The Ending of 'Killing Eve' Season 4, Explained - Vulture

In its final season, Killing Eve obsessively focused on the Twelve — the secretly powerful international organization that groomed and employed ... Intelligencer TheCut Vulture TheStrategist Curbed GrubStreet Magazine SubscribetotheMagazine GiveaGiftSubscription BuyBackIssues CurrentIssueContents Subscribe SignIn Account Profile SignOut Thingsyoubuythroughourlinksmayearn NewYork acommission. AngelicaJadeBastiénisacriticforNewYork’sVulturefocusingonpopculture.Shewasoncedescribedbyaclosefriendas“deliciouslyvulgar”. Let’stalkaboutthegallingendingofEveandVillanelle. Photo:DavidEmery/BBCA Haveyoueverexperiencedadesiresofierceitbecomesphysical—restinginthepitofyourstomach?Coilingtighterandtighter,evermoredesperatetobesated?Atitsbest—asinitsfirstseasonin2018,bythemaestrothatisPhoebeWaller-Bridge—KillingEveuncoveredthecomplicationsanddelightsrootedindesire,theoblivionofsupremepleasureandwhathappenswhengratificationisshotthroughwithvenom.Evenitsunevensecondseason,headedbyshowrunnerEmeraldFennellofPromisingYoungWomaninfamy,hadsomegristletoit.Yetwhatfollowedwasascattershotthirdseasonsoforgettablethat,eventhoughIrecappedtheentirething,Ibarelyrememberitsspecificgrooves.Thentherewasthefinalseason—aninsulttothetalentsofSandraOhandJodieComeraswellastheaudienceitself. Thefourthinstallmenttotheseries,butparticularlyitslasttwoepisodes,demonstrateshowfartheshowhasfallenfromthedizzyingheightsofitspremiere.Goneisthedeliciousfashionpivotingonmomentsoftransformationinthemanneroffairytales.Goneisthesupremelyprecisecharacterization,replacedwithaconfusedinternallogicthatjockeysthecharactersaccordingtotheneedsofitsthreadbareespionageplotting.Goneisthesprypresentation,achievedthroughblocking,editing,andcostumeandproductiondesign.Butmostimportant,goneisthetensecat-and-mousegamebetweenVillanelle(Comer)andEve(Oh)thatactedastheengine.KillingEveisastudyinhowjumpingfromdifferentshowrunnerseachseasoncanleaveaserieswithoutaprofoundsingularvoice—anditisevidencethatashallowunderstandingofrepresentationandthefemalegazeisn’tenoughtocreateamemorablygood,cohesivestorythatgivesadamnaboutthewomenonscreen.Itamountedtoafinalethatgaveonceperpetuallyravenousviewersapaltryversionofwhattheywantedbeforesnatchingeventhataway. Initsfinalseason,KillingEveobsessivelyfocusedontheTwelve—thesecretlypowerfulinternationalorganizationthatgroomedandemployedVillanelleasanassassin.BothVillanelleandEvearedeterminedtoseetheslipperyorganizationmeetitsendforreasonsbothpersonalandmoral.Butthishunthasalwaysbeentheleastintriguingaspectoftheseries,bestasavehiclefortherealmotorofthenarrative:theraggedlustandbarbedlongingbetweenEveandVillanelle.We’veallexperiencedenoughJamesBondandJohnLeCarrétoclockhowtiredKillingEveisintheespionagedepartment.TheTwelveprovidedthemoneythatexplainedthelushnesssuffusedinVillanelle’slifeasanassassin.TheTwelvealsoprovidedawebintowhichOh’sMI6agentcouldgetdrawn,hermysterioussupervisor,Carolyn(playedwithasteelyforceofwillbyFionaShaw),givingusasenseofEve’sdedicationoutsideofVillanelle.Butbythefinalseason,Eveisperipheral,withthefocusturningtighterinsteadtoCarolynandVillanelle’sformerhandler,Konstantin(KimBodnia),andthegamethey’replaying.Ablack-and-whiteflashbackepisodetothelate1970sexplainsthetwowereinvolvedintheTwelvewhenitformedasananarchistgroupintentupondisruptingtheworldthroughchaos.“Don’tGetAttached”teasesoutaseriesofrevelationsabouttheotherwiseinscrutableCarolyn—welearnabouthergayfather,whowasblackmailedbyKonstantinanddiedbysuicidethereafter.Carolyn’sreactiontoherfather’sdeathcementsherchilly,focused-on-the-job-above-all-elsenature.ShawgivesCarolynacuriousmystery,butthemoretheshowrevealsabouther—andherallegiancetonoonebutherself—themoreshebecomesabuoyforaspysagaforcingtheshow’sleadsfurtherandfurtheroutoftouch.Watchingepisodeslikethisbroughttomindahostofquestions:Whereareallthetactilejoys?Thelust?Theassuredcomplication? OneofthemostdelectableaspectsofKillingEve’sfledglingseasonishowWaller-Bridgeprivilegeddetailsoverespionageplotting—forexample,thefashion(fromcostumedesignerPhoebeDeGaye).VillanellebecameawindowintothekindofgorgeouslivingEveneverimaginedforherselfbutenjoyeddeeplywhenshegotatasteofit.Burberrycoatsindustypink.FlowyChloétopsinaquamarine.ADriesVanNotenpatternedsuit.And,ofcourse,theMollyDoddarddressofbabypinktullethatmadeVillanellelooklikeacupcakespikedwithpoison.Itfeltenveloping.Andthefashionwasn’tjustaboutbeauty;itwasabouttransformation.Considerthesleekblack-and-whiteRolandMouretdressVillanellegiftsEveinthefirstseason.WhenEveseesherselfinamirror,sheistakenabackandpleasedwiththeverywomanshe’sfacedwith.Butinitsfinalseason,thereisn’tasinglestartlingfashionmoment;thecostumingisdrab,functional.Partoftheforcefulwitandpleasureoftheserieswasintheartoflooking,afrenzyofscopophiliathatpromptedmanyconversationsaboutthepowerofthefemalegaze.(EventhoughIdon’tagreewiththeessentialistframing,Ienjoyedtheconversationthefirstseasonsparked.)Butintheyearssincetheshowpremiered,thetermhasfossilizedasshorthandforelevatingthevisibilityofwomendirectors,screenwriters,andcraftswomenasifanywomanlookingthroughthelenswilldo.Whenitwasrevealedin2020thatKillingEvehadanall-whitewriters’room,certainfailingsboundupinthisapproachsnappedintofocus.Iwon’tmincewords:Theshow’sdisinterestintheinteriorlifeofEvesignifiednotjustbadwritingbutastrainofracism. Inthefinalseason,Evetakesabackseatnotonlytotheespionage—remainingstepsbehindeveryonetoooften—buttothegamesothersareplaying,theirbackstories,theirlives,theirneeds.EvehascometoliveanarrowexistencewhollyfocusedontakingdowntheTwelveduetoallshehaslost.Thisrealityisalludedtoinakaraokescene,inwhichshewitnessesthepeoplewhoarenolongerinherlife,likeBill(DavidHaig),Elena(KirbyHowell-Baptise),andherformerhusband(OwenMcDonnell).AstheshowbecamemoreentrenchedintheTwelve,Eve’sdesiresoutsideofespionagebegantowilt.Ohisanactorofremarkablelucidity;gorgeous,withaclarityofemotionthatpiercesthesoul.Butnoactor,nomatterhowskilled,canremakeormakelegiblewhatthewritersdon’tputonthepageorallowroomtodevelop.TheseasonhasEvedoinganumberofcrepusculardeeds:shootingKonstantin,blindingtheassassinandformerTwelveacolyteGunn(Marie-SophieFerdane)—whohasherownsexuallyfraughtdynamicwithVillanelle—watchingasVillanellekillsthehaughtyandchillyHélène(CamilleCottin).TheHélènewhobecameaproxyforEve’slongingforVillanelle—kissing,slippingintoabath,strivingtore-createthesameorgasmicallyrichdynamicEvepreviouslyhadwithVillanelle.Instead,thefeelingsaudienceswantedexploredwithVillanellearemappedontoanother. ComerandOhhaveremarkablechemistry.AsVillanelle,Comeriswildandvoracious,bruisingandbruised.SheandOhareabletofosteravividemotionalandsexualsportwithaspecificallyfemininetwist:Dothesewomenwanttokissorkill?Overtheseasons,EveandVillanelledevastatinglyloseinterestineachother,butthefinalepisode,“Hello,Losers,”forcesthecharacterstogetheragain.UsingHélène’sphone,EveisabletodiscernwheretheTwelveismeeting—onaboatwithaweddingascover.Travelingtogetheronceagain,VillanelleandEvesoften.Inthehomeofanexceedinglysaccharinecouple,VillanellegrazesthebulletscaronEve’supperback,remnantsofawoundthatcamefromthewrongendofVillanelle’sgun.Theystareateachotherwithlongingandimpliedunderstanding.Butofwhat?EveproceedstofeedVillanellecandyinthevantheystealfromthecouple.Theyeatcurlyfries,teasingabouttheirdifferenttastesincondiments.Finally,wegetwhataudienceshavelongwanted—atruepassionate,sexualkiss.Inthemiddleofadesolateroad,VillanellekissesEveonthecheek.Evegrabsherhand,pullinghernear.Theykisswithheatandpassionandcuriosityasthemusicswellswithwhisperingsweetness.TheygigglefromsharedpleasureandIassumehavearompinthevan,butwedon’tseeit. EveandVillanelle’srelationshipwasoncethetelevisualequivalentofbitingintoanoverlyripe,bruisedplumandlettingthejuicedripdownyourchin.Yearslater,thatfruithasgonetorot. VillanelleandEveareabletogetontheboatwiththemembersoftheTwelve.AndwhileVillanellekillsthemallinananticlimacticscenecastinroyalbluelighting,fullofCGIblood,Eveofficiatestheweddingaboveashercover.Whentheyembraceonthedeckafterward,it’samomentofreprieve.“Ididit,Eve.”“Don’tyoumeanwedidit?”Evelovinglycounters.ButthesuccorquicklycurdleswhenanunseensnipershootsVillanelleintheshoulder,forcingthemtojumpintothecoldLondonwaters.Astheytrytofindasafeshore,Villanelleisshotagainandagainandagain,ahaloofbloodenvelopingher.AndsoaseriesaboutqueerwomenobsessedwitheachotherendswithaBuryYourGaystrope.EvefuriouslyswimstowardthedyingVillanelle,butsheremainsoutofherreach,asCarolynwatchesfromadryperch,clearlytheonewhoengenderedthishit.EveisunabletotouchevenVillanelle’sfingertipsbeforeshesinkstothebottomofthesea,herblondehairmaskingherface.Notlongago,Evewastold,“Youhavetofindanewordinary.Whateverhappensnextyoucanchoose.”Butnothinghasbeenachoiceforher.She’sapawn,forthewritersandthecharacterswithintheseries.Herstorylineisultimatelyleftadanglingthread.NowtheseriesisplanningaCarolynbackstoryspin-off,makingEve’sclaustrophobicandslapdashendingfeelallthemoreinsulting.Herstoryisaclosedcircuitwithouttheelectricitythatoncemadetheshowaforce.JustasVillanelleremainsoutofherreach,sodoesourunderstandingofwhoEveisandwhatliesforherontheotherside. 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