THE AMERICANS Recap Episode 11 'Covert War' (SPOILERS) Episode 12 'The Oath' Preview [VIDEO]: Are Elizabeth and Phillip Being Set Up?

FX's The Americans has really been making us feel just how brutal the Cold War was. Last week's episode, "Covert War" left viewers stunned and breathless. Elizabeth Jennings decided to take matters into her own hands when things got personal. Phillip tried to talk her down but found out he could not. The episode focused much more on the spying side of the series and hardly mixed in the family aspect, so does that mean this week's "The Oath" will bring it back, full-circle? (SPOILERS to follow)

"Covert War" opens with the Jennings' KGB supervisor Claudia telling Elizabeth that General Zhukov had been assassinated by American operatives and that the Soviets do not want the situation to escalate so there won't be a retaliation strike. But Zhukov was a father figure to Elizabeth, so after Claudia happens to reveal the name of the man who ordered the hit (the C.I.A.'s Richard Patterson), she decides to enact revenge.

At first Phillip is against this idea since it is not an order and in they recently just went against orders when they allowed Gregory Thomas go in the previous episode. Phillip of course loves Elizabeth, so he eventually complies.

Meanwhile, Phillip is also not enjoying his time at the motel. We briefly get to see Henry and Paige enjoying some time with their father at his temporary home, but we find out later in the episode that he does not like bringing them there. While the kids are with Phillip, Elizabeth brings Sandra out for some drinks and dancing. Unfortunately she is a total wreck and ends up walking out on Stan, convinced that he is cheating on her (HE IS!). Beeman tries to end things with Nina, but pretty much changes his mind and continues to sleep with her.

So Phillip shows up to help Elizabeth capture Richard Patterson. She seduces the C.I.A. agent and then gets him to an interrogation spot. He pretty much breaks her, though, and she realizes that killing him will not help anything. She even calls out Claudia for telling her his name. Claudia says it was an extreme test.

So Patterson is free and is debriefed by Stan and Frank. He tells them that it was a couple that captured him, but that killing him would have been personal. So now the FBI knows that the KGB has two spies in the area. 

Here is the official synopsis of tonight's episode:

One of Elizabeth's agents has key intel for sale, but she and Philip find themselves taking increasingly greater risks for what could well be a set-up. Meanwhile, Stan's pursuit of Directorate S suddenly begins to yield unexpected results. 

Watch the preview clip of "The Oath," the second to last episode of the first season of The Americans: