Ok but the tragedy that was the Clockers finale.
I know we got a nice ghosts family reunion at the end, but like—
Cleo trading away her skulk sensors for Scars life. The thing she spent nearly 5 episodes collecting, keeping in mind she was only alive for 8. She spent over half of her time alive on that server trying to get those sensors, and yet she willingly trades them away, not for her own life, but for Scars.
A trade that proves pointless in the end. It doesn’t save him.
Cleo, episode 1, telling her boys that she would let them kill her if they were ever the boogyman and they couldn’t find someone else VS Cleo episode 8, 3 hours left to live and STILL telling Bdubs to ask if he needs help, to let her know if he needs a life because even with only 3 hours left to live she is STILL willing to let him kill her for extra time.
A sacrifice she never gets to make because Bdubs is stubborn and reckless, and ultimately ends up dying in a battle that she started.
It’s the way that no matter how hard Cleo tries, it’s never enough. The way that she exhausts every last drop of her own energy into protecting her children - feeding them, clothing them, trying her best to keep them alive, and it’s Still. Never. Enough.
Cleo naming a clock, calling it “Momma’s Favourite Boy” and giving it to Bdubs. Bdubs, who had been made to feel like the inferior son from the start. No matter how often she declared Scar her favourite. No matter what she herself might have personally felt was true. Cleo giving him that clock not even a full 15 minutes before his final death. Bdubs dying with it tucked away in his pocket. One, singular golden clock inscribed with the one thing he had always wanted to hear - proof of his mothers love for him. A heartfelt gesture that comes almost too late to count. The only time she had ever told him, and now he’s gone.
Scars initial jealousy of the Clock. Him bitterly muttering that he thought him and Cleo had something special, and Cleo promising to give him one too when she gets another one. A promise she never gets to keep.
Scar’s reaction to his brothers death. The way the cannon fires and he just stops before silently turning to look at where he had expected Bdubs to be. The way he just silently walks over to where Bdubs had once stood only to find absolutely nothing there. The way Grian is still firing at him, but he doesn’t really seem to notice because he’s still in shock.
And Cleo. Cleo who never even gets to mourn the death of her child. The way she doesn’t even realize at first because her and Bdubs had died at exactly the same time, only she’d had more time than him. She doesn’t even know what’s happened until she’s hears Grian say it. And you can hear that initial shock in her voice for the duration of about 5 seconds, but she never gets to mourn because Grian is still firing at Scar. Scar, who can’t even pick himself up off the floor, who doesn’t even have a weapon in his hand as he just walks back and fourth over the spot where his brother had died as if expecting him to magically appear. The way Cleo casts herself between them, stepping in front of Grian and shielding Scar with her own body.
The way Grian stops firing the instant Cleo steps between them going “Don’t take Scar out of the game.” The way he drops his shield and books it. Cleo doesn’t even take a single swipe at him. She holds her sword up menacingly, creeping towards him, but she knows her primary purpose at this particular moment is in protecting Scar, and Grian knows it too, and yet he takes ONE look at Cleo and books it. He books it because when he looked at her, he didn’t see a mourning mother. He saw a violent and seething rage barely contained beneath the surface and he knows the ONLY thing keeping that rage in check is her love for her children. Her love for her child who he has just murdered, and the only thing preventing her from killing him for it is her love for her last remaining son who is still mourning the death of his brother.
The way Cleo never even gets to mourn him. Physically is not allowed to mourn because she is still a mother. She doesn’t get to be a person, doesn’t get to feel her pain because she’s a mother. Her son needs her, and he comes first. Because a mother is always a mother before anything else. She has to put her kids before herself because that’s what a mother does.
The fact that Cleo is the last Clocker standing. Has to live with the loss of both of her children and live with the knowledge that she wasn’t able to save them. Has to live with the knowledge that despite her best efforts, she was never able to save them. She was never enough. She never gets to give Scar that clock she promised him. The fact that Bdubs’ last words were about her, reassuring his brother, telling him not to worry because he knows Mom will save them. And she tries, but it’s still not enough. She isn’t able to save him, and she has to live with that.
The fact that one of the last things she tells Scar is that they are likely going to die together because they are close to the same time. Them dying on the same battlefield mere feet from each other less than a minute apart, and yet they never see each other. Cleo can hear him struggling in the background but can’t get to him because she’s firing at Pearl. She’s literally JUST stated that she only has 8 minutes left when she sees the lighting that belongs to Scar and runs straight for it, sees Grian, and dive bombs him. The fact that she doesn’t even say a single word. Just goes straight for him. The fact that it’s still not enough. She’s overpowered again and never gets to avenge the death of her children.
