Killing Eve (Season 4)

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I finally got caught up on season 3, and I've started in on the fourth - and final - season. Each episode will be in its own comment.


Archival note: I also went on to collect these comments into a fanwork on AO3 here. The 'mid-season thoughts' in particular are longer and more fleshed out over on AO3. You can also find the fanwork on SquidgeWorld Archive.

Comments

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Originally commented on 31 March 2022:

Episode 1: Just Dunk Me

Watched: 25 March 2022

I don't know enough about cultural attaches to know what's going on with the possible demotion of Carolyn, but I'm sort of relieved that we've moved on from the stuff about her daughter, at least.

I'm... Eh. I guess you could say that I'm indifferent to the approach that Villanelle is going to join a religious community - specifically Catholic, I think - in order to prove that she's not monstrous. Or that she's redeemed, or whatever. I absolutely could see her killing the cat (rest in peace to the all black cat named Lucifer) and the attempt at killing - May? We'll call her May - in the church from a few commercial breaks away. I'm not sure how the show's going to handle her stopping just shy of killing May, though, because now we have a witness who can tell people about the attempt.

I'm a bit wary of something happening to Yusuf. We haven't really had any clues, or anything, but after what happened to Niko, I'm not feeling confident about men living if they're too close to Eve right now. (Yes, Niko technically lived through the attempt on his life in season 3, but only by the skin of his teeth.)

Thoughts about what will happen next: Villanelle will stop this whole trying to be a Christian thing. I don't care if she's seeing Drag Jesus after trying to kill May. We could just - I dunno - find some other avenue for her to explore not being an assassin. Carolyn and Eve will make some sort of progress on getting access to The Twelve, I guess. Yusuf will live through the next episode.

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Originally commented on 3 April 2022:

Episode 2: Don't Get Eaten

Watched: 1 April 2022

Fingers crossed, this is the last we have to see of St Mark's or Villanelle trying to be Christian. Sorry to May and the - vicar? - Whatshisface, but it was clear that someone was going to die. I don't know how no one else at the campground came out of their tents during the loud double murder scene, but we should be leaving Drag Jesus behind. I will say that I wasn't surprised by the "I don't think anyone could love her" bit right before the murders, but as someone who caucuses with the aromantic umbrella, I did feel like it was a bit unnecessary.

I'm not sure if Eve is going to survive this season with decisions like stopping by to cook dinner-slash-intimidate someone.

So... Carolyn is working for the Russian intelligence agency? I feel like I'm horribly dropping the ball on her storyline, but "Hello, betrayer" and leaving a rat "for a rat" isn't subtle. She's in a safehouse in Moscow; that I know.

Thoughts on what will happen next: I'm not sure if Carolyn's information will be enough for access to what she wants, but I think she'll be alive in the next episode. Yusuf probably will be, too. Eve, however, will be going to the fuckin' emergency room to check out the burn on her hand from it being held against the burner of an electric stove. Villanelle might be in hiding, or something; this might be the least subtle murder she's ever done, and everyone should know who to go looking for.

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Originally commented on 15 April 2022:

I have been spoilered on the season finale. I'm still going to keep watching the episodes, but unfortunately, I know there's going to be Major Character Death.

- "Killing Eve Fans Hated the Finale—But They’re Taking the Final Word for Themselves" (dated 13 April 2022). Sorry Coy, but this one points to fans turning to fanfic.

- "Everyone Hates The 'Killing Eve' Series Finale Ending" (dated 11 April 2022). This one quotes an interview where the current showrunner tries to explain killing the character off:

On the other hand, we liked the idea of her finally achieving something that she wanted to achieve, which is an act of goodness. And I think in her death, she achieves that act of goodness.

No. Do not pass Go; do not collect $200.

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Originally commented on 15 April 2022:

Episode 3: A Rainbow in Beige Boots

Watched: 15 April 2022

Regarding Martin (the therapist), I feel like that's up there in the top five things that will freak a therapist out. Villanelle really could have made an appointment and followed office hours instead of showing up at his house and forcing him to have a therapy session.

