HOMELAND SPOILER ALERT: Live and let die! Quinn decides to commit suicide to protect Carrie as she turns to old mentor for help over assassination attempt

He was hoping to commit suicide by tying himself to a boulder and plunging to the bottom of a German river to protect his old flame Carrie Mathison.

But Peter Quinn ended up being saved by a mystery benefactor as he finally collapsed from blood loss on Homeland on Sunday.

Rupert Friend's dashing black ops agent had made his escape after being left in the care of his former lover's lawyer boyfriend Jonas Hollander at his secret Berlin headquarters.

Desperate to make a splash: Gurning Peter Quinn got ready to commit suicide by throwing himself into a river while tied to concrete on Homeland on Sunday

Desperate to make a splash: Gurning Peter Quinn got ready to commit suicide by throwing himself into a river while tied to concrete on Homeland on Sunday

But just as he was about to fling himself into the river at a blackened docks, a strange man who had been cruising around in the area offered him some help.

After Quinn orders the benefactor to leave him alone, he tells him: 'God has sent me to help you,' before untying the badly wounded hitman from the piece of concrete he had hoped would seal his fate.

The trained killer was somewhat understandably nonplussed at the development, grumbling to himself, 'un-f***ing-believable,' before stumbling off into the night in an attempt to die elsewhere.

Emerging from the shadows: But just as he plucked up the courage a man who was cruising the area rushed to his aid

Emerging from the shadows: But just as he plucked up the courage a man who was cruising the area rushed to his aid

'God has sent me to help you': The religious man explained he was a gift from the heavens

'God has sent me to help you': The religious man explained he was a gift from the heavens

And off they come: The powerless black ops ace watched as the helpful stranger took off the cable ties binding him to the block

And off they come: The powerless black ops ace watched as the helpful stranger took off the cable ties binding him to the block

'Un-f***ing-believable': Even a show veteran like Peter was shocked at the convenient development

'Un-f***ing-believable': Even a show veteran like Peter was shocked at the convenient development

Fortunately for his legion of eager fans, this too came to naught, for as he stumbled after failing to find the strength to pull himself into a garbage skip, his religion-obsessed benefactor bent over to help him just before he passed out.

While he was being saved from certain death, Claire Danes' bipolar ex-CIA agent Carrie Mathison had decided to turn to the one person she thought she could rely on in a bind, her old mentor Saul Berenson.

After discovering Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service had got its paws on the classified CIA documents stolen at the beginning of the series, she realised he had in fact not been the person responsible for insisting she be bumped off by killer Quinn.

Running away: He decided he did not want to hang around with a strange man at the docks in the early hours of the morning

Running away: He decided he did not want to hang around with a strange man at the docks in the early hours of the morning

What a Carrie on: He was determined to kill himself so no one would be able to discover he had not really killed his lover

What a Carrie on: He was determined to kill himself so no one would be able to discover he had not really killed his lover

(Slowly) getting away: He shuffled through a covered passageway as he tried to find somewhere to die

(Slowly) getting away: He shuffled through a covered passageway as he tried to find somewhere to die

You've bin saved: The badly wounded assassin could not even rustle up the strength to open a covered skip

You've bin saved: The badly wounded assassin could not even rustle up the strength to open a covered skip

Indeed she correctly deduced the post office box the fuzz-faced maestro had been using to drop off assassination targets had been compromised. 

However she has yet to discover it is Berlin station chief Allison Carr, played by saucy Lord Of The Rings actress Miranda Otto, who tried to have her killed. 

She made the logical leap after another of Quinn's old flames, German intelligence service agent Astrid, identified the gunman who shot him in the previous episode. 

Is this the end? He ended up collapsing on the floor as the blood continued to drain from his body

Is this the end? He ended up collapsing on the floor as the blood continued to drain from his body

Guardian angel: However he was being followed by the mystery man who seemed determined to lend a hand

Guardian angel: However he was being followed by the mystery man who seemed determined to lend a hand

It turned out the wannabe killer was a former Russian gangster who had been working as a freelance enforcer for the SVR RF.

