S04.E12: And the Echoes of Memory

[formerlyfreedom]

After the world is morphed into a horrible and unrecognizable place – one where the Library never existed – it's up to Baird to bring the Librarians together before this bleak, knowledge-less world becomes the new reality.

[johntfs]

As weird as it sounds, I think the resolution will be Flynn and Nicole doing the Tethering.  The thing that really seems to be driving Nicole is anger at Flynn "abandoning" her to live in the past.  It would fit that Flynn would ultimately Tether with his first guardian after recognizing that a lot of his feelings for Eve were really displaced feelings he had for Nicole.  Flynn can "pop back in" Judson style ever so often while the others do the job of Guardian and Librarians.

Edited February 3, 2018 by johntfs

[call me ishmael]

5 hours ago, johntfs said:

As weird as it sounds, I think the resolution will be Flynn and Nicole doing the Tethering.  The thing that really seems to be driving Nicole is anger at Flynn "abandoning" her to live in the past.  It would fit that Flynn would ultimately Tether with his first guardian after recognizing that a lot of his feelings for Eve were really displaced feelings he had for Nicole.  Flynn can "pop back in" Judson style ever so often while the others do the job of Guardian and Librarians.

You and me both.  I suggested that on the previous episode thread but without offering good reasons as you do here.

[mythoughtis]

Why did the erasing of the library cause them to go to a black and white 1950s. Why not the dark ages? 

[Mysteris]

They might have gone to the fifties because it's hard to imagine a Dark Ages police state.

 

For a season finale, this one was okay. I mean, they hit the totalitarian police state notes well I thought. But I was stuck wondering how Nicole wound up in charge of this world just because she kept her memories of the other one. I don't know, but I thought that the resolution would be more climatic than "We really believe the Library exists". I thought they'd do something with Nicole's amulet or something more dramatic to change the world back.

 

I'm not entirely certain why Flynn remembered everything perfectly and Eve struggled. But at least, despite the antics in the asylum, he wasn't the one true answer to everything. The others got to do things and be important in the rescue.

 

I thought they were going for something where either Flynn and Nicole would do the tethering, or Nicole would wind up as the new Guardian to the Librarians. It was like everything was rushed at the end. This one could have benefited from being a two-parter I think.

[AuntieL]

The world reminded me of the movie "Pleasantville". I assume Nicole was in charge because she had enough knowledge, memory and imagination to rise to the top. For a moment I thought they were going to not reset Jenkins' dying. I was as happy as Flynn and Baird were to see him. This did look like it could serve as a series end but I hope it isn't. I'd miss this little show if it doesn't come back.  I just realized, Jenkins isn't dungeon master anymore. That's sad. 

[Maelstrom]

Yay Jenkins!! I can live with anything as long as he’s alive and still immortal. That being said... meh. So only Flynn and Eve remember anything that happened this season, which means, basically, it’s all kind of a waste of time. No one’s character growth (such as it was) stuck, the whole “one librarian to rule them all” thing was never addressed (though I guess this means that Dare’s visit and subsequent warning never happened, so maybe it’s not an issue after all?) I dunno. There were a few fun standalone eps this season, but overall I’m not impressed. We’ll see if TNT renews it or not.

I call BS on Eve telling Flynn he’s the heart of the Library. That would be Eve herself! She’s always the one to bring everyone together and ultimately set things in motion toward saving the day.

But, Jenkins! So I’m not feeling nearly as stabby  as I was last week at this time.

Edited February 8, 2018 by Maelstrom

[Skyfall]

50 minutes ago, Mysteris said:

They might have gone to the fifties because it's hard to imagine a Dark Ages police state.

 

For a season finale, this one was okay. I mean, they hit the totalitarian police state notes well I thought. But I was stuck wondering how Nicole wound up in charge of this world just because she kept her memories of the other one. I don't know, but I thought that the resolution would be more climatic than "We really believe the Library exists". I thought they'd do something with Nicole's amulet or something more dramatic to change the world back.

 

I'm not entirely certain why Flynn remembered everything perfectly and Eve struggled. But at least, despite the antics in the asylum, he wasn't the one true answer to everything. The others got to do things and be important in the rescue.

 

I thought they were going for something where either Flynn and Nicole would do the tethering, or Nicole would wind up as the new Guardian to the Librarians. It was like everything was rushed at the end. This one could have benefited from being a two-parter I think.

