Episode 6 opens with whispers and rumors spreading across different platoons, male and female, about the sudden death of a recruit. Though Ochoa’s name isn’t spoken, the tension is thick. In another platoon, John overhears the chatter and immediately wonders if it’s his brother, Cody, who’s gone. Another recruit quickly reassures him: if Cody were dead, they’d have told him by now.
Back in Platoon 2032, General Cochran questions Fajardo, McKinnon, and Howitt about how a recruit could have died under their supervision. Fajardo stands her ground, defending Howitt’s integrity, but it’s not enough, Cochran places Howitt on suspension pending the results of Ochoa’s medical review.
McKinnon gathers the platoon, addressing Ochoa’s death directly and offering chaplain services for anyone who needs to talk. No one takes him up on it. The recruits brace themselves for “mess and maintenance” week, the monotonous grind that comes after chaos. Santos declares that no one is to touch Ochoa’s belongings, a quiet act of respect for their fallen teammate.
Meanwhile, Cameron visits Sullivan’s office to ask if they’re going to do anything in Ochoa’s honor. Sullivan’s answer is cold but revealing: “No one is responsible for another man’s weakness, only their own.”
From there, we flash back six months to Guam, where the truth about Sullivan finally surfaces. In a hotel room, we see him naked beside Major Aaron Wilkinson. They kiss, they cuddle, and it’s confirmed, Sullivan is gay. The moment is tender and human, but in the Marines, it’s a dangerous truth.
Back in the present, Cameron and Ray shovel dirt in tense silence before Ray breaks it with an apology. He admits that he washed out of the Air Force Academy because of panic attacks and was discharged for anxiety. Their friendship finds shaky footing again. Elsewhere, Santos calls out Howitt’s double standards, noting that he never treated white recruits like he treated Ochoa.
McKinnon announces that Ochoa’s death was caused by an undisclosed heart condition, clearing Howitt to return as drill instructor. Meanwhile, John learns there’s a chance to transfer back to Platoon 2032, and when he runs into Cody in the cafeteria, the reunion shocks them both.
Tensions boil over when Slovacek and Santos start arguing over Ochoa’s death. Cameron, weighed down by guilt for keeping Ochoa’s pain secret, joins in. When Slovacek throws food, Cameron retaliates, and chaos erupts into a full-blown food fight. McKinnon storms in mid-brawl and gets pelted with food himself, sending him into a rage. He marches everyone to the chaplain for a spiritual scolding.
Later, Cameron quietly packs up Ochoa’s things. Watching his name tape peeled off his uniform is gut-wrenching. He asks if he can keep Ochoa’s cap, a small but heartfelt gesture.
Another flashback brings us back to Guam, to Sullivan and Wilkinson getting matching “Semper Fi” tattoos and talking about the impossibility of their love within the Corps. Back in the present, Sullivan drops off bottles of liquor for Platoon 2032, a rare show of compassion. Cameron takes the first shot, and the rest follow, drinking in silence for Ochoa.
Fajardo visits McKinnon at home, baby in tow, fearing her career is finished after losing a recruit. McKinnon presses her about Howitt’s suspicious double shift the night Ochoa died, and Fajardo lets slip that Sullivan is being investigated for being gay.
Back on base, Howitt nervously asks Sullivan if the recruits blame him for Ochoa’s death. Cameron gives Santos Ochoa’s cap as a keepsake, and Nash finally apologizes for the cruel things he wrote about everyone in his journal. Ray also apologizes to Cameron for getting him caught up in this mess, but Cameron’s perspective has changed, he sees the Marines as shaping him into someone stronger, someone who owns his weakness instead of being owned by it.
We flash once more to Guam. Sullivan’s roommate warns him about Wilkinson, “He’s a faggot.” The slur hangs heavy as we see Sullivan running alone through the jungle, while Wilkinson waits in vain at their motel. Back in the barracks, Sullivan packs his things and tells his roommate that Wilkinson “came onto him” and that he’s leaving, his betrayal complete.
The next morning, Platoon 2032 is paying for their night of drinking with a brutal run. When Cameron finally returns to the barracks, he discovers a new bunkmate, the guy from John’s platoon. Their brief exchange carries a hint of flirtation, signaling that amid loss and secrecy, something new might just be beginning.
Click here to see where things go next for Cameron, Sullivan, and the rest of Platoon 2032 in Episode 7.
