Each of the characters had clear and logical growth as they confronted the reality of the Witness’ identity. The process began with Cassie, who had to make the difficult decision over months in Titan whether to end her life along with her unborn child or try to escape and rescue her son from his supposed fate. This dilemma went through an amazing evolution as the secret went from Ramse to Cole and eventually to Jones and Deacon who made surprisingly believable antagonists for a few episodes near the end.

The time travel vests were a worrisome element at first. Would they make things too easy or cause viewers to question why they were used at some times and not others? This trepidation was quickly cast aside as the teleporting fight scenes showed how cool they could be, and the self-immolation button reassured us that there would be no troublesome duplicates running around. The Cole-and-Cole conversation where we first saw the vest (and where the initial worry first manifested) was especially chock full of details to file away until season 4.

The guest stars in 12 Monkeys season 3 contributed greatly to the overall flavor of the narrative as well. Hannah Waddingham and Faran Tahir were simply top notch as natives of Titan, each with their own motivations. Christopher Lloyd was appropriately creepy as an early Army devotee and father of Tom Noonan’s Pallid Man. The return of Jay Karnes as Agent Gale was a joy to behold and tied up a loose thread from season 2 which foreshadowed his further involvement, and Zeljko Ivanek returning as Jennifer’s father Leland was fun, too. Even small cameos from Wynonna Earp’s Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Impractical Jokers’ Sal Vulcano and Joe Gatto pleased fans of those shows without disrupting the flow.

But nothing could have prepared viewers for the masterful portrayal of Athan Cole, the supposed Witness, by James Callis of Battlestar Galactica fame. The 1879 interlude in episode 9, “Thief,” as Athan waited for his time travel vest to be repaired, brought 12 Monkeys fans a love story like no other. The tale of Eliza, the woman who taught Athan to defy his fate became, in death, the overriding reason for his acquiescence to it. The repeated attempts to save her life, combined with Athan’s clandestine visits with his parents in their past, cemented a world view consistent with the desire to bring the infinite Red Forest into being.

12 Monkeys is never content to rest on its laurels, though, and its crowning achievement this season was the reveal of Olivia’s role in the creation of the Army of the 12 Monkeys and the mythos of the Witness. Alisen Down was already knocking out of the park with her performance as Olivia in past seasons, but in season 3, she oozed joyful malice, barely contained anger, crafty manipulation, and quiet confidence. Which makes it that much more amazing that she also pulled off a Jennifer Goines impression in episode 5, “Causality”! The prospect of having her as a future villain in season 4 is downright delightful.