Resurrection - Episode 1.8 - Torn Apart - Unanswered Questions and Season Finale Review

"I can't do this anymore. I've made up my mind. It's over..."
- Barbara

On Sunday night, Resurrection finished off it's roller coaster ride of a season with its first season finale, "Torn Apart". I say 'roller coaster ride' because of how much my desire to continue watching rose and fell throughout the short, eight episode, first season. I initially liked the concept before the season began and that grew into love after watching the first episode. The idea of the dead returning, but not in 'The Walking Dead' zombie kind of way, was interesting to me. How would you feel or react if a loved one 'returned' to you from beyond the grave? What would you do? Well, Resurrection promised to answer those questions and did a great job...for the most part. Let me be clear. Overall, I enjoyed Resurrection and wish it a second season renewal and beyond. I wish it had more than eight episodes in it's first season, but there is nothing we can do about that now and there is really nothing I could have done anyway. What I didn't like is the time they spent telling Caleb's story only to leave a mountain of questions on the horizon and no answers as the final moments of the finale ticked away. I would have liked to know something, anything, about where he went when he disappeared from his prison cell. And why he portrayed himself as an 'all-knowing' and a larger, leadership type figure in the micro-apocalypse that plagued the small town of Arcadia. It would have been nice to know those answers, but I feel we were deprived of it because, hopefully, the writers knew we would get a second season.

Episode seven ended with a few twists that the finale continued. Rachael stood over her dead body in bewilderment, trying to figure out how any of what was happening to her was possible. Through everything, however, she was still concerned mainly with her unborn baby, saying she felt that the baby was ok despite getting shot in the stomach and dying earlier that day. Meanwhile, Maggie was chiding her mother, Barbara, about not coming to see her when she 'returned' days earlier. As everyone had predicted, Barbara has been hiding out with Sam Catlin, with whom she was having an affair before she drowned in the river over 30 years prior. Barbara did not leave Sam's house for fear of running into Fred. It is implied that Fred was abusive to her and that was one of the reasons for her infidelity. She was so moved by what Maggie had said that Barbara decided to go see Fred and explain her affair and that their marriage is over. I sort of thought that was a given considering it's been over three decades since her death. In any case, her confession to Fred is the catalyst that started him on the path of destruction.

Marty had to tell his superior, Tony, about the hundreds of 'returned' that came to the church in hopes of finding loved ones. She sends aid in the form of military personnel with food, water, and supplies. Fred, obviously still upset about what Barbara revealed to him earlier, decides that the 'returned' are not human and needed to be corralled and quarantined so he tells the colonel who exactly the supplies he brought are for. This, of course, starts a chain of events that ends with the military arriving to Arcadia in swarms. Marty suspected as much from Fred and helped at least half of the 'returned' escape the gym they were being held in.

Jacob's new friend Jenny, and her parents, were introduced to us last episode. It was revealed by the end of the episode that the Thompson's are one of the many 'returned' that arrived in Arcadia that day. They are staying with the Langston's and they tell them the story of when they used to work for Henry's grandfather at the mill when a flood came that they died in. When they 'returned' they were searching for their baby, explaining that they were separated from it in the flood. They explain the baby had a distinguishing mark on its neck, a crescent moon shaped birthmark. I thought that was very specific to just be a simple story and thought for a second that maybe Marty was their missing baby. By the end of the episode it turns out that we see the birthmark on Marty's neck. I thought that was a very cool twist to the story and immediately tried to think of how that timeline would work. The Thompson's died in the flood probably sometime in the 50's or 60's, based on their clothing. The baby, Marty, passed away at the same time, and 'returned' probably around the same time Jacob passed away 32 years ago. Since he was a baby, he would not remember anything, even 'returning'. And that would explain his being adopted.

The finale then ends with one of the biggest cliffhangers since the ones we would get from LOST. In spite of all the answers that we didn't get I still enjoyed the final two episodes and it felt like an entirely new show. I was expecting what happened at the end of episode seven, the 'returned' coming back en masse, to occur earlier in the season, but I understand the process. I hope the show gets resurrected for a second season. ...whatever, that was a funny joke.


Thoughts and Discussion

- Something I looked up recently on IMDB...In Greek mythology, Arcas was the son of Zeus and Callisto(daughter of Lycaon). Hera became jealous, and in anger, transformed Callisto into a bear. She would have done the same or worse to her son, had Zeus not hidden Arcas in an area of Greece that would come to be called Arcadia. According to the legend, Lycaon massacred his grandson, Arcas and offered him as a meal to the Gods. But Arcas was resurrected by Zeus.

- I have been trying to figure out what the symbolism is for the different elements we have seen in the episode, but it's proved more difficult than I thought. The crescent moon shaped birthmark on Marty's neck could mean 'time'. Throughout history, the moon has signified time and cycles and it's relation to the show would be appropriate. I have no idea what the cicada's or fireflies could represent, but I did find the crescent moon and 'locusts' in biblical apocalypse stories.

- Is it possible that Maggie is Sam's daughter and not Fred's? What...I can't be the only person who thought that.

- Did you notice...This makes Marty's nightmare from the beginning of Episode 5 come true. Remember he was speaking with Jacob while Jacob was playing with toy soldiers. Jacob asks Marty what he was like when he was his age and Marty answers, "I was like you, a perfect angel". I thought it was strange that Marty said that and now it makes sense. Marty is a 'returned' just like Jacob and all the rest. The conversation ends when military or SWAT barge in and take Jacob away.

- A commenter from Google Plus made a very good observation - If Marty is a 'returned' why does he not exhibit the same side effects as the others such as the increased metabolism and subsequent voracious appetite? (Thank You Emma!)

- Did you notice...From the beginning of the season I noticed that all the returned wore red or a shade of red and if you look closely at all of them you'll see it.

- I'm a little confused about the cicadas at the end of the episode. One of the many questions that don't get resolved this season. I think they are tied to the 'returned' in that a cicada loses it's life when a 'returned' gains theirs back. That would explain the scene at the beginning with a dying cicada followed by the scene with Rachael looking over her dead body. And the juxtaposition of Marty and Jacob with all the dead cicadas at the end of the episode. Of course, we will need more information to verify all of this, but it's a good theory. What do you all think?

Some lingering questions to think about before Season Two...

- Why are the 'returned' back?

- Where were they?

- What or whom determines if they can come back? If that's the case at all.

- Where did Caleb go when he disappeared from his cell?

- How did Caleb know about Marty's past and how did he know that more dead would 'return'?

- How did Jacob 'sense' Caleb in the factory?

- Why did Rachael come back after she was shot and killed by Gary?

- Why have the 'returned' come back now?

- What is the connection, if any, between the 'returned' and the river that runs through Arcadia? (Thank you Kamya!)

- What's the connection with the cicadas or the fireflies?

Thanks for checking out my Reviews all season! I can't wait for Season Two! If you can think of any other questions please comment below and I will add them. We can also discuss the finale and the season.

About the Author - Geo N

My name is George and I am from Detroit, MI. My favorite shows are The Blacklist, Hell On Wheels, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, LOST, Sons Of Anarchy, Sleepy Hollow and countless other shows. When I'm not watching tons of TV, I enjoy reading, playing hockey, comic books, weightlifting, and writing. Thanks for checking out my post.