Stitchers delivered an incredible season finale to top off its best season to date. A lot went down in this episode that has changed a lot of the characters in fundamental ways. A lot of long lingering storylines were tied up and several new ones were launched. Should this show get a much-deserved renewal for another season it seems like a lot of things may be different. Relationships sprung back to life while others were torn apart. To top it all off some huge secrets were revealed and it proves that Maggie was indeed looking out for the team all along and the big sinister plot that many thought was in play may not have been quite as sinister as originally thought. Now, make no mistake, no one should let their guard down just yet, but some of the things that Kirsten and the team questioned the hardest seem to have been working in their favor all along.
First and foremost of the secrets revealed was the identity of the person who was picking their stitches all along. That person was Commander Denise Nichols who was a NASA mathematician who apparently figured out the secret algorithm that would allow the correct stitches to be chosen to help map out new areas of the brain. At least that’s what the episode wanted us to believe until the final biggest reveal was let out that it was Kirsten picking the stitches all along thanks to some nanites that her father had injected into her as a child and keep in mind he also injected them into Jacqueline as well. This was yet another example of why Stinger will not be winning any father of the year awards anytime soon. All Commander Nichols was doing was following through on what Kirsten herself was unknowingly ordering. It’s a fascinating case of the chicken and the egg and trying to figure out which came first. It was very clever of the show to have a whole plot point this season surrounding who was picking the cases when it was Kirsten all along. That’s something that no one could have predicted and was exceptionally clever of the writers, so kudos to them.
That wasn’t the only big moment of the episode, but this one was a bit more obvious. And that’s the fact that Ivy didn’t actually turn against her sister or the team, but was, in fact, working on their side. To protect her sister and the guy she loves, Ivy had to push them both away and risk everything. She called Linus to her place to tell him about Jacqueline knowing that he’d run back to Kirsten and set off the final chain of events that would lead Kirsten to her mom and Stinger into NSA custody. She had to make everyone hate her to save them. Many will remain angry at Ivy, but she did everything she did in order to help others. Yes, she lied along the way and wasn’t up front about her part in the Young Cameron avatar, but in the end, she was about as selfless as one could be. It might not ever fully make up for what she did to Kirsten, but it was a hell of a first step forward. She showed that she does love her sister and put Kristen above their father. Ivy was screwed up by Stinger and was led astray for a bit, but her time with her sister and the team has definitely brought her around to the right side of the fight. It looks like she and Linus are even on the right track for a resurgence of their relationship. He certainly seemed open to it which more than delighted her.
Another relationship that took a surprising turn was that of Camille and Amanda. Prior to the last episode, it looked like their relationship was done and over then they were suddenly back on. Their sudden reunion was very surprising, but it played well because of the way the actresses played the moment. It was clear that neither Camille or Amanda had been able to let go of the love they shared. The writers took Camille on an interesting journey of self-understanding that brought her to stand on that stage and open her soul to the woman she had given her heart to. Yes, in the terms of a short ten episode season it all seemed fast, but it also seemed earned by the time Camille stepped off that stage and two of them embraced. The love for one another was in their eyes and the kiss sealed the deal. They were once again on a path forward to a future together. Amanda, who had to initially let the relationship go, seemed most eager to not let history repeat itself again. What better way to do that than to have the person you love move in with you? Now, this part did feel a bit fast, but when you think about the fact that both of these characters jump into situations feet first it’s not actually all that surprising or out of character. It could be really fun to get to see these two live together and all the learning experiences it’ll bring for both of them. Kirsten did, however, have every right to be worried about the new arrangement, but seemed to understand it. She was just acting as any good friend would.
Now, this is where the future for the couple grows a bit murky. Kirsten is obviously having to play at being amnesiac. We don’t know why or who is forcing the situation, but for the moment someone wants everyone to believe Kirsten doesn’t remember the last couple years. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you view the circumstances, Camille is a part of Kirsten’s past. They weren’t nearly the friends they are today, but they were friends and were living together. That might force Camille into an odd situation of having to choose between helping her friend or being with her girlfriend. If the show does get another season it would almost certainly see Camille stuck in the middle of a no win situation. Though it would be nice if the show did allow Camille to move in with Amanda and at least enjoy a little bit of happiness before things get crazy again. That would involve possibly building another set, so don’t be surprised if Amanda and Camille end up living together, but having to do so in Kirsten’s house until the whole faux amnesia storyline plays itself out.
Now, about that faux amnesia, who could possibly hold enough influence over Kirsten to force her to put Cameron and everyone else through this? The way she addressed the mysterious shadow person made it seem very personal. However, almost her entire family can be accounted for and none of them would have been given free access to roam the lab alone. Ivy was off being debriefed and wouldn’t be allowed to roam the lab freely anyway. Stinger was likely being guarded wherever Jacqueline was recovering. Cameron obviously isn’t involved and Camille, Linus, and Fisher were all last seen together leaving the area where Kirsten was. That leaves only a few possible culprits, but why any of them would force Kirsten into this situation is perplexing.