I think they filmed two endings, at least I would’ve in their case of not knowing if the CBS show would be a hit or not. Withthat said this season was made worthless but I don’t even care cause of Jenkins!

[mythoughtis]

1 hour ago, Maelstrom said:

I call BS on Eve telling Flynn he’s the heart of the Library. That would be Eve herself! She’s always the one to bring everyone together and ultimately set things in motion toward saving the day.

I agree with your entire post- except on this point. I believe Jenkins is the heart of the library.     Eve is the housemother- if the housemother was Vin Diesels character in Pacifier. 

Flynn was a little calmer in the alternate reality. I wish he was like that more often. Maybe he kept more of his memories because he was with the library for 10 years more than Eve. Maybe it was because he was kidnapped before Nicole destroyed the library. maybe he just gradually got the memories back- he did have to be ‘reset’. 

[roctavia]

I actually really liked this episode/end for the season. Partway through I had no idea how they were going to fix things in time for the end of the episode and was afraid we could get a cliffhanger with a chance of no resolution if they don't get another season. 

It is unfortunate that the rest of the season almost ends up completely erased, though I suppose several of the episodes were Nicole centric that wouldn't have happened now. And I am completely fine with a reset on Jenkins, he needs to remain alive and immortal. I like Flynn and Baird together, so I'm glad they end up tethering together in the end.  Maybe it's because she was from the first movie so long ago/because it's not even the same actress or they didn't try to sell any remaining big love between Flynn and Nicole, but I am glad to see her story essentially over. I didn't want her to stick around or be with Flynn, that would just be too unfair to Baird. With the tethering, they can also make it easier in the future to have Flynn more of a pop in like Judsen instead of always on missions with the team... so hopefully that will help them strike a balance for Flynn that will work for the Flynn fans without driving the non-Flynn people crazy. 

The bizzaro world was interesting... Fat and Flour! That's all there is! Interesting that there was a whole asylum of people questioning the bland world. I liked how they were able to remember their skills and each other slowly, but also just in time to save the day. The toaster being a portal at the end was also kind of funny. 

Overall, I still love this show and am really sad that the season is already over :( I want more! So I hope TNT hears us and gives us more!

[mammaM]

Well, that was....underwhelming. I like this show but this whole season was, meh. I not sure why, maybe it was the Nicole storyline, maybe too much Flynn (even though I like him), or maybe it's the fact that this whole season ended up being erased. I hope the show comes back but this is not a season I'll be rewatching.

[Chaos Theory]

The one thing I disliked was that it seems like all of Jenkins character growth gets erased including his friendship with the group of D&D players which was a highlight episode.

Edited February 8, 2018 by Chaos Theory

[Clanstarling]

12 hours ago, Mysteris said:

I'm not entirely certain why Flynn remembered everything perfectly and Eve struggled. But at least, despite the antics in the asylum, he wasn't the one true answer to everything. The others got to do things and be important in the rescue.

Partly because he had his hidden wall of memories, I'm guessing. Also, he already used the "memory palace" technique, so that might have kept them more at hand. 

I think the three Librarians being essential to the escape has answered the one vs three librarians question once and for all - at least I hope so.

45 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

The one thing I disliked was it seems like all of Jenkins character growth gets erased including his friendship with the group og D&D players which was a highlight episode.

I know, right? I was more disappointed, though, that they weren't in the asylum, along with the reporter, because they were people full of curiosity, and it would make sense to have those with a dim memory of the library unite with the Librarians. Heck, even Ezekial's mother should have been there. Though I do cringe at the thought.

Flynn telling Nicole to be good, and do all the things for the library instead of against it, was weak sauce.

Happy that Jenkins is back and immortal. So, I guess Rebecca will also be immortal next season, if there is a next season?  

Edited February 8, 2018 by Clanstarling

[BckpckFullaNinjas]

Jenkins lives!

To eternity!

That’s enough for me. I can leave the series alone now whether this was a season or series ender.

And if this winds up to be a series finale, obviously fine with me.  

The show intrigued me a few seasons ago when I stared watching. Learned a little history, a little about art; pleased that Cassandra is unapologetically a STEM hero; tickled when literary baddies came to life. NEVER minded watching Jacob, or - if in a cuddly mood - Galahad. But as y’all have said eloquently above, too many plot holes, too many easy fixes.  

