How I Want The Americans To End

[companionenvy]

10 hours ago, scartact said:

Nothing much to contribute with regards to possible song montages, but in terms of how I want the show to end, I just really don't want Phil and Liz separated in some capacity. That is my low bar! If they go down, I hope they go down together; if they make it, I hope they make it together! I'm super antsy for tomorrow to come.

Sadly, the closest thing I have to a confident prediction is that whatever happens to them, they won't be together, and if one survives free, it won't be with Paige or Henry, either. I could be wrong, of course, but that's my gut.

[Bannon]

Going back to the Soviet Union appears problematic, so the Jennings need to escape to another country without an extradition treaty with the U.S.. Maybe a nice warm place like The Maldives. Liz could become a licensed sex therapist, issuing such helpful advice to her patients like. "It's just f*cking! GET OVER IT!". Phil could drop line dancing for the traditional dances of the Maldivians. Paige would ask Liz insightful questions like "Mom, do former spies murder as many people as they did when they were spying? Why do you come home covered in blood?" Henry could wander about, skates slung over his shoulder, endlessly looking for an ice rink.

Edited May 30, 2018 by Bannon

[snarktini]

21 hours ago, ThisIsMe said:

How can the writers "make this right?"  I'm not sure they can.  They have to either allow P & E to run free or have them arrested/killed.  

 

My preference: They don't do either! What about an ambiguous ending? A Sopranos style nothing?

There's a lot of desire to see them actually captured/punished but with only 90 minutes...any wrap up they attempt will be rushed. I want to see the chase, the pennies dropping, Stan putting it all together, P&E on the run, but I don't need to spend time on watching Paige flip or arresting P&E. It's not my normal preference, I really like things wrapped up with bows, but there are just too many dangling threads for the time we have, and any solution may disappoint. In this case, I'm happy to assume what happens is what I wanted to happen*.

So that's the picture in my mind. Everyone's closing in, they're cornered, nowhere to go...and black.

*ETA: Maybe why I like the idea of ambiguity is that I don't actually know what I want to happen. As people who've committed countless terrible crimes, they deserve to be caught and prosecuted. No question. But they're our protagonists and I've spent years watching a story from their point of view and getting invested in their personal growth and relationships. Do I want Henry's life to be destroyed? No. Do I want to see Philip die? No. Do I want to seem them escape? No. So...that leaves me with ambiguity.

Edited May 30, 2018 by snarktini
I always have more thoughts

[ThisIsMe]

42 minutes ago, snarktini said:

My preference: They don't do either! What about an ambiguous ending? A Sopranos style nothing?

 

I see your point.  Like you, I don't usually like ambiguous endings.  But in this case it would allow each of us viewers to picture them either running free or being captured.

As for the other characters ... lots of loose ends, so I'm hoping they focus on a resolution for the key people like Stan, Paige, and Henry.

Maybe Paige becomes an FBI agent?  Maybe Stan becomes a father figure to Henry?

[One Imaginary Girl]

I'm going to place my bets before the window comes down:  Henry will not want to leave the US; if it were up to Philip, he would stay, but Elizabeth wouldn't want her child to remain in the corrupt US.  I have no guess as to what actually will happen with him, however.  I'm sticking by my initial hunch that there's something fishy about Renee.

I admit that I'm not going way out on a limb with these predictions.  It's just writing them down for me to check back on at 11:31 tonight.

[Juliegirlj]

If Paige lives ( I doubt it), I can’t see her ever forgiving her parents for not fully disclosing who they are and exactly what they do, and for getting her involved. If Pastor Tim doesn’t rat out the Jennings, maybe his purpose was to give shelter and purpose back to Paige. Perhaps when faced with a choice, Paige will turn her back on her family and go back to Jesus and Pastor Tim?! That would crush Elizabeth but, Phillip could take some comfort that Paige will be safe, and have the opportunity to live a good life. 

[DrumJunkie]

This is the only show that's had me this captivated since the pilot aired.  How do I want it to end?  I don't!  But, what I would like to see is:

PEP drive up to get Henry.  From Falls Church to Concord, NH is about 8 hours (assuming St. Edwards is near Concord).  It was probably longer then with older highways and lower speed limits, so say 10 hours to Henry's school.  I'm guessing it was roughly noon when Philip gave the Topsy-Turvy call. So P&E meeting up, getting Paige and on the road will take an hour or two, they would get to Henry around midnight earliest.  One sideline...Claudia tells the center that Elizabeth has gone rogue, and is directed to kill her before more damage can be done.  When P&E get to Paige, Claudia is waiting on them (with special moonshine and a smile?).  Things do not end well for the old lady.  Claudia has a monologue that solidifies Paige's stance with her mother.  Elizabeth beats Claudia up (again) and chokes her by shoving the cyanide necklace down her throat.  On to NH.

