#finale spec

So as I’m sure you’ve seen, Alexi is writing (AND directing - a first afaik!) the season finale (4x22 Day in the Hole). As a reminder, this season alone Alexi wrote 2/3 of the top Chenford episodes, imo (4x01 and 4x09). Here’s a reminder about the Chenford moments there were (or were not) in the other episodes he wrote:

1x01 Pilot and 1x02 Crash Course - obviously key episodes setting up Chenford’s dynamic.

1x09 Standoff - this is the episode with the “Bradford special”, and Lucy delivering a baby in an apartment. Not a huge moment per se, but it did have Tim and Lucy locked in a room together working to keep someone safe for most of the episode! Felt pretty Chenford-y.

1x17 The Shakeup - Ok Chenford isn’t together this ep but we did get an interesting episode with Lucy and her father.

1x20 Free Fall - Huge Chenford ep, many began shipping them here. That closed door, Lucy not leaving Tim during what could have been his final moments...I mean!!

2x01 Impact - Some nice Chenford angst in this one (which Melissa mentioned in a recent cameo as well)! Not to mention the moment Lucy covers Tim’s body with her own in the ambulance while they’re getting shot at! Protective! Lucy throughout this ep.

2x09 Breaking Point- Not really a significant Chenford moment in this one that I recall.

2x10 The Dark Side - The lead-in to 2x11, so that’s pretty significant. And we get our first glimpse of Jealous! Tim.

2x13 Follow-Up Day - Ohhhh, the birth of Tim “Finishes What He Starts” Bradford. Pretty big moment here when he decides not to take the Hollywood sergeant’s position.

2x17 Control - Probably one of my top Chenford moments happens in this episode, when Tim and Lucy have that moment in the car where he tells her he still feels responsible for what happened to her (and hence doesn’t want to give her any more relationship advice).

2x20 The Hunt - No huge moment that I remember.

3x01 Consequences - We get Protective! Tim at the prison and a cute parking garage scene!

3x07 True Crime - Not a huge moment, but interviewing Chenford together (by Alexi!) is a pretty big statement.

3x14 Threshold - That UC flirting scene and “Hey Chen, save me dance!” Big stuff!!

4x01 Life and Death - First Chenford hug, an almost kiss (?), and an almost shared bed!!

4x09 Breakdown - Supportive! Lucy and our second Chenford hug. Personally my favorite Chenford episode of the season!

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insp: Bellamy went into the light in 7x11 and never came out. Whatever beings existed in that cave: they took his form and our Bellamy is still suspended in the bridge. All this time he's been waiting for someone to start the final test... and find him.

Maybe I will make a longer spec post about this later BUT the trailer and the dialogue about Dean saving the world gives me very strong “Buffy” finale vibes.

***BUFFY SPOILERS below***

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In the “Buffy” finals the final battle concludes with Spike dying and closing the hellmouth, completing his redemption arc and providing a tragic but affecting end to the love story with Buffy. She even tells him, “I love you,” to which he says, “No you don’t, but thanks for saying it.” (FWIW, I think she does, even though Spike has been the only character to be consistently correct about the feelings people have for one another throughout the series. It’s just not a stereotypically romantic kind of love.)

This was all negated by the decision to resurrect Spike by popular demand on the final season of “Angel” because fans freaked the fuck out at losing Spike, even in such a heroic and poetic way. I was one of those fans and I am an unabashed Spike fangirl (even with/especially with the problematic shit that accompanies his character) and I was happy to see him back. But, narratively? It was kind of appropriate. It was the logical conclusion of a redemption arc and a love story that honestly didn’t have great long-term possibilities, what with one being being human and one not (but with a soul by the end). 

I’ve written before about the parallels between Cas and Spike, particularly the way in which both grew into far more central characters than had originally been intended because of stellar performances, great onscreen chemistry, and audience reaction. Spike started the series as a straight-up villain but the character gained nuance and sympathy (especially when played against the relatively wooden Angel). Joss Whedon was apparently incredibly annoyed by this turn of events and wanted Spike to stay evil and never be a romantic interest for Buffy. James Marsters apparently wanted their romantic plotline to remain forever unrequited, with Spike never being good enough for the love of the heroine. 