I’ll  look at it again if it comes back but if it continues this way, it won’t be appointment tv. So, meh. But Jenkins lives! And the Library hums  along. 10-4, roger willco. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by BckpckFullaNinjas

[LoneHaranguer]

13 hours ago, Mysteris said:

They might have gone to the fifties because it's hard to imagine a Dark Ages police state.

I think they needed TV and cars for the convenience of the story. BTW, how did Ezekiel get Bob Saget's job?

[libgirl2]

I liked it but I thought it wrapped up rather easy.

I liked the alternate world a lot. 

Glad Jenkins is alive!! Woo hoo! 

I do agree, Jenkins is the heart of the library and Eve the house mother. She saved the day. 

[Chaos Theory]

This a fun cute show if you take it at that this is a fun cute show.

[snarktini]

Huh. So that happened. Agree the resolution wasn't given enough room to unfold, or something dramatic was missing.

I was right that Flynn didn't leave voluntarily. Wasn't right that the new people finding out about the Library would boost memory power to resurrect it.

On that note, it felt too easy to restore memories. Baird just had to hold on and then they had to find each other. Flynn kept lots already. Not a very difficult journey for our heroes! And why where they all in one place, so easily reunited, anyway? In an alternate reality, couldn't Nicole have put them anywhere, or wouldn't they be back in their own hometowns if the Library never existed? Certainly letting 2 of them be on TV and 2 more end up in the same asylum is bad villain craft. IJS. A two-parter might have given time to reunite more slowly and have the whole thing feel more earned. It also seemed too easy that Flynn could pop back in time and with so few words "fix" Nicole.

Any rate, Jenkins is back. Which is great because I love Jenkins! But it means our Librarians don't find out the Library went psycho and killed him, which made them all resign. (The writers didn't pick up the thread I was questioning last time, was that actually the Library or Nicole.) If it was the Library, they learned something important about its character and that's been erased. Is there any hope that they still had the Jeff case and he's still a dungeon master?

Overall this season didn't work very well for me. Episodes were hit or miss. The two-fers were distracting. As charming as I've found this show, maybe it's time for it to end. :(

[Loandbehold]

14 hours ago, Mysteris said:

I'm not entirely certain why Flynn remembered everything perfectly and Eve struggled. But at least, despite the antics in the asylum, he wasn't the one true answer to everything. The others got to do things and be important in the rescue.

This. Flynn didn't take over the episode. I didn't mind his behavior in the asylum or that he retained more of his memory than Baird. At the beginning, she told herself to use Flynn's technique to try to keep the memory of The Library alive. Since Flynn had more experience doing this, it made sense that he would be able to do it better. Also, it was good to see that Flynn was kidnapped and not just being a jerk to Baird by leaving w/o saying goodbye. I'm glad they put that in for us.

The ending was a little too pat, but, hell, Jenkins is back! That makes up for just about anything else.

[roctavia]

4 hours ago, Chaos Theory said:

The one thing I disliked was that it seems like all of Jenkins character growth gets erased including his friendship with the group of D&D players which was a highlight episode.

I think they could spin it that Jenkins for some immortal/death reason does remember what happened, but was just playing along at the end like he didn't remember. 

 

That way he could go make some friends and remember what he learned being mortal.

[bara007]

What a great episode!

And it neatly tied together the whole season, I liked - I was pleasantly surprised at this season :)

[tennisgurl]

So, I thought this was a pretty good finale...until the ending. I liked the super restrictive sorta 50s inspired world, and there was lots of fun to be had there, especially with Stone and Cassandra geeking out over meeting Ezekiel, and the three of them coming together, and Flynn is always better in small doses, so he worked really well here. And I like that they needed everyone to save the day, and that Stone, Cass, and Ezekiel finally got to successfully use the "We`re the Librarians" thing. They deserve to! 

But, I dont like that they decided to make this whole season have not happened. I mean, why? And not within the show and the timy whimy hijinks of Flynn, but why, from a story stand point, would they do that? Usually, when writers decide to do something like that, they want to create new story opportunities, bring dead characters, back to life, or get rid of unpopular storylines. However, beyond Jenkins coming back and being immortal again (which, hurrah!!!!) what does that accomplish? Because, it mostly seems like they just got rid of all the character development that we got over the season, and makes the whole thing pretty pointless. They could have brought Jenkins back in a much easier way if thats all they wanted. 

