The season three finale of Roswell, New Mexico was two hours of an emotional rollercoaster. Episode 3×12 “I Ain’t Goin Out Like That” and episode 3×13 “Never Let You Go” kept us on the edge from beginning to end. I have to say, of all the seasons of Roswell, New Mexico, this one has to be my absolute favorite. There is so much to cover with this review, and I can’t believe we have reached the end of this amazing show.
At the end of Roswell, New Mexico episode 3×11 “2 Become 1” Jones was able to trap Max, Liz, Isobel, Michael, and Dallas in the mindscape. Episode 3×13 picks right up at the table as Jones attempts to turn everyone against one another. In the mindscape no one can lie which works to Jones’s advantage because it’s easy for him to tap into everyone’s deepest thoughts. Jones basically goes around the table talking shit about every single person. It’s like the worst holiday dinner you can imagine.
Jones reveals to everyone at the table that Liz is hiding the deal he made to advance her science if she worked to extend his telomeres to undo the science that keeps him from cloning himself. He gets Isobel riled up by telling her he’s glad her mom is dead, so she doesn’t have to see what a disappointment she’s become. He doesn’t even bother tapping into Max’s mind because “it’s boring,” and he tells Dallas in not so many words that he doesn’t mean shit to anyone. When he gets to Michael, nothing happens.
As we know Michael is Jones’s son. That means he has the same kind of control Jones does and can keep him out of his mind. While Michael is distracting Jones with the conundrum of not being able to get into his mind, Isobel is able to break out of the mindscape and grab hold of the alien glass sword. Unfortunately, as always, Jones is far too crafty and quick. He’s able to stop everyone and in the process, Dallas gets hit with shards of the sword which get lodged into his neck and chest. At the same time, Jones doses Michael with Liz’s sedative and steals him away.
We love Isobel and her courage to break out of the mindscape. Sure, Dallas got hurt and Michael was taken, but for the most part everyone was set free of Jones’s clutch. They did, however, end up back at square one of still not having the real Max back in his own body. Once again, everyone has to come up with a plan to save Max and separate him from Jones.
Dallas is taken to Deep Sky where Kyle and Isobel perform surgery on him to get the alien glass shards out. What was so nice about that moment despite them trying to save Dallas’s life was the fact that Kyle and Isobel had a heart to heart. They both talked about feeling inadequate in everything they’ve done but most importantly, they reminded each other that they have done more for those they care about than they realize. Isobel seemed at peace working side by side with Kyle. I found myself wondering if she has a future in the medical field when the series returns.
As Isobel and Kyle were working to save Dallas, Heath and Liz had to readjust their science and come up with another plan to separate Max and Jones. They talked a whole lot of science, but they also got some bonding time in as well. We finally got to hear from Liz that she puts so much pressure on herself because she needs validation. Without it, she doesn’t feel like what she does matters. It was a bit of an epiphany for her because she learned she stands in her own way. Like Kyle did with Isobel, Heath shares his feelings with Liz too and gives her a bit of a pep talk as well.
Liz does eventually have a breakthrough and figures out how to save Max and separate him from Jones. The only catch was that Max would lose his powers and become human. Max tells Liz he would be okay with that, but we know better. Max has struggled with his alien life and wanting to be human, but he was able to find a balance between the two that worked for him. Being an alien is all Max has ever known and, while he helped Alex with the Lockhart Machine, he let it all out.
We rarely see Max/Alex interactions, so it was nice to watch them get their moment. Remember that whole Isobel, Michael, and Dallas triad thing? Well, that’s affected Max. His alien identity is tied to Isobel and Michael, so he feels that if Isobel and Michael are a triad with Dallas, there really is no point for him to remain an alien. In Max’s mind without being an alien, he won’t be anything to anyone. He truly believes he will just be useless, and that Liz wouldn’t need or love him anymore. Alex tells him that could not be further from the truth.
Roswell, New Mexico is such a great show because every single one of the characters is going through similar and relatable things. The pep talks they all give each other are so meaningful and they all learn from each other. The perfect example of that came right after Alex gave Max his pep talk. Max then channeled what Alex told him and gave Heath his own pep talk. Everyone in this episode was struggling to figure themselves out and to sort out their past mistakes.
Michael who has been struggling with who he is, has finally recognized his own strength and abilities. As I mentioned earlier, Jones drugged Michael and dad-napped him. At first Michael didn’t understand why Jones would take him home but then he realized it was done to try and break down his walls so that he could tap into his mind. Like Jones, Michael is smart, and he knows that there is more that Jones wants.
It does seem like Jones is about to succeed in breaking into Michael’s mind because he uses the one thing, he knows makes him vulnerable- his mother. Jones tries to rile Michael up by talking about his past with Nora, but Michael doesn’t let him get away with it and ends up being able break into Jones’s mind and he learns more about what Jones wants with the Lockhart Machine and that he murdered his own family for power.
Jones and Michael get into a pretty epic battle, but Jones gets the upper hand when he distracts him by trying to kill Sanders. Michael ends up stabbed by the alien glass sword which leads Jones to be able to tap into his mind. There he learns about Alex, Deep Sky, and the Lockhart Machine. Jones leaves Michael to bleed out and heads off to Deep Sky. It feels like hope is lost for Michael until Maria shows up to save him after her tarot cards give her a sign that he needs her help.