Although, I will say that I'm tired of how psychopathy gets used in entertainment by characters who are supposedly trained in psychology (or related fields). Martin had a moment of trying to indicate progress by saying something like, "Psychopaths think of themselves like gods, and gods don't need to change."

There's something about this episode that felt strange. I mean, yes other plot things are happening with other characters, but the moment where Eve led the police to Villanelle [at Martin's house] in order to turn her in felt off. Like the weird trust based on mutual obsession that's propelled them through the last three seasons was suddenly gone, or something. Coming after the discussion of why Villanelle was drawn to Eve in the so-called therapy session, it landed like a betrayal. Like Eve doesn't have any use for Villanelle if she's not an assassin or able to give any information about The Twelve.

(I immediately watched the next episode, so no thoughts on what might happen next.)

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Originally commented on 15 April 2022:

Episode 4: It's Agony and I'm Ravenous

Watched: 15 April 2022

I feel sorry for Pam. Contrary to how Konstantin and presumably Helene have handled other recruits (especially how Konstantin handled Villanelle in the beginning), it feels like there's a non-subtle amount of force in this supposed sculpting of Pam into an assassin. Having Konstantin's rant on the pier mirror her brother's verbal and psychological abuse that prompted her to kill him seemed a bit much on the writers' part.

(On the one hand, I can understand why Helene has blackmail material to keep Konstantin working as a handler slash trainer sort of type. I can get that The Twelve does not let anyone in the ranks go easily. On the other hand, after he literally had a heart attack from the stress of the job and trying to orchestrate an escape to Cuba all throughout season 3, I'm a bit confused by Konstantin being happy with his position as mayor of some small Russian town or whatever he started season 4 as. I don't quite get how he didn't still manage to get himself somewhere that he could hide.)

I can't say that I was entirely surprised by Carolyn being sent to Cuba to talk to someone who lived through an attempted killing of The Twelve members (or possibly just an informant who knows The Twelve). I'm also not surprised that Villanelle was quickly sprung from jail by Helene in order to be sent to kill Carolyn for investigating said murders. I will say that I'm disappointed by Carolyn's nonchalance about using torture to get information and faith in the accuracy of that information, but I also admittedly follow @scripttorture. (The portrayal of fictional people being tortured in a work of fiction is not the issue so much as the myth that torture will produce accurate intelligence gathering.)

I don't know what's going on with Helene and Eve. I got that there's this flirty, 'I could kill you, but I need information you have' thing going on this season, but I honestly don't get why Eve kissed Helene at the end of this episode. (I also could have done without the shaving her leg while Helene took a bath bit or Eve getting into the tub and showing just how awkward fitting two adults in a tub is.) Are we supposed to think that it's part of Eve fishing for info? Are we supposed to think that Eve's trying to replace her assassin obsession spot formerly filled by Villanelle? I'm not sure.

Thoughts about what will happen next: I don't know if Carolyn's going to see whoever the dude who rode away on a moped is, but I think we'll have to find out more info about him. I'm unclear on whether Villanelle is now in hiding in Cuba while on call to kill for Carolyn. I mean, I think that's what happened when Carolyn bargained for her life, but these are wildly different circumstances to when she first offered Villanelle a job. (Is Carolyn still working for whatever Russian intelligence arm she's been with this season?) Honestly, there's a reason why I'm not usually a spy thriller sort.

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Originally commented on 18 April 2022:

Episode 5: Don't Get Attached

Watched: 18 April 2022

So... Is the 1979 group of young people in Berlin supposed to be socialists, anarchists, or communists? I'm not saying they couldn't be a mixture of vaguely coalesced leftists, but I do wish there was a smidge of clarity about that when some shows just throw out names, have someone say ‘bourgeoisie’ at least once, and make sure there's drinking and/or drug use. Am I really supposed to believe that The Twelve was born out of this group?

(A somewhat shadowy international group that’s powerful and can pull certain governmental strings does not sound like an outgrowth of some leftist party group in ‘70s Berlin. The name could be independently chosen, “ironic” or whatever, or this show is following in the tradition of non-leftist in practice but leftist in name groups.)