Speaking to her badly injured protector Quinn, who at this point was receiving treatment to his gunshot wound at his secret hideout, Carrie declared: 'I've been such a fool its been staring me right in the face.

'That guy who tried to kill you worked for Russian intelligence. Saul didn't put my name in that box, the Russians did.' 

Eureka moment: Earlier Carrie had told her old friend she was now certain Saul was not trying to kill her

Eureka moment: Earlier Carrie had told her old friend she was now certain Saul was not trying to kill her

Run away: But he seemed most set on having her flee for her life while no one knows her wherabouts

Run away: But he seemed most set on having her flee for her life while no one knows her wherabouts

Ouch: Despite receiving emergency antibiotics thing are looking bleak as he continues to bleed out

Ouch: Despite receiving emergency antibiotics thing are looking bleak as he continues to bleed out

Romantic tension: Quinn flees after being left in the care of Carrie's hunky German boyfriend, who decides to call an ambulance

She cunningly leaves a message in a stick of chewing gum for her old boss inside his hotel room, which prompts him to make an incognito escape.

Seemingly going for a run, he makes his way outside through the building's kitchens so they can catch up over a chinwag inside a taxi. 

And fans finally learn why Saul was seemingly cheating on his wife with Carr. 

Better call Saul: She decides to make contact with her old mentor by visiting his hotel

Better call Saul: She decides to make contact with her old mentor by visiting his hotel

Cunning plan: And she wore a brown wig to make sure not even he would recognise her

Cunning plan: And she wore a brown wig to make sure not even he would recognise her

Minty fresh message: She left secret correspondence for him inside a stick of gum at his room

Minty fresh message: She left secret correspondence for him inside a stick of gum at his room

Breach of hygiene protocol: Saul then made his own incognio escape through the kitchens 

Breach of hygiene protocol: Saul then made his own incognio escape through the kitchens 

After Carrie asked him when he had taken up jogging, he replied: 'Since Mira filed for divorce.'

Given her philandering ways in previous seasons, it is should perhaps be no surprise the bearded CIA chief has finally been dumped for good.

While Better Call Saul was more of a set-up episode, there was one intriguing set piece. 

Late night runner: He then jogged to his old protege's waiting taxi cab

Late night runner: He then jogged to his old protege's waiting taxi cab

Shock: He somehow was surprised when he saw who was waiting for him, perhaps as he was put off by the wig

Shock: He somehow was surprised when he saw who was waiting for him, perhaps as he was put off by the wig

Aha: Carrie and the viewers learn Saul has been served with divorce papers by his wife Mira
Aha: Carrie and the viewers learn Saul has been served with divorce papers by his wife Mira

Aha: Carrie and the viewers learn Saul has been served with divorce papers by his wife Mira

Hacker Numan decided to get revenge on the Russian secret service for making his, in fact dead, friend Korzenik disappear and killing his girlfriend.

He created a video, which features images of the agent who his hacker sidekick had initially contacted to sell the stolen CIA files to, in which he informed fellow hactivists to protest outside the Russian embassy in an attempt to extract answers over what had happened.

Cunning Carrie used the rally as a way to get in touch with smarmy journalist Laura Sutton, donning a mask before slipping a mobile phone in her pocket and making contact. 

Revenge mission: Numan decides to strike against the Russians by humiliating the agent his friend Korzenik contacted about selling the CIA documents to

Revenge mission: Numan decides to strike against the Russians by humiliating the agent his friend Korzenik contacted about selling the CIA documents to

Not very diplomatic: He decides to leak a video of the man cavorting with prostitutes

Not very diplomatic: He decides to leak a video of the man cavorting with prostitutes

Smart: Numan wears a costume and speaks in front of a blank sheet to disguise his wherabouts

Smart: Numan wears a costume and speaks in front of a blank sheet to disguise his wherabouts

Final touch: He wears a mask for his video in which he demands hactavists rally over the death of his friends 

Final touch: He wears a mask for his video in which he demands hactavists rally over the death of his friends 

That was quick: A massive protest is soon taking place outside the Russian embassy

That was quick: A massive protest is soon taking place outside the Russian embassy

While she explained she had failed to get access to the rest of the stolen CIA files, Sutton did give her old foe a crucial clue about how she could - by getting one of her friends in intelligence to access to Numan's server and obtaining a copy of the data that way.

