Achilles is the fifth episode of The Last Ship's second season.
After the events aboard USNS Solace, Nathan James is now on the hunt for HMS Achilles, an Astute-class attack submarine that is being used by a group of fanatics immune to the Red Flu. These immunes are on a mission to destroy everything and everyone that could potentially create and manufacture a cure to the virus to ensure that only people like themselves will be able to ascend into positions of power in the new world.
A cat and mouse game ensues as both parties hunt and evade each other in the Carribean.
This episode provides exampesl of:
- Artistic License – Ships: Achilles is seen firing dozens of Tomohawks in quick succession. This is an impossiblity because Astute-class submarines aren't equipped with a vertical launch system and can only fire Tomohawks that are individually loaded into their torpedo tubes, a much slower process. For that matter, attack submarines that are equipped with VLS don't carry anywhere near the missile load Achilles fires.
- Macross Missile Massacre: Achilles fires dozens of missiles at labs located in Europe and the United States. Nathan James responds with her own barrage of interceptors in a truly spectacular sequence.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The immunes aboard Achilles are made up of survivors from Europe's various militaries. It seems Sean's only in charge because the whole thing was his idea. No one else really cares for a proper chain of command or noise discipline (two very important things aboard a submarine). They even drink and play darts in the bridge!
- Silent Running Mode: Inverted as it's Nathan James that practices noise discipline to evade Achilles' passive SONAR. The crew of Achilles, on the other hand, yell at each other at the top of their lungs because they can't agree whether or not they should hunt or evade.
