THIS IS A POST FULL OF SPOILERS
BEWARE SPOILERS
SPOILERS FOR LAST NIGHT’S HOMELAND FINALE
I might go through Homeland withdrawal now. I waited for Season 2 to start for a year, and when it finally did, it was like a series of gut-punches. Monday mornings, I was always out of it because I couldn’t get to sleep after watching Homeland. For the record, I think the first season probably had stronger writing overall, and it felt like there was so much more in Season 2 which we all had to suspend our disbelief. Like, I’m no expert on security and the Secret Service and all of that, but even I know that Brody wouldn’t have had access to all of the stuff he had access to, and there were too many “O RLY?” leaps that the audience had to make to stay engaged in the story.
But let’s really talk about what went down. 200-plus dead at the CIA. Carrie helping a suspected terrorist (Brody) get across the border (on foot?). Brody was played by Nazir. We all were. The cell which was caught several episodes ago was sacrificed for a larger purpose, to manipulate Brody and Carrie into killing the vice president. What we found out in the finale was that the vice president’s death was merely the instigator for a larger attack, the bombing of Langley. Some various points/thoughts/questions:
*So, Walden’s memorial service was being held at Langley? He was a sitting vice president and the presumptive presidential nominee – his memorial would have been held at Washington National Cathedral. The end. I don’t care if he was the former DCI (Director of Central Intelligence). It still would have been held at Washington National Cathedral.
*I loved everything about the scenes with Brody and Carrie at the cabin the woods. Damian Lewis and Claire Danes have an extraordinary amount of chemistry, and whenever they are together, it just feels natural, no matter what.
*Brody praying in daylight… with Quinn standing behind him with the gun. I’m sorry, but I loved everything about the Quinn character’s arc. I loved that Quinn made a choice for himself as to what kind of man he is. I love that Quinn went to Estes’ house and threatened him. I loved everything about Quinn’s speech to Estes about killing bad men.
*CB and I have debated in the past whether Estes was one of Nazir’s moles. I guess we can say definitely that he wasn’t, right? I don’t believe Estes would have sacrificed himself like that for Nazir’s greater cause. That being said, there HAS to be a significant mole in the CIA. Setting up Brody as Nazir’s patsy, moving the car and bringing that much C4 into Langley (a hella secure area) would have taken an insider. But did that insider sacrifice himself (or herself)? Or does the mole still walk among them?
*How much did Brody know about THIS plot? We really don’t know. I think he knew more than he was saying, but he might not have known all of the moving pieces.
*I love that Carrie always had an exit strategy. All of this time, she always had a way out in case she was burned.
*SAUL!!!!!!! I love everything about Saul. I love Saul and Carrie’s conversation about whether she would be made a station chief. I love Saul’s call to Carrie, the message he left for her. I love his face when she appeared at the staging hanger (God, how awful was that?). I love that Saul is the presumptive CIA director now.
*Seriously, where the f—k is the president?! The president didn’t even come to the memorial service of his vice president?
*I really hope Rupert Friend gets invited back for the third season, because he is a gem.
*You could really tell that Claire Danes is pregnant in these last few episodes. Her face looked so much fuller, and she just glowed.
*SARITA CHOUDHURY!!!! I’m so glad she came back and did a cameo. I missed her.
*I love the respectful way they handled Nazir’s burial at sea. It matters.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
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