her investigation into Abu Nazir, Nicholas Brody, and the CIA. But our close analysis reveals that perhaps Carrie has a co-author on this notebook. Let’s take a closer look.

1. “You killed my son – prepare to die.” Willing to loose [sic] his own life to avenge the death of his son!

The most glaring thing here is that the ultra-exacting Carrie has misspelled “lose.” It’s also at least a small nod to Mandy Patinkin’s famed Princess Bride line. But part of the idea is in quotes, indicating that someone has said that exact phrase. Abu Nazir is the obvious person, but maybe it was Brody, indicating just how strong a bond he felt with Issa, which the show has been insisting on for two seasons, even though Brody has a biological son that he seems not to care that much about.

2. I missed something … if only I had paid ATTENTION. There must have been CLUES…

This has been Carrie’s refrain since season one, that she “missed something” (usually it seems like she was referring to 9/11, though). Not sure how helpful it is for a CIA agent to write down “clues,” but okay.

3. A- Anger, B- Betrayal, [looks like C- Consequences]

T … terrorism?

4. frame Brody while destroying the…

The writing in this phrase makes it look like more than one person was contributing to this crazy-note. Look at the way the Y is shaped in Brody here: one continuous pen-stroke, round U-shaped bottom, and a tale that curls like a J. Now look at the Y in “you killed my son.” That Y was made with two strokes, with a straight V-shaped body and a straight line for the tail. Another conspiracy!

5. Mourning (Issa)? Anger (USA/CIA/Western World)? Traitor to savior … Brody w Nazir

Yes, this is the plot of Homeland. But “savior” is an interesting choice of words — it’s not the opposite of a traitor, per se, and the role of savior is very different than the one of, oh, a hero, or a prophet, or a leader. Savior is a tall task.



6. Nazir’s son? Brody’s connection? Bomb planted in car – Brody

Back to the straight Ys!



7. NAZIR (DEAD) – SHERIF MESHAD TRAINED BY NAZIR (NEW LEADER??)

Again, Carrie is not clear on spelling. Perhaps she has a learning disability?

8. A wanted man, just what they wanted

… Man.

(There’s also an alternate take on Gawker.)