Billie Jean is not my lover, but the kid IS my son!

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Emma flashes back to the planning during the two months after Norman’s death. She, Gilda, and Don worry about whether to take the kids 5 and under, as they might not be able to survive during the escape. Emma wants to take everyone, no matter what, but realizes there are those she can’t save, like the children in other plants. It’s then that she asks Phil to talk, where she reveals the true nature of the house, but it turns out Phil has been picking up on things he’s heard, including Norman’s death. She then asks him if she should take the younger kids, which he decides she shouldn’t. Instead, Phil will stay behind and watch over them while knowing the truth so that Emma can return to get them in two years.

In the present, Phil approaches Isabella, directing her to the younger kids who have hidden from the fire. Knowing they’re safe, she contacts headquarters with the recovered radio and then pursues Emma’s group, who are now running from all of the Plants’ security. But to Ray’s surprise, they aren’t headed for the bridge, but instead will use the rope to zipline across the cliff into the woods. All according to Norman’s plans. What they don’t count on is Isabella finding them there, having apparently had something similar to this plan back when she was a child at this plant. She catches up as Emma is the last to cross, only to watch her escape as well.

As the children all flee into the forest, Isabella remembers her youth with another child who practiced a song she would remember all her life. Eventually, this boy would also be harvested, causing her great despair and inspiring her to escape. When she came across the cliff, she realized there was no hope and was instead offered to train to become a mom. She would then have a child herself, Ray, who would remember the same song she hummed to him in the womb. Though she is defeated now, she wishes for the escaped to find true happiness, then goes back to take care of the remaining children.

Soon, Emma, Ray, and the group make it to the outside and greet their first morning as free people.

OUR TAKE

The Promised Neverland reaches its first finale with a fitting, concise, and cathartic ending to the season. With the escape plan in full swing last episode, there were naturally a few dangling threads that needed to be addressed, especially with that last scene with Phil. It turns out Ray was right that they couldn’t take every child with them, but no one said anything about this being the only escape. So, we get a compromise of having to leave a few of the younger kids behind, but only with one of them knowing the truth so as to watch over them until Emma can come back to them. As despicable as this harvesting system is, they do value the lives of these children to a point, so the younger ones are likely safest there for the time being. It can be easy to say the most evil things are worth discarding in these sorts of plans, but it takes insight to know that they can be used against that evil as well.

That also extends to Isabella, who I was not expecting a heel turn, even if it was after the fact. We could surmise based on what we learned about Krone that she was also previously a child before she became a mom, but just like with Krone, we learn from her own previous experiences why and how she has come to think that this system is the only possible hope for these kids. Like Emma, Ray, and Norman, she also felt the loss of a loved one and wanted to escape herself, but was then unable to handle the loss of hope upon finding the cliff and accepted her fate. This began her twisted relationship with the kids under her care, loving them dearly but feeling the only way to truly protect them was by keeping them from the knowledge of their ultimate fate.

Unfortunately, a wrinkle appeared in the form of her own son, Ray, who kept his memories of his birth and the harvesting process, which presumably forced her to make use of him as a spy. But now that her best kids, including Ray have reclaimed the hope she lost of escaping this cycle, all she can do is wish them luck. Knowing she can’t protect them but being proud as hell, like any parent is after seeing their child leave the nest.

I gotta say, this show has been a really great watch these past twelve weeks, so I’ll be sad to see it go. The good news is that another season is coming next year, so I won’t have to wait too long for more.

Score 9/10