I thought Eve watching Chloe’s tennis lessons was a parallel to Villanelle stopping by Konstantin’s daughter’s hockey match back in season 3, and I was expecting Helene to show up at some point to talk. I did not see the sort of minor child abduction coming.

“People like us don’t get happy endings.” Carolyn, characters like you don’t seem to get happy anything. Honestly, that is a helluva backstory for introducing Konstantin and Kenny’s probable conception. (Konstantin slept with Carolyn in order to get information on her father, and he wound up blackmailed and then dead, and they thought they killed Johan after he tried to kill Konstantin in the middle of the reveal. And that’s who was in Cuba, except he’s now hiding in a cabin of Karolina’s somewhere in Germany.)

In contrast, Helene going after Villanelle because Eve went after her child looks like a simple tit-for-tat. I could do without it, but at least it wasn’t hidden behind a few layers of different identities, Cold War spying, and people pretending to be dead. I’m hesitantly updating the ao3 version with the Major Character Death archive warning early because I’m not sure how we’re handling Villanelle being shot in the back by an arrow. It could've been chosen because of the whole Psyche and Eros lesson Eve had to sit in on in order to talk to the professor, but like, arrows can also do some damage.

(I'm not sure how to describe my indifference to Eve's panic at watching Villanelle be shot. Like, she wasn't as interesting or didn't seem to matter earlier in this season, but Eve cares now that she's in a life-or-death situation. Eh, if you say so, I guess.)

Thoughts about what will happen next: There's still time for Yusuf to get hurt by being too close to Eve and her investigation, so I'm cautious. I really hope we don't have one of those weird 'I'm on death's door and imagining what could have been' scenes with Villanelle. I don't know if Carolyn is going to for realsies kill Johan this time or what, but I feel like someone in the circle of Carolyn reliving her spy youth days will not make it out of this season alive.

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Originally commented on 22 April 2022:

Episode 6: Oh Goodie, I'm the Winner

Watched: 22 April 2022

I can't say that I blame Villanelle for not being thrilled that Eve's there. On the one hand, I imagine that a fair number of people would want the person who helped get them locked up to go away. On the other hand, there are times when you need a bit of help and getting shot in the back with an arrow does seem to count. Eve helping Villanelle with the shirt was a moment where I thought 'ah, yeah, the Hurt/Comfort folks are taking notes'.

It definitely seems a little overly cautious to have the MCD warning when Villanelle got patched up in the first ten minutes, but I thought the arrow had, you know, gone in further. To balance that out, Villanelle killed Helene for ordering the hit on her. Eve was just standing there in sort of shock, and I couldn't help but think of group projects where one person is not helpful in the slightest. Like, Eve half-heartedly throws the knife at Villanelle and then just watches as Villanelle continues with killing Helene. After Carolyn made the foot fetish comment, it wasn't a surprise that Villanelle sliced her Achilles tendons.

Oh, and Johan-slash-Lars is dead, too. I was a bit disappointed with how impatient Eve seems to be getting. Honestly, we're starting to get some 'final season so kill people off' vibes, but I suppose that's to be expected in a show about assassins. Whatsherface, the former lover of Helene, had a hit out on her, and Pam made her first kill. She had a point that her target seemed nice and this was not what she expected from an assignment, but it's definitely a moment of 'unfortunately, the audience knows why'. Whatsherface is a loose end that will spill information Helene doesn't want shared at the drop of a hat. Really made the relative cheer and normalcy of the skating disco place pop in comparison.

The shot of the sky in the woods while Villanelle was trying to kill the person behind the arrow shooting mirrored the spinning in the woods moment from earlier in the season when May took Villanelle off into the woods to scream. It was a nice touch, but I'm unsure if Gunn's going to live through being introduced. Some hand-to-hand and laughing after getting the wind knocked out of you is a bit flirty in assassin language, but Villanelle's probably still focused on getting back at The Twelve.