Possible culprits are Maggie, Cameron’s mom, and the General. Only Maggie would seem to have the personal bond to earn that sort of threat from Kirsten, but Maggie has nothing to gain from this situation. Through the faux amnesia storyline, she loses the only person who can stitch. Unless she wants Kirsten to be allowed to infiltrate the newly reunited Stinger family, but it seems highly unlikely Maggie would go to these lengths and risk so much. Plus, we did see her leaving the area as well, not to say she didn’t circle back, but she might be the least likely of the possible candidates. Then there is the General, who could be trying to get Kirsten to fall back into line after she acted against him at the start of the season. Though, his whereabouts might be accounted for since he was supposed to be off debriefing Ivy and threatening to never forgive him really doesn’t hold much weight. That leaves Cameron’s mom. She perhaps has the most to gain. Through her son’s grief, she might hope that he’ll come running to her. She was also alone with Kirsten post-stitch and gave the information about Kirsten’s memory being compromised. But what could she have possibly held over Kirsten to force her into this position? There is always the off the cuff possibility that it’s none of the above and some completely unexpected player, but the suspect list is very small since everything happened within the lab. It’ll be very interesting to find out who the guilty party is and just how they were able to force Kirsten into this awful position.
It was a sad ending for Kirsten and Cameron this season. Their relationship went through a ton of ups and downs, but they were in a good place prior to this whole situation. As was noted in the last review, however, Cameron had lost some of his edge when it came to protecting Kirsten. His fear of losing her clouded his judgment and he didn’t protest this situation in the way he normally would have. The odds are that the stitch would have happened anyway, regardless, but at least he would have had that piece of mind. However, by no means is any of this actually his fault. Like the others pointed out, she was going to do it one way or another, so it’s just really sad for him that he’s stuck in this position. Even worse, is that as the audience we know nothing actually went wrong in the end. The ending does seem to imply that Kirsten is just acting amnesiac and that will only serve to further crush Cameron when the truth comes out. But their relationship has been through a lot worse, so with any luck, when this passes their relationship will be able to bounce back to where it was at the start of the hour with them happy and in love.
It will be interesting to see how Stinger and Jacqueline will factor into a potential fourth season. Even if Kirsten actually had amnesia she would remember her parents since only the past few years are supposedly compromised so faux amnesiac Kirsten will have to pretend to not know all the things she knows about her father. It could be very fascinating to watch that storyline unfold and see if they would even allow Stinger near her. What will also be quite interesting to watch play out is how Jacqueline will reconcile her adult daughter and all the horrible things her husband did while she was in stasis. She is a victim in all of this as well and has been used as a pawn for a very long time. That’s what makes Kirsten’s actions so curious, it’s not like anyone can hold her mom over her any longer. Whoever has backed her into this corner must be using something monumental against her. Perhaps most fascinating to watch will be how Kirsten handles having to pretend to have temporal dysplasia again while still being fully connected with her emotions.
Despite all the drama that followed, the stitch between Kirsten and her mom was beautifully done. Not only was it visually stunning, but it was so full of heart. Kirsten’s way to save her mom rested with the love for her friends and Cameron. They were her strength in her greatest moment of need. They each gave her the strength and love she needed to bring her mom back. The fact that love was the key was such a beautiful way to bring that storyline to an end. Even more fascinating is that Stinger was the first to realize it. He may be the very definition of a horrible man, but no one can question his love and devotion for Jacqueline. His love and devotion stopped with her though because he has certainly not afforded either of his daughters that same respect.
It is his actions that put them in the race against the clock in the first place. Thanks to Ivy, Stinger was exposed and out in the open. He could have accepted that his own daughter had brought him down, but instead he wanted to go down fighting. That action damaged Jacqueline’s stasis unit, because it was one of his bullets that damaged the unit, and put her life in immediate danger. Also, it needs to be noted just how much courage it must have taken for Kirsten to run into the middle of a gun battle to protect her mom. Ivy and Cameron shared equal looks of fear as they ran to Kirsten’s side to check on her. For all Ivy has done she’s still Kirsten’s sister and hopefully, in time Kirsten will be able to see her that way again. That is after she gets to be done faking her amnesia.
Every hypothetical possible path forward for this show is just that, hypothetical because next season isn’t a guarantee. We once again begin the long torturous wait for Freeform to make an official decision about the show. Perhaps this is the end, but let’s hope it isn’t. Every time a season ends we’re all guilty of thinking that it’s the end of the series. We all know this show doesn’t have the strongest ratings, but what it does have in bulk is a brilliant creative team who never gives up and fans with big voices. Use your social media to ensure that Freeform hears our collective booming voices. Tell them to #RenewStitchers and that we want #StitchersSeason4. Give them every reason to renew the show for another season. The show just had its best season ever and this can’t be the end. So, with any level of luck, we’ll all be back here next summer talking about this incredible show. Hopefully, in a few weeks, or months, we’ll all be celebrating renewal news. Until then they left us with much to debate and talk about.
Hit the comments with your thoughts about this episode. What did you think about the ending? Who do you think is forcing Kirsten to pretend to have amnesia? Will Ivy and Linus really be able to reconnect as a couple? Can Amanda and Camille make living together work? What do you hope will happen next season?
