‘Homeland’ Spoilers: What Happened In The Season 3 Finale? Recap Of ‘The Star’ Before The Season 4 Premiere

When Season 4 of “Homeland” premieres on Showtime Sunday, Carrie Mathison is working in Afghanistan without her baby; her longtime confidant, Saul Berenson, is practically retired; and her love interest, Nicholas Brody, is nowhere to be seen. For those who didn’t watch the “Homeland” Season 3 finale, or for those who simply need a recap of the drama that unfolded, check out everything that happened in “The Star” ahead of the new season premiere:

Brody Kills Akbari

The Season 3 finale, “The Star,” opened with Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) visibly shaken and cleaning up the crime scene after executing the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Danesh Akbari (Houshang Touzie). After literally cleaning the blood from his hands, Brody stole Akbari’s gun and concealed it. He successfully left the premises, guards stopping him only to take his access pass before Akbari’s body was found on the floor of his office. With Akbari’s guards onto him, Brody threatened a driver with a gun, telling him to drive away from the scene of the crime. Brody’s plan? To go meet Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes).

The Manhunt

After being informed of Akbari’s death, Majid Javadi (Shaun Toub) phoned Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) to tell him that he had been put in charge of the manhunt for Brody. “I need him arrested and put in front of a magistrate by tomorrow morning,” Javadi said. Saul refused to participate in the hunt, lying to Javadi and claiming to be unaware of Brody’s location. Javadi told Saul that if Brody were to be with Carrie when captured, she would not be safe unless he participated. Despite his warning, Saul once again denied his request -- only to have the new CIA director, former Sen. Andrew Lockhart (Tracy Letts), later override his call.

‘I’m Pregnant’

In the midst of their crisis and Brody’s trauma after killing Akbari, Carrie dropped a happy bombshell. Following a phone call with Saul in which he told them they would be saved by morning, she told Brody she was four months’ pregnant with their baby.

“I don’t know what happens back home either, what kind of life, what kind of life we have or don’t have, whether it’s together, or apart, but there will be a life,” Carrie told Brody. “I’m not sorry about that. Not for one single second because I believe for one of the reasons I was put on this earth was for our paths to cross, and I’m sorry if that sounds crazy.”

Brody expresses nothing but joy about the pregnancy. “It sounds like the only sane f---ing thing left in the whole world,” he told Carrie.

Brody Is Captured

After Carrie heard what she believed to be a rescue helicopter, the two exited their safe house, but were greeted by Iranian operatives. Carrie tearfully told the men to contact Javadi only to have the men explain to her that he was already well aware of Brody’s capture.

“Please tell me that was part of the plan,” Carrie said to Saul on the phone. She was then made privy about Lockhart’s actions. In a flurry, Carrie headed back to her hotel room, but before she could escape, she was hauled away by two guards to meet Javadi.

Sentenced To Death

“Don’t you dare do anything to harm him,” Carrie told Javadi, speaking of Brody. Despite her efforts to meet with Brody, Javadi told her she cannot because he has been placed in prison. He explained Brody had been sentenced to death by hanging in a public venue after being declared an enemy of the state.

“You’re insane if you think that’s going to happen. You have to stop it!” Carrie told him. However, Javadi explained there was nothing he could do. “He’s at peace, in his cell. Let him be,” he said.

While Javadi denied Carrie’s request to see him, he did grant her permission for a two-minute phone call. Unfortunately for Carrie, Brody told her he had accepted the fact he would die. “I’m OK. I really am,” he said before sharing his final wish for her not to attend the execution.

The Execution

Ignoring Brody’s request, Carrie attended the hanging. With a noose around his neck and just minutes away from death, Brody scanned the large crowd, obviously not seeing Carrie in a sea of black. Just as the noose tightened, Carrie climbed a fence, screaming out Brody’s name. The couple locked eyes before Carrie was hit with a bat, causing her to fall. Brody died -- and, yes, he really is dead -- and Carrie walked away in tears before the screen went black.

Four Months Later

In a time jump, “Homeland” fans got to see Saul on vacation with his wife Mira Berenson (Sarita Choudhury) in what appeared to be Greece. Despite his conflict with Lockhart, he told Mira about his plans to head to Washington for the annual commemorative ceremony.

In Washington, a visibly pregnant Carrie met with Lockhart. Despite her being on the verge of giving birth, he offered her a job in Istanbul acting as the youngest station chief in history. After accepting the job, Carrie asked Lockhart if he would consider including Brody in the ceremony by giving him a star. He denied her request, refusing to memorialize him because of his terroristic past -- despite his taking down Akbari.

Later, during a meeting with Carrie’s sister, Maggie (Amy Hargreaves) and father, Frank (James Rebhorn), viewers discovered Carrie is expecting a baby girl. Carrie admitted to her family she is scared to be a mother and is planning to move to Istanbul as soon as the baby is born. When Carrie said she can’t keep the baby, her dad agreed to take her. (“Two tours in Baghdad and now a baby is bringing you to your knees?” he asked.) The family decided to wait on confirming who will raise the child until after Carrie gives birth.

Back at CIA headquarters, Saul and Carrie attended the CIA’s annual commemorative ceremony. True to his word, Lockhart did not mention Brody’s name in his speech. Season 3 concluded with Carrie drawing her own star on the commemorative wall in Brody’s honor.

Season 4 of “Homeland” will premiere on Showtime Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT .