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After its last episode dropped on April 10, 2022, Killing Eve joined the likes of Game of Thrones and Dexter to be named as one of the worst series finales of all time. What started as an acclaimed series started going downhill in later seasons, with its polarizing finale hammering the final nail in its coffin.
BBC America's Killing Eve, which is based on the novel Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings, follows a British Intelligence officer named Eve Polastri, who is chasing after a Russian assassin called Villanelle. However, their entanglement soon turns personal as emotions get involved.
The first season of the show garnered widespread acclaim from critics and viewers alike. However, its fourth season became its lowest-rated, with the last episode receiving the lowest rating of all.
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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and there are spoilers ahead for the series. Discretion is advised.
What happens in the Killing Eve finale? Ending explained
Killing Eve begins with a cat-and-mouse chase that soon turns into an obsession for both Eve and Villanelle. After crossing paths multiple times, the two develop feelings for each other. However, their personal values and contrasting lives make it difficult for them to reconcile.
Eve and Villanelle spend most of the fourth season apart. While Villanelle attempts to turn over a new leaf and abandon her killing ways in vain, Eve is trying to locate members of The Twelve to bring them to justice. When the two meet, Eve has Villanelle arrested, but Hélène bails her out. Later, she is shot by an arrow but survives.
Angry at Eve for having her arrested, Villanelle joins Gunn, the assassin who shot her (but deliberately spared her life). They spend time on an island in Scotland, but upon learning that Gunn is still loyal to The Twelve, Villanelle attempts to flee.
In the last episode, Eve shows up on the island just as Villanelle is being pursued by Gunn in the woods. When she spots Eve, Gunn attacks her with a machete. But Eve fights back and gouges out the assassin's eyes. As she reunites with Villanelle, the two leave the island. In a vulnerable moment, Eve pours her heart out and Villanelle picks her up, spinning her around.
They are interrupted by another couple who invite them to hang out. Taking up the offer, Eve and Villanelle share a few moments of romantic intimacy. Later, they steal the couple's van and drive away, sharing a more blissful time. Eventually, they arrive at the Barn Swallows Pub in London, where they meet Pam and Carolyn.
After learning that The Twelve would meet on a cruise ship sailing on the Thames River, the duo make their way to the location. As Eve pretends to be an officiant for a wedding onboard, Villanelle infiltrates The Twelve's meeting and takes them down successfully.
Eve and Villanelle share a hug, finally happy and relieved that their shared goal was fulfilled. No more danger, no more evil - or at least that's what it seemed for a few seconds. Suddenly, a bullet hits Villanelle in the back. As the unknown assailant fires at Eve, Villanelle jumps in the way, and the two leap overboard into the river below.
Another volley of bullets fire at Villanelle. As blood fills the water, Eve swims to the surface and lets out a painful scream. Villanelle sinks to the bottom, having lost her life.
Why was the Killing Eve finale so controversial? Details explored
Everyone received negatively the last episode of season four which wrapped up the story of Killing Eve. Ending the story with an abrupt death, the show left many questions unanswered. While it was revealed that Carolyn was behind Villanelle's murder, her motivation and reaction were not shown.
Eve, the protagonist of the show and Villanelle's closest person is devasted at her death. However, the ending does not bother to explore the aftermath. Eve is left crying, but her future is left unknown. Moreover, it seemed cruel to make the two women reunite after so many seasons and give them a romantic moment, only to snatch it away in the last moments of the show.
Many critics and fans also accused Killing Eve of perpetuating the 'bury your gays' trope where LGBT+ characters are unceremoniously killed off after a false hope of happiness. Echoing the fate suffered by queer characters in shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The 100, and Supernatural, among others, the show's ending quickly led to it being named as one of TV's worst in lists by publications such as Variety and Business Insider.
American Magazine called it a "cheap, shock-value ending" while the finale was labeled as a "betrayal" by Den of Geek. Villanelle's redemption storyline at the beginning of season four, which saw the assassin turn to religion to leave her old life and become a good person, was also labeled as homophobic due to its conversion narrative.
Most importantly, the show unexpectedly overturned the book's original ending. In the novel, Eve and Villanelle get a happy ending with both still being alive and living together as a couple. The show's decision to change that ending and turn it into a tragedy left fans enraged and infuriated.
Writing for The Guardian in 2022, author Luke Jennings revealed that he was taken aback by the ending. He wrote,
"But the season four ending was a bowing to convention. A punishing of Villanelle and Eve for the bloody, erotically impelled chaos they have caused. A truly subversive storyline would have defied the trope which sees same-sex lovers in TV dramas permitted only the most fleeting of relationships before one of them is killed off... How much more darkly satisfying, and true to Killing Eve’s original spirit, for the couple to walk off into the sunset together?"
The criticism of Killing Eve could have been avoided if it simply followed the original ending of the book. Instead, its provocative decision backfired and ruined the legacy of the show. With the showrunner changing every season and criticism over its all-white writing team, Killing Eve's reputation died a tragic death along with Villanelle.
All four seasons of Killing Eve are currently available to stream or rent on Lionsgate Play, Amazon Prime, and Netflix in the US.
