Summary
We must remember to breathe in episode 8 as the series throws some audacious twists at the audience.
This recap of Netflix’s Money Heist season 5, episode 8, “The Elegance Theory,” contains spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
Every time this series throws a twist at me, I always fall for it. I always think, “IT’S OVER,” and then it turns out to be a double twist. As I write this recap for the 8th episode of season 5, I am exhausted. This series does something incredible. It makes you believe every single swerve.
Money Heist season 5, episode 8 recap
Episode 8 opens with a Berlin flashback. His wife Tatiana is breaking up with him, but he pleads that they stay together and not allow his terminal illness to end things. His wife claims they used to have bigger dreams, like stealing from the Spanish reserve bank. She confirms she wants a divorce, and Berlin is heartbroken. He feels there is someone else, so he follows her. And then he learns a dark truth — his wife is having an affair with his son Rafael.
Berlin confronts his son and tells him that his wife is amazing. Rafael wishes he had told his father himself — he explains it’s only been three weeks and claims he’s really in love with her. Berlin wishes Rafael and Tatiana the best, knowing they will not get a pension or a vast inheritance. He then trashes the restaurant, and he is arrested.
Little did we know how relevant this flashback is — this is an exceptional turning point.
In the present day, there’s gold, gold, gold continuing to fly through the drainage system; they manage to get all the gold out. Meanwhile, Tamayo is aware that they can hear a drainage system pump near the engine. The authorities know what The Professor is doing; Tamayo demands that they find where the gold is. It’s not over yet.
Denver admits to Stockholm that he kissed Manila and that he’s confused. He feels he has more in common with Manila. Stockholm isn’t in the mood to talk, and she seems dazed with a headache. She starts hallucinating and hears Toyko’s voice, and she looks up the shaft of the dumbwaiter; she sees Sagasta’s squad member, and she thinks she sees the ghost of Arturo. Denver promises to look after her as she is frightened — he places her in a vault. This is a chance for the fractured couple to reconnect and have fun together. Stockholm strip teases for him. What a way to reconcile.
Tamaya’s men check out a location, hoping to find the heist team pumping out of the gold. However, the first location they visit is all clear. The second location, a dam, is also all clear. The next location is the Stormwater tank. And the police arrive; The Professor is in shock as Benjamin gives him a gun. He tells everyone to drop their weapons as it’s over. He doesn’t want to cause a massacre and accepts defeat.
And my word, did we think it was all over.
The police arrive, and they surrender; The Professor’s nightmare came true; the authorities heard the mechanical pump, just like he warned Berlin. In a flashback, Berlin tells The Professor that failure defines a person and that he’s determined to squeeze everything from the life he has left.
The ending
But Money Heist has a way of fooling all of us, and this twist brings a shock to the system.
In the back of the police van, The Professor has realized that they’ve been still for a long time and can still hear sirens. Meanwhile, Tamayo is losing his shit again as they cannot find the gold. The Professor leaves the police van and realizes he has been duped — it wasn’t the police. The scene then flits to Tatiana and Rafael taking off their police uniform. They have stolen the gold! HOLY SHIT.
