As a fan who’s been following this rollercoaster ride of a series for four seasons, I must say that the final showdown was more of a gentle sway than the heart-stopping climax I had anticipated. But let me tell you, when Leland Townsend found himself in that demon cabinet, I couldn’t help but cackle with delight! May the botflies feast on his flesh and may he never know peace!
In a surprising turn of events, even for its supposed swan song, ‘Evil‘ faced an arduous task in wrapping up its narrative threads. Over the course of four seasons, the Kings’ unique blend of supernatural horror, comedy, and social commentary has consistently been sharp, insightful, and downright terrifying. The show never shied away from complexities or easy answers, instead delving deep into its themes with intelligence, wit, and at times, chilling precision. Even in its most peculiar or chaotic moments, the writers always maintained a firm grip on the story, making ‘Evil’ a confident series that knew exactly what it was doing.
The theme of “Fear of the End” resonates deeply throughout the fourth season, implying that modern advancements in science and technology make evil, despair, and suffering more prevalent, contagious, and powerful. In particular, this concept is evident as we approach the gathering of the 60 families. Rather than a grand confrontation between the demonic families, the Entity, or the assessors, Leland and Mr. Stick exploit the anticipation of such a meeting to their strategic advantage.
In the typical fashion, Leland has outsmarted everyone again. The artwork was a ruse, and he was aware that David had copied his phone. Sister Andrea warned Giovanni about the elaborate spectacle that Leland and Stick orchestrated by renting St. Joseph’s for their Black Mass and human sacrifice, but it was merely a performance.
Indeed, as it stands: There’s no physical gathering of the 60, not in reality. The villains have moved online! New York City seems to face a new, hidden adversary – it was the Entity all along. Thanks to the VR goggles that Sheryl bought her granddaughters during season one, the investigators are now able to uncover Team Demon’s strategy. Despite being too late, at least they have finally come to understand the situation here.
In the Bouchard household, they decide to test a novel VR game titled “Mother Midnight,” claiming it can predict your future. When sisters Lynn and Lila wear the goggles, they find themselves in their dining room witnessing chilling scenes: Leland brutally killing their mother with an ice axe; Kristen being told she’s a poor parent as her children are taken away by CPS; Ben watching Karima die, reinforcing his doubts about the afterlife; David getting assaulted by the Stick Demon while Leland mocks him for his skepticism. Each sibling experiences their own personal horror story within this virtual reality. The game adds a sense of urgency with a 24-hour countdown that leaves some believing these visions could become reality once the clock expires, making it quite unsettling indeed.
Ben conducts some investigative work and unearths two crucial findings: All these apps seem to trace back to DF Global, and there’s a feature within the goggles that links to the brain, resembling Toppin’s cerebral path but less invasive. This combination of technology and humanity is akin to injecting despair, pain, and evil directly into the brain. When David catches sight of a brain map that Ben had been examining, which illustrates around 60 regions connected to the thalamus — regions responsible for functions such as vision, hearing, sleep regulation, reasoning, judgment, and more — an idea strikes him. He retrieves the sigil map and recognizes that this map we’ve studied for four seasons, filled with 60 demonic houses, bears a striking resemblance to a human brain. The Demon team appears to have bypassed the need for demons or demonic forces to tempt people or sow seeds of sin, instead discovering an efficient method to spread evil directly through this connection. This realization leads David to conclude that the 60 will no longer require in-person meetings, as they can operate without any physical interaction ever again, due to their newfound ability to inject despair directly into the brain.
David is absolutely spot-on. Following the staged Black Mass to eliminate the Entity, Leland and Mr. Stick engage in a video conference with the 60. To tell you the truth, I’ve always found video conferences to be sinister, so this turn of events felt particularly satisfying. Most of the 60 are on board with their new strategy to leverage technology to disseminate their message (even old Norm, who can’t seem to grasp the mute button), and they are content with Leland’s assurance that he will carry out the scheduled elimination of Kristen and the baptized anti-christ. They all continue with their tasks. I find myself torn about this twist. On one hand: It’s amusing to envision these demons on a video conference, and it’s chilling to ponder how this “direct transfer of despair to our minds” is taking place. Once again, Evil delves into disturbing truths in an uniquely horrifying manner (a truly bizarre approach). On the other hand: That was it? With all the discussion about the 60 and all the time spent deciphering that sigil map, this is all we get? I feel just like Lynn and Lila when they discover that the 24-hour countdown led to an ad informing them that their trial period was over and they needed to pay to continue playing: I’m disappointed and puzzled, but yes, I will go along with this.
