A little more than an hour away fellows. I'm thinking this show is going to be mainly about Nora since last week was mainly about Kevin, the week before mainly about Laurie, and the week before that, mainly about Matt.
Where's Nora's head? We are soon going to have our answers. Can't wait.
Kind of glad none of the crazier theories were right (though I suspect Lindelof has learned his lesson from that). It was simple and it was devoid of needing something bombastic. I thought Nora's story said all we needed to know about not only where she went, but the thesis of the entire show. How that wasn't their world, that they were where they belonged all along, and they had made their own family just as her kids and husband had, and that it was indeed enough. If you believe her, of course, though I am of the mind it doesn't matter.
I can only assume some people will be up in arms about something bigger not happening or some twist or what have you, but...The Leftovers, as has been said, was never about the mechanics of The Departure it was about our characters dealing with it and we finally got to see the conclusion to their dealing, or at least finally being able to move on. Beautiful work by all involved, one of the most humane stories I think I've ever seen really.
Bravo.
It was a good end. The twist was subtle: 2% disappeared in Nora's dimension and 98% disappeared in her family's dimension. Everything else was exactly the same in both. So simple but I never even considered that.
share100% agree with your words, well said.
So, it appears the conversation today is about- Was Nora lying to Kevin and making that entire story up about her going to that other reality? Honestly, I thought Nora chickened out and had second thoughts and was getting up out of that pod. It appeared like she began yelling "stop" or something similar while GETTING UP! So, my first thought was - this never happened.
However, like you, I can accept either interpretation because the end justifies the means I suppose. But I am interested in reading what other people think about this.
Great great finale. Actually it appeared to me this was a four part finale (last 4 episodes).
I think the reason it doesn't matter to me whether Nora was lying or not is because the bones of the story are basically the same regardless. She went to see her kids, she decided against it, and came back to where she belonged. Either way you look at it those are the foundations of her experience, therefore it brought her to this same moment in time with Kevin before her and her finally in a place to be able to fully love him and live a life not so tethered by this displaced feeling.
They both had elaborate stories for one another this episode, and the stories we tell ourselves, even if they're lies, still come from some kernel of truth....usually a truth we're trying to hide or run from. They told themselves and each other what they had to to be able to put the past behind them and go on to live the life they feel they're meant to have together. That's good enough for me.
Yeah, I choose to believe she was lying.
At first I totally bought her story, but I didn't like that story. So I was confused, and almost disappointed. And then I saw the birds return at the end.
I didn't think Nora would lie after catching Kevin on his lie and not buying it. But I interpreted the birds returning as telling us "Hey, did you think the birds would fly away and spread the message after all? Nah, they were just late." And, you know, earlier in the episode, the viewer is confused at Kevin's ignorance of the real past, but it turns out that the simple explanation that he was just lying was correct. (Although it's not simple to me why he would either)
I think it's clever the way they made it so the end would please several types of people.
Edit: Though now that I read Dreamers' post I guess Nora wasn't just lying to Kevin, so that makes more sense to me now.
Sure, Nora lying is a possibility because nobody else was there to see what happened... but it would have gone against her character and would have turned her into a gigantic hypocrite. She spent the whole series seeking truth. It was her job. She scolded and exposed liars throughout. She turned Kevin away for not telling the truth. Only when he told the truth did she let him back in. I just don't see Nora lying about the biggest thing to happen in her life as probable. In my humble opinion, had she decided to turn her life into one big lie, she would not have been so critical of others lying to her in that final episode.
shareI believed Nora. Matt was there, after all. He would've known if she went to the other side or changed her mind in the last moment. I don't think he'd be able or willing to lie to everyone back home until the day he died. Kevin would've known if Matt was lying as well. (he's a policeman after all, they can sense when someone is lying)
As for Nora's story about the other side and seeing her kids again... it was so emotional. I think the ending was simple and perfect. Not too much and not too little was revealed. Most importantly, Kevin and Nora are back together. I agree with a poster who wrote that the ending had something for everyone, and everyone will be pleased with it. Well done.
Hi there everyone, I was wondering can someone explain the finale in simple terms to me. I have watched it a couple of times and read some of the explanations here but I am still struggling to understand. The departure did happen and where did they go? Did Nora see her children in the end? But what world were they in? Was it heaven? Was it ever explained where everyone eventually ended up? Why didn't she stay with her children?
Also, I never understood Kevin's role in all of this, was he really returning to another place when he repeatedly died or was it all in his mind and none of that happened? I probably should have started a new thread but not sure how to do that.
I would welcome any responses, I am sorry if I seem a bit naive or dumb for not understanding!
When the Departure happened, it supposedly created TWO parallel universes, with ONE difference between them. In Universe A, 2% of the world's population disappeared. This is the universe that ALL of the Leftovers series has been following. In Universe B, 98% of the world's population disappeared. No one died during the Departure; they were separated from one another. Universe B is where Nora's children and her husband wound up in. They believe NORA and 98% of the population disappeared, when in Nora's universe, THEY disappeared. Now, whether or not if this actually happened or not is ENTIRELY interpretative to you, the viewer. I think most of the audience would say that YES, this did happen, because Nora told us and Kevin so. But, there are people who believe EVERYTHING Nora told Kevin was a lie because we are TOLD about this other universe and not SHOWN. These people think that what REALLY happened was this: Nora panicked, begged to be let out of the machine, and took off to hide in Australia while Matt covered for her, and kept that secret until he died.
