Summary
An emotional and action-packed finale delivers on all fronts while leaving plenty of potential for a second season.
This recap of The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself season 1, episode 8 contains spoilers, including an open discussion of The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself’s ending.
The finale of The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself begins with a flashback to Gabriel’s childhood, as we see him being handed off to Mercury against his will, and learn how his little book of names has been an effort to try and remember people who have been essentially taken from him by Mercury’s repeated use of the yellow memory-loss powder. The first two names were those of his parents. The latest one is, of course, Nathan’s. But will he be able to remember in time to do anything about the current predicament at Wolfhagen?
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself episode 8 recap
Speaking of Wolfhagen, outside Nathan talks some sense into the Parisian Bloods by reminding them that Marcus just wants revenge, and if they’re truly interested in helping him they should stop worrying about the prophecy and just go inside and kill the Fairborn Hunters for him. Inside, meanwhile, Jessica is trying to persuade Soul to take Annalise’s decimation power, and she just about succeeds when the Bloods fortuitously launch their attack, which makes a nice distraction.
Meanwhile, Gabriel remembers. A young boy, presumably the new version of him, which has all kinds of terrifying implications, helps him to steal Marcus’s family blood and tells him of a secret passage back out which was created by the boy before this one, who never got the chance to use it. This young boy is too afraid to use it, but Gabriel promises he’ll return to save him, and writes his name on the inside of his shirt cuff. Mercury tries to stop Gabriel from leaving like a horror movie villainess, but he’s able to escape through the Cut under the boy’s bed.
The finale pulls that duality trick again by interspersing Soul and Nathan’s exploration of Wolfhagen with manic flashbacks to the Peace Massacre. Ceelia arrives to prevent Nathan from confronting Soul alone and implores him to find Annalise while she fights in his stead. And Annalise seems to need the help, since Jessica has cornered her in the wine cellar and is monologuing, which is never a good sign. But Jessica underestimates Annalise’s ability to control the decimation, so she’s able to hit her with it just enough to tear her face open a little (she shapeshifts into her mother when she thinks she’s about to die, which is a sad touch) but leave her alive, screaming on the ground in defeat and humiliation.
Gabriel also arrives right on time, but Nathan delays drinking the blood for just long enough for Gabriel to take a stray bullet in the chest. The vial of Byrne blood saves him but means that Nathan now has no means of staving off his death — or at least, no way other than being fed the blood of his actual father, who we know is lurking around somewhere.
Elsewhere, Soul chews off half of Ceelia’s neck like a vampire, and as she sits there dying she watches him kill and eat the hearts of the Parisian Bloods, a monster once again roaming the halls of Wolfhagen. She finally dies in the company of Nathan, Gabriel, and Annalise. The three of them leave Wolfhagen together, with Nathan on the brink of death. As they continue to walk, they decide to say all the things they want to say while they still have the chance, since most people don’t get that opportunity. Annalise confesses her love for them both. So does Nathan. Gabriel doesn’t share, but you can imagine he’s thinking the same.
The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself ending
As the trio continues to walk further into the woods, Soul, using Bjorn’s power, freezes Gabriel and Annalise in place so he can confront Nathan directly. Nathan, knowing he can’t hope to compete in a direct fight, runs off into the mist. But he’s weakening. And that’s when he finally meets his dad.
Marcus (played by a frighteningly intense David Gyasi) tells Nathan the story of killing his mother’s husband, a Fairborn witch who met his death with a smile. When Marcus took his heart, he learned why — his power was knowing how and when he died. He had already come to terms with it before it happened. Through him, Marcus met Nathan’s mother and loved her, and she loved him in return. He thought fleeing would keep her and Nathan safe from the Fairborn Council, but he was wrong. He has seen his own death now. When Nathan holds a knife to his throat, he has no fear, since he knows it isn’t today that he dies. He gives Nathan his blood and his three gifts. The first is his life. The second is the last words his mother said to Marcus, about how she was unafraid of what their son might become. His final gift is the chance for Nathan to see who he really is. He has to kill Soul to avenge his mother and grandmother.
Nathan takes Marcus’s knife and hunts Soul through the woods via his heartbeat. The two square off, which is a good opportunity to flex more of the FX budget and show off some more of Soul’s abilities. Nathan is able to avoid bolts of lightning, fireballs, and ice blasts, and bury Marcus’s knife in Soul’s chest. It does little damage, but it does free Gabriel and Annalise from their suspension. They rush to intervene, and Annalise tearfully uses decimation on her father. “His own blood will kill the Wolf,” Soul intones in realization, as his own daughter tears him apart, thus fulfilling the prophecy.
As The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself ends, Jessica, whose power is on the fritz, steps through the Cut leading to Mercury, who offers to help her get revenge, while Nathan stares at Soul’s heart on the ground like it just might be his next meal.
You can stream The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself season 1, episode 8 exclusively on Netflix. Do you have any thoughts on The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself’s ending? Let us know in the comments.