Everyone eventually ends up at Deep Sky where yet another showdown with Jones takes place. Jones always has a way of showing up at the right moment. In a standoff with Liz, he demands the serum, but she refuses to give it to him until he throws Heath, Kyle, and Eduardo out the window and has them literally hanging on for their lives. Everyone is yelling for Liz not to do it but how the hell could she not when Jones was going to murder three people for it? That’s a lot of pressure to put on Liz and we have learned that Jones can’t be trusted, and his promises don’t mean shit.
Liz injects Jones with the serum, and he lets the three guys drop. I may or may not have screamed when that happened but, Isobel, Max, and an injured Michael along with Alex and Liz were able to save them all. With Jones having gotten what he wanted; everyone still needs to work to rescue Max from his clutches. The serum that Liz injected into Jones will take effect in 9 hours which means that Jones is still able to be stopped.
The mission now becomes even more complicated than the previous one. In episode 3×13 “Never Let You Go,” everyone is once again opening up to each other. Heath apologizes to Liz for the mistakes he’s made and both Michael and Max confront each other about running away from their problems. That brotherly heart to heart was long overdue because Max and Michael are so similar in the things they won’t admit.
Like Michael said, you can’t walk away from the tough conversations with the people who love you. For Max, it’s telling Liz his fears and the things he loves about her. For Michael, it was him opening up to Alex about his fears that Alex wouldn’t love him anymore if he had to murder his own father. As I have been saying, Max and Michael both don’t realize how much the people they love, care about them. They have constantly let their past rule over their lives, and they’ve put up so many walls that kept them from letting their true feelings show.
The second hour of Roswell, New Mexico culminated with everyone working together to pull Jones out of Max’s body. It was a wild final showdown especially the moment when Max and Jones were fighting for control with the radio Michael set up as part of their plan. It was like watching two people fight over what song to play. That was quite fitting considering the final question Liz asked Jones and Max involved music.
The connection that Liz and Max rebuilt this season of Roswell, New Mexico is ultimately what saved everyone’s lives. Because of Liz’ quick thinking, they were all able to defeat Jones. Although Jones is gone, I still have some apprehension about things being wrapped up in a neat bow. Before Jones was separated from Max for the final time, he informed everyone that he was able to use the Lockhart Machine to get a message to someone. Who or what that someone is, we don’t know but it could very well have something to do with the naked alien in Careyes Mexico who showed up at the end of the episode.
Yeah, even though season three of Roswell, New Mexico is over they had to leave us with a head scratching moment. This season of Roswell, New Mexico took us through a whole lot of ups and downs, and some major highs and lows, But It was great that we got to see Alex and Michael get that real first date. But most importantly, we got our Echo back. Liz and Max still haven’t taken that walk on the beach yet, but we have high hopes for them.
Other Thoughts
Episode 3×12 “I Ain’t Going Out Like That
- So, Maria’s vision changed again. This time she saw three coffins with no mourners. What does it even mean?
- Kyle knowing what Isobel’s favorite flower is and then admitting to Maria that he has feelings for her was so cute.
- “You can’t kill me off the rack Max.” – Michael to Jones
- Jones antagonizing Michael by talking all that shit about Nora being his right hand and what her mouth did… yeah, we can’t blame Michael for snapping.
- “Those placed on pedestals are bound to fall.” – Jones to Michael.
- “Broken Children cling to fairy tales that tell them they can be mended.” – Jones to Michael.
- “You’re not just an alien. You’re Max Evans no matter what form that takes.” -Alex to Michael.
- “We’re all just trying to navigate our missteps.”
- We almost got that Echo kiss until Heath walked in.
- Maria and Michael are always saving each other’s lives.
- Props to Maria for Macgyvering Michaels stab wound.
- Love that everyone was reminding Isobel that she didn’t have to depend on the alien glass sword to be strong and that she was strong enough without it.
Episode 3×13 “Never Let You Go”
- Maria’s mom’s condition is deteriorating. That’s heartbreaking.
- “We can’t walk away from the tough conversations with the people who love us.” – Michael to Max.
- Kyle’s dancing to Shania Twain’s Man! I Fell Like a Woman! Gave us some joy.
- We love Rosa for telling Isobel to stop trying to be her mom. Isobel puts too much pressure on herself to be just like her mom and it’s not necessary. We’re glad she’s starting to learn that she can be strong on her own.
- Max telling Liz looking in her eyes calms him and her telling him that he quiets all the noise, yup we cried.
- “You mend me today. I mend you tomorrow. That’s the definition of family.” – Maria to Isobel.
- The sword that Maria, Rosa, and Isobel rebuilt to destroy Jones was badass. It literally broke Jones’s sword into pieces.
- Alex cut Michael off when he tried to tell him he loved him. I wish he hadn’t.
- Hear me out, I think Liz probably could have run quickly out of that ring of fire and had one of her alien besties heal her.
- I am obsessed with the dress Isobel wore in the final scene.
- Rosa has a real identity now and is going to NYC for art school. We love that for her.
- Poor Kyle, he really wanted to tell Isobel how he felt but then Anatsa showed up. Well, there’s always next season, I guess.
- Shiri Appleby is back in Roswell I see.