If Nora DID go through the machine, and ended up in this Universe B, it asks A LOT of questions like "how long was she in there" "when did she come back" "why is she the only one to cross back from this other universe" "why don't others do this" "if she was gone for a LONG time, how did she manage to get back in touch with Laurie" and so on. But in all honesty, these CAN be answered by the viewer and does not necessarily need the show to answer said questions. If Nora DIDN'T go through the machine, then the series ends on the depressing note that no matter how much Nora and Kevin try to be together and try to tell each other the truth, one or both of them will lie to the other FOREVER, and they'll never learn how to properly handle their problems.
As for Kevin, again, interpretative to the viewer. Which ever one you pick leaves questions than answers. If Kevin CAN go to the afterlife and come back:
1). Why is he the only one who can do this?
2). Is the guy Kevin talked to on the bridge, David Burton, really GOD, or was it pure coincidence that Matt and Kevin saw the same man?
3) Did Kevin actually DESTROY the afterlife by causing a nuclear war, or does it reset like a video game?
If the afterlife stuff were all HALLUCINATIONS of Kevin's, then:
1). What the hell was the poison Virgil told Kevin to drink in Season 2?
2). How the hell did Kevin survive John's gunshot wound at POINT BLANK RANGE?
3). Was Kevin resuscitating his own body when Kevin Sr, John, Michael and Grace were drowning him? If so, how?
Thanks Adam for taking the time to reply. I understand a lot better now, and as you explained it is interpretative by the viewer. I guess nothing is ever simple or as cut and dried as we would like to think.
Your detailed explanation was very helpful. Thanks again.
It was better than the episodes leading up to it at least.
shareUninspired, anti-climactic and incredibly disappointing. So much drama and screen time dedicated to Kevins feigned ignorance and Noras emotional isolation, both of which were entirely and unnecessarily fabricated for the episode and had no relevance to the story line thus far. Noras explanation of the departure, although interesting (despite the time scale not adding up), only revealed one of the least intriguing mysteries in the show.
What about Kevin? He was the catalyst for the entire series. All the most interesting mysteries were related to him. Holy Waynes baby, the draining of the lake, the voices and visions he and his dad experienced, the alternate reality, the prophecies many minor characters claimed he was at the center of, his seeming immortality. This season heavily played up the Christ angle too. All implicating divine providence leading to great heroic sacrifice. Or all a tease leading to a massive case of blue balls. Such a disappointment.
I totally agree that the lack of explanation with Kevin's story line was a big letdown. It feels way too reminiscent of the Lost ending (not a good thing). The main character was resurrected from death multiple times during the series and there's no need to define how or for what purpose? At least tie all of that together by having him save the world from the great flood, implying God had a purpose for him. Instead, the only end purpose revealed for Kevin's resurrections was....God needed him alive so that he could sulk over Nora for 10+ years and scavenge Australia so that he can find her and pretend he has amnesia?
Other than that, I was satisfied with the explanation Nora provided for the departures. Though, how awesome would it have been if they actually stretched it a few more episodes and actually let us witness her time spent in the alternate world?!? I feel they missed out on some great television there... kill the sex cruise episode and give me the Nora alternate universe instead!
For sure, Nora in the alternate dimension would have been fascinating, much more so than the Laurie & Matt-centric episodes. Their characters are useful foil for other characters story lines but way less engaging as leads.
Back to Kevin, was his faux amnesia an intentional wink and nod to the audience acknowledging the bait-and-switch? As though dying several times, Patty & traversing alternate realities, being the centerpiece of religious literature etc. had no real meaning beyond being interesting backdrops to examine the characters? That perhaps we should just "let the mystery be"?
OK but how incredibly pretentious and intellectually lazy.
I don't give a damn about where the departed went, we didn't know those characters. The entire series had been building on a plot arc, specifically with Kevin, that failed to reach ANY conclusion let alone a satisfying one. Maybe I'm just the fool for expecting the writer to comply with the traditional story format of a beginning, middle and end, but I was, you know, expecting an end. Are we in a post story arc world now, have we moved beyond endings? Is this the vanguard of new wave storytelling? Jokes on me I guess.
Funny you mention Lost, I hadn't even realized the same man was behind it but now it's starting to click. I stopped watching that show after the first season because it had a compulsive case of carrot on a stick syndrome, tantalizing viewers with the next big mystery only to introduce three more once it was solved. It all seemed so haphazard and lacking a cohesive end point that could in any way be satisfying. A belief that turned out to be validated.
If characters are what draw you in, The Leftovers is great television. But the lack of finality to Kevins arc sours, and given this writers track record I'm definitely going to be careful before committing to his next project.
I'm a little late to the party, but I really liked the finale. I liked Nora and Matt's final conversation. It (the finale) filled in some things (if Nora's story is true). We saw Laurie is fine with her granddaughter.
This time we were warned that there wasn't going to be anything ala Lost going on. I liked that there wasn't a big to do, just two people finally getting some resolution. Shame they missed so many years, but maybe that was what they needed in order to move on (or figure out what's important in Kevin's case).
And Kevin Sr. is still kicking, and that's awesome.
I'm sure you meant Nora and KEVIN's final dialog.
I felt the same as you did. Yeah, it may have taken 10-15 years, but it looks like they got it right now.
So do we assume Kevin Snr really was just schizophrenic the whole time and wasn't receiving messages from a higher power?
share