Summary
“What Remains” is a satisfying conclusion to a twisted Netflix series, giving the characters closure and new paths.
After nine thrilling chapters, What/If Season 1, Episode 10 gives the Netflix series a satisfying close with unexpected endings. It was the case of like mother, like daughter, but with surprises.
But before we talk about Lisa (Jane Levy) and Anne, Todd and Angela are in a dangerous situation. Angela is out in the woods with Ian, who is armed and Todd fast approaches in episode 10. It leads to a fight between Todd and Ian, with the Chief Surgeon having the upper hand easily, but he foolishly lands himself in his bear trap. Angela initially offers mercy, but in fear of her own child’s life, she shoots him straight in the head, and the couple plans a cover-up, making the crime scene tell a different story.
Anne (Renée Zellweger) believes she has the upper hand over her daughter Lisa. “What Remains” shows Anne’s world slowly fall apart as she learns from her closest aide James that he allowed her to take the ledger files, which would bring her down. Anne is also on the brink of sinking Emigen with the big Pharma companies, so rather than take James’ offer to flee, she announces her disgust at his disloyalty and takes her chances on convincing Lisa to take the deal of creating empires together.
Sean (Blake Jenner) has accepted that Lisa does not want to reconcile their marriage and heads straight to court to receive sentencing. Lisa makes a statement to him that suggests she has no more heartbreaks left in her but sends her brother to court to reduce his charges and get way less time in prison.
And then the turning point; even while in a hospital bed dazed, Cassidy manages to hint to Lisa how she can bring down Anne, which brings the like mother like daughter moment. Lisa rejects Anne’s offer, but her mother makes it known that she’s already sold Emigen for over 1 billion. Unfortunately, for Anne, Lisa reveals that as part of their organisation, the technology is not patented as they cannot seal human DNA to secrecy, and that as part of the sale, Avery will release the blueprint of the technology from Gage’s company.
This effectively sinks Emigen completely, making the deal meaningless. Episode 10 shows a check-mate, but surprisingly from Lisa. As Anne leaves the house, she looks worried, but proud of her daughter despite the defeat
But Liam is still lurking around, and he has managed to acquire the services of James. He wants to kill Anne, so they both join her at her childhood home, where her mother is slowly dying from dripping morphine. Fortunately, Jame’s loyalty remains intact, and he expertly throws a knife in Liam’s back as he turns away, but Liam still gets to pull the trigger, shooting James in the process. Anne is distraught and refuses to leave Jame’s side as he dies.
Lisa won the mind games and although Emigen is not profitable, Avery and Cassidy agree to make a joint venture to make the technology useable. On the news, it flashes up that Anne’s old home is up in flames, with burning bodies inside, and the Netflix series implies Anne is in there.
Ten months later and Marcos and Lionel are enjoying their wedding, and Todd lets Lisa know that Sean’s parole has been accepted. She decides to meet him, and they agree to start again. I felt like this was an easy exit in the story, but I suppose the writers did not want Anne to get any victory at all in her demise.
The episode ends with Lisa taking an interview about her science, and she is asked about her experiences with Anne. She brutally explained that Anne was a lousy scientist, and she believed because one person betrayed her, everyone else will, despite any data that might contradict that. As the news interview plays, Anne is poolside, with brunette hair, smiling away. She was never truly gone.
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