In terms of Leland’s situation, a blend of disillusionment and resignation also applies. Despite his recent demonic summons, Leland continues to play his familiar tricks on Kristen. Under the guise of Ernest Truman, a supposed new client, he visits her redecorated office to harass her. She responds by shocking him multiple times until David and Ben arrive to drive him away. However, Leland is resolute in carrying out his vow to eliminate both Kristen and Timothy for his purpose. He infiltrates the Bouchard residence through that demon portal in the basement (I find it fascinating how frequently this show utilizes it), making his way up to Kristen’s bedroom armed with a huge knife. Assuming she is in the shower, he cautiously advances — but Kristen has been lying in ambush. Using a rope hidden in the closet, she strangles him, bringing him down. The expression on her face reveals her intention to kill this man. But just as it seems inevitable, we see David extending his hand towards hers. He whispers for her to halt. Then, Ben appears from the other side, saying “we’re here,” as she lets go of the rope and breaks into tears.
In this particular scene, the profound bond among these three friends is beautifully displayed, representing the strong relationship they’ve nurtured over four seasons. Previously, Kristen resorted to violence to safeguard herself and her family, but now she finds solace in knowing she’s not fighting alone. This realization resonates with her. Neither David nor Ben judges her; instead, they offer empathy, understanding, and a determination to assist.
Despite Leland’s reputation as a clever manipulator who had been secretly feeding on people’s brains for years in his New York City apartment, one would expect him to devise a more sophisticated plan than breaking into Kristen’s house and stabbing her. This final confrontation between the two long-time adversaries, after four seasons of heated conflict, was far less dramatic than anticipated. However, I must admit that my amusement reached new heights when it turned out that instead of killing Leland, the assessors were throwing him into the demon cabinet at the silent monastery. May botflies feast on his flesh and may he never experience tranquility again! Indeed, Leland Townsend’s destiny is a delightfully wicked one.
Leland’s fate in the series finale is left open-ended, much like the episode itself. If the show ever returns, it would be effortless to pick up where we left off. With his increased control over Giovanni, David requests the return of his assessor program, wanting his team back. However, they must work from within the Vatican if he accepts this deal. Ben refuses due to earning money elsewhere (though I find this decision questionable), while Kristen, influenced by her doppelganger, decides to take the opportunity. Initially, it’s a six-month assignment, and both girls are eager for their Italian adventure. So, we part ways with Kristen and David, who remain in Rome as priests, working on cases, sporting stylish Italian sunglasses, and continuing their mission to save the world.
Instead of wrapping up “Evil” so simply, you didn’t expect a more complex conclusion, right? As a farewell gift, they throw in an unexpected twist. Kristen glances at a cheerful baby Timothy in his stroller, but his face quickly morphs into a demonic visage. She calmly puts a pacifier in his mouth and tries to act normal, but it seems the antichrist’s baptism wasn’t as successful as we assumed. So, consider this a final chilling scene before we part ways.
Church Bulletin
It appears that Ben’s recurring migraines and experiences with the jinn have simply been resolved without any further explanation or resolution in the narrative. This abrupt ending leaves the reader questioning whether he underwent some kind of treatment, or if we were expected to infer a solution from the text itself. If this is indeed an intentional cliffhanger, it certainly feels like a missed opportunity for storytelling.
Although I enjoy watching Sister Andrea spar with the Mr. Stick Demon, complete with adorable nose bops, there seems to be no resolution or confrontation between them. It’s puzzling because she doesn’t engage him in a significant fight or challenge of any kind. Why is that?
Regarding Lexis: There’s no resolution or wrap-up on her character. Despite David, Kristen, and even Lynn being alerted about her, they seem oblivious. Not a hint of her, not even a brief flashback to remind us of her past. I would have appreciated an additional scene with Kurt Boggs. He was truly exceptional in the series.
In a twist by DF Global, players of “Midnight Mother” appeared at Kristen’s house wearing goggles, presumably trying to avert the game’s predetermined outcomes. However, this spectacle raises questions: If these events were based on what they had seen in the game, shouldn’t they have been gathering for days rather than just that day? Given that others had read about the game online before Lynn and Lila, wouldn’t it be plausible to assume that they had already noticed the 24-hour countdown was an advertisement? The whole scenario appears haphazardly planned.
• A Fenna cameo! You love to see it!
Ben felt taken aback when Kristen said “I love you” during their Italian video call, as he truly considers himself a part of the Bouchard family. The moment David shared that he had never truly known friends like Ben and Kristen while sitting around the fire and hugging them both was especially touching. These three individuals mean so much to me — how can we go on without them?
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2024-08-22 21:54