Blindspot Season Finale Review: Masters of War 1:5 – 8 & The Gang Gets Gone (Season 4 Episodes 21 & 22)
It’s safe to say that nothing will be the same after Blindspot Season 4 Episode 21 & 22, “Masters of War 1:5-8” and “The Gang Gets Gone.”
I’ve said before, but I think that Season 4 has had some of the strongest writing of the season. There’s been a cohesive plot that always keeps my guessing while continuing to build on the mythos that they’ve already created.
“Masters of War 1:5-8” was a prime example of that, setting up for Madeline Burke to turn the tables on the team.
Blindspot Season 4 introduced viewers to Madeline Burke, who I maintain is the most formidable adversary that the show has had. From the beginning, she was presented herself as a steely, calculated presence. Now that all the pieces have come together it is easy to see the path the writers were taking through this season.
Finding out that really this was Madeline’s plan all along and that the team is really in the center of a massive frame-up is shocking, but it’s also brilliant.
When Madeline was arrested on Blindspot Season 4 Episode 17, “The Night of the Dying Breath,” I was concerned that we’d lose the thread, but “Masters of War 1:5-8” and “The Gange Gets Gone” prove just how skilled she is at playing a long game.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio’s performance in these episodes is incredible and I am very excited to see where Blindspot Season 5 goes.
One of the things that this episode does beautifully is pull on the threads it set up throughout the season, including the money transfer from Blindspot Season 4 Episode 19, “Everybody Hates Kathi,” and the drone strike that Weitz ordered.
We also get to see the relationships between the team grow and change. Reade finally shows a bit of a backbone after being kept in the dark. That really just seems to be Reade’s mode and I am glad that he’s starting to take a stand.
The being said, he also has some good points about Kurt’s actions, but the conflicting agendas is a part of what makes great television. The fact that he seemed determined to go after Weitz made me cheer a little bit, because it’s one of the first times I think we see Reade take definitive action.
Rich Dotcom’s associate Ice Cream is also an interesting addition to the story and the small Icelandic safehouse and insurance he provides is an intriguing addition. It kind of makes me wonder what could be around the corner given the final scene.
The drone coming down on the Icelandic hideaway is a game changer. There is so much that I am skeptical of because I can’t imagine that they would actually kill out five people from the opening credits.
Of course, I imagine that if Jane Doe is the only survivor this can set her on a path of revenge. Still, I think we would miss the camaraderie that came from this team and their happy family. They have always been stronger as a unit and I think that if they really are gone then the show will be poorer for it.
Stray Thoughts:
- So happy that Weitz is no longer in consideration for the presidency. Every time I think I like him he does something else that really pisses me off.
- Watching Reade and Zapata work out some of their drama is insanely satisfying. I’ve been rooting for them throughout the season, and I truly thought that maybe Tasha was too far gone to be saved and forgiven.
- Hearing Kurt and Jane talk about moving to Colorado and wanting to move up the timeline to be closer to his daughter is so sweet. I’d hate to see this team break up, and I feel like that’s only really plausible when the show ends, but I think it’s a happy ending they deserve.
- I love the choice of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” to cover the scene when the team settles into their hideaway for the night.
- The talk about Boston and Rich Dotcom, and the Gardner paintings is a nice callback to one of the earlier episodes.
What did you think of this episode of Blindspot? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Blindspot returns next season on NBC.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.