Since none of this season happened, does that mean that Darrington Dare will die young and alone, after not learning the lesson he learned this season about teamwork? And Stones friend at the race track will be screwed, and Fortuna will still be one the lose? Does that mean the summer camp forest will keep eating people, and the heart of the forest will never be found, and all those people will still be stuck there? And the fairy will be stuck in that little town forever, and the kid Cassandra befriended will never feel at home there? And the Civil War ghosts will never be at peace, and their town will always be at odds? And that reporter Stone had a thing with and Jeff the DM will never find closure with the Library? And Ezekiel will never move forward with his mom? And the gangs character development is all gone, including Jenkins finding Friends outside the Library and becoming a DM? Because thats...all super depressing. I liked this season and now its...gone?

I guess its possible that they will just go onto have a lot of those adventures anyway, as the clock has been turned back, but a lot of that happened because of the Tethering drama and Flynn disappearing, so who knows? I mean, if this is the end of the show, its a decent ending, but it would have been better if we kept the season where everyone realizes how important the Library is, both in general and to them, and how they all fit there together. I hope this isn't REALLY the ending. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by tennisgurl

[Maelstrom]

18 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

I agree with your entire post- except on this point. I believe Jenkins is the heart of the library.     Eve is the housemother- if the housemother was Vin Diesels character in Pacifier. 

I can agree to that. :) Though I'd do so with the caveat that Jenkins has become the heart of the Library. The anti-social old crank we met in season 1 probably wouldn't qualify (not that I didn't love him then, too). I've so enjoyed watching him come to care about the gang, and vice versa, over the past four years.

Forgot to mention last night, did the time-travel toaster remind anyone else of Homer's toaster in the Simpson's Treehouse of Horror V, or was it just me? Also, I got a real kick out of Eliot, I mean Jacob stopping mid-chase to rip the sleeves off his shirt to show off his biceps. Lol!

And tennisgurl, word to your entire post.

[nitrofishblue]

I enjoyed the show. It was fun to watch. Considering all the other crap on TV, this show has been a breath of fresh air. Yes, I know at times the episodes were a tad weak but still better than the rest.

[KirkB]

That's a good way to end a season, and possibly a series. Everything is wrapped up, so if the show gets cancelled there is nothing really left undone. If it comes back they can just find a new bad guy to fight.

But overall I agree with a lot of you. The episode itself was underwhelming. Not bad, at all, just...I don't know, this whole season has felt off to me, and they is kind of the meh! capper on the whole thing. 

So, does this mean Flynn and Baird will be immortal now too? I'm not clear on that.

Jenkins is back and immortal again! Hooray!

I don't think it necessarily means the entire season was reset though. Or that we/they lost all the character growth. All the episodes, with the ghosts and the forest (and the dude named Jeff) could still have happened. The only things that had to change were the specifically evil things Nicole did, and she probably still did a lot of them, just in a way that benefited the library rather than hurt it.

[Clanstarling]

10 minutes ago, KirkB said:

I don't think it necessarily means the entire season was reset though. Or that we/they lost all the character growth. All the episodes, with the ghosts and the forest (and the dude named Jeff) could still have happened. The only things that had to change were the specifically evil things Nicole did, and she probably still did a lot of them, just in a way that benefited the library rather than hurt it.

I agree. Not everything in the season had to do with Nicole or her machinations. Though if she didn't drink the immortality elixir (which I think Flynn was trying to stop her from doing), then she'd be long dead.

This is one episode I didn't mind Flynn, and was even (sort of) charmed by him.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Clanstarling

[Sarah 103]

22 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

Why did the erasing of the library cause them to go to a black and white 1950s. Why not the dark ages? 

I have a degree in history, but I cannot resist this joke: dark ages, 1950s, give or take some inventions and plauges, what's the difference?

21 hours ago, Mysteris said:

I'm not entirely certain why Flynn remembered everything perfectly and Eve struggled. 

My guess was that Flynn had spent more time in the Library and had more memories, which made for a stronger connection. 

