Beauty and the Beast - Season 2 Finale - Recap: This Ends Tonight

For one, the story ties up into a rather neat bow, but also leaves the possibility open for future stories, a contingency built in for the show's fortunes going either way. It's always a gamble to construct a finale like this: tie everything up too neatly, and there's nowhere left to take the story if you're renewed; don't tie up anything, and you end up infuriating a lot of people if you somehow aren't renewed. It's a thankless, lose-lose situation -- yet the creative forces behind Beauty and the Beast did what should have been impossible by finding a healthy middle-ground. It's to the point where I would have actually been more than satisfied with this, if it were a series finale. I mean, yes, I would have absolutely hated losing one of my favorite shows on TV, yet this would have been far more than most shows get, in the "satisfying resolution" department. But with all that said, I'm thrilled that we're getting another season, since now we get to see if Season 3 can surpass the high bar that's been set over the course of this year.

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Let me first preface this by saying that, perhaps more than any episode in the back half of Season 2, there were things I wasn't particularly crazy about with "Deja Vu". The portions in the 1800s worked from an aesthetic level, marrying the contemporary design of the series with a more period look, but I ultimately felt that some of the symbolism was a bit heavy-handed, and the parallels too overt, when subtlety would have done just as well (for example, I think the show could have gotten the point across about Alistair/Rebecca without having them live the exact same scenario as VinCat, right down to the Gabe surrogate). That said, the 1800s story isn't without its merit, and I see why the show went in that direction, and even why it was right to: the storyline illustrates just how Vincent (Jay Ryan) and Cat (Kristin Kreuk) are different, and exceptional, to everyone in their situation that came before. In essence, it's a story that tells us, point-blank, that Vincent and Cat aren't just a couple, they're a team. In fact, the story does quite a bit more than that, serving as a treatise on destiny.

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It isn't that Vincent and Cat are meant to be, it's that they've chosen to be. The traditional concept of destiny would mean that Vincent and Cat never had a choice but to be together, which seems romantic in theory, but actually lessens the validity of their connection. Because, really, how valid can your choice be if it's a choice you were always going to make? However, this episode illustrates that Vincent and Cat have enough respect and love for one another as individuals to see that they're better together than they are apart. Sure, fate might have put them in each other's path, but they made the choice to be together, and they put in the work to make certain that nobody could ruin that connection, not even a certified psychopath like Gabe (Sendhil Ramamurthy). So while "Deja Vu" embraces the idea of "destined love," the episode's central thesis seems to be that there isn't really such a thing as destiny, in the traditional sense. Destiny, in this case, is what you make for yourself. And that's such an unmistakably powerful sentiment that I couldn't help but be bowled over by this finale.

I'll mostly touch on the highlights and what I liked about the finale. I'll save my thoughts on where I think the series can go from here, along with my overall analysis on Season 2, for my editorial next week. But for now, let's get to it!

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ONLY CAT

One of the things I liked the most about this finale was its sense of urgency. We seriously waste no time in getting right down to business. The gang learns that Beth has been killed, and that Gabe is trying to lure Vincent out. J.T. (Austin Basis) does some research and concludes that Gabe is stronger than ever now due to the experiments he's conducted on himself. In essence, Gabe wants Vincent to come out and play because he knows Vincent can't defeat him. However, Vincent remains in a tough spot, since it's not like he can just continue allowing innocent people to be killed because of him. But it's also not like Cat can just allow Vincent to go marching to his death, especially since she knows it's going to end badly: she's been reading the journal of Rebecca Reynolds, and has been having nightmares as a result, since the journal details how Alistair died after his climactic final battle with 1800s Gabe. Thus, Cat is convinced that history is going to repeat itself, and that it's up to her to stop that from happening.

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What I found so intriguing about this part of the plot was that, from the moment we learn that Alistair dies, we know that history almost has to repeat itself. Rebecca blames herself for Alistair's death, and although we don't see how she's responsible, we know that something will happen, and that Vincent will be put in a position where Cat very well could be responsible for getting him killed. So, much of the tension in the episode comes from the mystery of just how we'll get to that point, as it seems impossible that someone as smart as Cat would be so rash as to allow such a disaster to happen. And yet, desperation begets all sorts of terrible ideas, and this one is no different.

