The Peripheral (Season 1) Season Finale: Amazon Prime’s “The Peripheral” has its season finale this Friday, and despite all its pitfalls, it concludes a fairly engaging, albeit a bit confusing and meandering, season. The conclusion is just about perfect in its intention of answering the exactly right amount of questions while opening the box of many more possibilities, keeping the audience satisfied and also wanting for more from future seasons.
The Peripheral (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Recap:
Tommy’s Dilemma
In the last episode, Deputy Sheriff Tommy (Alex Hernandez) crossed the boundaries he had previously set for himself. After killing the Sheriff and hitting Corbell Picketl (Louis Herthum) with the sensor gun, Tommy, now calls the police and blames it all on the now-deceased assassin, Bob. To Tommy’s surprise, his colleagues find Corbell still alive. And Corbell is moved to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Tommy learns about the massacre in the clinic and rushes there. To find his fiancé, Dee Dee, and the Fishers alive and well.
Ash Switches Allegiance
After Ash (Katie Leung) and Ossian (Julian Moore-Cook) got threatened by Lev Zubov (JJ Field), where Ossian took a knife-slashing on his cheek, Ash decides to take some drastic steps. She meets with Cherise Nuland (T’Nia Miller), the head of Research Institute. Ash provides her the vital information about the location of the data that got stolen by Aelita (Charlotte Riley). Cherise now knows the bacterial infection inside Flynne’s (Chloe Grace Moretz) brain is the actual data. As does Zubov.
Ash also informs that Zubov would want to retrieve the data for the Klept, prompting Cherise to jump on to her more brutal measure. Cherise says that she is to speed up the Jackpot (apocalypse) in Flynne’s stub (timeline). To ensure Zubov does not get hold of Flynne and subsequently, the data, Cherise decides to blow up the entire timeline. Ash, on the other hand, asks Zubov’s life as the price for this information. To that, Cherise seemingly agrees.
Wilf and Aelita Reunion
A heart-to-heart conversation with Flynne triggers Wilf’s (Gary Carr) memory, and he realises where Aelita might be hiding, if she is indeed alive. The place where Wilf and Aelita used to stay for a while, without any interference from the world. They called it ‘The Kingdom.’ Upon reaching there, Wilf and Flynne are greeted by the peripheral of young Aelita. Young Aelita asks Flynne to leave, as Ash is watching them through the eyes of Flynne (She is in the Peripheral).
When Flynne leaves, the real Aelita shows up. Aelita tells Wilf that the immunity boosting implants they have, suppressed their real memories. That is why she left that implant. She tells the RI and Klept have been feeding lies to the commoners, so that they do not revolt. Five million commoners had to perish because the wealthy class was afraid they might spread diseases.
Aelita then introduces more people to Wilf. More common people. Seemingly readying themselves for the revolution. They also need the data that is in Flynne’s head.
Jasper Taking the Wheel
With Corbell fighting for his life in hospital, a vacuum is created in the local power structure. Corbell’s thugs, like Atticus (from the first episode), tries to take the mantle. They dismiss and humiliates Corbell’s nephew, the timid Jasper (Chris Coy). It becomes imminently evident that Jasper is reaching towards his boiling point.
And when a chance presents itself, he takes it. Jasper, while dropping Atticus and the other two cronies, realises that all of them are in heavy drunken stupor. He parks the car on a rail line. He calls his wife, Billy Ann (Adelind Horan); chats with her about a memory of playing monopoly, where she told him to not mistake kindness with weakness. Billy Ann replies that it was just a game and it is Jasper’s kindness that made her love him.
Jasper immediately regrets his decision to kill the three ruffians. He tries to rectify it. But, it was too late.
Flynne’s Decision
From Tommy, Flynne learns that there is a plan to blow up a nearby missile silo, ensuring their entire area gets wiped. It does not take much deduction to realise who might be behind this. Flynne logs into the Peripheral in future London and makes a plan to counter Cherise’s evil plan. For that she asks help from two people. Inspector Lowbeer (Alexandra Billings) and Conner (Eli Goree).
The Peripheral (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Review:
The first season of “The Peripheral” has been a moderate success in its execution. Based on William Gibson’s novel of the same name, creator Scott B. Smith infuses right amount of drama in the story’s science-fiction structure. The Sci-Fi elements are not explored with as much details as it seems to have promised in its first couple of episodes. However, with each passing episode, “The Peripheral” manages to add a new layer in most of its characters’ arcs.
Filled with some generic action sequences, but great production design when it comes to depicting the Cyberpunk future, “The Peripheral” is buoyed by some fine performances. Chloe Grace Moretz, as the lead character, carries most of the episodes. With some fine supporting performances, especially from Alexandra Billings’ wild card Inspector and Louis Herthum’s cold Corbell. Gary Carr as Wilf Netherton seems to be a bit stunted by the way his character is written; while Jack Reynor and Eli Goree turns convincing performances as the two different soldier boys.
The Peripheral (Season 1 Finale), Episode 8 Ending Explained:
Why Does Flynne Sacrifice Herself?
Flynne realises that Cherise will not stop until Flynne is dead. That is why she tries to take the option away from Cherise. She asks Conner to kill her. That is, the Flynne we know, from 2032 Texas stub. Meanwhile, she will create another stub with help from Lowbeer.
For that, Flynne visits an ancillary site for stubs portal. She beats the peripherals guarding the facility and as Cherise watches (through the eyes of one of the peripherals), Flynne destroys the portal. So, Cherise will not know where Flynne goes or which timeline Flynne is going to create a stub. Basically, Flynne is about to become untraceable for Cherise.
And while the 2032 Flynne charters along the creeks of her birthplace, we see Conner taking aim at her. And with great reluctance pulling the trigger.
Is Flynne Alive?
Yes and no. It does seem the Flynne from this season’s familiar 2032 stub is probably dead. However, as Lowbeer greets Flynne in future London after Conner seemingly kills her, it also appears that Flynne, or another version of her, is now alive in a newly created stub. And it does seem she has all the memories and thoughts of 2032 Flynne.
The details of this memory transfer and how the new Flynne would carry on, would be next season’s agenda.
Post-Credit Scene
A post-credit Scene reveals Zubov attending a meeting with some senior Klept members. Who, after some playful banter, chides Zubov on his failure to retrieve the information from RI. They ask him to cauter the wound of the branches, referring the stubs featuring Flynne. Otherwise, it would demand cutting the entire tree, probably referring destroying the entire Research Institute functionalities.
What to Expect in Next Season?
Apart from the new stub featuring Flynne, it would be intriguing to see how the 2032 characters react with Flynne getting dead. Burton (Jack Reynor) is especially not aware of this. The fact his friend, Conner, killed his sister (even as an arrangement) might become important.
Corbell Pickett’s health is going to be important for both Tommy and Jasper. Corbell knows Tommy killed the Sheriff and Jasper seems to be the new boss now. Also Wilf’s reaction to finding Aelita and her Neoprims activites would be another major arc.
Then we have the trifecta of Lev Zubov versus Cherise Nuland versus Inspector Lowbeer. It becomes increasingly confusing, and interesting, to know who among them is going to be the bigger villains. Lowbeer does seem to be the most amiable one, especially with her growing relationship with Flynne. But that could be thrown away too.