As it turned out, both lost out to popular demand. After a torrid affair in S6 (still one of the hottest things to ever hit network TV imo) that took place after Buffy returned from the dead, Spike went to win back his soul after committing an unforgivable act (attempted rape). In the final season, he returned as a hero himself. It made sense, then, for Spike to literally save the world thanks to his love for Buffy.

But, man, it was a fucking bummer!! I mean, it was a tribute to his character and it’s clearly immensely meaningful to Buffy. But none of us wanted to see our fan favorite dead after all that! You see where I’m going with this, I’m sure. Cas hasn’t ever been straight-up evil, but he’s occupied gray areas of moral ambiguity throughout the series. He doesn’t precisely have a “redemption arc” (or shouldn’t, since imo he hasn’t done anything that needs it since the whole Godstiel thing 7 seasons ago). But narratively he has served the same function for Dean that Spike did for Buffy for much of the show; both are more than human, neither hero could possibly have succeeded alone, both Spike and Cas love (and are in love with) their humans and would do anything to help them in their quests. I think it makes an unfortunate amount of sense for Cas to die in the same way or for the same reason Spike did.

I don’t want this!! And I didn’t want it for Spike either!! And at least--at LEAST!--in that case fandom got the satisfaction of plenty of hot vampire-on-slayer action, plus very sincere confessions of romantic feelings. I think it’s possible that we will get a parallel moment pre-death where Dean tells Cas that he loves him, just as Buffy did for Spike. But I think that will be it and we’ll be left to interpret it as we will. I’d love to be wrong about that too, of course, but thinking with my analytic mind that knows pop culture conventions instead of my poor, sad Cas-loving heart...I see why they might be doing this. Those bastards.

As I’ve said, I’d been hoping that Cas would choose to give up his grace and become human and that that was his sacrifice, the end of his arc where he struggles with his dual nature, and the way for him and Dean to be happy in some ambiguous future. But...I don’t know if TPTB are going to consider that big enough or final enough. They want Cas to be a hero and, unfortunately for us, in the SPN universe heroism appears to exist one-to-one on painful sacrifice. 

Yes. I see that too.

Are you not familiar with my Marperly Ever After theory, in which Clarke and Bellamy sacrifice themselves so that their people can have a better life, and Raven and Octavia and Murphy (hopefully) will carry on and lead their people without them.

And then Bellarke will show up after it’s all over and we find out they had a happy life together like Marper did on the ship.

Hi Anon,

Thanks very much!  I get very excited when a theory hits too!

As I have said many ties I am totally okay if anyone disagrees with one of my theories, not all will hit I am very open about that, and not everyone likes all of them either.

I think if it were possible for them to pass the Directorship onto someone within the team they would, however if where I see things going happens, none of the core team will be around or ready for the job.

Robo Coulson:  Died, again, I’m sure he’ll come back one last time but no way will he end up Director again.  All I want is for him to get what he wants no matter what it is.

May:  Would be the most logical choice but I think as we close out the season she is going to have her emotions back and not only need to deal with them but she’s going to be ready to be done.    If she stays with Shield it will be to rebuild the Academy but I can also see her going off to Ireland or a Island where no one can find her for a bit.

Mack:  If he does die he walks away at a very crucial moment.

Elena:  Not ready.

Daisy:  Not ready and I don’t think she wants it.  I see her either staying in Shield or going off with another team/new mission or to Afterlife.

Fitzsimmons:  Taking their kid and getting the heck out of there before they can be separated again.  I also still won’t be shocked if they have to go ahead to where we had time ended further separating themselves from the team.

Deke:  NOT ready and also one that I’m not sure wants to be an agent.  He has a company he left behind that he can turn around and really help the world, he can stay close to his Nana and Bobo and have that family he’s always wanted, or he can take their place in the Shield lab.  I’m also still worried we could loose him too, I don’t want too, but I do worry for my Lemon Child.

For me Sousa is a much more satisfying option than someone unknown coming in the closing moments.  Sousa has the experience, is a good man that would do a great job.  I would know that Shield and the remaining team members would be in good hands.

I think our confidence stricken boy deserves this and the glory he gets from a - saving his boyfriend’s career, b - all the positivity from the staff and c - the inevitable pep-talk that Levi has to give him to convince him that he trusts him to do it.