21 hours ago, AuntieL said:

For a moment I thought they were going to not reset Jenkins' dying. I was as happy as Flynn and Baird were to see him. This did look like it could serve as a series end but I hope it isn't. I'd miss this little show if it doesn't come back.  I just realized, Jenkins isn't dungeon master anymore. That's sad. 

I had the same thought. When Jenkins didn't appear I yelled at my TV "What?" followed by "No!" Once I saw Flynn with the book I knew things were going to be okay. 

21 hours ago, Maelstrom said:

Yay Jenkins!! I can live with anything as long as he’s alive and still immortal. That being said... meh. So only Flynn and Eve remember anything that happened this season, which means, basically, it’s all kind of a waste of time. No one’s character growth (such as it was) stuck, the whole “one librarian to rule them all” thing was never addressed (though I guess this means that Dare’s visit and subsequent warning never happened, so maybe it’s not an issue after all?)

My theory is that Nicole was behind the whole One Librarian thing, because that's really what set the Librarians against each other, which was cruical to her plan. I think she somehow manipulated Dare. 

19 hours ago, mythoughtis said:

Maybe he kept more of his memories because he was with the library for 10 years more than Eve. Maybe it was because he was kidnapped before Nicole destroyed the library. 

I think these two reasons are the most likely explanation for why he kept his memories and why they were so much stronger. 

7 hours ago, Loandbehold said:

At the beginning, she told herself to use Flynn's technique to try to keep the memory of The Library alive. Since Flynn had more experience doing this, it made sense that he would be able to do it better. Also, it was good to see that Flynn was kidnapped and not just being a jerk to Baird by leaving w/o saying goodbye. I'm glad they put that in for us.

The ending was a little too pat, but, hell, Jenkins is back! That makes up for just about anything else.

I agree with both of these points. I'm totally okay with them doing a variation of Dallas, because Jenkins is back! 

28 minutes ago, KirkB said:

I don't think it necessarily means the entire season was reset though. Or that we/they lost all the character growth. All the episodes, with the ghosts and the forest (and the dude named Jeff) could still have happened. The only things that had to change were the specifically evil things Nicole did, and she probably still did a lot of them, just in a way that benefited the library rather than hurt it.

I love this theory. It makes perfect sense. The only stories that changed/didn't happen were the ones with Nicole. However, it's worth noting that anything involving time travel will make your head hurt if you think too much about it. 

[tennisgurl]

57 minutes ago, KirkB said:

I don't think it necessarily means the entire season was reset though. Or that we/they lost all the character growth. All the episodes, with the ghosts and the forest (and the dude named Jeff) could still have happened. The only things that had to change were the specifically evil things Nicole did, and she probably still did a lot of them, just in a way that benefited the library rather than hurt it.

That would make me feel a LOT better about the finale. It still wasn't the best and most epic finale ever, but if I knew the whole of the season hadn't been wiped out, I would probably like it a lot more. I just tweeted one of the producers about how the time line is working now, so hopefully I will get lucky and get some answers! 

[Maelstrom]

33 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

My theory is that Nicole was behind the whole One Librarian thing, because that's really what set the Librarians against each other, which was cruical to her plan. I think she somehow manipulated Dare.

That makes as much sense as anything the writers gave us, so I'm going to go with it!

[ganesh]

I didn't think there was a reset. Either the main stuff happened in the ensuing weeks "ages ago. Do you have twitter?" Or it's going to unfold between from now. Maybe it just doesn't happen the same exact way. 

[mythoughtis]

 I’m trying and failing to believe that Nicole somehow didn’t become evil just because Flynn said goodbye to her and gave her a book to tell her how she should behave.  She’s still stuck in the past.  He still left her there.  She is still going to outlive the  new friends and family she creates. He encouraged her to drink the immortality potion/ just be good.  

She is still essentially the same person with the same personality. 

[ChelseaNH]

50 minutes ago, mythoughtis said:

She is still essentially the same person with the same personality. 

Minus the bitterness over being abandoned and forgotten.  Our experiences shape our personalities.

I like that they went back and redeemed her (although it didn't play out with as much weight as it needed).  These are kind people at heart, and that matters.

[thuganomics85]

Kind of a different season finale this go around.  In the past, it was usually about how all the past cases end up playing a part in solving everything.  But this go around, it ends up being that in order to save the day, everything has to be undone.  Although I guess it is certainly possible that the cases this season will still happen, but maybe go a bit differently due to the differences like Nicole no longer being against them and Flynn/Baird being tethered to The Library.

