Yesterday was Revenge’s season three finale. Every year, the writers and cast have an epic episode in store to keep us on our toes and guessing during the summer hiatus. “Execution” wasn’t any different; it delivered a bomb after the other and was fueled by major character deaths, twists and lots of revenging (and succeeding! Which was what was mostly missing in the previous finales!). The episode was great, but there was just one bombshell that kind of ruined the Awesome, I was hoping for.
“All hail, the conquering hero.” - Nolan
Last week, in Revenge’s more than awesome penultimate episode, and what was probably Revenge’s finest moment yet, Emily finally managed to get Conrad to confess his involvement in flight 197. Even though Emily and her three men are savoring, their win over Conrad, they still have one dragon left to slay and it’s not going to be easy. After what seems like way too long, Victoria on her side, finally managed to uncover Amanda and Emily’s converging paths. This seemed a promise for some entertaining interactions between the two leading ladies.
“I wish my father was here to see this.” - Emily
A couple of episodes ago, the possibility of David still being alive, which I found ridiculous at the time (still do), was expressed by Charlotte after receiving letters from someone that claimed to be her father. As someone predicted at the time (Good job on that by the way), the letters were one (extremely unnecessarily) complicated way to get to Emily. Victoria was the one sending the letters knowing somehow they would eventually get back to her. I didn’t think Victoria was that kind of mother, deliberately playing with her daughter’s emotions (I genuinely thought, her kid’s well-being would come first) to get to Emily, but after “Execution” I recant that statement, nothing stops the Queen.
As Victoria predicted, after being presented with her father’s ring (David had given it to Victoria, right?) Emily needed to see the cabin for herself. Victoria thought that would be the best time to get a DNA sample (Really!?! No easier way?). I’m not even mad, because that led to an awesome fight sequence in which Emily (Of course!) was crowned victor.
Pushed to the extreme by Pascal’s sudden death and Emily’s involvement in it, Victoria swears revenge on her nemesis (even though she knows Conrad’s the one who pushed him.) I really tried, but I still can’t get into it, the whole Victoria and Pascal were madly in love plot. It just doesn’t sit well by me. Anyone with me on this one? The guy was around for what 10 episodes? For the first one or two, she was mad at him and wouldn’t even talk to him. Then he gave her an expensive dress and confessed his undying love and suddenly they’re soul mates? No. Anyhow, Victoria seeks vengeance on Emily for taking away her “one true love” which leads to some pretty disturbing scenes.
“Not until Emily Thorn feels the pain of this moment.” - Victoria
As I expected, Aiden was the first to die in this episode. (Since Barry Sloane’s new gig got picked up. Farewell Mister, and good luck!) When Emily decides Michelle Banks is the best way into Victoria’s involvement, in her father’s wrongful conviction, she sends Aiden to do the work, but Victoria is way ahead of them. After sipping some tea, and threatening the doctor with his scary eyes, Aiden is visited by the queen herself. This was the moment the episode turned around. Since poisoning Aiden and letting him die from it wasn’t visceral enough, Victoria poisons him only so he’d be paralysed while she smuggled the life out of him. I actually didn’t think she had it in her, to kill someone, herself.
“You really did pick the wrong girl to fall in love with.” - Victoria
Emily’s joy over her father’s exoneration is sort-lived (Very!) as she gets home and find the man he loves dead on her couch. The scene was really hard, and the expression on his face extremely disturbing. What cemented the fact that Victoria is somewhat of a psychopath, was her face hearing the cries and screams of her neighbor who had received her gift. Aiden’s death leaves Emily devastated (PS, Seriously, good job on extremely long and poignant close-up of grief stricken Emily.)
Emily isn’t one to mourn her losses by staying in bed for a week. She’s a do-er, and she wants Victoria to pay. After paying a visit to the disrespectful doctor and trying to convince Charlotte to unbury David (Only conning Victoria to the graveyard?), she goes to the cemetery and digs up Amanda’s grave. After they tell each other what they really think of each other (no white, socially acceptable, gloves necessary) Emily delivers on massive hit with her shovel. We all knew though, Emily was far more evolved than only burying her and I must say the denouement of this interaction was worth the wait. Having Victoria at the asylum is such a better fate than having her in jail.
“She’s Amanda Clarke! She’s Amanda Clarke!” - Victoria
Daniel is still in Nolan’s crosshairs (Remember Nolan’s awesome war declaration?) and he requests the help of Margaux’s brother Gideon. I’m really sorry for Daniel because he really isn’t very bright. Even after realizing his boss’s little brother wanted to get him in trouble, he still fell head first into it. Gideon manages to get Daniel passed-out drunk and gets a dead girl in his bed.(Anyone understand the how?) Gideon’s bat-shit crazy, I like him. (As long as he’s on Nolan’s side)
Money really does open every door. The second, more unexpected death was Conrad. I’m actually more saddened by his death (or probable death, what is death really in show like this?) than Aiden’s. I just loved the character they built for him this season. Following his confession, and with bail denied Conrad finds himself in jail where his best option is life in prison. The officer assigned to his area is Officer Mostrovski (he’s still Bellick for me!) so you just know he’s a dirt d-bag. Dressed as a Father, Conrad easily manages to flee the prison where his transport is to pick him up further away. How awesome the scene with him singing as he walked up the road? I will miss Henry Czerny if Conrad really is dead.
When the car makes it to Conrad, you know something is wrong, but I thought he would be getting shot. I was wrong, I cursed when the hooded David Clarke stepped out of the van and stabbed him. I am actually still hoping Conrad imagined his aggressor as David Clarke out of repressed guilt. The fact that he is alive makes absolutely no sense to me. The fact that he’s a killer seems to contradict everything we think we know about him.
“Only the truth is, the man that you remember as your father and the man I knew are very different.” –Victoria