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Cat decides to lure Gabe away by using Vincent's blood, at which point she'll call in the SWAT team to arrest him, since J.T. has gathered more than enough evidence to conclusively link Gabe to all the killings (not only has Gabe murdered Beth, but he also kills Agent Knox in cold blood, removing the one "guardian angel" Vincent and Cat had within the government...except not really. But we'll get to that later). Tess and Cat's commanding officer isn't sold on the plan, but Tess convinces him to go along with it by promising, in her desperation to stall for time, that if they don't catch Gabe, she'll hand over Vincent. One way or the other, her commanding officer explains, "This ends tonight."

If nothing else, Cat's scheme is a solid enough plan, since it relies on Gabe following his beastly instincts right into a trap. But in trying to rescue Vincent, she removes any sense of agency he has over his own fate. She locks him in a cage and places the gem nearby to inhibit his beast powers so he won't interfere and get himself killed. And honestly, he probably would have gotten himself ripped to shreds had he fallen for Gabe's tactics, which basically amount to taunting him telepathically, which I didn't know beasts could do, but whatever, I'm just going to roll with it. I would also be remiss if I didn't mention what a magnificently detestable villain Ramamurthy is as Gabe, to the point where I wish we could have gotten a lot more of Gabe as a bad guy who fully embraces his villainy. He's just so terrifically hateable in the role, and it speaks volumes of his talent. But I digress...

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Cat feels she's doing the right thing in keeping Vincent away from the danger, but she suddenly has a horrifying realization that plays itself out in her mind. We flashback to the 1800s, as Rebecca has locked Alistair in a cage while she attempts to lure 1800s Gabe to his doom...only for Alistair to be discovered by an angry mob. With his powers inhibited by the gem, Alistair can do nothing as the mob takes him into the streets and parades him around, the beast having finally been captured. Rebecca returns but is too late to do anything to save Alistair. In one of the most powerful visuals the series has ever done, Cat/Rebecca breaks down into convulsive sobs as Vincent/Alistair is burned alive. Seeing a worst case "What if?" scenario depicting the tragic end of Vincent and Cat really brought the stakes home, for me. Sure, their pairing has been put in peril countless times, but we always trust they'll both make it out alive. And even as the episode went on, I never had any doubt that both Vincent and Cat would be fine. But seeing that horrific scenario play out was truly gripping in a way I wasn't expecting, particularly since there's no guarantee that this is how Alistair actually died. But because Cat imagines Alistair as Vincent, it's that much more affecting, because that's our guy in there, getting burned to a crisp, crying out in pain as he does one of the worst deaths imaginable. And while her name is Rebecca, that's still our Cat on her knees, sobbing herself into a puddle so deep, FEMA couldn't bail her out. I have bachelor's and master's degrees in English, so from a scholarly perspective, I'd like to think I'm not so hopelessly romantic as to be taken in by "What if?" scenarios. But dammit, I grew up obsessed with shows like Roswell, which was pretty much the king of heartbreaking "What ifs" (to this day, "The End of the World" is still one of my favorite episodes of television ever, and is one of my favorite songs).

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J.T. IS S.O.L.

So now we know what the stakes are, and we know there's a chance that history could repeat itself. But what we don't know is just how far Gabe is willing to go to lure Vincent to his death. After a brief sort-of argument with Tess (Nina Lisandrello) about his "little lab," J.T. is left alone back at the loft, where Gabe zeroes in on the vulnerable scientist. What follows just about had me gasping for air: upon deciding that they're better off working together than apart, Cat and Vincent reach the loft to discover J.T. suspended from the ceiling by his arms, and covered in blood. For a brief, unthinkable, unfathomable, miserable, gut-wrenching, stomach-churning, heart-stopping, soul-crushing, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad moment, I honestly believed the show had killed off J.T. And to be truthful, I'm not sure how I would have reacted if they had.

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I don't want to imagine it would have been a dealbreaker, but J.T. is my personal favorite, so it would have been rough going not to have him in Season 3. And it really seemed like it was heading in that direction, with Tess breaking down in tears and revealing that the doctors told her J.T. wasn't going to make it, having lost too much blood. Having taken J.T. for granted somewhat, and having voiced doubts to Cat about whether J.T. is actually the one, Tess feels a certain amount of guilt, although it's not as if she knew Gabe would go after him (although, really, she probably should have). But, thankfully, J.T. is bailed out by (who else?) the mysterious, shadowy organization that secured Vincent his exoneration last week. Turns out J.T. was very much a goner, at least until these guys busted in and injected him with an experimental drug that allowed his blood to replicate at a faster pace, essentially saving his life after the massive amounts of blood loss he endured. Of course, nobody does anything without a motivation, but we'll get to that in a bit. First, we have to deal with Gabe...

