‘NOS4A2’ Season 1 Finale Recap: Christmas Will Never Be The Same

NOS4A2 definitely did it right by that 2-hour long back-to-back finale. I was on the edge of my seat like never before this season stressing the hell out for Vic! Kudos to Ashleigh Cummings because that performance was straight up on fire. From that unnerving scream of grief to that soft but firm promise to Charlie Manx, she was running the show.

The action that riddled these two episodes on NOS4A2’s Season 1 finale was also a very welcome turn for the series. It made such good use of the momentum set by last week’s episode that it completely held me by the hooks. I only wish that this kind off ‘I want more!’ feeling hit sooner. But nevertheless, this finale was spectacular. It had everything we needed. And it definitely set expectations higher for NOS4A2’s Season 2.

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The Wraith’s Leverage

After Maggie’s (Jahkara Smith) near brush with death, she acts like everything’s normal. But, Vic doesn’t let it fly past her. So, Maggie admits that she gave in to her demons as she blamed herself for Bly’s death. Soon enough, this kind of thinking got to Vic and her worry over Craig’s (Dalton Harrod) radio silence overcomes her. Arriving at Bing’s house with Maggie, Vic realizes that Craig did something very stupid. He charged the oaf’s house with a bat only to be on the receiving end of it. And now, he’s missing.

Out in the woods, Bing (Olafur Darri Olafsson) meets Manx (Zachary Quinto). And after the latter notices the scar on Bing’s face, Bing comes clean with what he did to Vic in his desperation to get off the naughty list. Manx is furious. But, Bing manages to divert his attention to the kid in his trunk, Craig.

Manx easily finds out that Craig and Vic are in love and have more or less consummated that love. Stunned and once again furious, Manx decides once and for all to do away with Vic since she is no longer “pure.” Taking Craig from Bing, Manx instructs the oaf to pack up, go underground, and get him some gingerbread gas.

Unfortunately for Bing, the police are at his house when he gets back. While he was with Manx, Vic packed up some oil from his garage and left to find the wraith and torch it. And she left Maggie to call the police. So, Bing hightails out of the place. Meanwhile, Maggie tries her best to give a convincing statement to the cops. But, Detective Tabitha Hutter (Ashley Romans) knows she’s not giving them the whole truth. Fortunately, Hutter finds Bing’s bloody nail gun and doesn’t need any more convincing to send the cops after Bing.

Sleigh House

Using her bridge, Vic arrives at Manx’ old home, the Sleigh House. She tries to free Craig from the Wraith’s trunk but, it doesn’t budge open no matter what she does. Plus, she gets quite the nasty frostbite from Bradley (Pierson Salvador), Manx’ new child. Suddenly, the Wraith blares to life, unleashing Bradley on Vic. So, she runs up to Manx’ house and shuts herself in.

Trapped inside, Vic sees Manx pick up her bike and marvel at her bridge. To her horror, he throws her bike in and destroys her inscape. Having no time to grieve over her lost bridge and the splitting headache it caused her, Vic runs deeper into the house until she traps herself in the laundry room. Finding no way to draw Vic out, Manx grabs the oil from her bike and douses the house with it. And without hesitation, he sets it on fire.

For a minute or so, every effort Vic makes seems futile. Then, she sees the vent. Unfortunately, she’d have to scale it to get to the next curve of it. On her first try, Vic ends up crashing back down injuring her leg in the process. But, as the fire comes closer to eating the room, she forces herself up again, scaling the slippery vent through the thick smoke with her injuries until she finds a way out. She immediately lunges to open up the window in front of her. And in the distance, she sees Manx’ wraith riding off with Craig.

Back in Haverhill, Bing is getting the gingerbread gas Manx asked for when his boss from the pharmaceutical busts him in the act. And the man threatens to call the police. In the precinct, Maggie tries to convince Hutter to go to the pharmaceutical after consulting her tiles. This time, she tells Hutter the whole truth. Unfortunately, when they get there, they only find Bing’s boss tied up in his car with a dick drawn on his head.

