Throughout its second season, Paradise has split its focus between the underground bunker and the world on the surface. In its penultimate episode, “The Final Countdown,” the series finally starts to bring its two worlds together. Things are about to get explosive. Quite possibly literally so. But what blew my mind was that it looks like some fans may have actually been right with their outlandish theories. I should have learned never to doubt fandom.
A Multi-Family Reunion
A lot happened in 2×07 “The Final Countdown,” but you know I have to talk about the reunion of Xavier (Sterling K. Brown) and Teri (Enuka Okuma) before anything else. Finally. Finally! These two are reunited, and my Xeri loving heart is at peace.
There is just something so magical about the relationship these two share. He fought through hell to get to her once he knew she was alive. She never gave up on trying to reach him. He trusted her to handle Gary (Cameron Britton). Even while I was screaming at the television that he should just take the shot.
It’s true that Xavier isn’t quite the man she knew. But she’s been changed by the last few years, too. Who wouldn’t be? And yet they still love each other wholeheartedly.
Still, Xavier is one brave man. You don’t just launch into your complicated situation with Annie’s baby with “we have to go pick up another kid. You always wanted another baby, right? Haha! No, seriously, I’ve gotta go see a man about a baby.” You start that conversation with, “I had a very good friend who died, and I agreed to take care of this baby. It is not my baby! I’m going to repeat that. It isn’t my baby! Please don’t kill me.”
He walked through hell to get to her and then straight up asked her to hit him in the head with a rock at the finish line.
Psycho
While Xavier put his life on the line above-ground, Dr. Gabriela Torabi (Sarah Shahi) was dealing with having done the same in the bunker. Apparently, telling a remorseless killer that you’re onto them is a bad idea. Who knew? I, for one, am shocked.
On the one hand, I would love to believe that Torabi set it all up. That she knew Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom) would come after her, and set it up so that she could take her out. But I don’t know. Torabi seems a little harder this season, sure. She is spying on Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson). But I still don’t get the impression that this was her plan all along.
She definitely knew Jane was a threat. She knew Jane was watching her. And, yes, she laid a trap so that Jane would check out the shower, and she could get the jump on her. But I don’t think that was her plan from the start. I think she did what she had to do to protect herself once she knew Jane was going to come after her. Which begs the question…what did she think was going to happen? What was her original plan?
I wouldn’t have necessarily thought Torabi capable of taking Jane out, but she did choose who would live and who would die in the “end of the world” scenario. So I guess she is more ruthless than she appears. At least when she has to be.
One thing’s for sure, though. Between sex with Xavier and now Jane’s murder, her shower has seen a lot.
Cry Me a River
There’s just so much to talk about in this episode that I almost skipped this subplot. But since Jeremy (Charlie Evans), Presley (Aliyah Mastin), and Robinson (Krys Marshall) are about to cause a nuclear meltdown, it is rather an important part of the episode. Their plot isn’t just to escape from jail; they want to open the doors to the outside world. Which makes sense because otherwise, where are they going to go?
Of course, their grand plan is coming at the exact wrong time. Venting the oxygen chambers at the exact moment that the bunker needs to go on a full lockdown isn’t ideal and overloads the system. I’m sure they’ll find a way out of that, you know, imminent nuclear meltdown. But I have another problem with this plot. Or at least a main character in it.
Paradise has so many wonderful, complex, interesting characters. And then…there’s Jeremy. It’s not the actor’s fault. He does the best with what he has. But his character is really just…honestly? Kind of insufferable. All the good hair in the world can’t get past it.
A teenage kid having a problem with his dad’s new romance (even after his dad is dead) isn’t exactly new television. But we’re in a situation where they’ve been through the end of the world. His dad has been murdered. He’s been thrown into jail. The last city on (or under) Earth is run by someone who keeps having to reassure everyone they’re not a monster. They’re about to open the doors and let all hell break loose.