Meanwhile, Stan puts enough together to really need confirmation. He is torn between country and a friendship that has been like family.  He calls the Jennings to set up an "innocent" meet, but no one is home.  From that, Andrei, and the FBI that chasing Philip, he deduces that they are on the run. Plus the sketches come back after some delay ("I'm going to kill 'em", as a misdirection really directed at the slow sketch artist. j/k)  Stan leaves work to track them down on his own.  First stop is Paige, but he is too late.  Next is Henry, but not before calling Renee from a payphone and letting her know that he will won't be home tonight which leaves her unsettled. Stan arrives at the school as they are leaving (binocular shot?).

Meanwhile, the FBI come across P&E's garage and find the disguises used over the years.  Including Clark, Jim, Stephanie and Wendy, among others.  Aderholt is informed of the assassination attempt of Nesterenko, pulls Oleg out of solitary and questions him enough to get up speed on the Gorbachev vs. Hardliners. "You're going to have to choose... Now." could also refer to Oleg being asked by Dennis to give up Philip's identity, which he still refuses.

In Russia, Arkady gets a call from Mr. G himself wondering who the hell put out a hit on his negotiator.  Arkady now knows the coup was in motion, and sets out trying to contact Oleg.

At the school, P&E tell Henry that they have to go.  This isn't a surprise vacation and Henry knows something is up.  Henry is told no time and that they will explain in the car.  Henry has a final tomorrow and isn't budging.  A brief struggle ensues before Henry finally capitulates, which Stan witnesses from a distance.  The plan is to cross into Canada using a similar plan that Irina had tried to get Philip to go along with back in S1.  The four Jenning's - all together - head north with fake passports and Stan on their tail.

Aderholt sees the sketches, discovers that Stan is MIA, calls Renee and she doesn't know either which really sets her off.  Aderholt is taking Stan seriously now and sends FBI agents to New Hampshire.  Just south of the border crossing, Stan catches them at a fuel stop and we have an emotional Stan and Philip resolution.  Stan tries to put his mind together after being blown by the truth said out loud and decides for the sake of family (and Henry) to let them escape.  Stan wants the FBI to stand down and instead gets involved in a stand-off.  Philip and Elizabeth speed off and FBI starts to fire.  Stan yells at them to stop (for fear of hitting Henry, if nothing else.) A car chase ensues with Stan trying to run interference.  P&E and Stan are run off the road into a pond/lake.

The next day, Renee storms into the FBI demanding to know where Stan is.  Aderholt gives her the news that his car went into a lake and his body hasn't been recovered.

Oleg is called out of his cell again and led into an interrogation room where Arkady is sitting waiting on him.  Arkady has negotiated for his release and they are shown boarding a plane bound for Moscow.

Final scene shows Stan and the Jennings emerge from the woods a few miles from the accident after swimming to the other side of the pond (saving Stan in the process).  They part their separate ways Stan walking South and the Jennings crossing over into Canada.

 

(End credits scene, The Jennings get checked into a motel when there is a knock at the door.  Philip opens the door to be greeted with a new yet familiar face... Mischa.)

 

OK, I know it really fell apart at the end.  I'm sure the actual episode will be nothing like this.

[Bannon]

Uh oh, I just saw that "Never gonna give you up" debuted on the top 40 chart in mid-December 1987! Could it be that, in the final episode of this show, that we all get......RICK-ROLLED!!!!

[DrumJunkie]

1 minute ago, Bannon said:

Uh oh, I just saw that "Never gonna give you up" debuted on the top 40 chart in mid-December 1987! Could it be that, in the final episode of this show, that we all get......RICK-ROLLED!!!!

I hope not!! That would bring carnage far worse than what Elizabeth has done.

[Bannon]

36 minutes ago, DrumJunkie said:

I hope not!! That would bring carnage far worse than what Elizabeth has done.

It would explain the 3 year time jump!

[Razzberry]

I don't necessarily want Paige dead, just slapped around a bit.  She's earned it.  Whatever happens to her I just wish it would be off-camera.

[showme]

8 hours ago, jnymph said:

I want E dead &  Philip to live a long, happy American line dancing life.     I just don't care about the kids nor Stan. 

Me too. However, I am not very optimistic about that happening.

I believe the poison necklace is there for a reason, and it might come into play during the last episode.

Elizabeth might have to give herself up in order to secure freedom and a future for Philip and the kids, and then she will use that poison necklace while she still can.

