“Special Ops: Lioness” is a gripping series that has captivated audiences with its suspenseful storytelling, high-stakes action, and complex characters. The show explores the lives of a team of elite female operatives who undertake dangerous missions in the world of espionage and covert operations.
Viewers often wonder whether “Special Ops: Lioness” is based on a true story. In this article, we will delve into the origins of the show and uncover the real-life inspirations behind the fictional narrative.
What is Special Ops: Lioness About?
The show follows the perilous undercover operations involving female spies who must infiltrate terrorists’ inner sanctums by befriending the offenders’ daughters and wives and leveraging their intimate closeness to assassinate them.
These particularly chosen agents are recruited into the CIA’s secret operation known as “Lioness.” Our main character is U.S. Marine Cruz Manuelos, played by Laysla De Oliveira, who you may recognize from Locke and Key, who is partnered with Joe, an agent at the top of the organization who is desperately trying to prevent further acts of terrorism while struggling to find some normal life outside of her work.
The slow-burning drama is not for the faint of heart, and it does not shy away from the violence that this type of training and work entails. With plots involving assassination and betrayal at every level, this is a must-see for aficionados of gritty thrillers.
Is Special Ops Lioness Based on a True Story?
Sheridan’s latest TV drama is based on a real-life US Army task unit (Operation Lioness). During the battles in Iraq and Afghanistan, the first “Female Engagement Team” (FET) was formed, a task force comprised entirely of women known as Team Lioness.
According to Military.com, Team Lioness was formed in response to rebels exploiting women to carry out terrorist acts. Building relationships with locals was crucial in a conflict with no traditional battlefield, where anyone could be hostile; the necessity for an FET was obvious because male US troops could not fully engage with local women due to cultural sensitivities.
Team Lioness’ mission was threefold: conduct searches for local women that men couldn’t, deliver humanitarian goods to develop trust, and gather intelligence through discussions that male forces couldn’t have.
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The genuine Team Lioness was deemed a success by the United States military because the female warriors were able to engage with local women in ways that their male counterparts could not. Since then, FETs have been used in military activities all over the world. FETs, according to the New Zealand Defence Force, are necessary “in situations where it would be culturally unacceptable” to include male troops.