Gunbarrel

While in Manx’ trunk Craig manages to set himself free and poke a hole down the Wraith’s gas pipe. Immediately feeling its effects, Manx turns around to head to Sam’s gas station. Vic, on the other hand, hitches a ride with a passing biker named Lou Carmody to the same gas station. After hearing her situation, the owner immediately phones the police while Vic calls up Maggie. Vic asks Maggie to ask her scrabble bag where Manx is and as Hutter watches, Maggie digs in. The word ‘Gunbarrel’ comes out just as Manx arrives at the gas station.

Handing Lou a gun that the owner provided, Vic and Lou head out to corner Manx. While Lou keeps him at gunpoint, Vic works to get Craig out. Unfortunately, the trunk’s keys are missing so Craig rips a hole through the backseat only to be met by the hungry Bradley. While Vic tries to wrench open the door to the backseat, the Wraith suddenly jerks back. It provides enough distraction for Manx to overpower Lou and take hold of the gun. Thinking quick, Vic douses the wraith’s hood with gas. And just as Manx turns the gun on her, she holds an open lighter over the gas-drenched car. Then, she drops it.

Manx immediately starts to crumble, age, and blister. And Vic gets back to Craig. However, the wraith’s magic has trapped him inside with no way out. With no choice, Vic is left to look for other ways to break him out. Just as she heads back with a fire extinguisher, the wraith explodes killing Craig and Bradley. Vic drops to the ground releasing a horrific and grief-filled scream.

Remnants of Destruction

Vic wakes up later on at the hospital with a horrible start. Fortunately, Lou’s soft character diverts her attention. Before they part, Lou leaves her his contact number. However, when the doctor comes in for Vic’s assessment, she drops an unexpected surprise. Vic is pregnant. After getting her bearings together, Vic pays a visit to Manx who’s barely hanging onto life. As he lies there, helpless, decrepit, and looking like the monster he is, Vic makes a solemn promise to find Christmasland and burn it to the ground.

Meanwhile, Hutter pays Maggie a visit, finding herself attracted to the world of creatives. Though Maggie warns her of what happens to non-Creatives who dabble in their world, Hutter is resolute to ask her help to find Bing. Finally relenting, Maggie digs out her tiles and they spell out the words “House of Sleep Two.” It turns out, Bing has found a new hideout. There, he assumed a new identity shaving himself clean and changing his plates with no hint of relenting for his crimes.

A while later, Vic endures the ordeal of Craig’s funeral. There, she tells her dad and only her dad about her pregnancy. And outside, she finds Craig’s mom who tells her to get away from their little sucky town and start a new life somewhere. With those words ringing in her mind, Vic rides out to where her bridge used to be passing through significant places in the town. Maggie finds her there and confesses she has decided to stay in Haverhill to help Hutter find Bing. Unfortunately, it’s the opposite for Vic. Without promises, the two part ways.

Six months later, Bing is working at a dentist’s office. While Vic is working with Lou on his motorcycle shop with her tummy prominently visible. Somewhere out there, the wraith is in ruins in the pound. But, since she’s one of a kind, one mechanic just can’t bear sending the beauty to the scrapyard. Just as he jumps starts the car’s batteries, life sparks back into Manx at the prison hospital.

NOS4A2 Season 1 Overall Verdict

NOS4A2 had such great promise. However, Season 1 was riddled with ups and downs that had the show having to redeem itself repeatedly. I kept waiting for that moment that I can say that NOS4A2 is really a great show. But, when such a moment comes around, I’m forced to take it back the following episode. This 2-hour long finale actually showcased just how much the overall season could’ve been done better. Soundtracks, a consistent climb towards its climax, and more balance towards the stakes could’ve glued the whole season together better.

Apart from the particularly shocking episodes, this finale is NOS4A2’s best showcasing spectacular acting, panic-inducing action, and some great writing. Thankfully, NOS4A2 has already been renewed for a second season. Hopefully, by that time around, the series won’t be standing on shaky ground. And it wouldn’t hurt anybody for it to explore its source material further and get deeper into the world of creatives. I still have high hopes for NOS4A2. And hopefully, Season 2 wouldn’t disappoint.