#SPOILER ALERT

Am I reading in to this, or did Peter just reveal that he and Dar Adal have an actual sexual history? Or does this conversation make a metaphorical allusion?

For a recap of the conversation: https://nyti.ms/2n49z0J

> “What the hell is this? Feeling sorry for yourself?”

> Expletive by way of a greeting.

> “Because if you are, that would be a first. You grew up in a hard school. No time for self-pity. It’s the first thing about you that impressed.”

> “Not the first thing.”

> “Yeah, well. We’re all beautiful when we’re young, aren’t we?”

> “[Expletive] dirty old man.”

> “Fair enough. For the record, though, I never forced myself on anyone.”

Could this be metaphor - "forced myself on anyone" as in "I never developed an assassin that didn't want the job," or is the sexual implication the correct read?

It occurs to me that Quinn's "dirty old man" comment could be either:

1) a direct reference to Dar Adal as a sexual predator (i.e. a hebephile if a sexual relationship with Quinn happened when Quinn was under 18 - and IIRC Quinn was recruited at the age of 16) using his skills with psychological manipulation to include sexual relations.

2) a metaphor alluding instead to Dar Adal as a non-sexual "corrupter of youth." Like in the sense of how in 300 King Leonidas refers to Athenians as all "boy-lovers" - despite the actual historical fact of Spartan "man-boy sexual relations", in the movie the term is meant as an insult that Athenians are not manly men like the Spartans who procreate with buxom wives. Maybe that's too convoluted an example, but given Quinn's tone (which is hard to read considering the brain injury) it seems odd that he would reference Dar Adal so if in fact Dar Adal's manipulations had included sex acts (as opposed to say Dar Adal taking advantage or an orphan at a young age and using a paternal affection to gain trust as a foundation for further political and non-sexual manipulation.)

Has there been anything in earlier shows/seasons which might shed some light on how to interpret this dialogue?

I am also thinking that if we take a literal interpretation that Dar Adal did in fact have sex with Quinn then it seems like a rather strong move on the part of the show creators to make Dar Adal even less appealing (even if he and Quinn had sex legally in the sense of *after Quinn was 18*). I can see how a head of the C.I.A. character that is also a hebephile/sexual predator & manipulator of young recruits and that this is known only to the audience (and one other character) could make for an effective commentary upon power and corruption. That said, it seems a little heavy handed even for the melodrama of Homeland which, imho, usually does a good job of creating conflicted, complicated characters.