One supposes that this was the only episode where the Jackal was going to be finally unmasked; we reached the penultimate installment after all, and if the series finale will tie up everything else perhaps - focus on the characters and their story, it makes sense to have the serial killer storyline finished tonight. After losing Luna, it just seemed as if the answers just kept coming back to back, but did it really have to come at the cost of his life? Not to take away from Ashley Reyes's absolutely heart-wrenching performance with her sadness and anger and all of her conflicting emotions, which definitely made her MVP of the episode, but I still think there would have been enough of an emotional impact even if Luna was alive. He could have been badly injured and possibly even in a medically induced coma that may or may not have been life-threatening and uncertain of what would happen, but it just seems like a very unnecessary decision to have him die honestly. It just seems unfair that after everything is said and done, Walker has his entire family to return to, James has Kelly, but Cassie? Cassie's all alone, and for what? To show that even an innocent character wasn't safe from the Jackal's horror, or his daughter's even for that matter?
We pick up in the seconds after last week's episode, Walker has been revived and the trio find Cassie in anguish over losing Luna, but Trey and James don't give up the chase - the Jackal is there and they don't stop to take a breath, because even that second is a second he has to get away. After a slightly tense shootout that has James getting shot in his vest (couldn't they have just done that with Luna?), the Jackal finally gets captured. Cole Tillman is the man behind all of this terror that's spanned over 6 years with 9 victims, and once he's sequestered away at Ranger HQ, it's down to Walker and James to interrogate him and try to get a confession; because they can only hold him on Luna's death, not any of his actual victims. Of course even though he was kidnapped, drugged, hallucinated his own funeral and buried alive, Walker doesn't let any of that stop him from showing up to dive right back in; taking a minute to try and process his emotions isn't something he knows how to do... and Cassie doesn't wallow her in grief at first either.
"Letting Go" - WALKER: Pictured (L-R): Jared Padalecki as Cordell Walker,
Coby Bell as Larry James: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Coby Bell as Larry James: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
In one of the most heartbreaking scenes, we see Cassie at home, getting ready for work and on finding one of Luna's hair ties left behind, along with his shirt, she tries to find some way to say goodbye to him. And before she even sat on the bed, I knew what was coming and so did the tears! She calls Luna's number, just to listen to his voice one last time and leaves him a voicemail, to apologize for not being able to save him and for not getting the chance to say that she loves him too. Man, the waterworks are still going on even as I type this! UGH! Still, Cassie refuses to let this go and maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but her anger is justified - yes, the blame does lie on Cole Tillman and his daughter Rebecca, whom we find out later was his accomplice, but Luna would have still been alive if Walker hadn't gone rogue. And in the process of uncovering everything about what went down in the forest that day and with Walker's kidnapping, we see just how much pain Cassie is in.
When the search for Rebecca leads to Cassie going off on her own - I can look past the momentary lapse in judgement at her going solo (please stick to pairs everyone!) because of her sorrow - Walker, James and Trey are still there with her and eventually do catch up, making sure that Cassie doesn't make a mistake she'll regret when Rebecca finds herself hanging off a ledge. That was another intense scene which could have gone either way perhaps, but in her heart of hearts, I think she knew that Luna wouldn't have wanted her to take revenge for his death by letting Rebecca die - it would have been nice if Cordell used that line too, but regardless, his words to her do get across and Cassie gives her hand to save Rebecca's life. At the end of it all, the arrests have been made, justice has been served, the families of all the victims who have been waiting for answers for six years can finally try to find some sense of peace or attempt to move on, but the loss still remains. Their lives have forever changed and they all have to live with the emptiness and the grief of living without their loved ones, including Cassie. And yes, Walker does have to also live with his guilt and take responsibility for his actions and try to heal from his own scary ordeal - I'm not saying that anything he went through is negated because of Luna's death; there's pain and suffering enough for all of our characters to go around if you think about it.
"Letting Go" - WALKER: Pictured (L-R): Jeff Pierre as Trey Barnett, Ashley Reyes
as Cassie Perez: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
as Cassie Perez: Rebecca Brenneman/The CW© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Cordell's relationship with Geri isn't what it used to be, but they still have a chance to make it work; he still has both of his children to talk to and explain everything he did, as well as Liam and his parents. Time will eventually make it a little easier and maybe there'll be an opportunity for him and Cassie to talk, but not immediately. And it wasn't lost on me that they were drawing certain parallels between Cole and Rebecca with Cordell and Stella - they can be as alike as is possible, but it doesn't have to be so frustrating always, with the two of them just doing their own thing without thinking of the consequences and how everyone around them will be affected.
There was also a short moment between Bonham and Abeline that I wanted to talk about, because I have enjoyed seeing their relationship over the seasons; I may have said it before, but it still rings true - it's rare to see a major focus on an older couple who've been married for decades, with kids and grandkids. But the fact that they both seem to be finding their way back to a sense of normalcy I guess is the right word(?) is one of the happier moments of the episode. I'm glad they were able to bring those two around to the other's perspective of things. And getting to see Geri going over to be with Cassie, to support her and be there for her was a touching moment - her talking about Hoyt and Cordell mentioning Emily, makes me wonder though, were they setting up Luna to be the love that Cassie lost, but could still find her happy ending... with Trey? I for one hope they don't end the series on that note; it's far too soon and would be too rushed, even if there's a hint of something which would have been explored if there was a season 5, let's just let Cassie be really.
"Letting Go" - WALKER: Pictured: Odette Annable as Geraldine Broussard:
Rebecca Brenneman/The CW© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
Rebecca Brenneman/The CW© 2024. All Rights Reserved.
With only one episode left to go, do we think all of the storylines are going to get tied up neatly in a bow? Cliffhanger free? I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. Is anyone ever going to be over Luna's death? Definitely not me. Heh. There's a different kind of sadness now, not just with the show ending, but let's hope for the best! Until next week, when I'll return for one last review!
