In the season finale, power shifted between different groups. Ellie’s desire for revenge put her in tough spots. Abby returned, keeping the story going into the next season.
The Jackson crew:
Jesse tried to be the leader everyone could rely on in this episode. He helped Dina get the arrow out of her leg and discovered that she was pregnant. He also made it clear to Ellie that he knew about the connection between her and Dina. Even though Jesse worried more than ever about staying alive, he remained surprisingly calm. Maybe because these characters are living in a world gone wrong, Jesse seemed pretty level-headed about becoming a dad. He might be mature for his age. However, I wonder if he and Dina fully realize how much a baby changes lives. Especially in a world filled with infected and danger. Sadly, Jesse will never see his child born. He also won’t become a leader like Maria and help run their community. Abby took his life way too quickly, and I was caught off guard by how fast it happened. It all happened so suddenly that even Ellie looked stunned, like she didn’t have time to process it. This is what happens when revenge keeps spinning in an endless cycle.
Seeing Dina’s tone shift towards Ellie was striking. Once she learned why Abby killed Joel, her view on everything changed. She instantly knew they had to go home. But why? Does she suddenly feel sorry for Abby because Joel killed her father? I wonder what she thought when she heard about Ellie’s fate. She would have died if she was used to develop a cure. Ellie wanted to die to find her purpose, but would Dina want that too? Without Ellie, she never would have met her. And if sympathy for Abby grows, how does that affect her feelings about Joel’s death? Does she feel the urge to seek revenge like Ellie? I want to see what Dina thoughts were when she uncovered the truth for next season.
Ellie seems overwhelmed by her feelings, and I wonder if she’s starting to regret what she did. When she talks to Dina about torturing Nora, she questions if Nora got what she deserved. That’s when Ellie seems to realize she’s becoming a bit of a monster. She doesn’t see how much control she has over others, and she’s learned a lot from this episode. Her desire for revenge feels strong, but the people around her see things differently. Ellie finds out Jesse voted against her and did so because he sees her as selfish. That sounds familiar—like something Ellie herself has said before. It’s a case of the apple not falling far from the tree. Just a while ago, Ellie called Joel selfish for his choices. Now, the same criticism is aimed at her. In that moment, she’s only thinking about herself. But she only sees Joel as her whole world. Yes, he was the one who stood by her before Jackson. But her sense of community grew after that. As we saw, she didn’t even want to be near Joel at times.
After Jesse leaves her, Ellie is set on finding Abby. The scene feels a bit rushed. Ellie boards a boat to head toward the aquarium. Before that, the water is shown as rough and dangerous. As Ellie’s boat hits a huge wave, she falls overboard. Miraculously, she washes up on shore alive, which seems very unlikely. Being caught in such a big body of water, she would have drowned easily. Somehow, she survives and makes it ashore. Unfortunately, Seraphites capture her quickly, but even that happens too fast. They assume she is a W.L.F and almost hang her. Then, they get distracted by something more urgent. This moment feels unnecessary, and Ellie ends up back on the boat, perfectly fine. When she reaches the aquarium, she finds Mel and Owen, and things quickly go downhill. Ellie accidentally shoots both of them while trying to get answers. Her shock grows worse when she sees Mel is pregnant. The same could have easily happened to Dina. It’s painful to see Mel ask Ellie to cut out her baby to save it. Ellie refuses, which sets things into motion. Abby arrives, seeking revenge. She kills Jesse and aims her gun at Ellie. We hear a gunshot, but the outcome is not clear. Hopefully, Ellie regrets her choices and realizes revenge only breeds more revenge.
The Wolves:
We catch a quick glimpse of Dixon. He makes it clear that Abby should lead the Wolves. This is necessary if everyone else is gone. But she’s missing, and it’s unclear why. Maybe the stress overwhelmed her? At the end, we see a ring around her neck, hinting she got into trouble. After the gunshot, we jump back to the start of day one, where Manny wakes Abby at the stadium. Watching what happens to her before the final episode will be revealing. It’s going to be interesting to see her perspective and how she views Ellie now that the roles are turning.