Thoughts on what will happen next: Villanelle will kill Gunn. Pam will struggle with her second assigned target. Villanelle and Eve will bump into each other on the way to the next member of The Twelve, but I'm not sure they play well with each other and will actually work together to target The Twelve members. Carolyn will leave Berlin, I guess. I feel like we've spent a lot of time away from London, and eventually, people are going to start heading back there and making me nervous about Yusuf's survivability again.

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Originally commented on 29 April 2022:

Episode 7: Making Dead Things Look Nice

Watched: 29 April 2022

Konstantin's daughter is out and joined The Twelve, supposedly. Pam was given another postcard, but we haven't, like, travelled anywhere. It was a bit suspicious, but it wasn't until Pam was acting a bit off with the pizza delivery that it clicked - she was assigned to kill Konstantin. I was kind of expecting that order after everything that happened in season 3, but I must admit that I wasn't expecting Pam herself to be given the order when she barely was introduced to Konstantin. But, you know, maybe another handler-slash-trainer was available or whatever. It did feel kind of sad, though, once he said that Helene was dead, and she futilely tried to stop the bleeding. Like, I really hope that Pam does follow through on leaving The Twelve before she's in too deep.

This happened at the end of the episode, and after taking a short break to walk around from that, I instantly went to the next episode, so now, they've sort of blended together a bit. I think Villanelle had a brief fling with Gunn, Eve showed up, and in the course of fighting Gunn (who didn't want Eve to take Villanelle away), Eve gouged her eyes out all in this first hour of the finale. I had this weird feeling that I was supposed to be getting a reference to something, like maybe another myth, but I'm honestly not sure. In theory, Gunn lived, but I must admit that I'm not familiar with eye injuries and there might have been a slight possibility that Gunn wouldn't live without medical attention. (Was it supposed to parallel Niko being left with a disabling injury after an attempt on his life? Or was it a coincidence? I dunno.)

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Originally commented on 29 April 2022:

Episode 8: Hello, Losers

Watched: 29 April 2022

Okay, so... I watched it, but I feel like I didn't actually watch it. If that makes sense? Pam gave Carolyn the letter from Konstantin and passed on his dying message of always having loved her, which I'm not surprised that Carolyn didn't display a lot of emotions over. This was very late in her turtles all the way down level of spying thing this season. She's back with MI6 now, maybe?

Much to my relief, Pam and Yusuf appear to have survived. Villanelle and Eve briefly were together and seemingly happy in the road trip bit, which did not feel satisfying to watch because I'd been spoiled on Villanelle dying. I did call it on someone getting 'Death' when the one tourist started pulling out a tarot deck because that always seems to come up in tv shows and movies. The Death card means change, and outside of fiction, it's usually a metaphorical death and not literal. (It was Eve's future card, since she didn't want to look at her past or present. Villanelle got a typical 3 card draw: The Tower for her past, The Lovers - Reversed - for her present, and The Sun for her future.)

As an aside, I made myself feel a bit sad after double checking what The Sun meant, courtesy of this site: "If you are going through a difficult time, The Sun brings you the message you have been waiting for: that things will get better, a lot better! Through the challenges along your path, you discovered who you are and why you’re here." (It's not an outright message that Villanelle was just here in this narrative to kill the members of The Twelve and then die once she wasn't needed anymore. But, you know, it sort of hurts because that's pretty much what happened by the end of the episode.)

Funnily enough, when there were sparse details about how 'Carolyn killed Villanelle' in the spoiling, I had a different image of how I thought Villanelle was going to supposedly save Eve. Bullets just started to appear, and Villanelle had Eve jump into the Thames where Villanelle took a few more hits. Carolyn was in communication with someone on the walkie talkie, so she knew and probably orchestrated this, but it seemed more like a hit on Villanelle with Eve as acceptable collateral. If I was supposed to get a reference to who was actually operating the gun, I didn't get it. Possibly an MI6 person? I feel like the last few minutes were a way to definitely kill off a lead and make sure the show was over more so than a narrative move that I saw coming. (Unless I'm just not observant... That would be a fair assessment.)