Sad, but very likely.

What do you guys think? What are your speculations?

[SunnyBeBe]

11 minutes ago, showme said:

Me too. However, I am not very optimistic about that happening.

I believe the poison necklace is there for a reason, and it might come into play during the last episode.

Elizabeth might have to give herself up in order to secure freedom and a future for Philip and the kids, and then she will use that poison necklace while she still can.

Sad, but very likely.

What do you guys think? What are your speculations?

I don't care if Elizabeth uses the poison necklace. I don't really want her to die, but,  anyone but, Philip.  I just want him to survive. The rest, I'm not too particular about. 

[hellmouse]

I don't think Elizabeth will take the cyanide. I think she'll choose uncertain life rather than certain death. She'll choose living for her husband and family rather than dying for Claudia's mission.

Someone else might take it, but I don't think it will be Philip or Elizabeth.

[showme]

5 minutes ago, hellmouse said:

don't think Elizabeth will take the cyanide. I think she'll choose uncertain life rather than certain death.

I hope she does not take it either, but there might be a reason that the writers put the poison necklace in the story line.

I hope the whole family lives, maybe in Canada?

[hellmouse]

2 minutes ago, showme said:

I hope she does not take it either, but there might be a reason that the writers put the poison necklace in the story line.

I think they put it in the story line to make the stakes incredibly high. She gets a secret mission that includes suicide by cyanide if she is captured. She can't even tell Philip about it. 

But finally she does tell Philip about the mission and the cyanide. And then we see someone take the cyanide - Harvest. We see the effects of it on his face, and how quickly he dies. We see Philip toss the empty cyanide locket in the bag. And then Elizabeth finds out the mission is basically part of a coup and she is being lied to and used toward that end. I don't think she'll consider herself bound by the terms of that mission anymore. 

If we hadn't seen the effect of the cyanide on Harvest, I'd be more concerned that E or P would take it tonight. But as I said, it could be someone else taking it.  And of course I'm just guessing!

[sistermagpie]

8 minutes ago, hellmouse said:

I think they put it in the story line to make the stakes incredibly high. She gets a secret mission that includes suicide by cyanide if she is captured. She can't even tell Philip about it. 

Yes, as Philip put it, the necklace is a symbol of how she's willing to die for something and doesn't even know what it is.

Martha's gun was also considered something that had to go off but it never did. It was important in its way at times, but not because she shot anyone with it.

[Pink-n-Green]

I wish you all could be here for the Americans Finale viewing party I've put together for tonight!  I have four friends coming over and we're having (thanks to a web search for easy to make Russian finger food) blini with smoked salmon, cucumber radish salad, Russian black bread and butter (sourced this out to my sister in law; I'm not much of a baker) , and mini lamb kabobs.  To drink?  Moscow Mules, of course!

Hope everyone enjoys tonight's finale!

[SunnyBeBe]

4 minutes ago, Pink-n-Green said:

I wish you all could be here for the Americans Finale viewing party I've put together for tonight!  I have four friends coming over and we're having (thanks to a web search for easy to make Russian finger food) blini with smoked salmon, cucumber radish salad, Russian black bread and butter (sourced this out to my sister in law; I'm not much of a baker) , and mini lamb kabobs.  To drink?  Moscow Mules, of course!

Hope everyone enjoys tonight's finale!

That sounds awesome! GREAT idea.  I wish I could join you.  I hope you have a great time.  I'm not sure if I'm going to enjoy the evening yet.  We'll see.  lol 

[dr pepper]

You should probably also make a big pot of that peasant stew.

[TimeTraveler]

I've been waiting so long to see that bitch dead.  Hope she has to watch her daughter die needlessly in front of her first, with Phillip deserting them and ending the show with him as a logger sharing a cabin with Dexter.

[showme]

29 minutes ago, TimeTraveler said:

I've been waiting so long to see that bitch dead.  Hope she has to watch her daughter die needlessly in front of her first, with Phillip deserting them and ending the show with him as a logger sharing a cabin with Dexter.

You have so much hate for Liz. Why?

Why sharing a cabin with Dexter?

Have Philip and Dexter both turned gay?

Edited May 31, 2018 by showme

[Avaleigh]

I want P&E to realize that they have to let Henry go if they want to save him. My hope is that they'll say goodbye to Henry but give him the choice about staying or going and that he'll choose to stay in America. 

I don't really care what happens to Paige. The show focused too much on her. I guess I wouldn't mind if she definitely made it clear that she doesn't want to be a spy anymore. 