Given how she would later finally got in touch with Mandy Patinkin's CIA's European operations head, there is a slight chance he could give her a helping hand, just like he did in the good old days.

However he too could be heading for a fall after cunning Carr decided to make him appear a traitor to his long-time associate Dar Adal, the agency's black operations director.

Big event: The media were out in force to cover the exciting protest

Big event: The media were out in force to cover the exciting protest

Tradecraft: Carrie uses the opportunity to get in touch with smarmy journalist Laura Sutton
Tradecraft: Carrie uses the opportunity to get in touch with smarmy journalist Laura Sutton

Tradecraft: Carrie uses the opportunity to get in touch with smarmy journalist Laura Sutton

That old trick: They pretended not to know each other as they conversed in the train station

That old trick: They pretended not to know each other as they conversed in the train station

Unbelievable: Carrie is shocked when she discovers the Russians got the leaked documents

Unbelievable: Carrie is shocked when she discovers the Russians got the leaked documents

Obtaining just enough evidence to make it look like his old ally may be in cahoots with a top brass member of the Israeli secret service, and helping him seemingly destroy General Youssef's Syria-bound jet on the last episode, she could be putting him out the game for good as part of her honey trap strategy.

She was even smart enough to make it appear she was on his side, saying: 'There's probably another explanation.'

Saul had in fact met with him to demand to know whether the Israeli's had had anything to do with the jet explosion, but she told gullible Adal it was impossible to get sound on their incognito meeting.

Crafty sidekick: Double agent Otto gives Saul an incriminating document that suggests the Israeli secret service could be behind the jet explosion

Crafty sidekick: Double agent Otto gives Saul an incriminating document that suggests the Israeli secret service could be behind the jet explosion

'Go f*** yourself': His Israeli ambassador friend Etai Luskin is fuming when Saul throws around accusations
'Go f*** yourself': His Israeli ambassador friend Etai Luskin is fuming when Saul throws around accusations

'Go f*** yourself': His Israeli ambassador friend Etai Luskin is fuming when Saul throws around accusations

Incriminating meeting: But the CIA are taking surveillance of the two having the incognito meeting

Incriminating meeting: But the CIA are taking surveillance of the two having the incognito meeting

Thick as two short planks: Dar Adal seems to believe his old and trusted friend could be stabbing him in the back

Thick as two short planks: Dar Adal seems to believe his old and trusted friend could be stabbing him in the back

However Carr herself could herself yet crack, as she admitted 'my nerves are shot' when she met with her Russian handler to discuss how their dastardly plans were proceeding.

She panicked about the fact someone had called her mobile using the Quinn's would-be assassin's phone, and was visibly shaken when she saw Carrie had seemingly been bumped off by the black ops killer. 

With so many at risk of being booted out of the high stakes espionage game, fans of Homeland would be advised to tune in next week on Showtime at 9pm to discover what happens next.

Playing both sides: Otto suggests there could be a completely innocent explanation to the meeting

Playing both sides: Otto suggests there could be a completely innocent explanation to the meeting

Trust me: The Russian spy, who brutally murdered Numan's friend on the previous episode, tells his double agent she has nothing to worry about
Trust me: The Russian spy, who brutally murdered Numan's friend on the previous episode, tells his double agent she has nothing to worry about

Trust me: The Russian spy, who brutally murdered Numan's friend on the previous episode, tells his double agent she has nothing to worry about

Smoke and mirrors: The pair then decide to enjoy a sly puff together in the underground carpark

Smoke and mirrors: The pair then decide to enjoy a sly puff together in the underground carpark

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