The Gifted Season Finale Review: oMen (Season 2 Episode 16)
I just have one thing to say after that finale of The Gifted. Where was that quality during the entire season?? There were a lot of good episodes this season but also a lot of duds and then you give us this. The Gifted Season 2 Episode 16, “oMen,” is iconic and emotional.
This is how you do a season finale ladies and gentlemen. Everyone brings their A-Game, the acting is wonderful, the plot is good, the stakes are real and so are the emotions.
A Sacrifice for Family
The moment we get hit with Reed flashbacks, I just know. Reed is going to die. I just did not expect it to hit me as hard as it does.
Which I should have considering how much I loved Reed this season. I spoke about Reed’s character development way back in The Gifted Season 2 Episode 6, “iMprint”. As much as I wish we didn’t have to lose him, it is a very fitting way for him to go.
Reed is a character that, from the first time we meet him back in season 1, was all about protecting his family.
Here we get to see him fulfill his oath to do anything for his family. It is heartbreaking, it is poignant and it is beautiful. Stephen Moyer, I will never doubt your talent again because holy shit.
Only an incredible actor can take a character that wasn’t widely loved and turn him around in such a way that everyone is left crying.
Reed: I’ve never been prouder of you both.
I don’t even know which scene to focus on because they were all breathtaking. From Reed telling his children how he’s proud of them to the flashbacks that show how he gets to where we meet him in the pilot. I think the most beautiful one was the goodbye with Caitlin.
I’ve seen that scene multiple times while writing and it wrecks me every time. Moyer and Amy Acker are phenomenal. There is the moment where Caitlin realizes what exactly Reed is talking about and she breaks.
It is the one time she didn’t want to be right. She is holding back tears as he tells her his plan to defeat Reeva. The plan to protect them all. Reed gives her a final kiss filled with everything he can’t say at the moment.
He says his final I love you and makes a run for it. Acker lets out a really guttural scream as the elevator doors close.
Reed: You always said to me that things happen for a reason and you were right.
Caitlin: No.
Reed: Take care of our family, take care of our kids.
Caitlin: No, No, No, you can’t do this.
Reed: I have to it’s the only way.
Caitlin is crying, Reed is crying and I’m crying. We see in the final flashback how Reed knows he has a role to play but he’s not quite sure what it is. Now he does.
Final Battle
It’s the mark of a good show when I can’t even gloat about being right because of how sad I am. I predicted throughout the season, all the way back to The Gifted Season 2 Episode 4, “outMatched”, that Reed would be the one to defeat Reeva, I just didn’t predict how it would happen.
The scene is one of the best of an already incredible episode. I really like that it is Reeva’s hubris that is her downfall. She plays right into Reed’s plan. Reeva is so sure she’s going to win, she taunts Reed and attacks him.
Obviously, this is a dumb move from her part considering his power is going haywire. Reed is already weakened by the power overload and falls to the ground. We get a montage of Reeva using her power on Reed while Lorna, Marcos, and Caitlin fight Reeva’s team. Then when all seems lost Reed gets up.
It’s such a powerful moment, Grace Byers and Stephen Moyer are phenomenal. The pure shock on her face is just incredible because never thought anyone could defeat her. Reed defeats her by basically doing nothing, just letting her dig her own grave. We see Reeva experience fear for the first time in a long while.
It is at that moment that Reeva realizes she has fucked up.
Reed Strucker: You wanted the power of the Von Struckers? It’s all yours.
Never underestimate the underdog, it will always blow up in your face. I’m aware that’s a terrible pun but I’m sad and that’s how I cope.
Old and New Alliances
Reed isn’t the only one that sacrifices himself. We also get a beautiful moment of John sacrificing himself so the rest can escape the Purifiers. Thankfully he survives but there’s a moment there when things look grim.
John and Jace Turner have very clear vendettas against each other. Jace’s is basically unfounded and created by himself. If he hadn’t kidnapped and tortured John no one would have stormed that facility. John’s, however, is completely in the right.
Jace has been hunting them since Season 1, and brutally tortured John back in The Gifted Season 2 Episode 10, “the eneMy of My eneMy”. Oh and he’s the person who caused John to lose the girl he loves. So yeah John’s vendetta? It’s very justified.
John: Jace Turner took Clarice from me, he can’t do anything worse.
Even so, when push comes to shove, we see that John can’t kill him. John has him at his mercy, he has a knife aimed at him and yet he spares him. We know Jace would never spare John. This is why John is a thousand times better than Jace.
This episode brings a lot of new and old alliances. We get a lovely scene of John and Lorna talking about Clarice, as Lorna feels guilty.
John: Just promise me you’re gonna fight.
Lorna: I promise.
Then we get the wonderful moment when Erg comes to John’s rescue. They both love Clarice and for her, they will take down her killer. When we get Season 3 I really hope we see more of this dynamic. This unlikely friendship could truly be something.
John: My name is Thunderbird.
The final new alliance is, of course, Esme Frost. Back in The Gifted Season 2 Episode 6 “iMprint,” I spoke about Esme leaving the Inner Circle as a result of her friendship with Lorna. Low and behold that is pretty much what happens. Skyler Samuels is wonderful throughout the episode as we see Esme’s on-going doubts about the triplets actions.
Then Lorna reminds her of who she is. She hated it when humans forced her to do things, so she should let Andy and Lauren go. She reminds Esme that she doesn’t have to go along with everything her sisters say, and it works.
Lorna: No, she’s not nothing, she’s my friend.
We see Esme making Benedict Ryan confess to leading the purifiers and later she’s in a meeting with the rest of the Underground and Erg. Is this Esme’s road to becoming a hero?
It is incredible to see them all commit to recreating the Underground. Hopefully, Erg and Esme stick around. Of course, this leads us to the cliffhanger. John’s flashes since Clarice’s death finally give fruit, in the form of Clarice herself, from the future.
WE’RE GOING TO THE DAYS OF FUTURE PAST!
Stray Thoughts:
- Days of Future Past is one of my favorite X-Men storylines so The Gifted attempting it? Brings me joy. They have all the tools to make this a compelling storyline so let’s hope they use them.
- Clarice is alive!!! Although I am very curious about how she ends up in the future. She also seems to have a better handle on her powers.
- That montage to “To Build a Home” is both heartbreaking and uplifting. We see Erg helping John, the Struckers mourning their lost family member, Esme doing what is right. Not to mention we see Lorna and Marcos holding baby Dawn. It’s just too beautiful for words.
- Major props to whoever is in charge of the music for this show because they definitely pulled at my heartstrings these last two episodes.
- The show finally accomplished it, it made me cry for the Struckers.
- Are the other two Frost Sisters dead or alive?
- TV Gods and Goddesses I know I complained about it a lot this season but please don’t take The Gifted away from us. I need to know what happens next.
What did you think of the finale of The Gifted? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Gifted airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox.
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Maii Trueba de Buen
Maii is a 28-year-old writer who can be slightly invested in characters and their stories. She tries to give credit where credit is due but isn’t afraid to be honest in her writing. It's probably best not to ask about Lucifer or A Song of Ice and Fire, because you'll never hear the end of it. She graduated in film and has a certificate/minor in Art History. She brings that into her writing because, well, she’s a nerd. The only thing that beats her love of writing is her love of Pandas.