Person Of Interest

Another scenario for the End might simple be John walking down a street and then the phone rings.

Because the Numbers never stop.

I'd give the current members of Team Machine all send-offs and conclusions.

But make the final scene of the show be Claire Mahoney (the prodigy chick) and Alistair Wesley (the British mercenary from season 3) walking down a reorganized library, assuming Finch's and Reese's roles as the phone starts ringing.

So the Canadian channels got the latest episode a day early. Lucky us.

We haven't reached the first commercial break, and Shaw's already on the loose. Dayum.

End-of-episode EDIT: Holy shit. This was an episode.

edited 15th May '16 10:03:03 PM by Blueeyedrat

I figured this episode was going to a Downer Ending the moment of the conveniently found boat

Knew that was a simulation! I thought the boat was convenient myself, but that I figured was part of some scheme. Everything became too good to be true even in actual reality when they baited those hitters then captured Greer.

As for the subject of Control being killed off versus put in some dark hole, my reason for believing the latter is the fact that she's a high-ranking government official, and as opposed to some other meddlesome govt folks like the IA guy questioning the FBI version of Dominic's shooting, her death wasn't explicitly mentioned, and I do assume that the Machine would keep an eye out for her.

I think it's strange that Shaw is still shown in the opening credits, despite her actress not being an actual series regular.

Dat Ship Tease.

Is it ship tease when it's an actual subplot that matters?

I assume that when you get the Big Damn Kiss everyone wanted for the longest time and then some, but then you learn it was All Just a Dream (sorta), I think it counts.

You do raise a good argument there, especially with regards to dream sequence factor, though I'll have to counter with fact that it's not subtext at all. It stopped being subtext or teases in Season 4. Season 3 it was subtext, but with season 4 and 5, it's grown into outright text.

...Also, I just realized something creepy: they've ran that simulation all those times in her head. And watched all of it, including what was cut for us viewers.

edited 17th May '16 4:56:54 AM by Prime_of_Perfection

I assume that some parts of the simulation are voluntarily skipped (the boat part...) to save time. 4,761 repeats are bound to require a lot of time, even though the first ones were shorter because unsuccessful.

Still, Fridge Horror kicks in when you factor in that Shaw had to do it so many times. Are they using some kind of device to erase her memory?

@Shoot/Raw (heh, Portmanteau Couple Name works both ways): obviously there was the first kiss, but it happened under particular circumstances and we never got to see what followed for obvious reasons. And now, for all we know, next time Shaw sees Root, she might have been fully brainwashed.

edited 17th May '16 9:52:08 AM by Julep

I wouldn't skip things if I were in their shoes because that is dangerous. Well, first assuming they can skip things (we've no means of knowing one way or another), given that the goal is to find any slip up, best to keep an eye on her thoughts the entire time. Otherwise might as well just fast forward through it all or whatever. What's more, its better to be thorough than to become complacent on the job. And Greer I cannot see becoming complacent in his execution, especially when he feels he has all the time in the world.

edited 17th May '16 7:04:23 PM by Prime_of_Perfection

My mistake, I guess Sarah is still a series regular, they're just not crediting her for episodes she's not in.

I guess I should have been more clued in earlier on, that everything going on wasn't real. For one thing, Finch seemed rather lackadaisical over Shaw having returned. In fact he seemed to behave as though it were more an inconvenience than anything else.

That, and performing surgery in a subway..... right.

At first I thought it was poor writing, but then I realised it's brilliant. Sameen barely understands her own feelings, so of course imagining other people's emotional reactions isn't going to be her forte. It's telling that the only other person in that simulation who really seems to feel something is Root. Subtly moving.

And Bear, obviously.

For some reason, I was not THAT surprised to learn that Elias was still alive - I won't complain, though. They really are having fun wrapping up the stories for as many previous characters as possible. However, I was hoping that the Machine would get at least one win out of ten billions. I fail to see how the odds could be more stacked against them.

Elias has relinquished control of La Cosa Nostra, but I don't really see him doing nothing all day. He would be a great addition to Team Machine in these troubled times...

I' not sure why on earth the writers decided to keep him alive, actually. He.. doesn't fit that well with the apocalyptic storyline. Still, they've known what they were doing so far, so.

He is a wild card, something Samaritan totally ignores. Unlike Team Machine, he is not hunted. I don't know if he will come back (I want to, I can never see too much of his actor) but if he does it might be to surprise Samaritan - and to prove that he is not omniscient.

The fact that Elias is around might screw up any simulations/plans/programs Samaritan has for Shaw, for one

edited 18th May '16 10:25:18 AM by 3of4

You know what would blow my mind.... if Detective Carter showed up in one of the last episodes, and revealed her death was a huge cover-up.

Or maybe I just want to see Teraji P. Henson on this show one more time before it ends.

Well, that was quite unexpected, but like I said, now the Machine has to arm up. Elias has enough pull despite having to hide for months, and with Samaritan fooled, if only temporarily, he might tip the odds in the Machine's favor.

My thinking is still the Machine isn't going to beat Samaritan by killing it or deleting it's code, hence why it kept loosing the simulations, 10 billion times. The Machine is going to merge with it, "killing" itself to make something else.

I think you're right there, either some kind of merger or so on. Who knows, perhaps they might become the modern equivalent of sealed good and evil in a can.

With Moran gone, I think we can safely say that La Cosa Nostra/Elias' Organization is finished for good in New York City