Anyway, I enjoyed the episode and seeing a "world without The Library."  I loved the Pleasentville-ish look and all the generic names for everything.  I especially like that even though Flynn returned, it avoided making it feel like he took over like he normally does, and Jake/Ezekiel/Cassie actually played big parts in saving the day as well. And I liked that the resolution was establishing just how important each librarian is, and why they matter (although I wished they highlight that Baird is just as important, but I'm sure everyone knows that.)

And, of course, Jenkins is back!  And immortal again!  I do wish he ends up meeting Jeff again though.  Someone needs to explain the correct way to play D&D!

All in all, it might not have been as strong as some of the past seasons, but I still think this show is fluffy fun and I hope it sticks around.  Preparing for the worst though, since this was around the time TNT got rid of Leverage.

[Sonja]

On 8.2.2018 at 3:37 AM, AuntieL said:

 I just realized, Jenkins isn't dungeon master anymore. That's sad. 

 

On 8.2.2018 at 4:08 AM, Maelstrom said:

No one’s character growth (such as it was) stuck, the whole “one librarian to rule them all” thing was never addressed (though I guess this means that Dare’s visit and subsequent warning never happened, so maybe it’s not an issue after all?)

 

13 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

But, I dont like that they decided to make this whole season have not happened. I mean, why? And not within the show and the timy whimy hijinks of Flynn, but why, from a story stand point, would they do that? Usually, when writers decide to do something like that, they want to create new story opportunities, bring dead characters, back to life, or get rid of unpopular storylines. However, beyond Jenkins coming back and being immortal again (which, hurrah!!!!) what does that accomplish? Because, it mostly seems like they just got rid of all the character development that we got over the season, and makes the whole thing pretty pointless. They could have brought Jenkins back in a much easier way if thats all they wanted. 

Since none of this season happened, does that mean that Darrington Dare will die young and alone, after not learning the lesson he learned this season about teamwork? And Stones friend at the race track will be screwed, and Fortuna will still be one the lose? Does that mean the summer camp forest will keep eating people, and the heart of the forest will never be found, and all those people will still be stuck there? And the fairy will be stuck in that little town forever, and the kid Cassandra befriended will never feel at home there? And the Civil War ghosts will never be at peace, and their town will always be at odds? And that reporter Stone had a thing with and Jeff the DM will never find closure with the Library? And Ezekiel will never move forward with his mom? And the gangs character development is all gone, including Jenkins finding Friends outside the Library and becoming a DM? Because thats...all super depressing. I liked this season and now its...gone?

I agree with all of you. I feel as if the characters (and the viewers) got cheated out of all the character development and experiences of the season. If they get a new season (which I'm still hoping for), they have their work cut out regarding who knows what considering some events might re-occur with Eve already knowing what's been going on.

@tennisgurl, that's exactly what irks me most too. All the good stuff about this season (Jenkins befriending the D&D players, Stone having a crush, Cassandra messing up 'Stepford', saving the forest,  the resolution of the Civil War story) is supposedly gone with the sucky (Nicole) still being around. Gah.

Please, Dean Devlin pull a Joss and blow us away with an unexpected solution to all of this in the first ep of the hopefully happening next season.

[Clanstarling]

6 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

Anyway, I enjoyed the episode and seeing a "world without The Library."  I loved the Pleasentville-ish look and all the generic names for everything.  I especially like that even though Flynn returned, it avoided making it feel like he took over like he normally does, and Jake/Ezekiel/Cassie actually played big parts in saving the day as well. And I liked that the resolution was establishing just how important each librarian is, and why they matter (although I wished they highlight that Baird is just as important, but I'm sure everyone knows that.)

My favorite part of the world without the Library was the "Flour and Grease" restaurant. At first I thought it was just a kind of a wink at fast food (because, yep, mostly flour and grease), but then it was literally flour and grease. Had a good laugh at that one.

I don't think the season was wiped out - many of the adventures had nothing at all to do with Nicole, so I think they will happen. I do wonder if Jenkins will still know the D&D group, because although Nicole's influence was getting more prominent at the time, he met them through Jeff having a magic book and saying an incantation, which could still have happened - immortal or not.