As for Philip and Elizabeth---I don't want them to die. I know it's wrong to want them to be happy after all of the misery that they've caused but I do sort of want them to live an undercover life in Canada where they can just be normal people and are 100% done with spying. Maybe they could live in Calgary. Elizabeth can paint and read and do charity work. They can maybe open up another small business together. Philip can play hockey and line dance and maybe take Elizabeth with him for the first time ever. 

If one of them has to die I'd prefer for it to be Elizabeth, but guess that it's more likely to be Philip since Elizabeth already had her near death experience back in season 1. If Philip does die I'd at least like for Elizabeth to tell him (in Russian!) that she loves him since I don't think that she's ever told him on the show. 

I would also like to see (but know I won't be that lucky) Elizabeth's reaction to the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. I feel so cheated that we never got here. I'd like Paige's thoughts about this too if it turns out she's still all in regarding spying for the motherland. 

As for Stan, it's important to me that he knows that Henry really was clueless about everything. I also hope that somehow, some way,  as unlikely as it is, I'd like for him to be able to forgive Philip. 

As for Renee--I hope that this hasn't been some long and pointless jerk off. I want there to be some pay off with this waste of time character. 

I agree with those who think one of the likely songs we'll hear tonight is U2's With or Without You. Ideally this will be P&E saying goodbye to Henry. Not sure how Paige fits in but maybe ultimately realize they'll have to say goodbye to her too even if that wasn't the original plan. 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Avaleigh

[duVerre]

45 minutes ago, Avaleigh said:

As for Philip and Elizabeth---I don't want them to die. I know it's wrong to want them to be happy after all of the misery that they've caused but I do sort of want them to live an undercover life in Canada where they can just be normal people and are 100% done with spying. Maybe they could live in Calgary. 

..... As for Stan, it's important to me that he knows that Henry really was clueless about everything. I also hope that somehow, some way,  as unlikely as it is, I'd like for him to be able to forgive Philip. 

 

Why Calgary? (Just curious. I love Calgary.)

I agree with your thoughts re Stan.

Edited May 31, 2018 by duVerre
clarity, as usual

[Pink-n-Green]

2 hours ago, dr pepper said:

You should probably also make a big pot of that peasant stew.

Nah, I'll save that for the book club meeting where we'll be discussing The Essential Works of Lenin ;)

[Avaleigh]

18 minutes ago, duVerre said:

Why Calgary? (Just curious.)

I agree with your thoughts re Stan.

I can just see Philip indulging in his love of the cowboy look in Calgary. To me Calgary has always sort of come across as the Canadian old west. I think they even had a hockey team called the Cowboys back in the 70s. 

[duVerre]

22 minutes ago, Avaleigh said:

I can just see Philip indulging in his love of the cowboy look in Calgary. To me Calgary has always sort of come across as the Canadian old west. I think they even had a hockey team called the Cowboys back in the 70s. 

SMH. The cowboy connection was right there and I didn't connect it.  As for the hockey team (unlike most Canadians, I have to google anything about hockey)--great detail.

Winters in Calgary are bleak (40 below Farenheit at times)--enough to evoke early memories of Russia. And then there's the Rockies--something very Russian and romantic about them.

Edited May 31, 2018 by duVerre

[crgirl412]

3 hours ago, Pink-n-Green said:

I wish you all could be here for the Americans Finale viewing party I've put together for tonight!  I have four friends coming over and we're having (thanks to a web search for easy to make Russian finger food) blini with smoked salmon, cucumber radish salad, Russian black bread and butter (sourced this out to my sister in law; I'm not much of a baker) , and mini lamb kabobs.  To drink?  Moscow Mules, of course!

Hope everyone enjoys tonight's finale!

 Fun!!!!!!  Sounds yummy!!

[dr pepper]

My music choice: Montage of the soviet disintegration, intercut with american jubilation, with Winds of Change playing. Segue into scenes of the social and financial collapse in all the former soviet states, intercut with scenes from the US real estate bust that ate the "Peace Dividend", with something bleak and goth playing. Segue into the rise of the new personal autocracies with their billionaire allies, intercut with scenes of the rise of the hard right in America, with "Won't Get Fooled Again" playing. End with Stan at the State Department sitting at a conference table. The door opens and Oleg strides in. He smiles at Stan, throws a thick folder onto the table and says, in a thicker accent than he's used previously, "i bring a proposal, i suggest you consider it seriously".

As for the rest, i've already made several predictions over the years. Stan finding P & E working the Intourist counter at the Moscow airport is still my favorite, but i don't think it likely.

What i do know is that i have never been this keyed up to see the last episode of a show since MASH.

[FormerMod-a1]

It has ended.  Have ideas for better endings, or better stories/arcs in general, you can discuss here.