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THE WAR TO SETTLE THE SCORE

Vincent and Gabe finally meet in a pool hall, which seems far from the perfect spot for a climactic battle. Even Gabe notes that it's strange Vincent wants to do it here, of all places. But it does lead to a pretty fun fight scene. In fact, contrary to J.T.'s assertions that Vincent would be outmatched, he actually holds his own quite well against Gabe, tossing him into a shelf of alcohol and taking control of the fight. However, Gabe quickly regains the upper hand, and looks about ready to rip Vincent's throat out...until Cat wraps a shackle around Gabe's neck. A shackle that just so happens to have the gem inside. Gabe's beast powers are neutralized, and he's suddenly forced to face the grim reality that he's on the hook for multiple charges of murder thanks to all the evidence J.T. has amassed against him. As the sirens blare in the distance, Gabe realizes he's done, and decides he has nothing left to lose. He tosses Vincent aside and breaks a bottle to use against Cat. It's looking like Gabe is going to cut her to ribbons, and he just might have if he hadn't stumbled forward and landed on a broken pool cue Cat was using to defend herself. In one instant, the sad, twisted story of Gabe Lowan comes to an ignominious end, killed by the woman he loved (not unlike Alistair, who was allegedly "killed" by Rebecca Reynolds. Except, from all reports, Alistair wasn't a jealous, sociopathic ass).

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But the story isn't done just yet. On the one hand, Cat is reinstated by her Chief; on the other hand, she and Vincent have just gotten a new job offer from that mysterious, allegedly governmental organization responsible for exonerating him and also saving J.T.'s life. Apparently, beasts aren't the only supernatural force out there. In fact, there are plenty of other creatures that go bump in the night, and now that these agents see what Vincent and Cat are capable of achieving together, these men think that the two can be an awesome addition to their team. And frankly, that sounds like a series I'd love watching, with Cat and Vincent investigating paranormal creatures with official government sanctioning. Granted, it runs the risk of taking the show back to its procedural roots, which I didn't really love at the start. But this would be a different kind of procedural altogether, and there's a possibility of a larger overarching story developing from this, particularly if we learn that this agency isn't who they say they are. There are tons of storyline possibilities here, and I love that potential.

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However, neither accepts the deal just yet. Much like J.T. and Tess, Vincent and Cat are simply enjoying the afterglow of getting to be together in public, without having to hide. It's a moment this season has been leading to, and the culmination of the big kiss, and the talk of "destined love," feels earned. Because we know it's not so much destiny as hard work. Any good relationship requires putting in the time, and Lord only knows, these two have put in two seasons worth.

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CONCLUSION

Beauty and the Beast Season 2 has largely been a mixed bag, with the controversial first half of the season making Vincent into the polar opposite of his Season 1 depiction, and keeping him separated from Cat for the majority. But the latter half is as good as the show has ever been, if not better. And not just because Vincent and Cat are back together, for the most part, although that's a huge chunk of it. No, what worked so well about the back half of Beauty and the Beast Season 2 was its dedication to serialized storytelling, allowing the ensemble to mark the changes in each character and bring those stories to life. J.T. and Tess wouldn't be as effective a couple without Basis and Lisandrello, and Vincent and Cat wouldn't be one of TV's best romantic pairings if not for Ryan and Kreuk's chemistry. And the little crime-fighting foursome wouldn't work so well without each member of the ensemble having independent chemistry with one another. In a lot of ways, the show became less about straight-up plot, and more about character. And that was the key strength, turning a genre adventure series into a character study. Who knows what Season 3 is going to have in store? Maybe Vincent and Cat join the agency and start hunting down supernaturals. Maybe the mysterious injection given to J.T. transforms him into a beast, indirectly causing Tess's wish to have a romance more like Cat's to come true. Or maybe Reynolds gets out of prison and wreaks havoc again (despite his awesome turn this week as a concerned, caring father). Either way, there are loads of possibilities, and that alone is enough to inspire hope. "Deja Vu" was an unmistakably satisfying finale that suggests that nothing in this show happens because it's supposed to happen. Rather, "destiny" means it happens because our heroes have the will to make it happen.

Thanks for reading this season! I hope to be back next week with a special editorial wrap-up on Season 2. But until then, I just want to give a shout out to the best readers and the most devoted fan community on TV. You guys are the best.

GOODNIGHT!