Special Ops Lioness launched its highly anticipated Season II in October 2024, but to the disappointment of many, Cruz and Aaliyah’s storyline won’t be continued.
Cruz and Aaliyah’s emotional and beautifully crafted relationship in Season 1 was truly captivating—it’s easily my favorite lesbian drama of the year so far.
Table of Contents
Plot Summary
If you don’t want to watch the whole show, you can also choose to just enjoy the storyline clips of Cruz and Aaliyah Cruz and Aaliyah Season 1 Clip
Inspired by a real-life CIA program, this series explores a high-stakes world where women are trained to infiltrate terrorist organisations and criminal networks. The story revolves around Cruz Manuelos, a fiery but green Marine recruited to the CIA’s elite “Lioness” combat team to take down a terrorist network from the inside.
At the helm is Joe, a fierce, unyielding leader of the Lioness program. Tasked with training and leading her operatives, she’s the backbone of the mission.
Their target? Aaliyah is the daughter of an influential oil magnate. Joe’s strategy is for Cruz to get close to Aaliyah, gain her trust, and uncover the whereabouts of her father, who’s suspected of laundering money for terrorists. Cruz not only earns Aaliyah’s confidence but inadvertently becomes the object of her affection.
As Cruz grapples with an impossible decision—how to take out her lover’s father—the tension crescendos. By the final episode, it’s no longer about whether the mission succeeds. The audience, much like the White House think tank in the story, is left wondering: Can the Lioness be stopped?
Cast of Special Ops Lioness
Laysla De Oliveira played as Cruz
Laysla De Oliveira was born in Toronto, Ontario, to a family with Brazilian roots. She started modeling at 14 but always dreamed of being an actress. She is best known for playing Dodge in the Netflix series Locke & Key.
Stephanie Nur played as Aaliyah
Stephanie Nur was born in 1988. She is an Egyptian actress. She is known for her roles in 1883, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, Lioness, and Mary.
Best Scenes of Special Ops Lioness
Season 1, Episode 7 Sexy Scene: “Come here, take me, look at me.”
This is where the plot shifts into overdrive, like a car racing down the highway at 120 mph without ever letting up. The intensity between Cruz and Aaliyah skyrockets, with Cruz still lost in a haze of confusion while Aaliyah confidently takes the wheel. Aaliyah is a seasoned pro—an undeniable flirt with a touch of charm that’s both irresistible and endearing. Thinking back to their earlier encounters, her bold yet heartfelt moves reveal her expertise in turning up the heat while keeping it intimate.
Season 1, Episode 8: On the terrace at sunset
On the terrace at sunset, with endless blue waters stretching out before them, Cruz couldn’t help but wonder what was going through this woman’s mind. Aaliyah talked endlessly about her husband and their future children, but Cruz knew these weren’t dreams of happiness—they were the inescapable fate Aaliyah was bound to follow.
Where to Watch
Watch it online below:
Paramount+
Hulu
Special Ops Lioness Season 2
The season 2 of Special Ops: Lioness dropped on Paramount+ in October 2024, with all 8 episodes released for streaming.
This time around, the series dives into a fresh storyline, leaving Cruz and Aaliyah’s tale behind, much to fans’ disappointment.
In Season 2, Joe brings in a new recruit—a military pilot stepping into the Lioness role. To make sure the inexperienced pilot can pull off her mission, Joe pairs her with Cruz, tasking her with both guiding Captain Josephina and ensuring the operation remains airtight, even in the face of failure.
In Special Ops Lioness Season 1, the chemistry between Cruz and Aaliyah is as delicate as it is forbidden, a magnetic pull laced with unspoken desire.
The early stages of their connection were full of cautious probing, but as the story unfolded, her intentions became unmistakable, and her moves more audacious after breaking through the initial barriers.
Yet, their tragic inevitability was always looming, embodied in Cruz’s bittersweet reminder: “Then it has no future.”
If you enjoyed Cruz and Aaliyah’s intense love story in Special Ops Lioness, we recommend exploring some of Asia’s most compelling LGBT narratives. Thai GL Series You Can’t-Miss offers a similar blend of action and romance, while Korea’s “The Handmaiden” Top Korean LGBT Films delivers a masterful tale of forbidden love. These stories, though from different cultures, share the same powerful themes of love, identity, and courage that made Lioness so memorable.
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