“…And Finally: Black Bolt” is the 8th and final episode of season one Marvel’s Inhumans.
Recap
In the Royal Bunker, Maximus explains that he connected the protective dome to a scanner in the control room and that every hour he has to scan his palm print or the power will cut, lifting the dome. After going through a second Terragenesis, Maximus wants the lead the people of Attilan to conquer Earth. Black Bolt decides that he and Triton will bring Maximus to the control room using the underground tunnels, while Medusa and Crystal set up an escape route just in case the dome is lifted. Elsewhere, Karnak is caught and locked in the Quiet Room.
Medusa returns to Earth, via Lockjaw, seeking Louise’s help. Louise deduces that Medusa wants something, but ask that in return she get to see Attilan. Medusa tells her of Maximus’s plan and that it’s too dangerous.
In the Terragenesis Chamber Gorgon is wreaking havoc while Declan tries to hide. Gorgon finally spots him and attacks him. Some guards enter, and an Inhuman woman uses her powers to render Gorgon unconscious. He is then thrown into the Quiet Room with Karnak. Karnak realizes that there is something wrong with Gorgon, and tries to jog his memory, which works briefly.
In the tunnels under Attilan Black Bolt is lost. Maximus goads Black Bolt for his lack of knowledge of his own land. Maximus then reminds Black Bolt that he didn’t want to be king, and even promised that he would pass the right to Maximus, but changed his mind after he accidentally killed their parents. In the flashback, it is revealed that Black Bolt’s powers are the only thing that can protect Attilan from an unnamed evil.
In the Quiet Room, Gorgon attacks Karnak after he reveals that he is responsible for his current state. Karnak manages to calm Gorgon, who then takes his frustration out on a wall, which he punches through, freeing them. Elsewhere Crystal recruits Eldrac to help evacuate the people of Attilan to safety is case the dome lifts.
Black Bolt and Maximus find their way out of the tunnels but run into some Inhumans. While Black Bolt fights them off, Maximus escapes. Karnak and Gorgon reunite with Triton. Maximus arrives in Terragenesis chamber to find Auran, who informs him that Gorgon killed Declan. When Maximus finds that all the Terragenesis crystals are gone he summons Bronaja to find them. After receiving a vision, Bronaja says he saw Maximus as king and Black Bolt gone. With the power fails getting worse Maximus heads to the control room. He scans his palm and then addresses the people. Maximus says that Black Bolt and the Royal Family are attacking Attilan and have stolen the Terragenesis crystals, and encourages the people to fight back.
On Earth Medusa and Louise try to convince her superior, George Ashland, (Tom Wright) to help them find a safe place for the people of Attilan to come. George is unconvinced of her story, so Medusa has Crystal and Lockjaw teleport to them. George says he will contact his boss to try and help. Crystal tells Medusa that she is needed on Attilan. Medusa leaves the Terragenesis crystals with Louise, who asks Medusa to take her dad’s ashes to the moon for her.
In the control room, Karnak finds that Maximus can’t actually stop the destruction of the dome. Black Bolt and Medusa reunite with them, and they are surprised to see Gorgon alive and in his current state. Medusa wants to try and talk to Maximus, using a Terragenesis crystal as a bargaining tool. Auran escorts Medusa to Maximus. Medusa asks if he is happy to see her powerless, with Maximus replying that now she understands what it is like to be him. Medusa apologies for abandoning their friendship, but states that if Maximus truly cared about Attilan, he wouldn’t try and destroy it.
The protective dome begins to fail again, and Medusa says they need to leave. Maximus decides to let Medusa escape to Earth. Medusa produces the Terragenesis crystal asking Maximus one last time to step down from the throne and stop the dome from collapsing. He refuses to give a straight answer, so she destroys the crystal. Maximus summons Auran to kill Medusa, but she refuses, letting her go. Back in the Royal Bunker, Black Bolt and Medusa decide it is time to evacuate.
Black Bolt and Medusa address the people informing them that it is no longer safe to live on Attilan because of Maximus, and that they must move to Earth to survive. Maximus says he would rather let everyone die than have them leave. Auran and Maximus argue about stopping the dome from collapsing. Auran says they can’t stay, but Maximus doesn’t want anyone to leave until he says so. He tells her to guard the door, and she leaves.
