The great defection is over. Five members of the Iranian women's soccer team are heading home. They shocked the world by seeking asylum in Australia. They were called traitors for refusing to sing their anthem. But now the dream is finished.

Only two players remain in Australia. The others chose the embrace of their families. They left under the cover of night. Some say they were pressured by the regime. Others say they simply missed their homeland.

It is a heartbreaking reversal for the stars. They were the faces of a new revolution. Now they are flying back to Tehran. The Australian government says it respects their choices. But the world is watching with bated breath.

What happens when they land? The Iranian media calls it a victory over the West. They say the American-Australian project has failed. It is a human drama with a very uncertain ending.