Wayward Pines‘ second season has whipped us around some hairpin switchbacks. The characters are sharper, the challenges even more psychological and the lines between good and evil are even more ambiguous.The first season taught us to expect the unexpected, but this second season proved that preparedness doesn’t have to steal the element of surprise. And surprised we were.
Last season the main character sacrificed himself to save his family from the Abbies and the creator of Wayward Pines was righteously killed by his sister. Though Pilcher’s death wasn’t completely unexpected, Ethan Burke’s had me shaking my head in disbelief. How will this second storyline complete? The finale episode title is “Bedtime Story.” What does that tell us about what we can expect?
Wayward Pines Recap: Who Decides Who Lives and Who Dies? >>>
Possible Ending #1: Wayward Pines Was a Dream
Would Shyamalan dare insult our intelligence with such a pat resolution? A dream or a fabricated fairy tale. Either would be a huge trope-y disappointment. Unless, of course, part of the story is true and the dream is dreamed by one of the cryopreserved people who wakes up in the finale to find … who knows what? We’ll find that out in season 3.
Possible Ending #2: The Abbies Overtake Wayward Pines
At the end of “Walcott Prep” the cryo pods were still being charged and only half of the population was going to make it. One possibility for the finale is that the thousands of gathered Abbies, led by their recovered leader Margaret, will attack and overcome the residents just like they did with Group A who perished before Ethan Burke came on the scene.
How likely is this? Again, I can’t see Wayward Pines taking the cheap way out. This leaves only three other options I can think of.
Possible Ending #3: Humans Are Frozen Forward, But So Are Abbies
This possible ending assumes a great deal of carnage. The unfrozen half of the human population would die, then the Abbies would infiltrate the mountain. Since they are intelligent beings, they could figure out what the cryo pods are for and steal into some empty ones. What a surprise that would be for the Wayward Pines residents of the year 6035.
Possible Ending #4: The Cryo Pods Fail Completely
Perhaps CJ, architect Rebecca and streetwise Kerry will work some magic so that enough power can be generated to freeze the entire population of Wayward Pines … but then the Abbies breach the mountain and rip out the electrical wires causing the whole place to go dark, including all of the cryo pods. Boom.
Possible Ending #5: Humans and Abbies Strike a Compromise
The first viable ending involves the humans and Abbies managing to strike an understanding of some kind, an acknowledgement that not all humans are evil, and that Abbies have only acted in their own defense of what was rightfully theirs.
We’ve already seen that the Abbies are intelligent. Margaret has experienced compassion at the hands of Theo and Hassler, and was able to correctly interpret their intentions. This means there is a possibility of community. Also, we’ve yet to see Abbies kill for any reasons other than self defense.
The limiting factor is the minimal sand left in the top half of the WWP hourglass. I could see Theo, Rebecca and Kerry reaching out with good results, but then coming up against a challenge whose results could leave us to interpret any way we choose.
Neither you nor I could have predicted the surprises of the season so far. The likelihood of us nailing this finale is basically nil. I, for one, look forward to being surprised. And thrilled. In every sense of the word.
Wayward Pines’ finale airs Wednesday, July 27th, at 9pm on FOX.
(Images courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