[Sarah 103]

6 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

I especially like that even though Flynn returned, it avoided making it feel like he took over like he normally does, and Jake/Ezekiel/Cassie actually played big parts in saving the day as well. And I liked that the resolution was establishing just how important each librarian is, and why they matter (although I wished they highlight that Baird is just as important, but I'm sure everyone knows that.)

And, of course, Jenkins is back!  And immortal again!  I do wish he ends up meeting Jeff again though.  Someone needs to explain the correct way to play D&D!

Baird is thier protector. When they were sitting in the circle trying to manifest the library, although I don't think they explicitly said it, the lions were used to represent her. I saw the lions as guardians and protectors. She is the one looking out for them, the way the lions look they are standing guard over all of the artifacts. I think he still could meet Jeff. My theory (which others have suggested as well) is that only the cases that Nicole had a direct influence changed. The adventures with Jeff and any other episode that did not focus on Nicole could still happen. 

34 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

I don't think the season was wiped out - many of the adventures had nothing at all to do with Nicole, so I think they will happen. I do wonder if Jenkins will still know the D&D group, because although Nicole's influence was getting more prominent at the time, he met them through Jeff having a magic book and saying an incantation, which could still have happened - immortal or not.

I agree with this part. Jeff having the magic book had nothing to do with Nicole. The clipping book still would have sent them to the town called Feud, and the list goes on.  

[Mulva]

I loved Stone ripping his shirt sleeves off because he just had to.

[Matt K]

On 2/7/2018 at 11:41 PM, mythoughtis said:

Flynn was a little calmer in the alternate reality. I wish he was like that more often. Maybe he kept more of his memories because he was with the library for 10 years more than Eve. Maybe it was because he was kidnapped before Nicole destroyed the library. maybe he just gradually got the memories back- he did have to be ‘reset’. 

I think Flynn also kept his memories while the other librarians didn't was because he never actually resigned.  As to why Flynn had an easier time than Baird, you might be right or its because he's the librarian so he protects the library (and maybe also a safety system if this happens) while Baird's job is to protect the library. 

 

That said, the end of the episode was poorly done.  I still don't quite get what happened with Nicole.  It sounded like she was supposed to do everything over again but without wiping out the library this time.  But since none of the season seemingly happened, I have no idea what Flynn was talking about (did she still become immortal?  Flynn stopped her but then she mentioned seeing him in 500 years which makes little sense).  Although as others mentioned, glad to have Jenkins back but I'm sad we lost all that character growth.  In the end, the whole erasing this season has left a bad taste in my mouth, but I am still looking forward to more seasons (assuming this isn't the last, which I also fine with).

[BooksRule]

My take on the finale is that only missions that specifically involved Nicole or her actions were changed or didn't happen.  Others either happened as we saw them or were changed just a little.  I don't know if Jenkins could have still body-swapped with Jeff if he was still immortal, but maybe he could (I like to think he did become D&D master with that little group!).  I also think that Jenkins (maybe because he is immortal and is so tied to the Library) knows at least a little of what happened.  That's what I choose to believe and it helped me enjoy the season (hopefully not series) finale.  I'm not usually a fan of re-writing history to fix things (the only show that I think ever did it pretty well was 'Eureka'), but I wanted Jenkins back (and immortal) so I'm okay.

Quote

I have no idea what Flynn was talking about (did she still become immortal?  Flynn stopped her but then she mentioned seeing him in 500 years which makes little sense).

He told her to still drink the potion, but to use the time given to her in a different way (to help the Library instead of working against it).

[Clanstarling]

2 hours ago, Mulva said:

I loved Stone ripping his shirt sleeves off because he just had to.

Made me laugh. 

3 minutes ago, BooksRule said:

He told her to still drink the potion, but to use the time given to her in a different way (to help the Library instead of working against it).

I missed that part of it. It was awfully hurried and confused.

[Sarah 103]

On 2/8/2018 at 10:36 PM, ganesh said:

I didn't think there was a reset. Either the main stuff happened in the ensuing weeks "ages ago. Do you have twitter?" Or it's going to unfold between from now. Maybe it just doesn't happen the same exact way. 

I agree with this. The clipping book is still going to send them on the same missions. Instead of Baird sending them to the retreat because they need to do some team building, the clipping book sends them because of strange things that have been happening. That mission could still play out, just slightly differently.

