Bates Motel Review: The Cord (Season 5 Episode 10)

Bates Motel Season 5 Episode 10, “The Cord,” wraps up five seasons of crazy plot twists and wild rides in White Pine Bay with a heartbreaking series finale.

That’s it, folks. Bates Motel is officially closed for business, and Norman Bates’ story is now over. What do we do now that this psychological thriller series is over? Huh?

I’m glad that the finale does not leave the ending with one too many open-ended guesses of what happens next. But my oh my is it all so heartbreaking to watch. Let’s break it down, shall we?

Alex Romero. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it.

Nothing was ever going to go well for him the minute he decided to escape from prison earlier this season. After he held Norman hostage on Bates Motel Season 5 Episode 9, I knew it was not going to end well for him.

Romero dies in the hands of Norman, and it’s definitely brutal to watch.

In a way, I feel like Romero knew his end would come as he already has been feeling defeated and broken after losing the love of his life. But as he gets to see Norma’s ice-cold body in full flesh in the ground, I think at this point he just does not know what was coming for him.

Romero and Norma’s love story is absolutely tragic, heartbreaking, and all around sad. I wished more for them, I really did. Romero deserved to be happy with Norma, as the same went for her. Sigh.

What really ends up shocking me in this finale is the way Norman’s psychosis is full-blown through the roof chilling. It’s intense, it’s real, and it’s really, really bad. We haven’t seen Norman like this before. The depth of his illness is portrayed so raw and so painful this time.

As he goes back and forth with his conversations with Mother in his head, it just shows us that Norman’s illness has reached its peak — a despairing moment, indeed.

However, there is something that I do learn from all of this, and it is that Norman Bates pretty much just wanted one thing and that is to be reunited with Mother.

“The Cord,” pieces everything together in a sense where we understand the affection Norman has always had for his mother. The affection that kind of, in a way, kept him going this long. As disturbing as it sounds, Norman just wanted his mother even though he was the cause of her demise.

Bates Motel Season 5 Episode 10 really goes above and beyond with another tragic goodbye and that is the heart-rending moment between Dylan and Norman during this final hour.

Can I just say, I have really, really admired the growth and perfection that is Dylan. His strength and huge caring heart he has had for his family does not go unnoticed.

All he has ever wanted is a happy, normal life with his family and his own family that he created with Emma. Wishful thinking, if you’d like to call it.

But yes, that penultimate scene is rather hard to watch as Dylan makes the ultimate decision in protecting his life against Norman. Dylan has always been Norman’s supporter. He was always there for him, and the way that he has been advocating for him to get actual help and nobody listening to him bugged me a lot.

Dylan’s plea to Norman when he says “Don’t make me do this” is a painful moment to watch. Dylan kills Norman, and he puts him out of his misery.

However, when Norman says “thank you” to Dylan as he grasps for his last breath of air, it makes me wonder if Norman attempting to kill Dylan is an act. Does Norman want to die right then and there to avoid being sent to a mental institute?

We may never know. But ending that scene with the two brothers is fitting, an intricate brother relationship coming to an end.

“The Cord,” is a satisfying end to a satisfying series, doing the adaptation of Psycho justice.

Other Thoughts

• Dylan never found out about Caleb. Dylan has gone through enough, I couldn’t take seeing him know that his father is dead too. He only has Emma and Katie now.
• Sheriff Greene was a useless sheriff.
• Seeing Norma’s dead body sitting in that dinning hall is absolutely terrifying. I think Dylan’s reaction and him puking next to the table is all of us.
• Freddie Highmore played the hell out of Norman Bates, and Vera Farmiga played the hell of out Norma Bates. Phenomenal and on point acting goes to these two this entire series. Bravo!

What did you think of the series finale of Bates Motel? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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