And who his dad was sleeping with is his biggest problem? He’s got time during a coup to try to throw a temper tantrum that he doesn’t need Robinson’s help? “My dad didn’t care about you! Wah!” Please.
This kid is supposed to be the survivors’ next great hope? They might be better with Sinatra. At least she knows how to keep her eye on the prize. And it’s especially glaring when you have an episode that contrasts Jeremy’s “leadership” with his dad’s. Cal (James Marsden) may not have been the brightest bulb in the lamp. But even he saw the big picture. He saw where Sinatra’s plans were heading. And he warned her that she wouldn’t be able to control everything.
Contrast his prophetic speech, his support of a woman alone during childbirth, his kindness when he realized people needed to hear the truth about the end of the world…compare all of that with Jeremy’s “dad never mentioned you!” Jeremy may be a teenager, and so you can’t expect him to always act like a grown-up. But I do expect him to act more grown than that.
The Solitude of Grief
If you’ve read my reviews, you know that I’ve loved Sinatra since the second episode of the series. This episode hit me in the gut once again.
Of course, Paradise is full of big moments. But it’s in these small moments that the series gets me. It’s in the series of shots that show Sinatra recreated her son’s vision of Heaven underground. In Xavier methodically arranging Teri’s things. It’s in the way we see how far Sinatra and her husband have grown apart since their son’s death. How alone they both have felt in their grief.
While statistics regarding divorce following the death of a child may be lower than widely reported, there’s no doubt that such a loss is a major stressor on a marriage. It can lead to feelings of solitude and resentment. Particularly in a situation like Sinatra’s, where she wanted to keep fighting for a cure even after her husband had accepted the truth. And in “The Final Countdown,” we see that the two of them have felt alone since. They both felt that the other had “healed” better than they had.
I can’t imagine how isolating that must feel, to feel you have to carry that grief alone. I don’t even want to. In this episode, we saw a marriage between two people who love each other but who have, at least until now, been unable to reach across the gap. But now they’ve reconnected. Because Sinatra is convinced that Dylan’s okay.
Yes, if my spouse came home and told me something like that about our dead child, I’d probably have some questions. But I can also see how the natural response would be, “You mean…uh….in Heaven? Okay, yeah, sure, if you’re feeling better, I’m not going to rock this boat. Let’s just let that go.” For once, they connected. And for that moment, that was enough.
Mind Blown
Which brings us to the reason Sinatra seems to be feeling better. And, yes, it’s a fan theory I’ve seen off and on all season. One that I have been dismissing without even a thought because it seemed too far out there. But now it seems to be correct? Link (Thomas Doherty) may actually be Sinatra’s son, all grown up? Whaaaaat?
Diehard fans, man. You can’t get anything over on them.
I can’t even wrap my mind around this one. Fans have widely discussed the “Alex is a time travel device” theory this season, so from that perspective, I get it. But that’s about the beginning and end of my comprehension. Bless all those fans out there trying to explain quantum…anything to non-physicists like me. It’s a Sisyphean task, but you keep trying, and I love you for it.
I have so many questions. If Link is Sinatra’s son, where has he been all this time? How did Sinatra not know he was still alive? How does he not know who he is? Or was? What’s up with the nose bleeds? How? Why? What?
One thing I do understand is that this would make Annie’s child Sinatra’s grandchild. Did I say “one thing?” I might mean “the only thing.” As for the rest…I really hope the season finale treats me like Cal this episode. Explain everything to me using very small words. “This make air. Dirty water clean.” Now I’m trying to find words small enough to make this time travel, Sinatra’s son is alive, and nobody knew it, whatever entanglement makes sense to me. I’m not sure they exist.
But if I have faith in fandom for anything, it’s that they’re going to try. And I love them for it.
The season finale of Paradise will undoubtedly blow our minds on Monday, March 30 on Hulu.
What did you think of Paradise 2×07 “The Final Countdown?” Can you explain time travel to me? Sound out in the comments below!
I just wanna say I love your “Paradise”recaps and opinions! Probably the best ones I’ve read!