 

As far as I am concerned, the only things that didn't happen this time around were Nicole being evil, so any episode that centered on Nicole being evil and messing with the library or the libraians didn't happen. Also, if you think about time travel plotlines too much, your head starts to hurt (or at least mine does). 

One more thing I forgot to mention, I loved that "We're the Librarians" (complete with musical sting) finally worked for someone other than Flynn. 

[BckpckFullaNinjas]

16 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

 ... 

I missed that part of it. It was awfully hurried and confused.

I’m glad I’m not the only one.

I’ve given up trying to make sense of it. Except to figure that if they don’t get S5, they can say they wrapped it happy. If they do get S5, they can continue the plot lines....or not. 

[Sonja]

On 10.2.2018 at 5:20 PM, Sarah 103 said:

I agree with this. The clipping book is still going to send them on the same missions. Instead of Baird sending them to the retreat because they need to do some team building, the clipping book sends them because of strange things that have been happening. That mission could still play out, just slightly differently.

Except it wouldn't really be a mission. Baird remembers, so she would just have to go there, tell jealous DOSA guy what's going on and have the camp cleared. No camp experience for Cassandra, no meeting Sarena for Stone, no being the grown-up for Jones. Same with Feud; Baird already knows what's going on, so they would solve it quickly without the journey. Which would probably change stuff regarding personal development and team dynamics though because they would not go through the same things as before.

[johntfs]

5 hours ago, Sonja said:

Except it wouldn't really be a mission. Baird remembers, so she would just have to go there, tell jealous DOSA guy what's going on and have the camp cleared. No camp experience for Cassandra, no meeting Sarena for Stone, no being the grown-up for Jones. Same with Feud; Baird already knows what's going on, so they would solve it quickly without the journey. Which would probably change stuff regarding personal development and team dynamics though because they would not go through the same things as before.

Unless Jenkins, who has had experience with prophecy/foreknowledge advises her to play along and otherwise allow things to happen as they happened before (perhaps because he gained some extra knowledge during the time he was "dead.")

Edited February 12, 2018 by johntfs

[KirkB]

Flynn told Nicole to do everything she did before (just for the library instead of against it) so he probably tells Eve the same thing. Even though you know what's going to happen you have to let it play out. Keep the timeline intact.

[ganesh]

Eve could just be honest too. "Stone, these trees are alive and they need your help." 

[ABay]

Well, I didn't completely hate it. Obviously, I'm glad Jenkins is back, but I was very disappointed the resolution didn't involve artifacts or people from the previous episodes.

[Clanstarling]

33 minutes ago, ABay said:

Well, I didn't completely hate it. Obviously, I'm glad Jenkins is back, but I was very disappointed the resolution didn't involve artifacts or people from the previous episodes.

I know. I'd never particularly paid attention to that, but earlier in the season someone had pointed it out (maybe you), so I was hoping to see them encounter, at a very minimum, the D&D folks here. Seems the camp guy would have been perfect for a tv host, along with Ezekiel, and the news reporter could have been the woman who was questioning things and getting in trouble. 

But as long as Jenkins lives, and is immortal, I'm good with it.

[Sarah 103]

On 2/12/2018 at 6:45 AM, Sonja said:

Except it wouldn't really be a mission. Baird remembers, so she would just have to go there, tell jealous DOSA guy what's going on and have the camp cleared. No camp experience for Cassandra, no meeting Sarena for Stone, no being the grown-up for Jones. Same with Feud; Baird already knows what's going on, so they would solve it quickly without the journey. Which would probably change stuff regarding personal development and team dynamics though because they would not go through the same things as before.

Which is why as @johntfs and @KirkB said, Jenkins and/or Flynn would tell Nicole you have to allow things to happen as they did before in order to keep the timeline in tact. You still need the personal development/character growth to happen. It may happen slightly differently without Nicole, but most of it still happens. 

[call me ishmael]

Finally watched.  Wasn't thrilled.  I'm glad that Jenkins is back.  But again they make Flynn the most fabulous of them all and like a wonderful slap-stick comedian to boot.  ?

Personally, I think that the best outcome would have been if the Toaster had been quicker so Flynn could get stuck in the past with Nicole.  They could have been so excited that they dropped the immortality elixir.  Then Eve could have figured out someone else to tether with.  Much more promising I think.