Crystal leads the people of Attilan to Eldrac, who transports them to Earth. Medusa buries Louise’s father’s ashes. Black Bolt refuses to leave without resolving his conflict with Maximus. Medusa and the others go after a saying goodbye.
Black Bolt confronts Maximus in the control room. Maximus waited too long to stop the dome from collapsing, and now it is irreversible. Maximus knows it is his fault that they will both die. Maximus reveals that he was part of the reason that Black Bolt accidentally killed their parents after forging a letter that advocated for Black Bolt to have his powers taken away. He thought Black Bolt would run away and is sorry for what happened. Black Bolt takes Maximus to the bunker where he will be safe when dome collapses. Black Bolt final speaks, saying goodbye to Maximus, which blockades him in. Maximus realizes that Bronaja’s prophecy did come true. Black Bolt arrives just in time to transport through Eldrac to Earth.
On Earth Medusa address the people saying that they have finally returned home.
Review
Finally, it’s over… for now. Despite being Marvel’s worst production to date there’s a possibility that Inhumans could get a second season, so don’t get your hope up until it’s official. Until then, I can soak in the fact that my Friday nights and I are once again free from this total nonsense.
This episode centered mainly on Black Bolt and his relationship with Maximus. There are various moments between Black Bolt and Maximus that were clearly meant to shocking and powerful, but like with everything else in this show, the development has been so poor it’s hard to care about any revelations between the two. As I stated in the review of the last episode, Inhumans has had a failing structure since the beginning of the show, with all its problems with characters development and motivation, which ultimately resulted in a lackluster final episode.
The revelation that Maximus was somewhat responsible for the death of their parents was meant to jar the audience but felt more like a cop-out to make Black Bolt more sympathetic. Black Bolt was meant to have gone on a journey to becoming a better leader, but there was never anything there to change from the get-go. Black Bolt himself has no real personality, so his big moment where he finally speaks had no built up or reverence. And the relationship between Black Bolt and Maximus never went beyond the superficial level of sibling jealous, and so, when Black Bolt says “Goodbye, brother” it fails to impact on an emotional level.
It doesn’t help that Anson Mount appears to have the emotional capacity of a concrete wall. I can’t say I have ever seen Mount in anything else, so perhaps he does have more range, but here he is just lifeless. Unmistakably, Black Bolt was written to be a stoic, but to play it to the point where there is little-to-no emotional response further deflates the impact of any scene his in. For an episode that is about the emotional journey of said character, it just brings the episode down even more.
All that being said, there are some nice things I have to say about this episode. Seeing Louise again (even briefly) was pleasant. Ellen Woglom just has a certain energy that really grabs you, making her presence truly refreshing. Not only that, but she manages to bring other characters to life. Medusa becomes instantly more engaging whenever she and Louise interact. I said this before, and I’ll say it again, Woglam and Serinda Swan have the best chemistry out of anyone in this show.
Speaking of chemistry, Karnak and Gorgon’s relationship were pretty engaging. Karnak and Gorgon’s relationship doesn’t have the best development, but it’s certainly better than others. Ken Leung and Eme Ikwuakor play off each other well, making their relationship seem deeper than what is actually written. Gorgon’s current character state still falls into the trope of angry, violent black man, but it was a level up that he had some agency by actually being able to speak and wasn’t just a rage monster the whole time.
Lastly, thank god Auran finally came to her senses and left Maximus for good. Girl, you took the first step to a better life, and I am so happy for you.
Marvel’s The Inhumans lacked any sort of craft to make an engaging TV show. Without a doubt, it’s Marvel’s worst live-action adaptation and one of the worst TV shows of 2017. There was no thought given to making an engaging character, plot, or worldbuilding. The saying goes usually goes, ‘Three strikes and your out,’ but Scott Buck clearly doesn’t deserve a third try. His given Marvel their two worst shows in the same year. He just isn’t a good showrunner, so perhaps it’s time to cut ties. Marvel, please, if, IF, Inhumans gets a second season, find someone else who actually cares to give an appealing show.
Until next (but hopefully not with the Inhumans), stay awesome.
